UM Student Spreads Positive Message Through Shirts
Senior's homeless clothing drive spreads positivity throughout Miami
By ADAM KUPERSTEIN and BRIAN HAMACHER
Updated 7:41 AM EST, Tue, Nov 3, 2009
Kemy Joseph wants to change the world, one T-shirt at a time.
The University of Miami senior has been spreading positivity throughout his campus for a year as president of the school's Random Acts of Kindness club. For over a year, Joseph has been donning a sign around his neck with a positive message and giving out free hugs and high-fives to anyone who wanted one.
"It's so easy to be kind," said a jubilant Joseph.
But Joseph, sensing he could do more, decided to take his kindness to a new level, starting the U R Awesome Clothing drive, which he hopes will provide 10,000 articles of clothing to Miami's homeless.
Taking his idea of wearing positive messages around his neck, Joseph decided he'd transfer the messages to T-shirts.
Using $9,000 of his own money, Joseph had the T-shirts made. The colorful shirts, with slogans like "U R Awesome!" and "Love Who You Are!" are already a hit at UM.
"For me, the coolest thing was just walking by someone, just seeing them kind of like look up and then smile because they recognize the sign and they were just like, 'Yeah, we'll just smile and be happy,'" Joseph said.
For every shirt sold, Joseph will donate two to the homeless, and for every five articles of clothing donated, you'll receive one of Joseph's special shirts.
"It's just like a great cycle, because it gives positivity into the world," Joseph said. "You're recycling your clothes and giving them to someone in need and on top of that you just get something for being a great person."
Joseph and his friends have already collected over 2,000 articles of clothing in just a few days and are hoping to have 10,000 within the next couple weeks.
And a lot of the donated stuff isn't just ratty old rags.
"We got designer stuff to give them, it's pretty random," said Joseph. "Hopefully they feel appreciated and they feel like they're not forgotten."
You don't have to be a UM student to donate clothing and pick up one of Joseph's wild shirts. For more info visit urawesome.org.
First Published: Nov 3, 2009 7:23 AM EST
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