Edgar Villanueva, Decolonizing Wealth Project: Championing Indigenous fashion and finance
Decolonizing Wealth: How Fashion is Driving Reparative Finance
Edgar Villanueva, a model and activist, is using the power of fashion to champion the principles of reparative finance. As the author of "Decolonizing Wealth" and the founder of the Decolonizing Wealth Project, Villanueva is leveraging the fashion industry to drive a narrative change and create wealth-building opportunities for Indigenous communities.Empowering Indigenous Designers and Promoting Sustainability
Celebrating Indigeneity in Fashion
The Decolonizing Wealth Project's annual "Celebrating Indigeneity in Fashion" event has become a platform for showcasing the talent and creativity of Indigenous fashion designers. This year's event, hosted by Villanueva, featured designers such as Jantay Kahm, Bethany Yellowtail, and Naiomi Glasses, who are using their craft to challenge the extractive nature of the fashion industry and promote climate sustainability.Villanueva, a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, sees this event as a "narrative change opportunity" and a "wealth-building opportunity for Natives in this industry." By highlighting the work of Indigenous designers, the event aims to disrupt the traditional power dynamics and challenge the industry's history of exploitation.Sustainable Fashion Choices
Villanueva's own fashion choices at the event were a reflection of the Decolonizing Wealth Project's commitment to sustainability. His suit, made of vegan cactus leather from the Mexican retailer Sarelly Sarelly, and his beaded pendant by Navajo designer Sean Snyder, demonstrated the potential for sustainable and ethical fashion alternatives.The cactus leather, a plant-based material that requires minimal water and can be processed using non-toxic methods, offers a sustainable alternative to traditional leather. This choice aligns with the Decolonizing Wealth Project's belief that Indigenous peoples are the "custodians and guardians of the land" and play a crucial role in addressing the climate crisis.Intersectional Approach
Villanueva's fashion choices and the Decolonizing Wealth Project's initiatives are deeply rooted in an intersectional approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of racial justice, climate justice, and economic empowerment."It's really intersectional for us," Villanueva said, reflecting on the event's significance. "I feel like there's a heightened awareness. It's a really exciting time."By leveraging the power of fashion, the Decolonizing Wealth Project is creating a platform to amplify the voices and experiences of Indigenous communities, challenge the extractive nature of the industry, and promote sustainable and equitable practices.Reparative Finance in Action
The Decolonizing Wealth Project's work extends beyond the fashion industry, as it serves as a model for reparative finance. Villanueva founded the organization in 2018 with the goal of redistributing wealth and facilitating no-strings-attached philanthropy, as outlined in his book.Through a series of participatory grantmaking funds, the Decolonizing Wealth Project cedes decision-making power to Indigenous and Black-led grantees, challenging the traditional power dynamics in the philanthropic sector."I started from a place of pain," Villanueva told The New York Times. "I felt like I had to push through to a place where I'm offering a different way of thinking."By centering the experiences and needs of marginalized communities, the Decolonizing Wealth Project is redefining the role of finance and philanthropy, transforming them into tools for reparation and justice.A Narrative Shift in the Fashion Industry
The Decolonizing Wealth Project's work in the fashion industry is part of a broader effort to shift the narrative and challenge the status quo. Villanueva sees the runway as a "creative, visual and tangible way to communicate the decolonizing wealth ethos," which aims to remake finance and philanthropy as reparative tools.By showcasing the work of Indigenous designers, promoting sustainable fashion choices, and championing an intersectional approach, the Decolonizing Wealth Project is driving a narrative change that has the potential to ripple through the fashion industry and beyond.As Villanueva looks out over the sea of partygoers and the New York skyline, he expresses a sense of excitement and optimism. "I feel like there's a heightened awareness," he says. "It's a really exciting time."
