As part of our ‘Borrowed from the Soil’ Design Challenge, we will be hosting an online Speaker Series. This is Conversation #2 of the series.

In this FREE virtual workshop, Teju Adisa-Farrar and Mahdiyyah Muhammad, will share information and lead discussion about the impact of textile systems on community / human health.

The first section will be overviewing some of the ways in which the textile industry negatively impacts community health, especially for urban and communities of color.

The second section will outline some health benefits and healing properties of soil-based natural fibers, as well as how sewing education supports the overall health and resilience of our communities.

There will be time for questions and discussion about designing to support community health and well-being.

Speaker Bios

Teju Adisa-Farrar

Teju is an environmental equity consultant, independent researcher, and Co-Managing Director of the Fibers Fund. She is the creator / host of the Black Material Geographies podcast, a 2022 honoree for the Conscious Fashion Campaign, and a member of the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network—which supports work that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals. Teju’s work centers climate, cultural, and distributive justice by sharing ideas on regenerative practices and co-collaborative design. Teju uses a social geographies perspective encouraging us to think about space, place and identity. Teju’s lens includes regenerative fiber and sustainable fashion, urban ecologies, nature, history, activism and art. She supports people who are mapping / making alternative futures.

Mahdiyyah Muhammad

Mahdiyyah Muhammad is a Sustainable Fashion Designer, Circular Fashion Strategist and Educator born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in East Orange, NJ whose hands are behind the sewing machine responsible for the brand MAHDIYYAH. Her fashion background is a combination of self taught skill and diverse professional experience in areas like public relations, retail, styling, education, project management, and production. Her upcycling technique is informed by her practice of Fabric Alchemy…connecting directly to an idea of deeply considering nature and our connection to the environment.