About Our Founder
Nhakia Outland, MSW, Founder & Executive Director
Hi! I am Nhakia Outland (she/her) and I am a queer, Black woman and mother to three amazing children. I am a social worker, sexuality educator and adjunct professor in Philadelphia, PA with over 15 years experience working with individuals, couples, families, and communities of all ages and backgrounds. It was these experiences that fueled my passion to focus more on communities that have been historically excluded and/or used for funding without any tangible change in those communities. This pushed me to start Prevention Meets Fashion (PMF), Inc in 2018 and later we have grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is based in Philadelphia, PA.
PMF is a unique organization that uses a disruptive business model for people (like me) who are tired of the status quo, who are forward thinking, sex-positive, fashion forward and most importantly, who want to get back to collective, community healing and care. PMF takes a creative, fashion-based and community first approach to address issues such as sexual health, reproductive health and justice, racial justice, environmental justice, gender justice, disability justice and other racial and health equity issues.
PMF does not fit neatly into the societal boxes of what prevention organizations, services and nonprofit are doing and look like but that does not mean that we are not making an impact on communities.
I truly believe that we need to look beyond the traditional medial and therapy spaces, theories and interventions that have pathologized BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities in prevention services and look at creative mediums. My passion for fashion, prevention and using creativity to engage and bring historically excluded communities into prevention conversations is Prevention Meets Fashion!
Why Fashion?
It’s time that we take a creative approach to sexual health. We have tried medical and behavioral models and they have very little impact due to misogny, racism, homophobia and transphobia. People are tired of being a number and want to be seen as human beings- a human being that makes mistakes, need help or guidance from time to time, and who deserves to learn about sex and sexuality that is sex-positive, pleasure-focused and doesn’t always lead with risks.
Also, fashion:
Helped me as I was going through my coming out process and it still does.
Helped me to cope with grief, loss and joy in my life.
Helped me understand my body but also how as a Black woman, my body is seen as a sexual object, dehumanized, stereotyped and both hyper-visible and invisible.
Connected me to my clients, community and deepened the bond between my children and I.
Can be used as an inclusive community and clinical tool to focus on community care.
My role as the Founder and President of PMF allows me to do the work that I have always wanted to see, have and do for my community. It allows me, through my lived experiences and educational background to teach, mentor, supervise and guide future social workers and fashion students so that they too can envision a world that produces real life positive changes in communities.
I invite you to join me and PMF as we do the work to show that fashion is not frivolous, it’s an art form, personal and collective expression, communication, and a tool for change.
Love,
Nhakia
Twitter: @Noutland | LinkedIn: NhakiaT. | Email: noutland@preventionmeetsfashion.org