Jessa Brinkmeyer (left) and Sarah Ippel at Pivot’s benefit for the Academy for Global Citizenship. Photo: Lisa Meyer
April 2008 | On Our Radar
Two Women, One Vision: Pivot & AGC Chicago
What do an eco-friendly boutique and a school have in common? How about two very dynamic and visionary leaders with one common goal — to make the world a better place.
Chicago’s first eco-friendly boutique, Pivot, 1101 W. Fulton, Chicago, recently hosted an open-house benefit on behalf of the Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC), a new Chicago Public Contract School committed to educating students on being environmentally and internationally minded and opening to Kindergarten through first grade students on Chicago’s southwest side this August.
Both Pivot and AGC are new additions to the Chicago community, and while the businesses are very different, their creators share a similar vision of making sustainable living a more tangible, accessible way of life. Jessa Brinkmeyer, 24, and Sarah Elizabeth Ippel, 26, are the women behind these ventures and are as fresh and innovative as the businesses themselves.
As owner of Pivot, Brinkmeyer has created an outlet for Chicagoans to buy clothing and accessories made of sustainable materials without making sacrifices in the name of fashion. Pivot offers styles by top designers made from eco-smart fibers, including organic cotton, bamboo and merino wool, creating an alignment between eco-friendliness and fashion.
She earned a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University and began covering fashion for a small Chicago magazine after graduation. While on the beat, she quickly realized she wanted to open an eco-boutique, where her interest in fashion and the environment could come together. “It’s been really interesting and rewarding, but also very difficult getting the store up and running,” says Brinkmeyer. “One of the best parts about opening Pivot is meeting people and being involved in the green community.”
Brinkmeyer’s involvement with the green community is what led her to AGC’s founder Sarah Elizabeth Ippel. “Jessa and I have gained great inspiration together. We naturally connected through common vision,” said Ippel.
As a child, Ippel knew that she would someday own a school. She was so excited about her plans that she graduated high school at age 16, completed her undergrad from Trinity College in two-and-a-half years and earned her masters from Cambridge University in a mere nine months. “When I get excited about something, I tenaciously make it happen,” said Ippel. “Being so passionate allowed me to put all my energy into facilitating my vision.”
The school will feature an organic garden, solar energy installation, yoga, nutrition education and healthy breakfasts and lunches. Ippel hopes that by integrating sustainability and international understanding into everyday lesson, AGC will be able educate and empower children to act as active world citizens who recognize that they have a part to play.
For more information on Pivot, visit pivotboutique.com. For more information on the Academy for Global Citizenship, or to donate to the school, visit chicagoglobalcitizens.org.
— Lisa Meyer
![[Send]](http://consciouschoice.com/sendlink/send.gif){kind=small}
Recommend this page to a friend
Top Ten pages recommended to friends:
