ABOUT THIS EVENT

Latin American House is excited to present Social Alchemy: Fashion & Latin American Grassroots, a conversation that digs into the potential of the fashion field to immerse itself among the communities of Latin American people in London and create positive impact.

Latin Americans are one the the fastest demographic group growing in London and its communities located in boroughs such as Seven Sisters, Elephant and Castle and others face very specific challenges. Jennifer Droguett (Fashion Designer and Creative Director), Angela Camacho (Indigenous Community Organizer), Paola Vivas (Photographer and founder of Directorio) and Jacobo Belilty (Community Campaigner for Save Latin Village and LGBTQ+ activist) will discuss the possibilities and the limits of what fashion can do regarding those challenges, with Nao Zaragoza (Cultural Producer and Latin American House Cultures Coordinator) as moderator.

Presented as part of the community engagement programme of "El Viaje", the first solo exhibition of Colombian British-based fashion brand Anciela with the support of the Colombian Embassy in London, this is an event that welcomes fashion practitioners and enthusiasts, community organizers, activists and anyone wishing to take part in the conversation addressing the links between fashion and community-building.

What are the current needs of the Latin American immigrants based in London? How can fashion creatives and practitioners get involved? What are the politics and the ethical considerations of fashion community projects? We know that representation is important, but is it enough?

FRIDAY 27TH MAY 2022

6:30 PM

THE LAB E20, EAST VILLAGE, LONDON E20 1JB

FREE (REGISTRATION REQUIRED)

ABOUT THE GUEST SPEAKERS

Jennifer Droguett

Jennifer Droguett was born in Colombia and grew up in the vibrant city of Medellin surrounded by beautiful nature, culture and joyful people. However, in the 2000s after the city of Medellin had become extremely dangerous, her family took the hard but inevitable decision to move to Chile. She graduated with a BA in Fashion Design and Technology from AMFI in Amsterdam in 2015 and worked at the acclaimed Atelier of Viktor & Rolf before moving to London, since then has worked at House of Holland and emerging designers such as Richard Malone, Sabinna, Sadie Williams and Artschool. She founded her own label Anciela in 2019 as a homage to her Colombian and Southamerican heritage.

Angela Camacho aka La Bonita Chola.

Angela is an indigenous creative of Aymara-Quechua descent, Bruja, and a community organiser for Wretched Of The Earth, a grassroots collective of indigenous, black and brown people demanding climate justice and solidarity both in the UK and the Global South. Her community work and labour as indigenous-ancestor-in-the-making has been featured in multiple magazines and publications and she has been involved in campaigns such as Save Latin Village and facilitated workshops.

Paola Vivas

Paola is a Mexican photographer, born and raised in the south of Mexico. Paola explores her female gaze as an immigrant woman creating social connections exploring beauty, intimacy and representation as a method of self-reflection while embedding herself into projects and becoming more accountable for the work she produces. recent work includes Dior, The telegraph and The British Journal of Photography. Paola is also the founder of Directorio, an independent directory and support network for multidisciplinary Latin American creatives.

Jacobo Belilty

Originally from Venezuela, Jacobo arrived in the U.K. in 2013 and ever since then has studied, worked and volunteered in and around Latin American affairs. Aside from campaigning for El Pueblito Paisa in Seven Sisters for over 5 years, he has worked in the Colombia-Venezuelan border supporting refugees and migrants alongside local NGOs who envision the peaceful integration of Venezuelans and Colombian returnees in Colombia. On a personal level, he believes that fashion, as a pillar art-form, holds the cultural significance to transform communities and empower them to create their own paths through the assertion of identity. Although it is not his day-to-day vocation, Jacobo has also collaborated in fashion projects both as a stylist and model in the past. Growing up a queer kid in a heavily machista culture taught Jacobo the power of self-expression through fashion, and conveying who you are by using clothing as stencils. He graduated with a First Class degree in Politics and International Relations from Queen Mary University of London.

Angelica Salazar

Angelica is a Colombian-born creative, feminist, and activist based in London since 2005. With a BSc in Industrial Design (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana) and MA's in Intl Mktg Comms Strategy (ESCEM _France), Angelica started her creative practice as a packaging designer in Colombia at Smurfit Kappa Group (2005), however, her keen interest in cultural sustainability and the material cultures of Latin America led her to make a move to the radical world of fashion sustainability.

Angelica is an activist at the heart of the global movement Fashion Revolution the world's largest fashion activism movement, mobilising citizens, brands and policymakers through research, education and advocacy. Every year since 2013, she has activated the Fashion Revolution Week in Colombia, with the help of a fantastic team of volunteers putting together an exciting program packed with conferences, screenings, workshops and open studios.

Angelica is a queer advocate of women's rights and nowadays works as Social Media Manager at Latin American Women's Aid in London (LAWA), a charity running the only refuges in the UK by and for Latin American Migrant women and children fleeing gender-based violence.

Nao Zaragoza

Nao is a Mexican Cultural Producer based in London since 2016. With a BA in Cultural and Art Management and a MA in Fashion Curation, Nao has worked mainly in the museum sector in Mexico and the UK developing community engagement projects and assisting the curation of fashion exhibitions such as Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street (2021). Nao currently works as Communities & Cultures Coordinator at Latin American House, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of Latin Americans in London. She is also Director of Wearers Festival, a non-profit multidisciplinary platform dedicated to exploring and celebrating the meanings of dress among different communities.

ABOUT EL VIAJE

An exploration of Latin American culture through fashion, El Viaje is the first solo exhibition of Colombian British-based brand Anciela, taking place from the 26th to the 29th of May at the LAB E20. El Viaje showcases the journey of Colombian designer Jennifer Droguett Espinosa.

ABOUT LATIN AMERICAN HOUSE

We are a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, and we house one of the oldest Spanish-speaking nurseries in London. We offer legal and social advice in relation to benefits, housing, and employment law, as well as opportunities to acquire life-long skills and a place to meet people, share ideas and enjoy the rich culture of Latin America.