Rebels of Kindness, Series 6
Kindhumans ProfilesRebels of Kindness, Series 6
A Rebels of Kindness series to raise vibes, incite radical change, and gather inspiration and resources that make the world a better place. It’s where you might learn something new, gain a new perspective, insight, or even a radical lifestyle change.
Kind to Self: Dr. Johnny Irwin
Johnny Irwin is the co-founder and executive director at City Surf Project, a nonprofit based out of San Francisco dedicated to providing equitable access to the ocean through surfing. It’s through surfing that he and his team hope to instill a love of self and our natural environment. They envision a world where youth from all backgrounds have an appreciation for nature, identify with surf culture, and have the necessary resiliency, and leadership skills, to be happy and healthy adults.
They do this by focusing programming on their core pillars that really drive home the importance of being kind to self, including ensuring Bay Area youth have equitable access to surfing and the ocean. By inspiring healthy living, they hope to encourage youth to take pride in themselves and adopt a healthy lifestyle. They challenge youth to step outside their comfort zone and expand their boundaries, directing them toward personal growth. Promoting appreciation for nature and environmental education, they challenge youth to be active global citizens.
Lack of social services and strong partner organizations play a part in where they choose to work. With a focus on providing youth with their first exposure to the ocean, they work with youth from five districts in San Francisco: Bayview, Mission, Excelsior, Sunset, and Fillmore.
They love getting kids out on the water, giving them the chance to learn to surf, and to experience the ocean in a way that not all have the opportunity to do so (due to several factors, including redlining policies, lack of income for equipment, transportation limitations, etc.).
They have connected 2,000 youth to the ocean, gone on over 400 surf outings to the beach, and provided 80% of their youth with their first ocean experience. Through their work, surfing becomes a vehicle to improve the health and well being of Bay Area youth. Through gained confidence within a safe and supporting community, Johnny and his partner, Hunter Chiles, give youth the gift of kindness through the epic waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Learn more about City Surf Project here »
Kind to the Planet: Amy Keller
Amy Keller comes from sugar… her family is Spangler Candy Company and makes 2 billion DumDum lollipops per year. Amy sought a different path and became a 7-time ironman and climate activist and knew there had to be a way to combine her passion for environmental issues and health with the family business by creating an alternative to traditional sweet treats.
So, as the disruptive granddaughter, Amy was determined to create a business that could contribute to the planet and positively impact people’s lives and health while still allowing the indulgence and enjoyment we get from candy. And so she created Climate Candy.
Climate Candy rescues unharvested fruits and vegetables from farms and gives them new life as FAVES. Unharvested produce wastes vital energy and contributes to climate change. 25% of perfectly imperfect produce goes unharvested. FAVES offers full servings of fruits and vegetables – this is stealth nutrition at its finest. They turn problems into candy!
Learn more about Climate Candy here »
Kind to Others: Jeremy Casebeer
We love it when pro athletes take a stand and use their platforms for good, inspiring others and being catalysts for change. Jeremy Casebeer is a pro volleyball player in the US with the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), around the world on the International Federation of Volleyball (FIVB), and in Brasil on their pro tour (CBV).
Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Jeremy found his passion for volleyball in high school. His skills took him to UCLA where he played indoor and majored in Environmental Studies and Political Science. While he put off a career in environmentalism to participate in the pro-volleyball circuit, he still puts his education to work.
Known as “The Lorax,” Jeremy has become a voice for sustainability; like The Lorax, he speaks for the trees, the beach, and the ocean. Through his efforts to bring sustainability into sports, Jeremy became a Climate Responsible Athlete: measuring his carbon footprint while taking actions to reduce it and offset the rest.
As a contributor with Parley for the Oceans and ambassador for the Forest Stewardship Council, Jeremy is committed to protecting our beaches and raising consciousness for our environment. He is also the Program Chair for non-profit AVP First. Jeremy sits on the board at Players for the Planet, provides a platform for professional athletes to join forces to create lasting and measurable impact for our world and for future generations.
Learn more about Players for the Planet here »
Our Rebels of Kindness apparel line is more than sweet threads. It’s an act of rebellion. Rebels of Kindness disregard the status quo of mainstream apparel that doesn’t care about the people who make them or the future of our planet. Wear it, be it, and raise the vibes with our 100% organic cotton apparel line made using GOTS standards—the most sustainable textile process on the planet. Ready to rock?
