From Appropriation to Appreciation

Shopping for a Halloween costume yet? Well, even if you haven't chosen your costume yet, you've definitely noticed the Halloween marketing that has begun. Have you checked out some of the costumes? If so, you may have seen costumes like Native American headdresses, Japanese kimonos, Mexican sombreros, and Hawaiian grass skirts. Have you? These costumes represent cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation means using customs, dress, etc. from another culture without understanding and respecting that culture. However, there's something called cultural appreciation which means respecting and honoring elements from other cultures. Watch the video to learn more about the difference.

Now, imagine that you have an internship at a fashion company that designs Halloween costumes. You are concerned that some of the costumes lean towards cultural appropriation. You want to send a message to the company

Explain how you would address this issue in 5-10 sentences.