Once upon a time: The Altadena Girls & the power of community
Gen Z does it better!
Since the beginning of the wildfires and their devastating impact, Angelenos' community efforts haven’t stopped. We have shifted from a dark, heavy energy filled with fear, sadness, and stress to a warm, beautiful energy of solidarity. Angelinos are helping over 200,000 people in need and our everyday heroes, the first responders.
Many communities have been working hard to create all types of support, from providing meals to first responders and fire victims to gathering and distributing blankets, clothing, first aid kits, and other supplies. They have also been raising funds and setting up donation centers and drives.
Among all these efforts, I would like to spotlight the most inspiring initiative and movement that everyone is talking about right now: The Altadena Girls. This great initiative is led by Avery Colvert, a 14-year-old Pasadena resident and Altadena student who wanted to do something special for the many teen girls whose lives have been deeply affected by the fires, to help them regain their sense of self and confidence.
The story: last Friday, with the help of her stepfather Matt Chait, Avery created a handle and logo and launched the Altadena Girls Initiative. Together with the help of volunteers, they have been gathering donations, including new clothing, footwear, beauty products, and personal care items, crucial for teen girls to feel like themselves again. The goal is to give these girls a boutique shopping experience. They even work with local social workers to ensure transportation for all girls to reach the shop.
Their effort quickly gained momentum, with nearly 44,000 followers on Instagram as of now. It has caught the attention of celebrities such as Charli XCX, Paris Hilton, Sofia Coppola, Meghan Markle, and Mindy Kaling, who have posted about it on social media or made appearances.
Brands like Fabletics, Rare Beauty, Huda Beauty, D.S. & DURGA , BELLA+CANVAS, Nu Swim and many others (although they don’t officially disclose the brands on social media, I figured some out) have also stepped up to donate products.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of the coolest brands showing up in the next few days.
GEN Z DOES IT BETTER.
Isn’t this an incredible story?
Congratulations, Avery (not yet on LinkedIn), Matt Chait, and all the volunteers for this amazing initiative and the viral sensation.
They are also accepting donations on Pledge. Feel free to contribute.
My spreadsheet compiling fashion and beauty brands, along with drive initiatives donating products, is still available here and of course includes the Altadena Girls.
I’m Aurelia Ammour. I’m a strategy consultant and youth culture trailblazer (I'm not an agency). I built a next-gen sneaker brand, SHOES 53045, from scratch as its CEO and CMO for 4 years. I was behind the scenes of many major strategic transformation and growth projects for notable names like LVMH, Kering, PUIG, Celine, and Loewe, collaborating closely with C-Suites. I’ve also worked as a VC. Today, I help create and develop visionary & iconic brands, products, and experiences that connect with the youth and are relevant in today’s culture across Fashion, Luxury, Lifestyle, CPG, and Retail sectors.