BY KEELIN EVERLY-LANG for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 6/19/2026
A concept as big as freedom can’t be carried by a single person or a single mode of expression.
In the Threads of Freedom showcase by the Chayah Movement, founder Zakiya Nicole has brought together 12 artists to express that concept.
Representing the creativity, culture, and innovation of Pacific Northwest designers and artists of the African diaspora, the showcase explores where heritage, fashion, and freedom meet.
The show opened on June 1 and runs through June 30, and can be seen shining in the windows of the historic Woolworth storefront at the corner of 11th and Broadway in downtown Tacoma.
“When you think about fashion as art and what fashion represents, fashion is expression, and that in itself is freedom,” Nicole said.
Fashion is the first way that people perceive us before we say anything, Nicole said, and “being able to express yourself through colors, the designs, the silhouettes, even down to the textiles and the materials that are used” is a powerful way to express personal freedom and identity.
Some artists included pieces in multiple forms, like Shalom Aburu, a Ugandan interdisciplinary artist and fashion designer based in Washington state who “explores themes of memory, womanhood, migration, and emotional transformation through the use of African fabric and layered acrylic paint.”
Her pieces in the showcase feature colorful Ugandan fabric in both a dress and a painting. These textiles are “not simply decorative materials, but living archives of care, community, and cultural memory.”
Other pieces include paintings by Edimbo Lekea (Natty Dread Illustration) and Jonarra Swanson, photography by Antwan Sinai, jewelry by Atiwo and Her Glow Candy Shop, hats by Flyyest Hat Company, and clothing by Le’Ecia Farmer, Ruth Esther, Heartwear Collective, ThreadGoldz, MoChic, and Summer Winter Fall (SWF) Seasons Clothing.
In addition to looking for Pacific Northwest artists who could represent the multilayered identities of the African diaspora, another theme under the surface of the collection is creative reuse and sustainability, which connect to the origin of the Chayah Movement.
The organization was founded to “empower socially conscious, historically marginalized young adults” by providing “workforce and leadership development initiatives” to “equip aspiring professionals with the tools and mindset needed to drive sustainable change in the fashion industry while inspiring consumers to make thoughtful, impactful choices in their everyday lives.”
The Chayah Movement does this through events that promote and take action to create sustainable and ethical fashion, like clothing swaps, art installations, and other fashion events, as well as its Advocates-in-Training (AIT) program.
A 2026 City of Destiny Award winner for environmental sustainability, Nicole has a background in workforce development and human resources, as well as a lifelong love for fashion.
She utilizes this wide-ranging skill set in the AIT program to provide career pathways in fashion design, fashion supply chain, and fashion marketing/PR.
AITs intern part time with partner companies and receive development support and a monthly stipend, then work on creating community action projects that promote sustainable practices and community engagement.
Creating a unique style through upcycling and sourcing quality preowned pieces has always been something Nicole enjoyed, but seeing a documentary titled The True Cost activated her passion for advocacy in the fashion space.
“That documentary just changed everything,” Nicole said. “It’s a problem that many people don’t know about. I’m talking about the unethical practices, the manufacturing, the dyes, the chemicals … everything about the dark side of fashion.”
Nicole held her first clothing swap at a Jazzercise in Federal Way, and at the time, it was not a common concept.
“When I started this work, it was back in 2016, and I felt like I was on a soapbox. There was no community, and so it was something that had to be built and created,” Nicole said.
Nicole is from Tacoma and said she initially started connecting with local sustainable designers and designers in Seattle, but “the goal was always to bring and elevate and bring things to Tacoma.”
While the fashion community in Tacoma may be smaller, “it does exist,” Nicole said, adding that “for us, our reach is definitely beyond Tacoma, and that’s part of why we’ve been able to be effective through different partners, through elevating brands, through celebrating and highlighting swap events.”
In addition to the monthlong showcase, the Threads of Freedom project is activating as the Roots & Radiance Market during the FIFA weekend on June 20 at the Art Love Salon in Seattle.
The showcase will culminate in a closing celebration in Tacoma at 6 p.m. on June 25 at the Lumora.
The Tacoma experience will include an artist talk with participating designers, live performances, creative expression, and music with a focus on creating a “welcoming gathering honoring Juneteenth.”
