“Reimagining the Bigger Picture” an interview with Zsameria Rayford!
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instagram : @swapdcIf we were to go through the journey that is your life, from childhood to adulthood, what women would you say have inspired you the most?
“My late aunt KhaRabia Rayford. She was a big inspiration to me at a young age. She took me to theater shows, introduced me to the drum circle, and gave me my first glimpse into the artist world, which was distant from the “9-5” world that my mother showed me. My aunt KhaRabia was an organizer for members and artists in her community. I'm also inspired by the countless women in history who have paved the way for imagination and elevation… Harriet Tubman, Hatshepsut who was one of the firsts to build monuments BC. I firmly believe in paying homage to those that were here before us, so we can get to where we need to go.”
How did you get into creative recycling? What inspired you to live an environmentally “literate” lifestyle? What inspires your creativity?
“I didn’t see the programming growing up. I’m in D.C., in D.C., you see litter everywhere, and it’s very normalized. I really became aware of the problem when I was 8 years old… I realized it was, unfortunately, a cultural thing of the neighborhood. I never really saw people outside of black neighborhoods litter, and I realized it was largely due to the lack of trash cans in the area. It was way more convenient to littler than it was to hold onto your trash. The problem is that conveniences for us are not always the same for our planet.”
Zsameria continues to describe what pushed her into creating space for sustainability in her community.
“In the past, whenever I would go to recycling events in D.C. I noticed that the demographics were mostly white people, mainly white women. I didn't see a lot of people who looked like me at these important events, and I decided i wanted to change that. In my family we've always swapped clothes and 9 years ago I decided to start Swap DC to encourage others to discover a new way to shop. I did a lot of research in the beginning, and I quickly learned fast fashion is killing us, and that is not a joke. It takes about 766 gallons of water to make one single white t-shirt. Today’s influencers online are telling society to buy buy buy, and I’m just trying to change the narrative. You can still be fly and not waste over 700 gallons of water for an outfit.”
How do you think developing your own personal style has changed the game for your confidence? / how would you say style or fashion act as a language?
“It's the first thing people see when they see you. Your style can say a lot or it can say nothing. My mother inspired the freedom I have with my style, she would say things to me like “I'm not gonna argue with you about what you want to wear, I have bigger fish to fry.” So she allowed me to discover myself and what I liked to see myself in. I also went to Bethune-Woodson African Center Model School in DC. Going to a African-centered school in D.C. Public School System helped me to know that I was different and that was okay. My late aunt KhaRabia helped me to realize I can be an individual in a crowd and still be a part of the crowd.”
How do you feel about fast fashion trends?
“If we’re not recycling it, we really don’t need it. We have so much stuff! There will always be something “new” in fashion but I wish more people would recycle more and understand there is no “away”, as in things just don’t disappear because we “throw it away”. We’re often not aware of the effects that producing a new garment has on us and our planet, but the effect is intense. We’re speeding up the processes of the natural world with our pollution. Certain aspects of what we could be up against twenty or so years from now, we’re feeling it right now.”
Zsameria contiunes to highlight that our planet is aging much faster than it should be because of the thoughtless increase of garment production , waste, and pollution led by finicky social trends. She adds,
“America runs on a constant flow of misinformation… and not Dunkin! If we made it more fashionable to recycle, more people would.”
What comes to your mind when I mention “generational wealth”; in what ways, other than monetarily, do you think people can create generational wealth in their families and communities? / how can we create a better world for everyone?
“How do you add to the next generation? You give them love, value, and education! When you can teach someone something, you don't know how that can multiply into something else. When you love, you empower. When you value someone, you listen to them, and when you value something, you appreciate it.”
{ Appreciate - recognize the full worth of. / be grateful for (something). / understand (a situation) fully; recognize the full implications of.
(In economics) appreciation is when the value of an asset increases over time. }
“To me generational wealth is taking care of and appreciating what we have so that we can have even more for the generations to come.”
What has been the most surprising & rewarding aspect about working for yourself/ having a successful business? What have you learned about yourself throughout this experience?
“The most rewarding part about this experience is seeing children grow and learn about sustainability, trash truth, and the environment through Swap DC. Building the Swap community has also been immensely rewarding! Something I have learned through this journey is to always remember my “why”. Throughout my life I’ve learned so much about environmental racism, and it’s angered me so deeply, but I know I can't allow myself to rest with that feeling for too long…
I have learned to keep going. I know that my work is making a difference, plus I know it’s more about the bigger picture than the current one, especially in DC!”
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a business or begin a new creative project?
“Believe in yourself and your why. Even if you don't know your overall purpose, you gotta know why you’re doing something. Keep it in the front of your mind. Build a community, stay true to yourself, and have fun along the way.” she says, “The world will keep going, but it is truly ourselves we are the most responsible for.”
Top 3 favorite books of the last few years?
“Eco womenism - Melanie Harris
This book reminded me of how injustices can happen for centuries and cause the inevitable like climate change when people in power don’t value women or nature because of their greed. It helped me to see the injustice inflicted on African and African American women and environmental injustice concerns the exploitation of the land (property) for economic gain.
It made me realize so much about the environmental scene and the positioning of nature and environmentalism deemed as a “white space”. I like how the author challenges that notion and expounds on the complex relationship between African Americans and the environment.
Emergent Strategy - Adrienne Maree Brown
It reminds me of how interconnected we are on this planet.