HSV: This is Colors of Love and you guys are going to show us what’s going on!
Ravan: Let’s go back here where the magic happens.
Colors of Love Foundation is a community educational program. We’re here to teach the local Haight-Ashbury area about the history and art of tie-dye. We have workshops around the City. We’re here to bring that color back to the City, because a lot of it started here.
Colors of Love will be open to the public, but right now I’m training the girls here. We have a prisoner re-entry program. They are training to be able to help with the workshops. They’re here to have a creative outlet instead of a mundane job. They can come here, learn how to tie-dye, blow off some steam, and have a good, enjoyable day.
HSV: [to both girls] What’s it been like for you?
Dominique: I started in November, 2022. I immediately I liked it ‘cuz I love color. They reached out and asked if I could come. I was excited! I came. I enjoyed it!
DaMiela: We went to a job fair, and I saw Ravan and Sunny. They had glitter and it was so exciting! We were invited to the shop to do some tie-dying. That was cool! We got invited back and now I never wanna leave!
R: They’re so good at what they do. Initially the program was supposed to last about 6 months and we were going to cycle in girls, and we do plan on bringing in new trainees soon, but these two are keepers!
HSV: What would you all like to say to Haight-Ashbury?
Da: We all share one sky. No matter what, love where you’re from. I love my community.
R: It’s a beautiful thing to be able to celebrate life with color and be able to share something that I love so much with these girls and teach them how to become the amazing artists they’re turning into. I want to bring that to the entire Haight Ashbury.
D: Peace, Love, and Happiness to everyone!
FULL TRANSCRIPT
HSV: This is Colors of Love and you guys are going to show us what’s going on!
Ravan: Let’s go back here where the magic happens.
Colors of Love Foundation is a community educational program. We’re here to teach the local Haight-Ashbury area about the history and art of tie-dye. We have workshops around the City. We’re here to bring that color back to the City, because a lot of it started here.
Colors of Love will be open to the public, but right now I’m training the girls here. We have a prisoner re-entry program. They are training to be able to help with the workshops. They’re here to have a creative outlet instead of a mundane job. They can come here, learn how to tie-dye, blow off some steam, and have a good, enjoyable day.
HSV: [to both girls] What’s it been like for you?
Dominique: I started in November, 2022. I immediately I liked it ‘cuz I love color. They reached out and asked if I could come. I was excited! I came. I enjoyed it!
DaMiela: We went to a job fair, and I saw Ravan and Sunny. They had glitter and it was so exciting! We were invited to the shop to do some tie-dying. That was cool! We got invited back and now I never wanna leave!
R: They’re so good at what they do. Initially the program was supposed to last about 6 months and we were going to cycle in girls, and we do plan on bringing in new trainees soon, but these two are keepers!
HSV: What would you all like to say to Haight-Ashbury?
Da: We all share one sky. No matter what, love where you’re from. I love my community.
R: It’s a beautiful thing to be able to celebrate life with color and be able to share something that I love so much with these girls and teach them how to become the amazing artists they’re turning into. I want to bring that to the entire Haight Ashbury.
Da: Peace, Love, and Happiness to everyone!
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Haight Street Voice: We’re about to talk to Ravan and two women who are learning how to tie-dye. This shop is at the corner of Frederick and Stanyan. And there’s Sutro Tower and this is Colors of Love. Dr. Dave’s office is actually above.
[All 3 come out]
HSV: I started rollin’! Alright, here they are! (Laughter). Here’s Raven and [DaMiela] and Dominique. This is Colors of Love and you guys are gonna take me in and show me what’s going on in there?
All 3: Yes!
HSV: Cuz I wanna know. I don’t know what’s going on in there. Obviously some tie-dye, right?
Ravan: Come on in.
HSV: That’s Dr. Dave of course, everybody. I think everybody in the neighborhood knows Dr. Dave.
R: Let’s go back here where the magic happens.
HSV: Cool, thanks babe!
R: This is where we do all our dying. This is where we tie up everything and this is where we dye. And over there is where we mix up the dye and wash everything out. These are all our whites.
HSV: So Ravan, let’s start with you real quick before the ladies leave. So how did you meet Sunny (Powers, owner of Love on Haight), what year was it, how did that all start?
R: In early 2022, I reached out to her to see if she wanted to carry some of my things in her shop.
HSV: So you were already tie-dying.
R: Yes.
HSV: And where were you, were you in the Bay Area?
R: Pittsburgh.
HSV: Okay, wow!
R: Yeah. So we started working together and she did a few orders with me and we just ended up working really well together, so when she decided she wanted to start the Colors of Love she reached out to me cuz she knew I just got my MBA to help run the Foundation.
HSV: Wow, I didn’t realize that! Okay, see I’m learnin’!
Okay now maybe y’all can get in the picture and talk more about the Foundation. You got some cool-ass bosses! [laughter], women all around you, that’s badass!
R: Colors of Love Foundation is a community educational program. We’re here to teach the local Haight-Ashbury area about the history of tie-dye and the art of it. And what we do is we make wholesale orders, we have workshops for people around the City, and were basically here to bring that color back to the City cuz a lot of it started here, especially in America.
HSV: Founded by women right here in the Haight Ashbury, right?
R: Right! So this is where it should be celebrated.
HSV: Absolutely! How often are you doing the classes?
R: We’re started one soon. We just auctioned one off at the HealthRIGHT360 event, and by Fall we’re supposed to be opening to the public, but don’t hold me on that [laughs].
HSV: We won’t hold you to it, but it’s in the future coming all in.
R: In the future it will be opening to the public. Right now I’m just training the girls here, and what we have is a prisoner re-entry program. So what we do, we have 2 girls right now, as you already met …
HSV: Goddesses, yes!
R: And they are training with me to be able to help with the workshops, and help us with the orders. So what they are here to do is to have a creative outlet outside of just a mundane job. So they can come here, learn how to tie-dye, blow off some steam, have a good enjoyable day. Somewhere to come, make a little money but also be really happy.
HSV: And learn something!
R: And learn something, yes.
HSV: [to Dominique] So yeah, if you don’t mind, could you say what it’s been like for you and how long you’ve been doing it here?
Dominique: I started November of last year. In the beginning, I first came with a group of girls that I was with, the place that I was at, and immediately I liked it cuz I love color, I like stuff like that. I don’t know how to draw but I’m into that kind of stuff, painting, stuff like that. They reached out to a person where I stayed and asked if I could come, and I was excited! I came, I enjoyed it.
HSV: Thank you. And do you both live in the Bay Area?
[Both]: Yes.
HSV: Just thinking so you’re not commuting too far.
Tell me your name again?
Mikala: [waving, knocks over empty can] Mikala [laughter].
HSV: She’s a waver, I’m a clapper. [laughter]
M: Yeah, actually we were at a job fair. We were both in programs, so we went to a job fair and I saw Raven and Sunny, and they had glitter and it was so exciting! It was like, “Glitter!” Not knowing that we were gonna be invited to the shop to do some tie-dying and that was pretty cool! And we got invited back! And now I never wanna leave!
HSV: That’s so awesome.
R: And they’re so good at what they do. They’ve just been getting so much better every day.
Initially the program was supposed to last about 6 months and we were going to cycle in girls, and we do plan on bringing in new girls soon, but these 2 are keepers! [laughter]
HSV: So if people listening wanted to find out more …
R: They’d actually go to the Love on Haight site and there’s a page dedicated to it there, and you can actually donate there to our Foundation, and you can buy things that they’ve made. So just search or Colors of Love on the Love on Haight website.
HSV: Okay I’ll get more on that people out in video land.
R: It’ll be below (points down; laughter)
HSV: In the print edition as well. This is the Summer 2023 edition of Haight Street Voice. Speaking of which, all 3 of you, what would you like to say to the Haight Ashbury community let alone this community but communities everywhere in the world? It’s hyper-local with a global perspective. So no matter where you live, be nice to each other, and be aware of stuff. What would you like to say to the Haight-Ashbury?
M: Well, I would say that we all share one sky, so no matter what, we’re all under the same sky so just love where you’re from. I love where I’m from and I love my community.
R: I would say no matter where you’re from it’s a beautiful thing to be able to celebrate life with color, and be able to hare something that I love so much with these girls and teach them how to become the amazing artists they’re turning into. It is something that fulfills me and I want to bring that to the entire Haight Ashbury.
D: I would say, as they say, Peace Love and Happiness to everyone!
HSV: I would think, having come from prison — we don’t have to get into what the background is. I’ve never been to prison, I know nothing about it really, I had a friend who was in a while ago, but … I mean the difference between being in there and being here must be incredibly …
M: Colors! There’s a lot of colors now! [laughter]
D: It is! It’s a lot of fun! We learn about things, it’s fun and we just enjoy ourselves.
HSV: And you learn how to be happy in life, I would imagine. Really feel it to your core.
M: We have our art in the store, things we’re actually making ourselves, that we are doing: our designs, our emotions, and it’s impacting my life just to know that I have something other people can enjoy.
HSV: Is that one that you’re wearing?
M: This is one that somebody who really cares about me a lot made for me. [Ravan].
HSV: It’s awesome. It’s got a whoooo to it!
M: I love this shirt!
HSV: [To Dominique, who’s wearing a non-tie-dye t-shirt]: Did you tie-dye that shirt? [laughter]
That’s amazing!
D: No you missed it! I had it on last week.
HSV: Did you make that one, Raven?
R: Yes I did.
HSV: It’s gorgeous.
R: Oh, thank you.
HSV: What else? The theme for this Summer edition is just creativity overall, whether you’re a musician, artist, writer, whatever — and how that can really transform a person’s life through art.
R: I would say the biggest thing about this program right now is that when you leave somewhere like prison, life can be pretty stressful when you get out, it’s not just back to normal every day. And being able to do something like this is very therapeutic [girls nod yes] and it’s not just your run-of-the-mill part-time job. It something that you can actually come and enjoy yourself. These ladies are turning into artists. They’re not just in a program anymore, they’re artists. And being able to share that with someone and bring that to someone who may have never even tried before, and especially someone that really needs the support so much, that really makes me happy, and I hope it makes you two happy too! [looks to both; they smile]
M: It was a little intimidating coming back out just trying to get in the field of work, or just being around people who just had normal schedules and lives. It’s not intimidating being here, it just took all the anxieties away. It’s really a stress reliever. I love my job!
HSV: Shoutout to Sunny, woman-owned business.
R: My next steps are just to continue with this program, bring in more girls who are just coming out of prison but also bring in people from the Haight. And make sure that anyone here who wants to learn more about tie-dye, or try their hand at becoming an artist has an opportunity to do that. And hopefully soon we’ll be able to bring that to everybody here.
HSV: Cool! Alright, Haight Street Voice thanks you very much! Peace ya’ll!
All: Peace!
HSV: Yeah, love and light!
RAVAN SOLO:
HSV: Hey guys, this is Love … this is Haight Street Voice — ooh there’s somebody hiding away back there! And I’m here with Raven and we’re talking about Color of Love. Hey Ravan!
Ravan: Hi!
HSV: So we got to know a little bit more about the program, but I wanted to get to know a little bit more about your background is — you said you’re from Pittsburgh.
R: Mmhmm.
HSV: I had no idea.
R: So I started tie-dyeing in about 2019, 2020. The reason I started tie-dyeing was actually to raise money around the George Floyd situation. We started doing tie-dye shirts with slogans on them that raised money for bail bonds organizations, different ones around Pittsburgh, to help people that were either unjustly arrested or arrested during protesting, to get them out of jail and to get them legal support. And when I started doing that, I started getting requests for more regular tie-dye. I started realizing that I really really loved to tie-dye, and I just started doing more, more, and more.
HSV: So how did you learn to tie-dye?
R: When I first started — the reason my business name is Ravan Alexander X Fashion is because I started doing it as an upcycling program. I used to take thrift clothing and bleach dye it. It would be old clothing that someone didn’t want or was gonna throw away or something that was repurposed or remade and then it would be reversed dyed with bleach. After I had done that for awhile I started getting deeper and deeper into finding ways to tie-dye and I just got really into the whole thing.
HSV: Just on your own? You didn’t take classes?
R: I just did it on my own.
HSV: Wow! That’s really inspiring.
R: Yeah, I’m just totally self-taught. There’s a huge community online for tie-dye, so there are a lot of tutorials. You can make so many different friends tie-dyeing too, so I just have so many great friends in the community and we all share tips and tricks with, or ideas, or different things just to help each other get better. It’s a huge supportive community in the entire world.
HSV: Do you mind my asking how old you are?
R: I am 39.
HSV: Oh my god, I thought you were like 21! Oh my god, that’s hilarious! Lookin’ good, girl! Alright, you wanna give a shoutout to Sunshine Powers?
R: Oh, Sunny is the whole reason why I am here. Sunny believed in me enough to bring me out here, move me out here, become one of her dyers and run the Colors of Love program. She’s just phenomenal. Without her, we never would’ve been able to start this program. She’s someone who had the forethought to realize that the girls in the program needed a hand up rather than a hand out to get them in a position where they can take on a full-time job, they can do something creative with their lives and realize that they have worth outside of just a 9-5 job.
HSV: That’s huge. It’s hard enough just being “regular” and getting a 9-5 job as far as how it deadens your spirit. So this is a really beautiful thing.
R: Yeah, it is.
HSV: And we should give a shoutout to Dr. David E Smith, who own this building.
R: That’s actually exactly where I was going!
HSV: Ooh! Fine minds!
R: Dr. Dave is right upstairs, and Dr Dave is such a pioneer in the field of helping rehabilitate people. A lot of this came from him as well, and he is so supportive of our program. He stops down when he knows the girls are here, he stops by and says hi. He’s been such an inspiration to all of us to try and be as great as he is. To be able to make a difference in the world like this, through art, is just phenomenal, and I think he realizes that. He’s been so supportive through the whole program.
I don’t know what I’d do without Sunny or Dr. Dave.
HSV: Aww. Well, you’d probably still be in Pittsburgh.
R: I actually moved to Colorado before I moved here. My husband’s in the military, so he’s still in Colorado right now. This is so important to me that we decided to live apart right now until he gets out of the Army and comes out to live with me.
HSV: The West is the best, baby!
R: Yes! [laughs]
HSV: And I’m gonna ask you again, though I did ask you before previously with the girls, what would you like to say to the Haight Ashbury community.
R: Well, first of all I’d like to say thank you for being such an amazing place. There’s just so much liveliness and creativity and color in this place. Coming from a place like Pittsburgh, we have an art scene but this is a place you can come and actually make a living as an artist. There’s nothing quite like it in the world. And I’d really love to be able to show the rest of this community how amazing tie-dye is and how a lot of its American foundation is right here in the heart of the Haight-Ashbury. And there’s so much history to learn and there’s so much to gain from learning how tie-dye actually works cuz you can really apply it to a lot of different artistic situations as well, just as far as color theory is concerned, and artistic creativity in general that I think a lot of people could really love it, whether it’s as a hobby or if they really want to become a serious tie-dye artist.
HSV: Thank you!
R: Absolutely!
HSV: We love you, Ravan!
R: Oh, we love you!
HSV: And we sure did have fun at that Black Tie and Tie-Dye event!
R: Oh, that was amazing! Always is!
HSV: Got that fine-ass picture of you!
And Sunny, just give us a wave [pan to Sunny who waves]. Yeah, we love you Sunny! Okay, on that note y’all, signing out from Colors of Love. Thank you so much for your time.
R: Oh, thank you!
HSV: Haight Street Voice thanks you!
R: Absolutely!
That was heart warming and fun, too! Thanks, everybody. Such a great program.
Thanks for watchin’, Sports Desk! Love from the Haight!