Dramatic change is among us when it comes to the sister duo at Revolutionnaire. Nia and Justice Faith are the changemakers who are uplifting, educating and empowering people like themselves to follow their dreams. Revolutionnaire is a platform that allows people to come together, use their voices and create safe spaces that will unapologetically change the world for the better.
HOLR had the pleasure of chatting with Nia and Justice about the platform. 
What impact have you received since starting Révolutionnaire, and how has it helped you grow as founders?
Révolutionnaire began as a dancewear brand fueled by a dream that all dancers could have access to apparel and accessories that celebrate the skin they’re in. We loved hearing feedback that our products made dancers finally feel comfortable, seen, and represented in the art of ballet and beyond. As Révolutionnaire evolves into the social network for changemakers, we are excited to be building a destination that enables people to learn, connect and take action in their communities. We are just getting started, but we are motivated every day by our mission of empowering dreamers to be revolutionary and giving them the network, tools, and information to scale their impact across social causes.
Being so young and starting a platform with such volume, what have you discovered or learned from the people you’re creating with?
Young people have been at the forefront of social movements throughout history. Today, our generation is uniquely positioned to scale our impact through our unprecedented access to and use of technology, education, and unrelenting passion for these issues that affect us and our communities. This passion is largely driven by the fact that many of these issues be it the environment, racial equity, healthcare or otherwise have reached a turning point during our lifetime and with so much on the line and so much potential in our hands, we are not in a position to wait on the sidelines for others to figure it out. Instead, we are using our voices, our networks, and the power of collective action to create the change that we dream of. We are inspired every day by our team’s vision for what’s possible, what they have accomplished in their communities and their commitment to engaging more young people in the movement.
What kind of response do you get from the platform topics, and what can you tell us about the changes you are helping people make when it comes to criminal justice, racial equality, food and security etc.?
Many of the topics we focus on can be overwhelming and confusing. Our team is therefore committed to ensuring that our content breaks down these issues in a way that is accessible and actionable. Across topics, we always aim to inform people on what matters most, why it matters, and point them in the direction of action. We are looking forward to launching a platform that equips people with the information, community, and tools they need to take action on the causes they care about most. We want to help our members cut through the noise and focus their time on impactful actions.
How are you connecting members who want to be part of Révolutionnaire and how big are some of the connections? Globally?
Our connections are global and we have had the honour of working with people from across the world with a focus on empowering young people to educate themselves and take action in a meaningful way. This has been part of our work since day one beginning with a collaboration with an Instagram account based in Germany focused on the history of colourism and racism in dance. Today, our team spans interests, identities, and geographies and we look forward to building an international community on our platform. Those interested in being part of Révolutionnaire can sign up for early access to our social network for changemakers – http://www.joinrev.co/
What and how are you educating the people who are joining Révolutionnaire?
Révolutionnaire is a platform dedicated to education, action, and amplification. Our starting five causes are racial equity, anti-gun violence, environmentalism, criminal justice reform, and housing and food security, with more to come. We educate through content in the form of written 101 guides, project playbooks, and opinion pieces. Our 101 guides break down information in an easy and digestible way. We found that explaining these topics in the form of bite-size pieces of information helps to limit the barriers to entry and makes education more accessible, inspiring more people to act. Every aspect of the content that we are educating people on has actions tied to it with the intention of ensuring that people are going beyond listening and learning and moving towards making real and tangible change.
Adding recharge to your list is something different than what people might expect, as young changemakers how important do you think recharging is, especially in today’s exhausting climate?
Taking the time to step back and recharge is incredibly important. We have both experienced activism burnout and recognize that the difficulties associated with getting involved with activism can take a toll on people’s mental health. We want Révolutionnaire to be a place where people can make a sustainable impact that is lasting not only for our communities and our world but also for each individual changemaker. We want people to know that they can work hard and drive change, but also recognize it is important to take the time they need for themselves to recharge and refuel.
How does the platform define dreamers, and how is it helping them fulfill their dreams?
Dreamers hold onto their desire to dream and will to wonder about what can be possible through hard work, determination, and collective action. Dreamers are undaunted by fears of the future and motivated by their vision to redefine what’s possible. Our platform equips members with the network, tools, and information to make their dreams a reality and accomplish social impact across a variety of causes.
You have a collaboration with Roots and have a shirt that says “Dreams Fuel Revolutions” how do you define that and what kind of responses are you getting from it?
We have received phenomenal responses to our Dreams Fuel Revolutions tee in collaboration with Roots. The tee sold out in less than a day and people shared beautiful messages about how they feel seen and represented by this collaboration. We are excited for our full collection to launch with Roots this fall. Dreams Fuel Revolutions is a quote from Justice’s valedictorian speech at Columbia University. It is a nod to the historical significance of dreams and acknowledgment that history has taught us about the power of dreams because humankind has never conquered any new frontier without finding inspiration in something that was first planted.
Not only are you educating and amplifying people’s voices but you also have a scholarship on your website, what kind of scholarship is it?
We have a dance scholarship on our website where dancers from across North America can apply for and receive scholarships to further their dance education. A portion of every Révolutionnaire purchase goes to our scholarship fund. We are excited to be giving away two scholarships this spring and will be announcing the recipients soon!
How has working on a project like this with your sister, and with such a worldwide impact changed both of you?
It has not changed us at all. We have been working together for our entire lives and collaborated on several projects and this is one that we know will have a lasting impact. We have always been involved in change-making, advocacy, and service so the work that we are doing is not new to us and working together is certainly not new either. However, creating this digital platform is the new and exciting aspect of the next steps in our journeys to help not only make an impact within our communities, but also equip other dreamers with the tools, network, and information necessary to scale their impact.