Black Girls Sew Book Launch Celebration

with Hekima Hapa and Lesley Ware

and sounds from Marcus Logan

You’ve seen the classes on Tompkins Ave and now you can bring the knowledge home with you! Please join Hekima Hapa and Lesley Ware to celebrate the launch of their beautiful new book. We’ll have sewing demos, some lite bites and wine, music from DJ Marcus Logan, and books to inspire and get signed.

Black Girls Sew is a nonprofit organization built on strong messaging: teach and empower young girls to take ownership of and have pride in their clothing. Their first book offers the tools, knowledge, and vocabulary to help young people take back their fashion narrative. Black and brown girls and boys need a space where they do not have to encounter misrepresentation of their culture, and this book provides them with a safe space in which to explore their creativity.

Primarily the book teaches basic sewing skills and design principles so that readers can create one-of-a-kind looks. By encouraging them to follow their curiosity, rather than telling them what to create, Black Girls Sew helps young fashionistas learn to take risks and explore creative play in clothing design. The way we dress is a means of expression, and by encouraging boys and girls to immerse themselves in the world of fashion, providing projects to create their own wares, and offering historical looks at prominent Black figures who have impacted the industry, Black Girls Sew is a guide for all who are interested in fashion, design, and building their own powerful sense of self and style.