Ashro Community Council Supports Literacy with an Unforgettable Paper Dress

Behind this dazzling display lies a story of serendipitous connection, renewed partnership, and dedicated teamwork!

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The Spark: How It All Started

Rowan Childs, the founder of the Madison Reading Project, sent a LinkedIn message to Ashro’s Marketing team to inquire about Ashro’s potential participation in their annual fashion show. She heard about Ashro from another employee.

Deepening a Key Partnership: Ashro Community Council and UMOJA Magazine

While Ashro could have easily developed a paper dress independently, the Ashro Community Council (ACC) prioritizes partnering with charitable organizations to amplify their support for the Black Community. This led the ACC team to reach out to UMOJA Magazine of Madison, Inc. a valued past partner with whom we hadn’t collaborated with recently. Director Leotha Stanley was receptive and interested. Though we initially considered using both Ashro and UMOJA paper, UMOJA Magazine’s distinctive pages, and Leotha having boxes of past issues, proved to be the perfect material for our ambitious design.

Leotha Stanley shared, “It was a pleasure working with Ashro.  This paper project allowed us to witness what we can do to help uplift a community-even if it was only for an evening.   I look forward to the next opportunity to work together and yet promote our individual brands!

Also-A’kira was a perfect choice for the runway.  She gave elegance to the evening.  I’m sure any 2nd thoughts about being the model were squashed by the compliments and ultimate outcome.”

The Creative Journey: Design to Runway

From there, the creative energy exploded. Suzanne Sawyer, Senior Merchandiser, instantly championed the project, offering a brilliant design sketch that laid the foundation for our first-place masterpiece. The dress, requiring 90% paper construction, became a canvas for ingenuity.

Suzanne then enlisted Ashro’s Technical Design team providing invaluable expertise on structure and support for the dress. Finally, with a bit of persuasion, our very own Ashro Brand Marketing intern, A’kira Patterson, bravely stepped into the role of our stunning model.

What followed was an incredible display of collaboration and teamwork. Over several days, countless hands meticulously folded page after page (over 200!) of UMOJA Magazines into intricate accordion pleats. All of these pages formed the voluminous skirt and remarkably long train of the dress.

Then the construction began with hole punching, stitching together the pages to form the skirt and multiple days of creating the paper mâché bodice and hat. Then after several fitting and try-on moments, the masterpiece came to life.

The Meaning Behind The Dress

In response to the Madison Reading Project’s Ready to Wear theme, “Legends and Fairytales,” the Ashro Community Council reimagined the concept to honor the Legendary Black Woman. The one-of-a-kind paper dress and hat featured first names like Harriet, Coretta, Henrietta, Katherine, Maya, and Rosa across the bodice and hat—alongside Madison, Wisconsin’s own Milele, in tribute to Milele Chikasa Anana. A civil rights leader, Madison’s first Black school board member, and founder of UMOJA Magazine, Milele’s image crowned the look, grounding the design in both history and local pride.

Event Day in Motion

Event day kicked off with excitement as the team arrived at the venue, carefully unloading the paper dress and coordinating with the event staff. A’kira got set up with the hair stylist and makeup. She then tried on the dress and after several adjustments by Suzanne and some last-minute re-tying loose twine, we headed to the runway for a practice walk—navigating turns, timing, and making sure the hat stayed perfectly in place. Once rehearsal wrapped, the dress came off for safekeeping while the team enjoyed a quick break (and some well-earned pizza) before it was time to suit up again for the big moment.

A Legendary Night for Literacy

The evening finally arrived. Guests enjoyed food, drinks, and music while waiting for the one-of-a-kind runway show. Colony employees met or re-united with Leotha Stanley and met his wife Tamera, who looked lovely in Ashro’s Goddess caftan.

There was a feeling of celebration and purpose in the air. Lights glowed against walls lined with storybook decor, while bold paper designs—crafted by local creatives—brought the “Legends and Fairytales” theme to life in unexpected and imaginative ways. The crowd was buzzing with energy. Everyone came together to support the Madison Reading Project’s mission of giving more kids access to books and literacy resources.  

The Catwalk for a Cause

Our dress was #9 out of 12. When A’kira took the stage, she proudly glided out, just as she practiced. One of the emcee’s, Rowan, read the script…

Now taking the runway is A’kira Patterson! Her dress was created in collaboration between UMOJA Magazine, Madison’s voice for positive Black community news and Ashro, the catalog retailer that celebrates the strength and style of Black women. This dress honors The LEGENDARY Black Woman.

She is

brave like Harriet,

strong like Coretta,

brilliant like Katherine,

resilient like Maya,

bold like Rosa,

and a champion like Madison’s legend Milele Chikasa Anana.

Suzanne followed behind A’kira passing out printed paper scrolls containing quotes by famous Black women.

The song the team chose to play after lots of ideas and brainstorming was “I AM”, a 2024 song by Lalah Hathaway.

A Victory for Literacy and Community

Taking home 1st place was a proud moment—but even more meaningful was the time spent and memories made with the UMOJA team, to create something so special.

UMOJA Magazine published the story in their July/August 2025 issue:

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