Social Entrepreneur Spotlight: Ngozi Okaro of Custom Collaborative

Custom Collaborative, an alum of New Profit’s Economic Mobility Catalyze cohort, trains, mentors, and advocates for no/low-income and immigrant women, equipping them with the skills needed to achieve economic success in the sustainable fashion industry and beyond. The organization envisions a world where all women, regardless of race or economic background, have the skills, confidence, and agency to design their futures and contribute to a more sustainable world.

To get closer to Custom Collaborative, Founder and Executive Director Ngozi Okaro participated in our Social Entrepreneur Q&A series:

Q: What do you wish more people knew about the issue your organization is working to address?

A: That more than 99% of the clothes people wear are made by human hands, and that a very significant percentage of those people are underpaid and exploited women.

Q: What would have to be true for the work that you do to no longer be needed?

A: The world would have to see Black and Brown women as having equal humanity and needs as everyone else. Society would have to stop ‘invisibilizing’ them.

Q: If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about your organization, what would it be?

A: We would have the resources to operate a training program in at least one additional language, starting with Spanish.

To learn more about Custom Collaborative, visit their website and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to stay updated on their ongoing efforts and impact.
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