Over 40 Students Learn Hands-On Fashion Making at Sustainable Workshop
Los Angeles, CA — BLACK PEARL, a cultural sustainability organization, hosted its Stitch Society customization activation at the Wiley Center for Speech and Language Development, bringing hands-on creative work to over 40 students and their families.
Founded in 1979, the Wiley Center serves families across Los Angeles County, providing evidence-based services—speech therapy, early intervention, social skills development, life skills programming, and workforce readiness—to empower children and adults with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental differences. The organization is rooted in inclusion and cultural responsiveness, centring the full potential of the young people it supports.
Using deadstock shirts provided by GAP, participants customized their own pieces whilst learning the journey of clothes and discovering how personal choices shape impact. For young people navigating their own pathways, the workshop offered a space for creative expression, skill-building, and the simple power of making something their own.
Stitch Society is BLACK PEARL’s community activation programme, centered on hands-on customization workshops that make fashion making accessible to young people across schools, organizations, and community spaces. Through deadstock pieces from industry partners like GAP, participants learn the real journey of clothing, develop creative confidence, and discover their own power to make thoughtful choices about what they wear and why it matters. Stitch Society operates across Los Angeles and beyond, bringing the practice of making directly to the communities and young people who need it most.
