Kerry Trent Ranginui features in Karen Walker’s new Pride campaign. Image supplied.
In celebration of our local rainbow communities, Karen Walker releases three commemorative pieces today for Auckland’s Pride Festival which is on this month. $10 from every T-shirt and sweatshirt, and $5 from every iPhone case sold will go towards RainbowYOUTH, who provide support, information and advocate for Aotearoa’s queer, gender diverse, takatāpui and intersex youth.
Made of organic cotton, each clothing item features Karen Walker’s signature Runaway Girl marching for pride: the Pride Marching Girl. Where the Runaway Girl serves as an icon for the adventurous spirit, the symbol now encourages rainbow youth to “know who you are, be who you are. Whāia tō ake ngākaunui, i te pono, i te mārama” – the charity’s motto.
For the campaign, the Karen Walker team selected New Zealanders who are prominent for their contributions to the LGBTQIA+ community: Shaneel Lal, Miss Geena, Pooja Subramanian and Kerry Trent Ranginui. Between them, the group span activism, leadership and performance, working with the Ministry of Education and HIV/AIDS initiatives to further educate our youth.
The three piece release is available in stores, online and at selected boutiques and department stores from today.
Images supplied.