Aurora James knows all about struggle, perseverance and what it takes to succeed – despite all odds.
The fashion industry disruptor and founder of “The Fifteen Percent Pledge,” detailed her journey in a new memoir called “Wildflower.” In the book, James wrote about her difficult childhood, tumultuous teenage years and how she became the successful designer, entrepreneur and activist we know today.
“What I really wanted to do in writing this book, was to take some of that costume of identity sort of off and display who I truly am,” James said on Tuesday’s “Morning Joe.” She added, “It took 38 years to really learn to love myself exactly as I am. I’ve become successful for my flaws as much as my strengths.”
In the book, she shared some very painful moments in her life, including a rocky relationship with her mom, sexual abuse by her stepfather and even a brief stint in jail in her 20s – all of which made her realize she needed to find greater purpose in life.
James said those challenging experiences eventually 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 Brother Vellies, an award-winning international brand.
James also came up with “The 15 Percent Pledge,” which encourages retailers to pledge at least 15 percent of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. The goal is for major retailers and corporations to re-evaluate their operations to provide greater equity for Black-owned businesses.
The pledge began in May 2020 when James took to Instagram amid the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted in wake of the brutal killing of George Floyd. Her post, which stated “OK, here is one thing you can do for us,” detailed the 15 Percent Pledge for major corporations including Wal-Mart, Whole Foods and Target. Today, more than 29 global corporations have signed on and are in the process of allocating more than $10 billion to the cause. “While we’ve had 29 of the biggest companies commit to it, there’s still a bunch of retailers across the country that we would love to see take ‘The Fifteen Percent Pledge’ because ultimately, we want to create as much impact as possible,” said James. During “Morning Joe,” Huma Abedin, vice chair of Forbes and Know Your Value’s 30/50 Summit, noted that from “The Fifteen Percent Pledge,” to her support for African artisans through her Brother Vellies fashion line, to designing the eye-brow raising, somewhat divisive “Tax the Rich” dress worn by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the 2021 Met Gala, James has made a name for herself as a woman who isn’t afraid to change the status quo. Abedin asked where that drive and determination come from and what she hopes young women to take away from her story. “Showing up authentically as myself has really been the biggest driver for me,” said James. “And I think the more we can take value into our jobs that we are doing every single day and really know we are making a difference…As a designer, my job is to make women feel like the best versions of themselves…I’m hoping to inspire women… to show up and be authentically themselves and not waste this one beautiful life that we have because the world tells us we need to shrink.”
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