Michael Quintanilla, S.A. Express News Fashion Writer, has written a touching and inspiring story featured in today’s issue of the San Antonio Express Newspaper. He writes about Fuerza Unida, an organization created after the Levi Strauss & Company closed its factory on the Southside of San Antonio in 1990. This closing left thousands of employees, mostly Mexican American women, out of jobs. Fuerza Unida aims at empowering minority women and immigrant workers to achieve social and economic justice.
Monessa Esquivel and Tanya Garduno, representatives of Fuerza Unida, are here to tell us how this organization reaches those goals. After the Levi Strauss & Company closed its doors, Fuerza Unida opened them back up. They turned the empty plant into a local denim company, hiring back many of the original workers. They are launching their first collection of premier organic denim, called Jeans with Justice, this Saturday, September 29th. Monessa is a designer for Fuerza Unida, and showed off their beautiful clothes, like a hand dyed pink denim skirt with an angel design. And what’s great is that their clothing is made to custom fit by women that have been stitching and sewing for decades.
Contact Michael at mquintanilla@express-news.net or by phone at (210) 250-3451. For more information about the clothing launch, visit ElHilo2012.org. You can also find information on Fuerza Unida, and purchase their clothing, at LaFuerzaUnida.org, or contact them at (210) 927-2294.
