Trailblazing Change: Justice and Nia Faith's Journey with Révolutionnaire
Justice and Nia Faith, the dynamic sister duo and co-founders of the globally empowering movement Révolutionnaire, are making significant strides in activism and entrepreneurship. Recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30 for their groundbreaking work in Révolutionnaire, they have expanded their impact through various initiatives, from amplifying Gen Z voices to addressing climate change. Their collaborations with prominent organizations and global leaders underscore their commitment to driving positive change. Today, they join us to share their journey, insights, and future aspirations.
ML: Justice and Nia, it's such an honor to have you with us. Your impressive work with Révolutionnaire and numerous impactful initiatives has garnered widespread recognition. To start, can you tell us a bit about your backgrounds and what initially sparked your passion for activism and entrepreneurship?
Nia: Growing up as a Black ballerina, I would go shopping with my friends who would be able to purchase their dancewear and go straight to class whereas I would have to go home and dye everything because there was nothing available for dancers of color. At 12 years old, I met Misty Copeland and she spoke about how she also had to dye her dancewear! Misty’s words inspired me to make my dream of a more inclusive dance world a reality. At 17, I launched The Rév Shop by Révolutionnaire as the country’s first inclusive dancewear company. The response from dancers of color who were excited by no longer having to dye their apparel gave me the motivation to consider how representation and empowerment could help other young people start their own revolutions and make a difference across causes.
Justice: After seeing how Nia sparked a revolution in the dance world, I wanted all young people with a dream to be able to start their own revolutions and make a difference. We grew up in a very activist family and were always encouraged to not only speak out on the issues we care about, but also take action. This motivated me to quit my corporate job at McKinsey and Company in the middle of the pandemic to grow Révolutionnaire into a movement, empowering youth with the tools needed to make an impact. I want to create a future where every young person is equipped to make their communities and our world better.
Nia & Misty Copeland
ML: You both have been recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30 for your work with Révolutionnaire. What inspired you to start this journey, and how has your mission evolved since the inception of the dancewear line?
J & N: We are honored to be recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30 Listers. Since launching a line of inclusive dancewear during Nia’s freshman year at Howard, we’ve expanded to offer apparel and accessories for everyone to celebrate the skin they’re in. From clothing collaborations with Roots Canada, to inclusive nail polish with L'Oréal’s Essie, and an eyewear collab this Fall, we are proud to create products that make people feel seen, recognized, and celebrated. When you look and feel your best, you’re empowered to make your voice heard and take action. Starting a revolution in the dance world, sparked us to consider how other young people might be empowered to start their own revolutions. From there we grew Révolutionnaire into a broader movement that leverages content, commerce, and community to equip young people to take action in their local communities and beyond. It is so powerful to be part of a generation that is unwavering in our commitment to progress and working every day to secure a more equitable and sustainable future for all.
Révolutionnaire x Deborah Cox day of service
ML: Your collaboration with Roots on the “Meet a Revolutionary” video series has brought Gen Z changemakers into the spotlight. Can you share a particularly impactful story or individual that stood out to you during this project?
J & N: Through our Meet a Revolutionary series in collaboration with Roots, we interviewed six changemakers and community leaders from across the country about how they are making a difference and how others can do the same. These inspiring young people are on the frontlines of change. Take, for instance, Elijah who embarked on a journey to the Arctic where he conducted studies on contamination levels and their impacts on Indigenous communities. His story is a powerful reminder of how deeply personal and scientifically rigorous activism can be, and how crucial it is to intertwine our efforts with those directly affected by environmental issues.
Meet a Revolutionary
ML: As voices of Gen Z, how do you see your generation uniquely contributing to current events and societal changes compared to previous generations?
J & N: Gen Z is the epitome of courage and innovation, with many of us tackling urgent global challenges. Our approach reflects resilience, collaboration, and the transformative power of collective action. We act with an unwavering sense of urgency because we know that our futures are at stake and we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines amid simultaneous crises.
Our activism transcends our daily actions. We also hold a non-negotiable expectation: the brands we support, the banks where we save, and the companies we interact with must all align unequivocally with our values of sustainability and equity. It’s not enough to aim for short-term gains; we must look to long-term prosperity, the kind that ensures food, clean water, shelter, and opportunity for all. As young people, we are ready to hold corporations and government leaders accountable; our commitment extends beyond advocacy to active fiscal and social sanctions against those who fail to demonstrate their commitment to our collective future.
Essie media lunch
ML: Civic engagement is a recurring theme in your work. What advice would you give to young people who want to get involved but don't know where to start, and why is their participation so crucial?
Justice: As I shared at the recent UN Youth Forum, gatherings like that are powerful, but true change happens on the ground, back home in our communities.
For young people who feel that spark of wanting to be involved but aren't sure how, here's the key: channel that energy into action. Leverage every platform at your disposal, from voting to social media to town halls, to make your voices heard.
Don't wait for opportunities to come knocking. Organize local campaigns that tackle real issues in your communities, issues that align with the future we all want – a future built on sustainability and equity. You can access step-by-step action guides to bring these campaigns to life on our RévCommunity Platform.
This isn't just about the future; it's about the present. We, the youth, are demanding action in every corner of the world. Change can't wait, and it requires active participation from each of us. Let's hold our leaders accountable, not just because we can, but because we must, for our future, for our planet, and for generations to come.
ML: Climate Conversations, which you produced and hosted in partnership with United Nations Climate Change, addresses environmental issues and sustainability. What were some key takeaways from your discussions with youth activists and global leaders like Simon Stiell?
J & N:
Young activists are architects of change: As young activists, our voices are critical in this fight for our futures, but we are not only calling attention to these issues, we are actively working to tackle them head on. Whether it’s leaders like Xiye Bastida whose family’s legacy of environmental advocacy and first-hand experience with climate disasters motivates her to encourage people globally to center climate action, or Elizabeth Wathuti a Kenyan climate activist who has planted over 30,000 tree seedlings in Kenya, youth activists are taking matters into our own hands recognizing that the time to wait for our elders to step up has run out.
Intergenerational teamwork is key: A recurring theme from our conversation with Executive Secretary Simon Stiell was the magic that comes from cross-generation exchanges. As youth, we bring the energy, creativity, and solution-oriented approach that, when infused with the lived experience and expertise of older generations, can accelerate action and lasting impact.
Think globally, act locally: The climate crisis is global, but solutions often lie at the local level. Our conversation with the Executive Secretary emphasized the importance of young people continuing to engage national and regional leaders and increase the political will for tackling a more just and sustainable future.
Révolutionnaire x UN Climate Change
ML: As it is clear that climate change is a significant focus for both of you, can you share your thoughts on how Gen Z can lead the charge in climate activism and what specific actions individuals can take to make a meaningful impact?
Change starts with education and extends to action. We created the RévCommunity with articles and action items regarding environmentalism, racial equity, housing security, food security, and more by young activists for young activists to give you the information you need to learn about these causes in an accessible way and a wide range of action items for you to get involved and make a difference today. You can go to revolutionnaire.co to learn more and follow @revolutionnaire.co and @thejusticefaith and @niafaith on Instagram to stay up-to-date.
ML: As we wrap up, can you tell us some about your future plans and aspirations for Révolutionnaire and your ongoing advocacy work? How do you envision continuing to drive change and inspire the next generation of activists and entrepreneurs?
J & N: Each day, we have conversations with the next generation of inspiring leaders, whether it's an aerospace engineer in Tokyo wanting to make space travel more inclusive or a young woman in India building technology to make clean water globally accessible. We are inspired by our peers to make the difference we dream of become a reality. In the future, we will continue to expand our Révolutionnaire community service days, gathering communities to take action together, and working alongside our RévCommunity Journalists to inform our audience about what is going on in the world and how they can help. We also look forward to continuing our work alongside brands and organizations to leverage content, products, and experiences that our peers engage with to promote a message of positive social change.
Follow Justice + Nia on:
Website: www.revolutionnaire.co / www.justiceandnia.co
Instagram: @revolutionnaire.co / @niafaith / @thejusticefaith