A Note From the Founder of Fair Anita

"Courageously choose to challenge the status quo by unequivocally standing for your values". ~ Joy McBrien, Fair Anita Founder + CEO

Fair Anita was built on a vision-- one where each of us can grow up feeling safe, respected, and valued no matter our geography. We partner with 8,000 super-talented artisans around the world, striving to build a more inclusive economy for women, especially. 

We are named after a social worker in Chimbote, Peru, Senora Anita. I had the tremendous privilege of living with Anita (many times!), and she taught me so much about what economic development looks like on the ground and how women can be real changemakers, especially when given economic opportunities. Anita is completely adored by her community and she’s known by everyone as a very fair and empathetic human: the kind of leader I certainly aspire to be.

Together, Anita and I explored the power of agency, and how true agency can positively affect one’s mental health, well-being, and identity-formation. This was true for me, for sure: after first experiencing rape as a senior in high school, I knew I needed to impact the lives of fellow survivors in order to reclaim some of my own personal agency. After learning in 2009 that Peru had the highest reported rate of domestic violence in the world, I was able to work and live alongside a group of incredibly talented local women in Chimbote, Peru to build a women’s shelter. It was through this experience that I met Anita, and we formed what has become a life-long friendship and partnership. 

When we started Fair Anita in 2015, few people were talking about violence against women, and we knew we wanted to be a resource for survivors, both the silenced and outspoken. We learned that financial insecurity is the #1 reason why women stay in abusive partnerships, so we started Fair Anita with this in mind, staying grounded in supporting women's resiliency and lessons from Anita. 

We continue on our journey to play our role in building a world that’s better for us all. How we show up in this space differs based on context, but we know one thing: it’s ever-evolving.

In solidarity,

Joy McBrien
Founder, Fair Anita