Point Loma Nazarene University’s Center of Justice and Reconciliation (CJR) put on a Live Justice event, which included a clothing swap promoting sustainable fashion, on March 21 from 4-6 p.m. on Cunningham Lawn.
A coffee stand, raffle, Ben & Jerrys ice cream, arts and crafts and four tables of clothing were set up for students to enjoy. The only requirement for students to participate in the clothing swap was that they needed to bring clothes to donate. There was no requirement for how many pieces students needed to bring, but there was a set limit on swapping for three pieces of clothing.
Fourth-year Spanish and international development major Lauren Gallagher was the event manager for this year’s Live Justice clothing swap.
“The CJR really advocates for sustainability and climate justice and within that also ethical fashion choices and trying to get far away from the fast fashion industry that I think pierces a lot of consumer behaviors,” Gallagher said.
On campus, the CJR puts on events such as Roots of Giving, Cup of Culture and the recently hosted Live Justice. They also have a justice cohort, which is a club students can join that meets once a week to go over the different pillars of justice.
Gallagher said the clothing swap was about justice for the workers who are in the fast fashion industry, advocating for living wages, fair trade and justice-centered issues by navigating away from fast fashion. The event comes into play with this year’s theme.
“This whole semester we focus on Live Justice. Two years ago we added multiple aspects of Drink Justice, Do Justice, Wear Justice, Eat Justice and then this year Create Justice,” said Katie Hodson, manager of student programs at the CJR.
The Live Justice event promoted all of these aspects of justice through different stations and products. For Drink Justice, there was a coffee bar set up with Talitha Coffee — a local roaster that works to make positive change for survivors of sex trafficking. Eat Justice had a table display of different ways to support and learn more about fair trade and food insecurities. Create Justice was a display of artwork that resembles justice. Make Justice was a card-making station for kids, seniors and unsheltered neighbors whom the community ministries on campus serve.
About 60 students attended the event, coming and going throughout it.
“My favorite part about this event is the clothing swap. It’s just so fun and everyone has such cute clothes and it’s a really great way to not buy new clothes. I think it’s just really sweet to see people trading clothes,” said Katie Kepler, a second-year sociology major and cohort leader.
She pointed out her favorite piece at this year’s clothing swap. It was a red quilted bag with embroidered flowers all over it.
Gallagher said at the end of the clothing swap, students who are a part of the Cohort and helping out in the event got the chance to sift through the clothes. Whatever did not get taken will be offered to the community ministries for their clothing drive or given to a women’s shelter, homeless shelter, or second-hand store.
The Center of Justice and Reconciliation works both on and off campus. Their focus off campus is primarily on anti-human trafficking efforts. They have a research program with HD Radar, along with a program called “No More” where PLNU students go into different schools and put on plays that represent the different signs of someone being lured into human trafficking.
