Giving Season
Those of you who have been part of the CALLIDAE community for a while are likely aware of my ambivalence about days like "International Women's Day" and “Earth Day.” While such days can serve as powerful reminders of the power of collective action to drive progress, we at CALLIDAE prefer to “Celebrate Women Every Day” and make “Earth Day Every Day.”
National Giving Day started in 2012 as a counterbalance to the relentless consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, redirecting focus to acts of kindness and charitable giving. And while we love and support National Giving Day (or “Giving Tuesday”), our goal is to extend both the period, and reach, of giving. To that end, we are creating the “Giving Season” at CALLIDAE, which will start today and extend through December 31st. As you may already know, a portion of sales proceeds from The MARE Collection are donated to our non-profits partners American Wild Horse Campaign and A little Rescue. During the Giving Season, we will increase the percentage of donated sales proceeds from 15% to 20%.
There is something for everyone on your holiday gift list in The MARE Collection. We encourage you to join us in supporting the important work of our non profit partners by shopping the collection.
Wearing the collection "gives me an opportunity to talk about CALLIDAE, The MARE Project, AWHC, and wild horses every time I wear one of the beautiful pieces." — Patricia Miller, AWHC Board Member
When we launched The MARE Project, I was excited about starting a vehicle to partner with non-profit organizations whose missions aligned with ours and to focus attention every day on the power of collection action to drive progress. Little did I know the gifts the project would provide to me and the entire CALLIDAE team. We got to meet and work with the amazing team at AWHC, which has perhaps the most talented and strategic and well organized team of any non-profit I've had the privilege of serving. We got to continue and deepen our partnership with A little Rescue, conceived of and continuously moved forward by the indefatigable Brandi Perse. People who not only talk the talk, but, also walk the walk. Every single day.
As you may already know, we were entranced by the concept of the lead mare (the leader of a pack of wild horses) and couldn't imagine a better theme around which to launch The MARE Project. Hopefully, you know a powerful woman who embodies the characteristics of a lead mare -- clear and confident communication, inspiration, and leadership towards positive change. We are so grateful to have met and worked with a very special “lead MARE” this year – Patricia Miller. An AWHC board member, who has made a name for herself as an innovative leader in the realm of sustainable consumer product manufacturing and design, she is an avid equestrian and advocate for wild horses and burros. We've spent some time with Patricia and she shared with us her thoughts about AWHC, The MARE Project, and what holiday giving is really about.
Q. Why are you involved with AWHC?
PM. I was exposed to the wild mustang slaughter pipeline through supporting sanctuaries and advocating for animal rights. I had no idea we had wild horses in the USA. As I went down the rabbit hole, I found AWHC and was compelled to engage in a deeper way, joining their Board of Directors, as a path to support systemic / large format impact and change. The work the organization does every day, and the level of commitment everyone has, to protect wild horses and burros is deeply moving.
Q. What does The MARE Project mean to you?
PM. The MARE Project touches on a few aspects for me. The option to go from home or factory to stables and out to dinner after -- wearing the collection creates ease to flow through transitions. The aesthetic and design sense appeals to my aesthetic eye. Also, knowing what it stands for and the cause it supports (to protect wild horses, to raise awareness of the majestic wild beauty we still have and need to honor and keep) makes these absolute go to wardrobe pieces for me. I’m obsessed. And it gives me an opportunity to talk about CALLIDAE, the MARE Project, AWHC, and wild horses every time I wear one of the beautiful pieces. The other piece that deeply inspires me, and what the MARE Project means to me -- Harriet. Supporting a woman owned brand, advocating for consciousness, in a form of beauty and benefit. LOVE.
Q. What does holiday giving mean to you?
PM. Holiday Giving means joy, impact, graciousness, delight and generosity to me. We are at a dynamic time in the world. I choose to focus on the positive impact of joyful activism and our ability to inspire profound change for the world we want to live in. It all comes from love for me. And a deep connection to our natural world and the inhabitants in it. I never want to be disconnected from that. I hope we move to a place where we consume less, less quickly, that we acquire meaningfully from brands and people we care about, who are up to good things in the world.
