JOIN US AT THE EDUCATING FOR CLIMATE ACTION SUMMIT!

How can we apply anti-waste strategies to an unrelentingly industrialized future? Join MI Leggett, Founder and Creative Director of Official Rebrand, and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum for a discussion on past, present, and future perspectives on waste and sustainability in design and beyond. This workshop is designed for educators eager to explore ways to support sustainable habits in their students and classrooms. 

This program is a part of the Educating for Climate Action Summit. Held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the summit will bring together formal and informal educators from diverse backgrounds to explore key themes in climate change education, including the integration of youth perspectives, Indigenous knowledge systems, and climate justice in learning experiences in and out of the classroom. An evening reception will celebrate new climate literacy resources.

GUEST DESIGNER

Image: Icia Vazquez

Since 2017, non-binary artist MI Leggett has synthesized their interests in environmental justice and expansive gender expression into a brand that’s quickly garnered acclaim. In the span of just a few years, Leggett’s shown multiple collections at New York Fashion Week and been labeled by the CFDA as “one to watch.” Leggett’s years working in food justice shaped their design process—upcycling and reworking discarded garments felt like a natural choice for them given the marked worldwide ecological impact of the fashion industry. In altering these unwanted garments, Leggett dissociates them from gendered categories and creates an alternative space where both materials and identity are fluid. The cultural and industrial norms that ground the fashion industry and our society are destabilized in the creation of a new order, one where a concern for the future of our planet and free self-expression are prioritized.  

What to Expect & Accessibility 

  • Format: The program will include a brief presentation along with guided conversation.  
  • Accommodations: If we can provide additional services to support your participation, email us at CHEducation@si.edu or let us know when you register. Please make your request as far in advance as possible. 
  • Recording: The program will not be recorded. 

SPECIAL THANKS

Design learning at Cooper Hewitt is made possible by The Pinkerton Foundation, The Richard and Jean Coyne Family Foundation, The Hirsch Family Foundation, PwC Charitable Foundation, The Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, internal Smithsonian Institution funds from the Youth Access Grants for Youth Innovation in Rural America, and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.