CIU Today Fall 2017

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Making Dignity Fashionable
Women’s residence hall lays foundation for partnership
By Janai Tedder, CIU Student Writer
The women of CIU’s House of Dignitas are working to spread
dignity around the world.
After members of the House
leadership attended a women’s
conference where they learned how
they can have a godly influence on
others, the women of the Dignitas
residence hall determined to
not just be hearers of the Word,
but doers. The answer to that
mission was also at the conference,
when they were introduced to an
international ministry called Fashion
& Compassion headquartered in
Charlotte, North Carolina. The ladies
of Dignitas are now partnering with
the ministry because it values dignity just as they do.
“We were trying to figure out creative ways to immerse our girls
in what dignity is, and how they could be a part of cultivating
dignity in the lives of others,” senior and RA Eryn Marburger
said. “After hearing (Fashion & Compassion) co-founder
Celeste Bundy share the organization’s mission, ‘connecting
communities with beauty and dignity,’ we knew we needed to
connect with this amazing organization.”
Established in 2012, Fashion & Compassion employs men and
women who are overcoming poverty and injustice, in making
jewelry and accessories. All profits go back into the ministry to
help even more people.
Fashion & Compassion Brand and Communications Manager
Karie Davis said dignity is one of
the highest values to the ministry.
“The value is based off of
Genesis 1:27,” Davis said. “It’s
important because it shows God
created all of us and that makes
each of us valued and loved.”
Davis says that by employing
people in vulnerable situations,
Fashion & Compassion gives its employees dignity and self-
respect.
“We want our employees to be proud of what they’re doing,”
Davis said. “We want them to see that they don’t have to make
compromising decisions in order to make money. Our company
gives them dignity through economic empowerment.”
As an example, Davis said that in Ethiopia, employees turn
bullets into jewelry to sell.
During a visit to the ministry, The House of Dignitas women
spent an afternoon browsing through the Charlotte retail store
looking at the jewelry and getting acquainted with employees.
“We were able to hear the stories behind each jewelry
collection and the products made in each country,” Marburger
said. “At the end of the day, we prayed with Celeste for the
women they employ in Charlotte, for the organization, and for
the people they reach around the world.”
Each student was given a necklace to remember their time there.
“I was really encouraged by their ministry and the way they
seek to impact the lives of women locally and globally by
giving them a sense of dignity through their work,” said senior
Mackenzie Sutton.
The women of the House of Dignitas plan to return to Fashion &
Compassion in the coming years and strengthen the relationship.
“Fashion and Compassion is using business as mission to reach
people worldwide with the gospel and provide sustainable jobs
to create change in communities,” Marburger said. “It’s really
beautiful and something we want be part of long-term.”
Editor’s note: The House of Dignitas’ relationship with Fashion
& Compassion helped the residents win The House Cup (see
page 24).
Residents of the House of
Dignitas pose outside Fashion
& Compassion headquarters
wearing necklaces made by artisans
overcoming lives of poverty. (Photo
by Eryn Marburger)
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