Meet Jackie Gilbert | Executive Director of One Thread Collective

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jackie Gilbert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jackie, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
One Thread Collective is an impact-driven ethical fashion brand and nonprofit working in solidarity with Indigenous Wayuu weavers in northern Colombia to break the cycle of poverty.

We provide fair trade income, skill building workshops, micro loans, and community project grants to more than 100 Wayuu women, empowering them to not only put food on their table for their families, but also to be leaders of positive, sustainable momentum in their remote, under-resourced communities.

Empowering women with income is actually the most efficient way to build healthier, more sustainable communities. Globally, women invest more than 90% of their income into their families and communities (whereas men invest between 30-40%), so when you give women income, it has a ripple effect that spans generations. Children are more likely to go to school and have their basic needs met and are thus more likely to break the cycle of poverty.

At the core of our organization’s ethos is the belief that we are all connected by a thread—what affects one affects all, and each and every one of us has a responsibility to take steps towards making the world better for all people while also protecting our planet.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My Colombia journey started in 2018 when I was a Fulbright researcher doing fieldwork on the impacts of coal mining in Indigenous communities. The largest open pit coal mine in the world is located in La Guajira, yet the Wayuu remain without electricity. Almost all of that coal is exported out of the region—some of it is sold to companies in the USA.

From a young age, I knew that I was here on a mission to advocate for social and environmental justice. I studied anthropology in college and was drawn to learning about different cultures—particularly how Indigenous people live more interconnectedly, collectively stewarding land and resources and living in harmony with the natural world.

I definitely never thought I would start a bag business! While I was living in Colombia a group of Wayuu women actually asked me to start a project with the weavers. I was reluctant, mostly because I didn’t know a thing about marketing, branding, sales, and what it takes to run a business, and I didn’t want to half ass it.

At the time I was working with land rights defenders that were seeking reparations from the mining company, and I was beginning to realize just how difficult it was for these rural communities to organize effectively against the multinational mining company when they were living in poverty. The women had no work and were weaving their “mochilas” (crocheted crossbody bags) to scrape together a little bit of money to even feed their children just once a day. Child malnutrition was a known issue in the region, water was scarce, birth rates were high, basic services were nonexistent, and there seemed to be no way out of this generational poverty.

After moving back to the States, I teamed up with a close friend named Megan Battaglia (an Aussie living in La Guajira), and a Colombian friend, Paula Restrepo, who ran a foundation in La Guajira. Together we launched One Thread Collective.

We have a unique business model that’s sometimes hard to explain—on the one hand we are an ethical fashion brand that sells Wayuu mochilas and accessories and on the other hand we are a nonprofit organization that runs an empowerment school for women and works with communities to solve issues like food and water scarcity.

What sets us apart from other artisan brands or sustainable development organizations is the depth of our relationship with the communities we work with. We have chosen an approach that goes deep, not wide. We’ve taken the time to develop very close ties with the 120 artisans we work with. We sleep in hammocks in their remote communities and get to know their families. We have a deep understanding of the cultural, historical and political context we’re working within, and we know first-hand the challenges these women face, allowing us to craft solutions that are culturally appropriate, sustainable, and that minimize unintended consequences.

We are proud of the efficiency with which we run our community programs. We have a very big impact with a relatively tiny budget, and our supporters love that for just $25/month they can be part of our “Dream Weavers” membership program, having a direct, meaningful impact in a vulnerable region. We’re proud that we have provided reliable income for more than 100 women at more than 7X the market rate for the last 5 years, and that we are the world’s most ethical mochila brand. We’re proud that many of the artisans who have attended our workshops have been inspired to go back to school and get their high school diplomas, while also having the financial resources to prioritize their children’s education.

We started One Thread Collective with zero funding—just our own personal earnings from our restaurant jobs. Getting the money together to keep this project going each month has been the most challenging part of the job. We have always been hanging on by a thread, so to speak, guided by the mantra that “If we build it, they will come.” It might not be the most conventional approach– to commit to launching an organization without a sustainable revenue stream. But I’m glad we took this approach, because we have shown how much of an impact a small group of people with barely any money can have on the world!

I love the Margaret Mead quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” It’s true!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take a trip up to Santa Barbara (where I live), stopping first in Ventura to have a beer at MadeWest Brewery on the pier, maybe jumping in the water.

In Santa Barbara my favorite places to eat are Black Sheep Brasserie (California-French cuisine), Loquita (Spanish-style tapas), and La Paloma (for delicious margaritas and apps). In the morning I would grab a coffee at Dart Coffee in the Harbor and walk along the breakwater and hopefully catch a glimpse of some dolphins or seals. On Saturdays there is a fish market in the harbor and the farmer’s market is downtown.

I would sign up for a garden tour at Lotus Land, one of the world’s most spectacular botanical gardens or visit the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens, which is a beautiful walking loop (and dog friendly too!). I would do any of the hiking trails that are a short drive from downtown and then watch the sunset at the beach or at Douglas Preserve.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to Caroline MacDougall, founder and CEO of Teeccino Herbal Coffees and Teas, who has been an important mentor, supporter and close friend. If I hadn’t met Caroline, I cannot say with confidence that One Thread Collective would have ever gotten off of the ground.

Caroline hired me to work for her company years ago when I was launching One Thread Collective with my cofounder. I had zero experience in marketing, sales, and running a business— in fact I studied anthropology and most of my work experience was in hospitality! Working with Caroline was like getting paid to go to business school.

Website: https://www.onethreadcollective.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onethread.collective/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiegilbertonethread/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onethreadcollective

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OneThread.Collective