“I could be brunching, but I’m here,” read a handmade sign at a recent women’s march in New York City. The cheeky message points to a shift in priorities—protest over pancakes—during what has been a turbulent year, with much to digest.
But with this, there is also much to feel excited about. Voices across the world are coming together in what some call a new awakening, illustrated by a resurgence of grassroots activism that reminds us of the importance of personal responsibility within our own spheres of influence.
In this issue, we aim to celebrate the people and movements driving this wave of positive transformation. They are the Game Changers: the misfits, makers, entrepreneurs, and activists using their platforms for good.
Over the following pages we meet poet Cleo Wade, who harnesses social media to bring us toward our better selves; newly-minted Louis Vuitton menswear designer Virgil Abloh, who brings streetwear’s collaborative approach to couture; and conservationist and feminist pioneer Jane Goodall, whose life’s work studying chimpanzees has led to a greater understanding of both animals and humankind. We speak to Misty Copeland, a ballerina who heard “no” to the point most of us would have given up; and jet setting businessman Richard Branson, who firmly believes in the power of “yes.”
We also talk to the man, the myth, the legend—Ian Schrager; and learn how this year EDITION has launched a campaign to remove all single-use plastics from its properties, initiating a real evolution in the industry.
We hope these stories highlight that universal progress is being made, and that we all have the capacity to be game changers, even if that means skipping brunch every once in a while.
Enjoy!