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A better world is possible.
We believe that each of us can be 'a vehicle for change' in our own small corner of the world. When we are willing to speak up and speak out for the things we really care about, we can begin to create the change we want to see.
Through community events and web-based activities we aim to promote awareness and engagement around important social issues and to strengthen those connections among us that lead to collective action.
We hope that our locally hand-crafted jewelry and accessories made with bicycle parts will remind and inspire those who wear it – or receive it – to join a community of people willing to work for a better world by speaking out for change. Our profits benefit Neighborhood Bike Works, a youth development program in Philadelphia that creates opportunities for kids through cycling. (You can check their page on our website or www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org.)
Our Story
Sometimes many parts of your life converge to create an idea or a vision that seems inescapable. And so you take it on with passion and persistence. For me, SpokesPeople is one of those things. My years of activism and advocacy to promote civic engagement, my work as a founder and supporter of Neighborhood Bike Works, my love of things old and discarded to be transformed into something special – these led me to create SpokesPeople two years ago.
Since that time we have strengthened our ties to the local living economy movement through continued recycling of old bicycle parts, local production of our products at fair wages, support of small, independent businesses, and partnerships with local artists. We continue to give our profits to Neighborhood Bike Works as a way to benefit the youth in our neighborhoods and in support of the local cycling community.
And our message is particularly relevant. Last November, an overwhelming number of Americans joined a call for change with the election of President Barack Obama. A new wave of civic engagement has emerged, and there is the undeniable sense that America is at a crossroads of history. There is no more critical time for each of us – regardless of our political affiliations or our personal beliefs – to be willing to speak up and speak out on the issues we care about. It is our time to help shape the future of our country; it is our time to be ‘a vehicle for change.’
Sue Ellen Klein
Philadelphia, PA
March, 2009
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