Recently in the world and especially on our own American soil, tragedies that stem from hate have increased and taken an overwhelming toll on people from all walks of life. The latest tragedy in Orlando, which resulted in scores of people dying and hundreds injured by gunfire wounds, stemmed from a hate for the LGBT community. It’s a painful reminder of how intolerant and misunderstanding some people may be to those who live a different life than they do. Many of you reading this may be wondering exactly what this has to do with fashion.

Just like music, fashion is more than just something to pay for and enjoy. Fashion knows no limits when it comes to race, culture and sexual identity. It is a powerful movement where we can all come together and become inspired by one another. Most of us never look at fashion pieces and reject them because of the color of hands that sewed them together or the sexual orientation of the designer who created them. All we see is beauty and we desire to be closer to it. We must learn to see the beauty in one another and desire to be closer as mankind. That’s the only way to put an end to countless lives being taken due to misunderstanding that quickly transcends into deadly hatred.

If you’d like to take a stand against hatred by wearing some pretty cool apparel that represents love and unity, visit noh8campaign.com, where you can purchase expressive T-shirts for men and women that advocate against hate towards people of a different color, gender and sexual preference. You can also visit the Human Rights Campaign website (hrc.org), where you can order custom-made shirts with your state on it that say “No hate in my state.” That’s what I call a fashion statement.