Curated to the core: How a chaplain-turned-entrepreneur is elevating streetwear to boost KC nonprofits
April 5, 2024 | Taylor Wilmore
In a world of loud statement tees, sometimes the most impactful messages are quietly sewn into the tag, said Makenzy Jean, whose Kansas City-based apparel company partners with local nonprofits on brand-merging designs that give back to their community causes.
Associated Humanity’s “For The Culture” tee, a design inspired through a partnership with Guadalupe Centers of KC; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“Streetwear is from the streets,” said Jean, founder of Associated Humanity and a former chaplain. “We want to make sure we’re supporting the very thing that’s giving our clothing it’s essence.”
Associated Humanity already has donated more than $7,000 to Kansas City nonprofits through this business model, wherein the company collaborates with an organization that aligns with its values — past partners include Guadalupe Centers of KC, Big Brothers Big Sisters of KC, Nurture KC, The Next Paige Foundation, and Halo Foundation. After a partner is selected, the Associated Humanity team works with them to design and promote a campaign shirt or collection, all at no cost.
“You don’t have to spend any money to buy into it,” said Jean. “That excites me, because we’re creating low barriers for nonprofits to be able to get a really dope collection.”
Click here to shop past collaborations.
View this post on Instagram
Bouncing designs off each other
The Associated Humanity team at the Made in KC Marketplace on the Country Club Plaza; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Fashion and philanthropy combine early in the design process, Jean said, noting Associated Humanity uses either an in-house designer or another local designer for each project — depending on the style needed.
Next comes a session with the nonprofit to jot down buzzwords and ideas that align with Associated Humanity.
“My favorite part about the creative process would be that deliberation,” said Jean. “Being able to take what our designers have created and make it into a physical tangible thing gets me super excited, because I love to create and I love to innovate.”
After two weeks of designers creating early stage concepts, the team then meets to finalize the design, get approval from the nonprofit partner, and add a signature Associated Humanity red tag for a final touch.
Core collection coming soon
In a slight break from its past projects, Associated Humanity is developing its own core collection — expected to debut this month — that features a vibe that reflects the Associated Humanity brand itself. And because there’s no nonprofit partner for the collection, funds that would’ve gone to a collaborator will go into an Associated Humanity scholarship fund, Jean said.
“We believe that for underserved populations, one of the biggest gateways is low cost education,” said Jean, whose past career in tech has included work with edtech startup Boddle Learning and at fintech scaleup C2FO. “So through this fund we can have students have the financial opportunity to go to school.”
The style for the core collection: Collegiate meets streetwear, Jean hinted, teasing an Associated Humanity-branded green crewneck and a white shirt with a front-back design.
Click here to follow Associated Humanity on Instagram.
The Associated Humanity sign within the Made in KC Marketplace on the Country Club Plaza; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Testing the waters
A creative artist his whole life, Jean pushed himself to start his own clothing brand while working as a chaplain at Drake University.
“Whatever I decided to start, I knew that I wanted to give back to the organizations I love to support,” he said.
When Jean initially launched Associated Humanity in 2021, he created the first piece — a dad cap with ‘human.’ embroidered on the front — drawn to the idea that all identities could proudly wear it, no matter their race, gender or sexuality.
“I liked that because it brought everyone down to the essence of who we are, but gives people the ability to tell their story and fill in the blank,” he said.
When Jean received positive feedback on the hat after wearing it around the city, he decided to start selling it for profit and expand the collection with shirts.
Associated Humanity has continued to grow largely through word of mouth, he said.
“Create something, wear it, and see what people think,” Jean said.
Taylor Wilmore
Taylor Wilmore, hailing from Lee’s Summit, is a dedicated reporter and a recent graduate of the University of Missouri, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Taylor channels her deep-seated passion for writing and storytelling to create compelling narratives that shed light on the diverse residents of Kansas City.
Prior to her role at Startland News, Taylor made valuable contributions as a reporter for the Columbia Missourian newspaper, where she covered a wide range of community news and higher education stories.
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Topping expectations: These brothers helped expand Pizza Tascio to 8 locations; now they’re taking over
Erik Borger hired all three Lombardino brothers in their teens, starting them out as dishwashers at his restaurants in St. Joseph, Missouri. They quickly took on other positions — front of house, staff scheduling, food and beverage orders and deliveries, and hiring and firing workers. If an employee didn’t show up for a shift, they…
Nell Hill’s founder returns to retail with ‘this little secret’ — a micro shop with an old-fashioned, in-store experience
Mary Carol Garrity’s last home furnishings store was 18,000 square feet. Her new one? A “petit bazaar” at just 400. Garrity is teaming up with longtime friend, Rebecca Wood, on diebolt’s in Midtown’s Gillham House Antiques & Furnishings. The shop, which is scheduled for an April 19 soft opening, is expected to offer a “fun…
Urban designer behind Royals’ Crossroads ballpark pioneered the modern MLB stadium (and he has the bats to prove it)
It’s difficult to find a Major League Baseball stadium that Earl Santee hasn’t influenced with his philosophy of community-oriented design. Called the “Godfather of ballparks,” Santee — the recently named CEO of Populous and literal architect of the proposed Kansas City Royals ballpark district in the East Crossroads — either designed or renovated two dozen…
Royals change stadium plan to keep Oak Street open to traffic, but fate of businesses is uncertain
Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. The Royals’ original plan was to place the team’s corporate offices and entertainment venues on Oak Street, which would close the…