This extraordinary memoir of struggle and perseverance offers new ways
of envisioning economic equality for everyone--from a leading activist
and fashion pioneer.
"With community and sisterhood at its center, Wildflower teaches us
that against all odds, we can overcome."--Rupi Kaur, New York Times
bestselling author of milk and honey
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2023: Harper's Bazaar
Aurora James's life is a great American "success story"--precisely
because it looks so different from others we've seen. Born in Canada to
a counterculture mother, James was raised to question
everything--specifically the very institutions that have shaped so many
of us. When James was seven, her mother married a man who would move
them to Jamaica, where James would learn harsh lessons about control,
power, abuse, and belonging. Eventually she would find her way back home
to Toronto, where her blue-eyed and fair-haired grandmother welcomed her
with unconditional love--and inadvertently showed her that racism is the
water in which we are all submerged.
Scouted as a model in eighth grade, James struggled with body image and
became disenchanted by the industry's objectification of women and
commodification of race and culture. After she dropped out of high
school, a flirtation with street racing led to her eventual arrest.
She'd hit rock bottom, but as a visionary and optimist, she allowed that
experience to become one of many that reshaped her way of thinking about
the world. A slew of fashion-related jobs led James to discover the real
power in creating for the runway, and she started her own business in a
flea market: a sustainable fashion line showcasing traditional African
designs that would become an award-winning international brand. But none
of this came from a drive to "succeed." It came from a desire to forge a
new creative path--and to lift others up alongside her.
Already a rising star in fashion and the first Black female designer to
win a Council of Fashion Designers of America Award, James posted a
revolutionary idea in the wake of George Floyd's murder that connected
economics to racial justice in a way that has forever changed the
American economic landscape. With that Instagram post, she founded the
Fifteen Percent Pledge, which challenges retailers to commit 15 percent
of their shelf space and spending power to Black businesses and is one
of the fastest-growing social justice nonprofits. To date, more than two
dozen of the world's most recognized retailers have taken the pledge,
redirecting $10 billion in annual revenue to Black and BIPOC brands.
Empowering and full of heart, Wildflower is the riveting story of how
Aurora James made an indelible mark the American economic system, and a
rallying cry for those eager to make change.
