Dear Shaded Viewers,
In a bold step at the intersection of style and social justice, fashion’s favorite disruptor and ASVOFF 17 President, Willy Chavarria, has officially joined the American Civil Liberties Union’s Artist Ambassador Program. At a moment when immigrants’ rights and LGBTQ rights are under legislative siege, Chavarria — known for his boundary-pushing silhouettes and politics-runway marriage — is now turning his creative momentum into advocacy firepower.
Chavarria steps into this ambassador role as legal battles rage over everything from due process for immigrants to gender-affirming care for trans youth. The timing isn’t lost on Chavarria, whose upbringing in a California farm community, shaped by deep Mexican roots and the realities of injustice, has long inspired his fight for marginalized voices. “The ACLU uses every tool they’ve got to fight for the rights of immigrants and the LGBTQ community, and I’m honored to be able to support them in that work,” Chavarria says, pointing to his career as a living dialogue between identity and activism.
Chavarria’s fashion, under his eponymous label WILLY CHAVARRIA, has always been a canvas for activism. Recent collaborations with the ACLU have included everything from those coveted ACLU T-shirts at New York Fashion Week to organizing conversations on civic engagement for young voters. He was also instrumental in launching Creatives for Freedom, rallying artists behind the fight for justice and expression.
It’s not just about the clothes — it’s about showing up for the issues. The ACLU’s Artist Ambassador Project links creative luminaries across film, fashion, and media to champion civil rights, whether it’s tackling unjust immigration policies, fighting book bans, or defending gender-affirming care in the Supreme Court. Chavarria joins a powerhouse roster of cultural changemakers, working not just for visibility, but for real, lived equality.
Jessica Herman Weitz, the ACLU’s national director of artist & entertainment engagement, captures the heart of the partnership: “Willy’s work tells the story of who he is as the son of immigrants and a proud member of the LGBTQ community, but rather than just letting his work speak for itself, he uses his platform and privilege to make the connections for why representation is important.”
Chavarria isn’t new to accolades: recently named to TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list and a two-time CFDA Award nominee, he’s proof that activism and artistry can — and must — collide. For those ready to see fashion do more than flatter, Chavarria’s latest endeavor delivers style with teeth.
The ACLU’s growing coalition of artist ambassadors is proof that, in 2025, the fight for justice is being dressed, voiced, and staged for all to see — and there’s nothing more on trend than the courage to push for change.
Later,
Diane
