Demanding A Soulful Economy

On the eve of CGI (Clinton Global Initiative) pioneers of the ethical shopping movement gathered at Donna Karan's Urban Zen loft. Attendees included SAME SKY Founder Francine LeFrak alongside Blake Mycoski of TOMS, Lauren Bush of FEED, and Paul van Zyl of Maiyet among many other leaders of the movement. The evening was a call to action spearheaded by Donna Karan, Diane Osgood, and Zainab Salbi. As trailblazers of the ethical shopping movement, we have provided economic empowerment to 85 Rwandan Genocide survivors, given shoes in over 60 countries, fed over 10 million meals to children in the USA, among so many other endeavors. Donna Karan has done tremendous work in Haiti with her vision to help the country help itself by utilizing the potential of its talented artisans.

But the accomplishments were not the focus of the evening. Rather, the focus was on how to create the demand for a soulful and meaningful economy.  Attendees discussed the various ways to urge consumers to think about what kind of world they want to live in. They confronted the question: how can we begin to get people to understand the power of their purchases and the direct impact it can have on the lives of people in the developing world? It was truly an authentic experience and a proud moment for SAME SKY to be a part of.