R Flavour is an organization for the people. Through our events and initiatives, we seek to give back to the community in entertaining and positive ways, and love when we are able to highlight people in the community who are doing the same. Allow me to introduce Jason Miller of the One More Wear Foundation.
During the evening I spent with Miller, I learned a LOT. I learned about his foundation called One More Wear – a one-stop-shop that provides businesswear and education to job-seeking youth living in disenfranchised communities in the GTA. I learned about his education and work in the social work field. I learned about the nuances of navigating a field that usually finds young Black men like him on the other side of the meeting table. To say I walked away inspired is an understatement – Jason Miller’s passion, motivation, and drive are among the highest of anyone I’ve ever met, and I’m happy to share his story.
With an upbringing in the Scarborough community, Miller started noticing the power of positive Black role models late in his high school career. A switch from Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute to Blessed Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School in the Malvern neighbourhood opened his eyes to the possibilities of being educated by young Black teachers who understood and spoke to his experience as a young Black man. Being at a school that embraced diversity helped Miller to see a range of students supporting each other in various ways. “It was nice to see – you’re in class with another Black guy, and he’s smart as hell. And there’s another Black girl, and she’s smart as hell. You’re seeing them succeed in class, and if you needed a helping hand, everyone was just so much more open and welcoming there.”
Attending school in a different neighbourhood also exposed Miller to levels of poverty that he hadn’t seen before, but Mother Teresa removed one barrier that high school students often face. As a uniformed school, the concerns around keeping up with the latest in shoes and fashion were out the door. “Everyone looked the same! All you had to do was show up for school,” said Miller. However, the socioeconomic disparities of the surrounding community weren’t as easily hidden. Poverty reared its ugly head in subdued ways such as students being unable to pay fees for sports tournaments, or in more drastic ways with family issues affecting educational success. Miller was bolstered by the way that the Mother Teresa community came together to support their own, with competitive fundraisers and other support systems to ensure no one was left out – either academically or in extra-curricular activities. “When I saw what dedication and compassion looked like…wow,” said Miller. “And it couldn’t have been in a better community.”
Those images of dedication and compassion are what drew Miller to Social Work studies in his post-secondary education. Throughout his four-year Bachelor of Social Work degree from Ryerson University, Miller again embraced the diversity that he found there. “Being able to see someone you identify with is comforting. You don’t have to talk to them or be their friend, but your heart kind of smiles a bit.” In recounting his time in the Ryerson Social Work program, Miller says the biggest eye-opener he had was becoming conscious of his own privilege. Learning about his social location, reflection and mindfulness in situations guided and shaped him as he moved through his degree and his entrance into the workforce. Miller has since been employed with Peel Children’s Aid as a Social Worker.
The idea for the One More Wear Foundation was conceptualized in his third year placement at the Native Child and Family Services of Toronto. Facilitating a weekly group for men who had been convicted of partner assault, Miller was able to learn about the holistic view of such behaviours, and the holistic approach necessary to address them. During a visit to a youth drop-in program, Miller realized that his business casual gear set him apart from the other youths at the group, and got him thinking about social layers – the various messages we emit about ourselves as we move through the world. Miller credits his third-year professor, David Delay with inspiring him to think about critical reflection and how to apply all of these things in a tangible way for youth.
Understanding that clothing and body image are crucial, Miller created the One More Wear Foundation in efforts to empower youth on how to navigate barriers, combat stereotypes, and build self-esteem. The foundation collects donations of lightly-worn business and business-casual clothing for men and women to provide to youth when they are in need. One More Wear also provides social programming and mentorship to youth to understand perception, self-awareness, and media constructs so that they can make better choices. An additional arm of the program gives youth tangible skills for job-hunting and job interviewing practice. Miller prides the success of One More Wear on the fact that he is seen as a peer mentor – “I’m a young Black male who’s been through it, still going through it – so I think I’m in a position where I can enlighten some youth.”
Through his social work career and One More Wear Foundation, Miller is on track to provide a much-needed new voice and new leadership for youth of the GTA. His varied experiences and the impressions made upon him have made him somewhat of the perfect hybrid – a fellow youth who can relate to his mentees’ struggles and successes, and a voice of knowledge and wisdom who can help to guide them. You can’t get much better than that.
Want to support the One More Wear Foundation? Check out their website, follow One More Wear on Twitter, and check your closets for any donation-ready clothing! One More Wear has a clothing drop box on the Ryerson University campus, but can also coordinate pick-ups.
Written by Bee Quammie