As I’ve reported before, American Eagle doesn’t shy away from throwing itself into politics: The 40-year-old brand has supported the Parkland students in their quest to curb gun violence, it has supported LGBTQ rights, and it has pushed the envelope when it comes to body inclusivity.
Related: How gun control and gay rights became key to selling jeans
Until now, much of this brand activism has come out of carefully studying its customers, who are currently Gen Z teens. But the brand has just created a new way to more formally incorporate the perspectives of young people into its corporate decision-making. It launched a council consisting of nine young people between the ages of 16 to their early twenties.
Kessler says the company was inspired by how the Parkland students organized a gun safety movement in the aftermath of the shooting at their school. One of the council members, Delaney Tarr, is a cofounder of March For Our Lives. But the brand has also found other young people who have launched organizations and movements of their own. For instance, there is Gabby Frost, who founded the Buddy Project to promote mental health and prevent suicide. There’s Joseph Touma, who created Bridge the Divide, which wants to create bridges across political lines. Each of these members will be assigned a mentor from American Eagle to advise them as they continue growing their organizations and develop their leadership skills.
“We wanted to work with young people who are living out their values,” Kessler says. “We want them to get just as much value from the program as we are.”