Like a gale force wind…Hannah Stoudemire and Ali Richmond are forces to be reckoned with.

From the Black Lives Matter protest at New York Fashion Week: Men’s to the creation of their non-profit organization, Fashion For All Foundation. The two want to ambitiously change the narrative of how we think and feel about what it means to be Black in such a privileged industry.  They recognize the need for change is imminent and their stance is unapologetic – like a solemn vow.

The legendary pioneer Ann Lowe, the first black American to be acknowledged and noted as a fashion designer, is whom you’ve named your Summer Intensive Program after. What was the inspiration behind the namesake?

Ali: We named it after Ann Lowe because she is underrated and largely unknown. It was important for us to educate the students and the masses on her contribution to society, and the unsung hero that she was. We want the students to aspire to be like her: a tailor, couturier, and noted fashion designer. Unfortunately, she was not noted by the French, but she was making everything by hand.  Ann Lowe was perfecting her craft, which was not unusual for blacks, before, during and after slavery. It was very common to see black men tailors and black women dress makers of that era, customizing their designs exclusively by hand. It was important for us to make the students — and anyone else — aware.

Hannah: In addition, we named it after Ann Lowe to pay homage to her, honor her, and highlight her legacy.

How is the Ann Lowe Summer Intensive, different from other Fashion Programs offered here in New York City for young adults?

Hannah: It actually exists. To our knowledge, we were not aware of any intensive program that offered this sort of fashion curriculum to any students from disenfranchised backgrounds, and students who were not afforded the access or opportunities to explore different career options in the fashion industry.

Ali: I am sure there are other summer intensives; however, to piggy back off what Hannah said, I am not sure how many students from marginalized communities whom were not attending Parsons, FIT, Pratt, SCAD, RISD, or some of the top design schools or even high schools, had access. The students we work with are from the Bronx, East New York, and Brooklyn, and they’re overlooked. They attend junior colleges or community colleges, and do not have the access. That, coupled with the curriculum that we have, makes us different.

FFA is currently working towards an exceptional undertaking to send students on a trip to Florence, Italy this fall. How did that amazing opportunity present itself?

Hannah:  A year prior to designing our student curriculum, we spoke with strong determination to take the students abroad and expose them to the genesis of high fashion, the brands, and the culture, up close and personal. I started reaching out six months in advance via email, and I decided my reach needed to advance beyond the states. I went straight to the source in Florence. I stayed persistent, and thankfully the Director of World Press got back to me. She saved all of my correspondence, and said she would love to host FFA Foundation in Italy. With that, she agreed to collaborate with us and extend a tour for the students at The Gucci Gardens and Gucci Museum. A GoFundMe  page was created to assist with the expenses of travel for the students, and to continue the programming and operation of FFA.

Hannah and Ali, I’d like to get viewpoints from both of you on the importance of mentorship for young adults that have dreams of aspiring careers in the fashion industry. What are your thoughts?

Hannah: Mentorship pairing is something we offer to our students as part of our Summer Intensive program. This was extremely valuable to us, as we understand the importance of a young person given guidance and direction on a career path to success. There is power in offering life lessons to the youth, and preparing them in advance. Mentorship is important to me because I feel it is my job to illuminate the potential we see in our students that oft times they don’t see in themselves. The following quote by Oprah Winfrey says it all: “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” We want to instill hope!

Ali: A relationship with a great mentor can go a very long way. A mentor can connect with you in ways your parents didn’t, and in ways, your professor or teachers could not provide that one on one time. Your mentor can give you information that you’re not going to learn in a classroom or a book. It’s beyond information — it’s also introductions and life lessons in general.  I am very fortunate to have had mentors in my life that I met in a very nontraditional way that wasn’t intentional, but we have to change that paradigm and make it very intentional. We set up our Summer Program with intentional focus on mentorship, because it’s so important.

Did the recognition you received from your silent protest at New York Fashion Week: Men’s birth the baby that is now FFA?

Hannah: 1000%!!  But I must say this on record, people associate me with FFA and being the face of this organization, but if it wasn’t for Ali, it would not exist. It was not my idea. He’s the visionary behind the organization, and I took the action based on pure passion and conviction. I did not think I could take it on. He pushed and supported me to catapult the idea into a movement. We agreed to take it on together. He said to me: “Don’t let this be a powerful moment, let this be a powerful movement. “And from that, FFA was born.

Ali: It birthed the baby because of the attention it received. The first actual meeting was with Steven Kolb at the CFDA. We requested that meeting with Steven, because we were in the process of establishing Fashion For All Foundation and we wanted to tell him of our plans and ask for his support and blessing – which he gave. Black lives didn’t matter in the fashion industry. We had to make Black life matter in the fashion industry, and it wasn’t solely about innocent men and women getting murdered, and that’s something we have to deal with. The fashion industry wasn’t making it matter, and the way you make Black life matter, is dealing with the issues of Diversity, Lack of Diversity and Inclusion, hitting the ceiling with designers, lack of access and resources, as well as the rights of the disenfranchised. And those are the issues FFA wanted to focus on.

How important is your organization to the fashion industry, and what is your vision for the next five years?

Hannah: I always felt there was something missing in the fashion industry, and FFA’s role in filling that void, was extremely important to us. Our vision for the next five years will involve expansion and creating awareness for our mission. We want to see true impact, most importantly, where we’ve single handedly changed the course of lives for students and others from minority backgrounds. We are committed to education and providing opportunities – in conjunction with developing young professionals, whom were former students, enrolled in our Summer Intensive Program. That being said, impact and growth are in our vision for the next five years.

Ali: Our organization is very important because the fashion industry is aware of the lack of diversity, which equates a lack of talent. Unfortunately, they can’t identify the talent, or the people. The people as well as the talent must be identified. At FFA, we want to help with that. We’d love to pair the talent with brands that are interested in diversity and give them that opportunity.

The one commodity the two of you share is passion -.especially for your love of the culture, and black people. Respectively, the two of you combined, define visual artist, fashion stylist, avid collector, CEO of God on the Inside, blogger of A Noble Savage, author, style maker, mother, interior designer, culture contributors, activists. What keeps you both so inspired?

Hannah: Our culture, black culture, our people are what keeps me inspired. Honestly, what keeps me passionate is the continued injustice. I’ll never run out of inspiration, passion or conviction, energy or effort, because injustice continues and there is still work to be done. As long as there is work to be done, I’ll always be inspired.

Ali: That’s a great question. To put it simply, this is who I am, and I don’t have a choice. This is not actually based on passion, this is based on being. This is just what it is.