Meet Justine Drnjevic, Reminding Us for Dressember: "Our actions always have power."

"The problem of human trafficking seems like an overwhelming task to tackle, but Dressember makes it accessible."

I’m participating in Dressember to raise awareness about human trafficking through the lens of how the issue relates to art and mental health. I’m interviewing participants on the topic throughout the month. Learn more here.

Not interested? You can keep all other posts but opt out of Dressember posts here.

On the other hand, if you love this work, consider a paid subscription. I am donating ten percent of all December Substack income to Dressember. PLUS, for every five new annual subscriptions this month, I’m immediately subscribing to another Substacker to support other creatives writing about art and mental health.

What does Dressember mean to you? Why are you participating this year?

Dressember to me means opportunity. The problem of human trafficking seems like an overwhelming task to tackle, but Dressember makes it accessible. I have always cared about Justice issues and have always equally felt unsure how I could help.

I met a girl back in 2012 who had been rescued from human trafficking. She had just graduated from a rehabilitation program, and I asked her what she was going to do next. She said she wasn’t sure, because she never thought she could have a normal life again. That broke my heart. But she had all sorts of ideas to follow up on and was genuinely excited for her new chapter. Meeting her and hearing her story was the big reason I started participating in Dressember.

This year Dressember is kind of therapeutic for me. This is my eighth year doing it. I’ve had a year full of tears, and I looked forward to the familiarity of a December wearing dresses, participating in something bigger than myself.

What have the best parts and the most challenging parts been as you’ve participated over the years?

The best parts have been seeing my friends, family and community getting involved, and really taking a genuine interest in the problem of human trafficking. And as silly as it seems the most challenging part has been the cold weather and my want for comfort and warmth. I like that wearing dresses in the winter forces me to think past my normal go-tos.

What does "mental health" mean to you? How does it relate to your own life and/or your understanding of the Dressember cause?

In my own life, mental health stems from my relationship with myself. How I treat myself and how I perceive myself are major factors. I’ve had experiences with depression and have a family history of mental illness, so it’s something that I take seriously, but I try not to take myself too seriously. If that makes sense haha. Personally, Dressember has been an anchor point at the end of each year for me. It helps curb seasonal depression for me while also giving me perspective to be grateful.

A big part of having a healthy life in general is helping others. Fighting human trafficking, cannot not improve mental health globally. Helping people regain and understand their value, their worth, and their dignity will only improve the world. As will taking action against those who perpetrate this awful act.

In what ways does Dressember allow you to express yourself creatively while raising awareness and funds?

Being able to dress up and play with outfit choices is really liberating for me actually. I live in a very casual rural place. We don’t dress up for anything really but I enjoy the creativity of fashion. I’ve mixed in some of my vintage clothing collection, which has been really fun.

In what other ways do you think creativity and mental health intersect through the Dressember project?

The online side of it is actually pretty creative. Learning how to make reels, stories, infographics, and writing up posts is something that takes creativity and skill. Planning events to promote Dressember and involve others definitely takes creativity also.

What is the aspect of Dressember's cause that you most want to highlight?

Our actions always have power.

What do you wish people knew about human trafficking that you suspect most people don't know?

Human trafficking is more than sex trafficking, it is also labor, trafficking, domestic, servitude, and the sexual exploitation of children. And really the list goes on.

In your own words, how does wearing a dress every day for a month make a difference?

Wearing a dress every day for a month is a visible reminder and cue helping people recognize human trafficking and also that they can do something about it.

What do you want people to know about your specific fundraising team and goal?

I love that our team is made up of tough women who work hard and care about others. Our goal this year is to extend beyond what we have done in the past to make more of an impact sharing information as well as raising support.

What else do you want to make sure people know about the Dressember cause?

Dressember is great, because they partner with International Justice Mission to combat human trafficking by addressing it from all angles. They do it all: from prevention ro rescuing to medical care to legal care to aftercare.

Tell us a little bit about creativity, mental health, and/or the way that they intersect in your own life (outside of Dressember stuff) ...

Creativity is a big part of mental health, I think, because expressing myself helps me understand my value. I am 1 of 1, limited edition, priceless. I’m very lucky to be in a career where I get to be creative every day, and I think that has impacted me more positively than I will ever know. It used to be that I would come home after work and feel compelled to create, whereas now I come home and want to create, but also have explored other hobbies. Creativity has also connected me to people, and for me connection is paramount to my mental well being.

What's another random thing we might be interested to know about you?

I am a Christian and Jesus’ treatment of the outcast and oppressed greatly influences my participation in Dressember. He is the best example of caring for and fighting for people.

Contribute directly to Justine’s Dressember fundraiser here. Connect with her on social media @reflectorjustine