SAN FRANCISCO — After a very successful season on the courts this spring, senior Academy of Art University women's tennis player Jenny Johansson had the opportunity to feature her off-court talents while giving back to the community.
 
The Fashion Design major was one of eight ART U students who partnered with Juanita MORE!, a celebrated drag performer and Bay Area activist, to raise money in support of the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer (LGBTQ) community during San Francisco Pride Week, June 27–28. MORE! works with a variety of LGBTQ organizations in conjunction with Pride Week, and this year was raising funds for the nonprofit Youth Empowerment Summit (Y.E.S.) for her annual Pride Party.
 
"Working towards and for something is always great, especially when it's for a charity and you know that it really is going to go towards that specific end target," said Johansson. "I really like to be part of something that I know will help people, and especially people that live in our society but feel like they can't completely be who they are. A support organization like the Youth Empowerment Summit is so great and necessary!"
 
The students, who were all from the Applied Textiles 3 course at Academy of Art, hand printed imagery inspired by MORE! and her French Bulldog, Jackson, on 32 organic cotton tote bags made in the U.S. with eco-friendly, water-based inks. MORE! selected her four favorite bags to be produced locally by Morrison Productions and distributed by selected local retailers. The winning totes are currently for sale at a number of Bay Area outlets, including Sui Generis Consignment, Unionmade, ATYS Contemporary Design, s16 Home, Asterisk San Francisco and MAC—Modern Appealing Clothing. The bags are $25, and all proceeds go to Y.E.S.
 
 "I am excited to be collaborating with the textile class at Academy of Art University," said MORE! in an Academy of Art University press release. "I talked to the students at the beginning of the semester about Pride [Week] and Y.E.S. When I returned at the end of the semester, I thought I was only going to view about a dozen totes, and when I saw that there were over 30 on display I was incredibly impressed. I was in disbelief that I was the inspiration behind all of the amazing artwork.
 
"Picking just one tote to produce was impossible—so I choose four of them! I hope we work together again next year."
 
Remaining totes are being sold as one-of-a-kind items at Academy of Art University's store, SHOP657, for $15 each, again with all proceeds going to Y.E.S. The store, at 657 Sutter Street, San Francisco, is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 1–6 p.m.
 
"I am so happy I got the chance to help create and design these bags," said Johansson. "We gathered as much inspiration as we could and then sat down for a couple of weeks designing. It was very important that the screens and everything was perfect since we were printing directly onto the bags and nothing could be wrong."
 
"Academy of Art University was founded in San Francisco and is very rooted in this city's culture," said Rhona MacKenzie, assistant director, Textiles, at the School of Fashion, in the press release. "Our students are always looking for ways to get involved in the community, and to support Y.E.S. during a relevant period of time for the LGBTQ community was a valuable opportunity."

Information from a www.academyart.edu press release was used in this story, which can be seen by clicking here, and a press release from 7x7.com, which can be seen by clicking here.