Kimberly M. Jenkins
Founder and Principal Researcher
Kim is Assistant Professor of Fashion Studies in the School of Fashion at Ryerson University, lecturing previously at Parsons School of Design and Pratt Institute. Kim designed an elective course and exhibition entitled, Fashion and Race, sharing her insight at SXSW and Google HQ. Her expertise on fashion, race and cultural awareness has led to academic advising work for Gucci, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the Centraal Museum and The Met Museum Costume Institute. Kim holds an MA in Fashion Studies from Parsons School of Design. Learn more about her story and her work at her website.
Rachel Kinnard
Project Manager
Rachel is a Lecturer in the Fine Arts Department at California State University Los Angeles, where she teaches fashion history and research methods. Rachel teaches fashion studies at the Center for Creative and Culture Industries at Chapman University and in the Humanities and Sciences Department at Art Center. Her expertise takes her into collaboration with filmmakers, photographers, technologists, and activists. Rachel holds an MA in Fashion Studies and BFA in Fashion Design from Parsons School of Design. Born and raised in Atlanta, she lived in New York City for twelve years where she gained crucial experience in the fashion industry in a range of roles. Learn more about her work at her website.
Adriana Hill
Research Assistant
Adriana Hill is entering her third year of the Fashion Communications program at Ryerson University in Toronto. Her mixed studies of fashion theory, history, and illustration have led to her deep appreciation of Haute Couture and historical dress construction. This appreciation motivates her research interest in 18th Century Baroque dress and its relationship with Asian traditional dress through Orientalism. After concluding her studies at Ryerson Adriana hopes to pursue a postgraduate education in Fashion History and work in curation.
RJ Ramey
Web Developer
RJ is founder of Auut Studio, which is dedicated to taking an intersectional approach and centering the work of people of color. RJ’s vision is to find new creative methods for interacting with the significant historical figures of the past. To this work he brings his direct experience in cartography and data visualization (see MonroeWorkToday.org), as well as experience learned in Silicon Valley for championing the final audience/ reader over the expert in the room.
Safia Sheikh
Research Assistant
Safia (Suh-fi-yuh) is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Design in Fashion Design at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. Her work is driven by a desire to decentralize and decolonize narratives within popular fashion discourse. Safia’s interests in fashion research lie in the understanding of globalization’s impact on identity construction, and its resulting effect on dressing practices, particularly those of Muslims across the globe.