Brand Spotlight: GAIA
Paula Minnis is the founder of GAIA Empowered Women, an organization that aims to empower refugees resettled in America by giving them the tools to gain financial independence and self-sufficiency. GAIA produces a range of bright and beautiful accessories; coin purses, jewelry, and of course, some adorable pieces for mini, made of sustainable materials, and all lovingly handcrafted by heroic women hoping to build a future in this country. As we prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day, we’re shining a spotlight on this incredible organization and the fearless women who make up its life force. We caught up with Paula to learn about how GAIA was born, the incredible work it does, and how it’s changing the lives, and futures of women, their families, and entire communities.
- Written By
- Phoebe de Croisset
Of all the charitable organizations, what drew you to the IRC in particular? Why is the work they do so important?
I love the IRC’s mission of bringing the world’s most vulnerable people from “Harm to Home.” They not only support refugees during times of crisis, but they help them to RECOVER from crisis, and to rebuild their lives in the aftermath. With the current anti-immigrant and refugee sentiment - and more people displaced from their homes by conflict than at any other time in history since World War II - the IRC’s work is now more important than ever!
When did you become a mentor with the IRC, and what does that position entail?
I began volunteering with the International Rescue Committee as a mentor to a Burmese refugee woman, Catherin, and her 2 young children in May of 2009. Before her arrival in the U.S., Catherin had spent over a decade in a Thai refugee camp after fleeing oppression and conflict in Burma. She was so grateful to be resettled in the U.S., but soon realized she was facing an entirely new set of challenges: learning a new language, learning to use a microwave, an elevator, an ATM machine - not to mention navigating our tax and healthcare system!
How was GAIA born?
Cathrin’s grace and resilience throughout my time with her really inspired me, and shortly after meeting her, the seed for GAIA was planted. One day we were studying vocabulary words, and after explaining the word “sew”, I learned that Catherin had some basic sewing skills, which led to a true “Aha moment.” I had been reading a book called “Half the Sky” by Nicolas Kristof and Sheryl Wudon, about how unlocking a woman’s potential is crucial to the prosperity of a community as a whole. It explains how giving women an opportunity to become self-reliant through earning a living wage helps to cultivate a brighter future not only for themselves, but for their children, their children’s children, and so on. So I set out to design a small collection of cloth napkins using my collection of vintage textiles, paying Catherin a living wage to sew them from home so she could care for her children. I came from a fashion background, and I used that experience to create the line and bring it to market. Then in late 2009, GAIA was born, with the ultimate mission of helping refugee women not just survive, but thrive in their new communities.
I love the IRC’s mission of bringing the world’s most vulnerable people from “Harm to Home.” They not only support refugees during times of crisis, but they help them to RECOVER from crisis, and to rebuild their lives in the aftermath. With the current anti-immigrant and refugee sentiment - and more people displaced from their homes by conflict than at any other time in history since World War II - the IRC’s work is now more important than ever!
When did you become a mentor with the IRC, and what does that position entail?
I began volunteering with the International Rescue Committee as a mentor to a Burmese refugee woman, Catherin, and her 2 young children in May of 2009. Before her arrival in the U.S., Catherin had spent over a decade in a Thai refugee camp after fleeing oppression and conflict in Burma. She was so grateful to be resettled in the U.S., but soon realized she was facing an entirely new set of challenges: learning a new language, learning to use a microwave, an elevator, an ATM machine - not to mention navigating our tax and healthcare system!
How was GAIA born?
Cathrin’s grace and resilience throughout my time with her really inspired me, and shortly after meeting her, the seed for GAIA was planted. One day we were studying vocabulary words, and after explaining the word “sew”, I learned that Catherin had some basic sewing skills, which led to a true “Aha moment.” I had been reading a book called “Half the Sky” by Nicolas Kristof and Sheryl Wudon, about how unlocking a woman’s potential is crucial to the prosperity of a community as a whole. It explains how giving women an opportunity to become self-reliant through earning a living wage helps to cultivate a brighter future not only for themselves, but for their children, their children’s children, and so on. So I set out to design a small collection of cloth napkins using my collection of vintage textiles, paying Catherin a living wage to sew them from home so she could care for her children. I came from a fashion background, and I used that experience to create the line and bring it to market. Then in late 2009, GAIA was born, with the ultimate mission of helping refugee women not just survive, but thrive in their new communities.
How did it grow from there? How many women do you employ today, and from which countries?
We’ve grown very organically since the beginning…. slow and steady for the most part. We currently provide ongoing work to 10 refugee women in our community, from countries including Iraq, Burma, Syria, Afghanistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We’ve also gradually added items to the collection, and have seen our business grow mostly through word of mouth, which is pretty cool. The support we’ve felt from our customers (both individuals and retailers) is incredibly encouraging - not only as it relates to our business viability, but just how it reinforces the notion that people truly do want to make the world a more kind and caring place!
What does the word GAIA mean?
Since I created a business with the mission of empowering women, I decided to google goddess names. I landed on GAIA, from Greek mythology, which means “goddess of the Earth” or “Earth mother.” Given our priority of living lightly on the Earth, this seemed the most fitting. Even though I’ve had to explain its pronunciation about a million times! (Rhymes with papaya, FYI.)
What does a day in your life look like? What specifically are you doing for GAIA on a day-to-day basis?
Well, I work “mommy hours” so my days are pretty erratic. One priority for me is to take my kids to and from school as often as possible, which cuts short my actual in-office hours. So my days begin and end with me working from my laptop at home, which is a compromise I feel fortunate to make! My goal with GAIA is to create a space that allows for all of our family and work lives to coexist in a healthy way. It’s very symbiotic, allowing everyone flexibility to be with their families, or to take personal time to care for themselves. We’re a company founded on the principle of empowering women, after all! My daily to-do list includes everything from the fun stuff — textile sourcing, product development, sales, marketing, e-commerce, social media and strategic planning — to the not-so-fun-stuff: banking, budgeting and bill paying. I have an extraordinary team, and they do an awesome job of managing production, quality control, order fulfillment and more. So I’m there to help steer the ship and basically ensure the team has everything they need to do their jobs effectively, efficiently and joyfully.
We’ve grown very organically since the beginning…. slow and steady for the most part. We currently provide ongoing work to 10 refugee women in our community, from countries including Iraq, Burma, Syria, Afghanistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We’ve also gradually added items to the collection, and have seen our business grow mostly through word of mouth, which is pretty cool. The support we’ve felt from our customers (both individuals and retailers) is incredibly encouraging - not only as it relates to our business viability, but just how it reinforces the notion that people truly do want to make the world a more kind and caring place!
What does the word GAIA mean?
Since I created a business with the mission of empowering women, I decided to google goddess names. I landed on GAIA, from Greek mythology, which means “goddess of the Earth” or “Earth mother.” Given our priority of living lightly on the Earth, this seemed the most fitting. Even though I’ve had to explain its pronunciation about a million times! (Rhymes with papaya, FYI.)
What does a day in your life look like? What specifically are you doing for GAIA on a day-to-day basis?
Well, I work “mommy hours” so my days are pretty erratic. One priority for me is to take my kids to and from school as often as possible, which cuts short my actual in-office hours. So my days begin and end with me working from my laptop at home, which is a compromise I feel fortunate to make! My goal with GAIA is to create a space that allows for all of our family and work lives to coexist in a healthy way. It’s very symbiotic, allowing everyone flexibility to be with their families, or to take personal time to care for themselves. We’re a company founded on the principle of empowering women, after all! My daily to-do list includes everything from the fun stuff — textile sourcing, product development, sales, marketing, e-commerce, social media and strategic planning — to the not-so-fun-stuff: banking, budgeting and bill paying. I have an extraordinary team, and they do an awesome job of managing production, quality control, order fulfillment and more. So I’m there to help steer the ship and basically ensure the team has everything they need to do their jobs effectively, efficiently and joyfully.
Why is employing refugees (and women in particular) so important?
Refugees are success stories waiting to happen. They don’t want to just ‘receive’ anymore, they want to have a sense of purpose, to work and support their families, and to integrate into their new communities. By providing employment to refugee women in particular, our hope is that their confidence is restored, dignity regained, and that the resulting sense of empowerment has a ripple effect for their children and beyond…
What kinds of products are created by the women of GAIA, and how are they made?
Zipper Pouches, Clutches, Crossbody bags, Necklaces, Earrings, & Bracelets, plus our “Mini” collection, including Bibs & Booties, and little girl purses!
My team and I conceptualize and design the product line based on the refugee artisans’ skill sets. Some have sewing skills, some do not. For the women who don’t sew, we design jewelry for them to create; and for those who can, most sew from home, so our designs must accommodate smaller machines — which is partly why the collection is centered around textiles (the other reason is because I happen to be a textile fanatic ☺)
What are your hopes for the future of GAIA?
We’re not interested in becoming a mega-brand; we’re just trying to make a significant, sustainable, and meaningful impact in a few women’s lives… and maybe create some cute things we all love to wear along the way! I feel it’s our responsibility and privilege as human beings, all created in God’s image, to lift each other up, to recognize our shared humanity and to make others not only feel welcomed and included, but most importantly, loved.
Refugees are success stories waiting to happen. They don’t want to just ‘receive’ anymore, they want to have a sense of purpose, to work and support their families, and to integrate into their new communities. By providing employment to refugee women in particular, our hope is that their confidence is restored, dignity regained, and that the resulting sense of empowerment has a ripple effect for their children and beyond…
What kinds of products are created by the women of GAIA, and how are they made?
Zipper Pouches, Clutches, Crossbody bags, Necklaces, Earrings, & Bracelets, plus our “Mini” collection, including Bibs & Booties, and little girl purses!
My team and I conceptualize and design the product line based on the refugee artisans’ skill sets. Some have sewing skills, some do not. For the women who don’t sew, we design jewelry for them to create; and for those who can, most sew from home, so our designs must accommodate smaller machines — which is partly why the collection is centered around textiles (the other reason is because I happen to be a textile fanatic ☺)
What are your hopes for the future of GAIA?
We’re not interested in becoming a mega-brand; we’re just trying to make a significant, sustainable, and meaningful impact in a few women’s lives… and maybe create some cute things we all love to wear along the way! I feel it’s our responsibility and privilege as human beings, all created in God’s image, to lift each other up, to recognize our shared humanity and to make others not only feel welcomed and included, but most importantly, loved.