Aurora James Biography

The 15 Percent Pledge was started by Canadian creative director, activist, and fashion designer Aurora James. After crossing Africa in 2011, James experimented with the design over the following several years. She then introduced her clothing line Brother Vellies in January 2013 with the intention of protecting the art of shoemaking in Southern Africa and giving artists in the workshops she collaborated with new jobs. James visits Africa every few months to collaborate with regional craftspeople and advance Brother Vellies' line of clothing. Activists, celebrities, artists, and singers have all worn Brother Vellies, including Beyoncé, Solange Knowles, Nicki Minaj, and Elaine Welteroth. James received the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund award in 2015. She will participate in the Forbes Power Women's Summit in 2021. After George Floyd's murder and the subsequent surge of the Black Lives Matter movement, James started a program called the 15 Percent Pledge in 2020. Then, a non-profit group called the 15 Percent Pledge Foundation was established to lobby big retailers to allocate 15 percent of their shelf space to Black-owned companies. The organization seeks to promote Black-owned companies and create generational prosperity in black communities. Within its first year, the charity received pledges from over 20 significant businesses.

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