Ep. 56: Fashion With Soul, Empowering 100 Women - Jackie Gilbert

Jackie Gilbert - One Thread Collective

Jackie Gilbert is a social entrepreneur, researcher, and advocate for Indigenous rights. As a Fulbright scholar, she traveled to Colombia to study the impacts of coal mining on displaced communities. Her fieldwork led to the creation of One Thread Collective, an initiative that partners with over 100 Wayúu women artisans in northern Colombia. These women preserve their sacred weaving traditions while earning fair wages and leading grassroots solutions in their communities. Jackie's work blends ethical fashion, cultural preservation, and social justice to create lasting, generational change.

One Thread Collective not only provides fair trade wages but also reinvests 100% of its profits into educational programs, microloans, and community development projects. Jackie's approach emphasizes building trust, learning the Wayuunaiki language, and supporting initiatives that address food and water security.

Jackie’s work has garnered attention for its innovative model of combining ethical fashion with grassroots activism. Her story has been featured in publications like the Santa Barbara Independent, highlighting her commitment to creating systemic change through small, community-driven actions.

🧶 Watch this episode if you're curious about: Ethical fashion How living your purpose can shift generations

👇 Time-Coded Highlights 00:01:56 – Meet Jackie Gilbert: From Fulbright scholar to founder of One Thread Collective  00:02:30 – The birth of the Wayuu Weaver Initiative  00:05:10 – A life-changing realization: “My purpose is to stop exploitation”  00:05:31 – The sacred initiation of Wayúu girls into weaving  00:06:16 – The painful gap between cultural value and market value  00:06:53 – Cutting out the middleman: Connecting remote artisans to global buyers  00:08:17 – Empowering over 100 weavers through fair trade and leadership  00:09:10 – A food co-op: one of many women-led, income-generating solutions  00:10:54 – Weaving as resistance: Why economic independence matters  00:11:46 – The struggle of money, self-worth, and purpose  00:12:40 – Learning to ask for money—without shame  00:13:00 – A purpose that outlives you: generational impact  00:14:18 – Finding her voice and moving through fear

🛍️ Support the mission:  Explore One Thread Collective: https://onethreadcollective.org

💬 What’s your thread?  Drop a comment below and let us know how you are weaving purpose into your life.

#Wayuu #IndigenousRights #PurposeDriven #EthicalFashion #JackieGilbert #SocialImpact #ConsciousCommerce #AwakenYourPurpose #LightNet

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👉 This episode is part of the Holomovement Purpose Lab. Here we have studied how 100 successful people have found their purpose. We look for patterns and then share the data with the world. Join us every Monday to ignite your calling, browse our data, or join a small group to find your purpose and passion.

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