Aurora James, Creative Director and Founder of luxury accessories brand Brother Vellies and founder of the non-profit advocacy organization, Fifteen Percent Pledge, has long worked to make the global economy a more equitable place for historically excluded groups. Her first book, Wildflower, is an extraordinary memoir of struggle and perseverance that offers new ways of envisioning economic equality for everyone.

James’s story is not a “success story.” Or at least, it shouldn’t be told that way. Having dropped out of high school, struggled with body image, and dabbled in street racing, her eventual arrest might have been her rock bottom. Ever the visionary and optimist, that experience became one of many that reshaped Aurora’s way of thinking about the world. After a brief modeling stint, James discovered the real power in creating for the runway and started her own sustainable fashion business in a flea market.

In June 2020, Aurora founded the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a non-profit advocacy organization that is closing the racial wealth gap by partnering with retailers to diversify their shelves and commit 15 percent of their purchasing power to Black-owned businesses. Under Aurora’s leadership, what initially began as an idea and an Instagram post has now expanded to a full-fledged organization with ten full-time staff members. To date, the Pledge has partnered with nearly 30 major companies across industries, including Macy’s, Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta Beauty and more redirecting $10 billion in revenue to Black brands. By 2030, the organization aims to drive $1.4 trillion of wealth generation by Black entrepreneurs and increase Black business representation by 14.6 percent.

Brother Vellies was founded in 2013 with the goal of keeping traditional African design practices and techniques alive. The brand supports artisan communities around the world, creating timeless pieces that celebrate various cultural histories and honor the individuals that make them through fair labor practices and job creation. The first Brother Vellies collection was a single style of vellies that Aurora sold at the Hester Street Fair in New York. Today, Brother Vellies is handmade across the globe and has expanded into handbags and other accessories categories, including a home goods subscription service, Something Special.

As a result of her advocacy work, Aurora has been awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Founders Award, and named to the 2021 TIME100 and the 2020 Bloomberg 50.

Aurora currently splits her time between New York City and Los Angeles with her dog, Mr. Chow.