Today, I’m excited to introduce you to a pretty awesome lady and friend of mine: Jen Jackett. We met a few years back at church and she is someone that I really admire and look up to. Jen tells me she’s a three on the Enneagram, but I would have guessed her as a nine if she hadn’t let me know—she is a graceful and peaceful presence, a lady full of empathy and understanding, and a good friend to have. Today, Jen writes to us about her experiences as a Noonday Collection Ambassador and Coach, and gives us a few practical steps to make a powerful impact with our purchases as we move into this season of shopping for people we love. Take it away, Jen!

“So…are you wanting to come back?!” I asked my friend as we navigated the cobblestone in the streets of Antigua, Guatemala, eagerly anticipating a response that found resonance with what I was feeling in my own heart.

“No, I don’t think so!  I mean, it was great, but…”

I was 23 years old, a brand new follower of Jesus trying to figure THAT out (and let me assure you, I still am), and I’d never felt so at home with my own heart.  I was on a trip to serve at an orphanage in Guatemala and by the end, I knew that this experience would be an ebenezer of sorts on my journey. I couldn’t articulate it then, but isn’t that how most stories unfold?

On that trip, I met a girl named “K” that I instantly connected with.  She escorted me everywhere that whole week. I still have a picture of her on my desk.

For me, this trip was an awakening of sorts.  It left me with this nagging feeling: “Okay, so we came and held babies for a week and hopefully put a few smiles on kiddos faces, but what about after we leave?”  I sense that God put that wisdom in my heart, even then.  

Fast forward to a few years ago, I received a message from a friend that lives in that same community in Guatemala and she had an update on K.  My heart sunk as I read the words. “Well, she ran away and we’re not sure where she is.” I can’t recall the exact words, but it went something like this: “It is likely that she saw the future ahead of her – aging out of the orphanage with no real options ahead of her other than being a caretaker for the younger kids at the orphanage, and chose the alternative.  She’s probably working in a brothel or just trying to make it on the streets.”

I wish I had another update since then.  I don’t.

Fast-forward to this past summer: I’m sitting at a table on a beautiful rooftop with 4 young adult ladies, about K’s age.  I’m there again, but this time, I’m there for my work with Noonday Collection, the largest fair trade accessories brand in the world that is committed to combatting poverty through job creation by providing a marketplace for artisan-made accessories sourced around the world.  We partner with artisan businesses that work with 4,500 artisans in some of the most vulnerable communities around the world. And Ambassadors like me have the opportunity to travel each year to connect with the artisans and see the work first-hand.

And what struck me in that moment? These young adult ladies were laughing.

All I could think about was: what if we partnered with an artisan group in K’s community?  How would her future have been different? What if SHE was the one working alongside friends, feeling the freedom and joy of laughter? 

It’s a little too late to change the course of K’s story, but I can be part of the solution for other girls like her.  And you can too. It’s easier than you think.

For me, 3 years ago, I began a side business as a Noonday Collection Ambassador as an advocate, stylist, and storyteller to create more opportunity for people like K.  

For women that have come out of brothels in East Asia that assemble, photograph, and package our dainty gold necklaces.  

For HIV-positive communities in Ethiopia that fashion upcycled artillery beads into beautiful pieces that adorn the necklines of more than half of my 600+ customers.  

Never in my life (nor in anyone else’s!) did I think I would do anything remotely connected to jewelry or fashion, yet this is an opportunity I have to be an advocate for the vulnerable and invite others in to a story of change and redemption in a way that is truly accessible to anyone.

Here’s the thing.  You matter. YOU! Let that sink in.  A community of individuals committed to small change adds up to a tidal wave of change, hope, and opportunity.  And the way we choose to spend our money casts a (silent) vote for the kind of world we want to live in.

I always tell people that my purchasing habits began to change because I wanted to be authentic and consistent in aligning my purchasing habits with my personal values.  I value people: all people, everywhere! And God has given me a sense of responsibility to use my privilege and my voice to support those in hard places. And learning about the “slow fashion” movement has helped me to align my purchasing habits with who I am and what I care about.

When I started to learn about the human rights atrocities (yes, that was an intentional word choice) that the fashion industry is responsible for, I couldn’t get over it.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I recommend beginning to educate yourself by googling ‘Rana Plaza Bangladesh’, or by watching The True Cost documentary. Keep tissues close by. 

But here’s the thing.  So many of us get paralyzed by the bad news in the world that we can’t envision a step forward.  It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the negative, but let me be the one to tell you that there are more avenues than ever to support the causes we all care about by making simple changes in your everyday life.  You don’t have to move to the other side of the world to make an impact! 

And that’s what I want to leave you with today: what is one step forward that you can make?  What is one more fair trade gift you can purchase this year? How can you begin the process of asking tough questions of the brands you love?  

“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.”

• Anne Lappé

Here are a few things to consider to get you started:

Support local makers in your community.  Seek them out!

Shop Noonday Collection, host a trunk show, or join me as an advocate yourself.  P.S. Just a friendly PSA, our annual Black Friday sale starts Monday, so it’ll be more affordable than ever to purchase fair trade gifts!

Consider rounding out your wardrobe with second-hand pieces from thrift stores or online.

Research and seek out companies with a B-Corp certification or that are part of the Fair Trade Federation!