Peop1e is an organization, a passion, a vision, a dream. At the most basic level, Peop1e is an ideal; an ideal where we move away from what we know as the norms of hatred and violence, of discrimination and opression, of poverty of character and poverty of soul. It is an ideal of life for which many have lost hope. In a world of materialism, capitalism, and narcicissm, stopping to enjoy the beauty of the world is often forgotten; hoping to change it is ridiculed. So, we hope to do just that. We hope do the ridiculous—step back, draw a line in the sand, and let the world know that enough tears have fallen, enough blood has been shed, enough lives have been wasted. Only once we climb over the jagged rocks of ignorance and misconception, can we look into the ocean and see the reflection of one people, one whole, one community. That hope for coming together as one is the sole purpose of Peop1e.

          The issues that we face today are the raucous progeny of the issues that countless generations have faced, but now they come armed with the forces of modern technology–Facebook, cable news, and even these fancy little boxes called iPhones that dance in your pocket and scream in your ear. As with any challenge, only those with the audacity to stand up against overwhelming obstacles can make a difference. Armed with little more than hope and ambition, we hope to innovately bring that call for change to the masses through art, fashion, music, and various other avenues. We want you to wear our shirts, read our blogs, and get involved with our projects not as act an of charity, but as act of passion. We will bring you what you want not how you are used to seeing it but how you will like to see it. Most importantly, we will be bringing you content that matters, content that can change lives.

          Peop1e is you, me, your favorite facebook stalker, and even their mama. It is all of you; it is all of us. The entire organization started with four college students with more passion than prowess. It started with four students who had bricked more free throws on the basketball court than talked in front of crowds. It started with four guys who were creative enough to try something new, who were overwhelmed enough to work together, and who cared enough to make it happen. We are neither exceptional nor extraordinary. And as students, our funds come from what was left over from our lunch money and financial aid checks. We came together because we loved the cause. We stuck together for the sake of brotherhood. We stay together because we know we can make a difference.

          The one thing that we need more than anything is your support. If you walk away feeling passionate about an issue, we have done what we set out to do. Our goal is simple; we want to bring people together, as one, as one people. You can help us make that dream into a reality by spreading the word to your friends, your coworkers, your facebook friends, your parents, and anyone else you think might be interested. However, even after just working on this project for a short time, we have come to realize that quite often it is the people who you do not expect to be interested who end up taking the most interest. So let us promise that we will all do our part in helping those in need and changing lives one person at a time by wearing the t-shirts, reposting the blog posts, and, most importantly, by putting in the effort to change our own lives through self analysis, reflection, and true growth.