The team over at Seer Outfitters wrote this as guest bloggers last week. They did a great job, so we wanted to share it here as well.
Focus on what’s right
An impression of Seer Outfitters
When your dad, uncles and grandfather are all pastors, it’s easy to know what the right thing to do is. Matter of fact, I was born knowing the right answer, as well as a long list of wrongs. I don’t remember ever really fighting it, but followed in the path of those who had come before. In the trail of many great men and as the second of 4 boys, it is difficult to define yourself. It’s even more painstaking to decide whether or not its okay to want to do things differently when so much good has been done, (with a great deal of blood, sweat and tears) along the way. Convention could keep me safe and sheltered from a more diverting paths trial and errors. Although my heart and purpose is ubiquitous to my family’s tradition, present circumstances have afforded me a unique opportunity by which I get to help create a bit of good in this world.
In 2007, my brother Kyle, a professional basketball player, realized his career would not last forever. Having created a foundation two years earlier, to support some community projects that were close to his heart, he began to think about life after basketball. To make the best long-term impact, he decided to create a for-profit company to sustain and fund the non-profit life visions he and his friends had set in motion in several US cities.
Being an avid supporter of generation XY’s standard “tshirt and jeans” uniform, as well as a graphic design major, he naturally wanted to design tshirts himself. Talking through ideas with his circle of friends, they brainstormed until a plan was set and in 2008, Seer Outfitters was born. A Seer can be defined as a visionary who uses pictures and images for social impact. A classic tshirt is now an ever evolving billboard and the perfect display for these pictures. Beginning with themes from our youth that seem to be lost to this generation (ie, honor, courage, loyalty, respect, knowledge) he decided to define and present each word artistically, on a tshirt. I came on board to run Seer and began a social campaign across the internet in addition to the good old art of face to face conversation and networking. Where we prioritize “walking the walk” not just talk about change, by highlighting stories of good being done in big and small ways across the country.
The brand has evolved in the last 3 years and will continue to, as we’ve recently teemed up with Cali’s ever-cool Tank Farm for current and future design and production. We have an excellent relationship that continues to grow with ESquared, who runs our ecommerce and store. Our projects are stable and well staffed across the country as new ideas and people continue to influence and interpret our greater goal… to help people See and Act. To help people begin to see the need and what they can do to help, with their own hands, on their streets, in their city. All profits from our tshirts and hoodies go to fund the work of the foundation, which is now a network of projects that look a lot like homegrown love in action in Omaha, Philadelphia, SLC and Chicago.
Some folk have a great deal of passion and a clear vision that we can see and support. As we come across them, we find a way to help them sustainably support their project whether through a line of up and coming cause shirts, fundraisers, or small start up funds. We are looking forward to more cause shirts and clothing that does more than dress us, as we establish our brand nationally.
We try to see past our selves, past what’s wrong even and focus on what’s right in this world. There are needs everywhere. We can choose to see and act, to take what you’ve got and do something love. You can stand on the beach near the water, with the tide coming up to barely touch your toes, or you can soak to your ankles, or up to your knees, or waist deep …but once your there, its nearly impossible not to dive in and ride a wave. Nothing beats putting your own hands to a paintbrush or a hammer to do some real love. We ask people to buy a tshirt, for now.
