Little Activists offers kids clothing that sends a positive message of action.
'The Lovers & Fighters of America' is a weekly column here at Ravishly featuring behind-the-scenes stories of inspirational people taking a stance against hate.
Two American businesswomen, Kim Lieb and Tia Clarida, have started a cool and socially-conscious new clothing line called Little Activists.
Little Activists launched in January and currently features trendy t-shirts, onesies, and even little superhero capes. Each one has an empowering message of love: for each other, for animals, or for the planet.
Lieb explains who their products are designed for: “We know that we can’t be everything to everyone, and these products may not appeal to certain demographics — but speaking to those people who strongly believe in freedom of expression, gender equality, human rights, animal rights, anti-bullying and simply making the world a kinder, more inclusive place are our demographic.”
Clarida and Lieb met in 2002 when they worked together at Cover Magazine in Atlanta. By 2003, the two entrepreneurial women had combined their skills and launched a PR and marketing firm, called k101 Agency.
Running k101 Agency has been a successful venture but, after becoming mothers, they experienced a shift in their way of thinking. Lieb told Ravishly: “Together, we built a successful business, but after becoming moms, experienced a transformation and realized that we needed to create something with more purpose — something that would have a positive impact on the world.”
The idea for Little Activists came to Clarida in the early hours of the morning. She explained: “I was constantly on the hunt for cool t-shirts for my son, but was always disappointed in the uninspiring messages. One night, I had an epiphany: to create cool, fun t-shirts that talked about modern-day issues from a place of love and positivity. So at 1:30 a.m., I hopped out of bed, bought the domain littleactivists.com, and we got to work on the business plan the very next day.”
Clarida and Lieb recognize the need to be socially active, and they believe in the power of kids. “Let’s face it, this planet needs all the help it can get," Clarida told Ravishly, “and we think our kids’ brains, hearts, and voices are our best chance to create positive, sustainable change.”
Clarida and Lieb hope their clothing line helps build upon the genuine goodness that children already have. Clarida told Ravishly: “Kids are our great hope — a group that has not yet been afflicted by opinion or bigotry, their eyes still clear and capable of seeing all the good in the world.” Clarida also believes the t-shirts’ positive messages can help inspire conversations and potentially change the way kids view their own voices. She said: “We want to start conversations. Make people smile and think. Enlighten and entertain. And teach our kids that they can be heard and that they do have power.”
In conjunction with the brand, Clarida and Lieb have also launched their charitable giving program, Project aWEARness. Through this initiative, they raise awareness and funds for different social causes by working with non-profit organizations to develop products.
The Little Activists’ team works with each customer to design a t-shirt based on their specific input. They then build an online boutique featuring the product and the fundraiser’s message or mission. They also provide the customer with a shareable link that they can use to promote the shirt sale on social media and within their network. After 30 days, Little Activists fulfill the orders and donate 100 percent of the proceeds directly to the cause.
They’ve already partnered up with actress Megan Boone of “The Blacklist,” to promote her onesie brand, Caroline Agnes ― the proceeds of which go entirely to the environmental organization, Earth Justice.
Clarida and Lieb recognize the need to be socially active, and they believe in the power of kids. “Let’s face it, this planet needs all the help it can get," Clarida told Ravishly, “and we think our kids’ brains, hearts, and voices are our best chance to create positive, sustainable change.”
We, here at Ravishly, believe in the power of words. We also support and encourage the messages of tolerance, equality, and love that are shared by Little Activists’ clothing line. We too hope these t-shirts help kids find their voices and discover the causes that they want to lend their power to, now and in the future.
We are happy to feature Kim Lieb and Tia Clarida as this week’s lovers and fighters in America, and we wish them all the best with Little Activists' upcoming ventures!
Check out this video to learn more about Little Activists.
If you know an inspirational Lover & Fighter whom you’d like to see featured on Ravishly, send a message to Shannon Day, via Facebook.
Lovers & Fighters say "hell no" to racism, sexism, bigotry, and xenophobia. These men, women, and children are saying "heck yes" to equality, human decency, and love. From bold acts of advocacy to simple moments of goodness, these everyday people remind us of what it truly means to be American.
These lovers and fighters are resistant in the face of intolerance. They are bold in the presence of judgment. They are determined to join forces (or to stand proudly alone) to ensure their message is heard: #LoveTrumpsHate
