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EARLIER THIS YEAR MY FAMILY LOST MY OLDER BROTHER TO A DECADES LONG BATTLE WITH DRUG ADDICTION. IT’S SOMETHING WE ALL HAD TO COPE WITH IN OUR OWN WAYS DUE TO OUR CHECKERED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ISSUE. I RARELY TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT’S SUCH A CONFLICTING PART OF MY LIFE TO SORT THROUGH. HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH I HADN’T SPOKEN WITH HIM IN A WHILE, HE WAS A HUGE INSPIRATION IN MY ART AND FASHION SENSE, INTRODUCING ME TO GRAFFITI (HE’S STILL THE BEST GRAFFITI ARTIST I’VE SEEN) AND SO MANY CLOTHING BRANDS THROUGHOUT OUR CHILDHOOD. SO WITHOUT HIM, PARATODO MAY NOT HAVE EXISTED.

DRUG ADDICTION ISN’T SOMETHING THAT WAS UNIQUE TO MY BROTHER’S LIFE; I’VE LOST PLENTY OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO IT OVER THE YEARS. THAT’S WHAT FUELED THE DECISION TO WORK WITH A GROUP THAT IS CONTENDING WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE ISSUE. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I’M VERY PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR COLLABORATION FOR THE NEXT YEAR WILL BE WITH @PREVENTIONPOINTPHILADELPHIA! THEIR HOLISTIC APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY ADDICTION THROUGH AN ARRAY OF MULTIFACETED SERVICES IS SOMETHING CRUCIAL FOR PHILADELPHIA. 25% OF THE PROFITS FROM SALES OVER THE NEXT YEAR WILL BE ALLOCATED TO THEIR FIGHT TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY ADDICTION AND POVERTY. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OF THEIR PROGRAMS, VOLUNTEERING, AND PHILOSOPHY, YOU CAN FIND THEIR SITE AT THE LINK