Did you catch these four friendly faces on your feeds? They are the faces of CIRCULAR by Good Sammy, our latest slow-fashion event which was held at WA Museum Boola Bardip on 24 June. It was truly a first for Perth! Our event CIRCULAR went beyond a preloved fashion market. It was a slow fashion extravaganza, where attendees were treated to incredible wearable art exhibitions, meet the maker sessions and inspiring panel discussions led by experts in ethical and sustainable fashion.
Good Sammy is all about creating a better future for people with disability, so it was a natural choice to have four people with disability front the CIRCULAR by Good Sammy campaign. Besides, it’s about time we saw more people with disability represented in the media!
Meet Liz, Tiffany, James, and Jen. They’re all valued (and very photogenic) employees at Good Sammy, each with different abilities. Together, they demonstrate that disabilities come in all shapes and forms – some visible and some not – and they are not barriers to a person’s success. So, let’s get to know them a little, shall we?
Meet James
James, a business analyst at Good Sammy, joined the organisation during the pandemic as a financial officer and quickly rose through the ranks to assist the executive team in crucial decision-making. With a personal connection to disability, James is passionate about working for an organisation that is dedicated to improving the lives of people living with disabilities. Participating in the CIRCULAR campaign was a fun way for him to give back to the organisation.
Although modelling was completely foreign to James, he actually found the experience to be a lot of fun, especially with his fellow Good Sammy colleagues there to have a laugh with. He admits that seeing his photo in the promotional material was a tad embarrassing, but it sparked light-hearted banter among friends, family and colleagues, ultimately spreading the word about the event and its worthy cause.
Born profoundly deaf in both ears, James received a cochlear implant at a young age after using hearing aids and undergoing speech therapy. This allowed him to have a pretty "normal" upbringing and attended mainstream schools. James would like to see more people with disabilities represented in the media because it helps others understand and care about the challenges they face. And when we see people with disabilities achieving, it reminds us all that disabilities don't have to hold you back. James is a perfect example of that. He wants to keep working for Good Sammy and help them make a real difference in the community and people's lives.
Meet Tiffany
Tiffany works as a retail assistant in the Mt Lawley store, and she was asked to be part of the CIRCULAR by Good Sammy campaign because her fresh look and thrifty style perfectly captures the vibe of the event. Being a big fan of second-hand fashion, she jumped at the chance to be dressed in Good Sammy’s finest threads for the photo shoot.
Despite looking like any other 22-year-old, Tiffany has an intellectual disability. People often tell her she doesn’t look like she has a disability, which is another reason she wanted to be involved in the CIRCULAR campaign. She wanted to show that appearances can be deceiving, and disabilities aren’t always visible.
As well as working at Good Sammy Mount Lawley, where she loves working at the till and chatting with customers, Tiffany also works at Woolworths — a job she received through the supermarket’s partnership with Good Sammy. Here she works on the checkouts and helps with online orders. This variety in her work life brings her a lot of satisfaction.
If you see her, make sure to say hi — her iconic rainbow hair makes her hard to miss!
Meet Liz
Liz is no stranger to the camera, as she regularly models for the Good Sammy Online Store. She was keen to be involved in the CIRCULAR by Good Sammy campaign because she wanted to model some of the amazing second-hand clothes that’ll be available to shoppers on the day – many of which were handpicked by the online store team. The chance to get her hair and make-up done professionally was also a welcome treat.
Like Tiffany, Liz worked as a participant in the Midland store until its closure last year. She has since taken up a full-time position in the online store, where her days are dedicated to identifying Gold Seal items from donations and getting them ready to sell online. She has really grown in confidence since taking on the role and gained valuable skills in photography, e-commerce, label identification and modelling, which has really helped her come out of her shell and reveal a different side to herself.
Despite having a learning disability, Liz is currently completing a leadership course through Good Sammy. She hopes to be given more responsibility in her role and eventually help Angie, the Online Store Coordinator, manage the team. In no way has Liz’s disability prevented her from achieving her goals. She hopes that by featuring more people with disabilities in media campaigns like CIRCULAR, people will recognize this truth and realise how common disabilities are in society.
Meet Jen
Jen has been an integral part of Good Sammy for the past eight years, lending her support in the call centre and providing administration assistance. She saw participating in the CIRCULAR by Good Sammy campaign, as a fun way to promote recycling and circular fashion, two things she’s passionate about. And she couldn’t say no to getting all dolled up and having her hair and makeup done!
An avid thrifter and regular customer of the Good Sammy outlet store in Gosnells, Jen prefers shopping second-hand for a variety of reasons. Not only does it allow her to contribute to a worthy cause and do her bit for the environment, but it also lets her curate a stylish one-of-a-kind wardrobe for less. Although Good Sammy provided various clothing options for the CIRCULAR photo shoot, Jen arrived in her own thrifted outfit, which made her feel a little more comfortable and added a nice personal touch to the experience.
Jen lives with spina bifida, a neural tube birth defect that causes paralysis in the lower body and some cognitive effects. Being a wheelchair user her whole life, she has noticed a positive shift in how people with disabilities are portrayed in the media, although there is still a long way to go. Jen believes that there needs to be greater awareness, especially for people whose disabilities aren’t as noticeable. As Jen says, you can’t take people at face value.
Jen values the portrayal of disabilities that challenge stereotypes and showcase diversity, which is precisely why being involved in the CIRCULAR campaign was important to her. Along with James, Tiffany and Liz, she represents some of the diverse faces of disabilities, and she looks forward to seeing more positive representation in the media.
CIRCULAR by Good Sammy brought together a passionate community dedicated to sustainability, inclusivity and social impact. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed their time, energy and expertise to make this event a resounding success. Your dedication and support were instrumental in achieving our shared vision of promoting a circular economy and creating positive change.
