Clothing brand Junior raises their voices frustrated by social injustice

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When it came time to decide where to go to college, Jordan Pierre had the tough decision of attending Morehouse College, an all-male black college in Atlanta, or Syracuse University. Morehouse, who was very similar to Pierres high school in terms of racial demographics, did not qualify because Pierre finally felt that the change was necessary.

“The decision to go to Morehouse or Syracuse was probably the toughest decision I’ve ever made in my life,” said Pierre. It was basically an inner battle between something I was comfortable with and knew would work and the unknown that was scary.

Pierre decided on SU because he wanted to take a step into an uncomfortable place where he was a minority, he said. Junior has been actively working for social justice and change through his new clothing brand, VOICE By Pierre. The brand name encapsulates its mission statement, which is to use your platform to amplify voices that have never been heard before, says Pierre.

The idea for the brand came to Pierre three years ago, when he watched The Hate U Give, an award-winning film that tackles the subject of police brutality against the black community.

Films that emphasize the idea of ​​being heard have been the driving force behind my creative process and the inspiration for me to do the same, says Pierre.

While VOICE was created out of frustration and in response to the injustices faced by people from marginalized communities, it’s important for black men to have access to stylish fashion because clothing is the first thing they value, Pierre said.

Driven by his own educational background, Pierre wants the brand to help people embrace themselves, regardless of race, ethnicity or sexuality. While the VOICE brand is still developing websites, Pierre is active in Instagram, where customers can reach out to order products such as T-shirts and hoodies.

Hate U Give was the catalyst for Pierre to form VOICE, but his ability to lead and inspire others began long before his time at Syracuse.

Pierre’s hometown friend and rapper Josiah Miller, who goes by the artist name BTB Dezz, says Jordan’s status as a leader can be traced back to growing up in Brooklyn.

Jordan has always been someone who is respected by people in our neighborhood (and) our community. In an area like ours, you see a lot of the negative and the worst in people, says Miller. However, Jordan was always seen as a positive light in all this chaos. Jordan always has a voice before VOICE.

In December 2020, Pierre hosted the alumni of the Newhouse School of Public Communication Q&A Instagram Live with alumni Kelsey Davis, founder and CEO of CLLCVE. Davis and Jordan discuss career responsibilities, expectations and goals for black people in today’s work environment.

As the sole founder and operator of VOICE, Pierre puts a lot of pressure on himself. He sees the VOICE brand as something bigger than himself.

VOICE is not just me or even black people, says Pierre. VOICE is the unheard, underrepresented, and underappreciated.

Pierre believes that the work he does is to create a trail for others from marginalized communities to follow. When his friends see him going to college, running his own business, doing great things, they are inspired to use their voices to do the same, Pierre said.

Tysean Canada, a close friend of Pierres and president of the National Society of Black Engineers chapter in Syracuse, said Pierre was a trusted confidant, and the two discussed how they could use their platform to change the narrative of how black students were perceived in Syracuse.

More than just an athlete and wanting to encourage black men and women that Syracuse is a place where one can feel comfortable and inspired to make a difference, says Canada.

The VOICE founder also spent time pitching friends ideas on how to grow his brand. This conversation led to a pop-up sale of printed T-shirts and hoodies during the fall 2020 semester at South Campus.

I have a pop-up shop … It’s a fire, said Pierre.

Junior’s ambition is much bigger for the company, says Pierre. And, while she’s still developing the brand’s website, she’s also working on new clothing designs and expanding the range of available products.

Among singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill’s printed t-shirts, she wants to expand to have more American-style garments and accessories, such as totes, which she designs.

Anyone can put an image on a shirt, but what Gucci and Louis Vuitton are doing is original, says Pierre. The sky is the limit for VOICE.