ricRACK Outreach & school partnerships 

Since 2012, ricRack has been partnering with local organizations and schools to teach over 500 youth in New Orleans the importance of repurposing and sewing.
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In 2013 our very first sewing and repurposing classes were taught at 6 New Orleans area YMCAs, with an average of 60 students per week, for 6 weeks. ricRack went on to work with the Jewish Community Center, French Quarter Fest, Kipp Primary School, Palmer Park Arts Festival. Homer J. Plessy Community School, and Kipp Leadership Academy. ricRack developed the highly successful Repurposed Fashion Camp at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art that has been running annually since 2013. Each school year we continue to expand and develop our school partnerships.

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If your school is interested in ricRACK sewing classes, please email ricrackoutreach@gmail.com for more information

 
Each new student learns:
- What the word textile means and what it means to recycle textiles
- The definition of the words decompose, biodegradable, and recycling
- What Fast Fashion is and how over consumption and thoughtlessly made garments can be a huge contribution to pollution
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Before going onto hand or machine sewing, hand-eye motor skills are developed through measuring, tracing, and cutting out patterns.
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Sewing and construction of garments gives the student a strong sense of accomplishment and pride in their work. But students learn so much more, interpretation and creation, commitment and perseverance, problem solving, and self reliance.