UPDATED: Sept. 1, 2021 at 11:01 p.m.

When it came time to decide where to attend college, Jordan Pierre had a tough decision – attend Morehouse College, an all-men’s historically Black college in Atlanta, or Syracuse University. Morehouse, which is very similar to Pierre’s high school in regards to racial demographics, missed the cut because Pierre ultimately felt that a change was necessary.

“The decision in regards to going to Morehouse or Syracuse was probably the toughest one I’ve had to make in my life,” Pierre said. “It was essentially an inner battle between something I was comfortable with and knew would work and a scary unknown.”

Pierre decided on SU because he wanted to take a step into a place of discomfort where he was in the minority, he said. The junior has been actively working to enact social justice and change through his new clothing brand, VOICE By Pierre. The brand’s name encapsulates its mission statement, which is “to use your platform to amplify the voice of the unheard,” Pierre said.

The idea for the brand came to Pierre three years ago, when he watched “The Hate U Give,” an award-winning film that tackles the subject of police brutality against the Black community.

“The movie’s emphasis on the idea of being heard served as a driving force behind my creative process and an inspiration to myself to do the same,” Pierre said.

While VOICE was created out of frustration and in response to the injustices facing people of marginalized communities, it’s important for Black men to have access to stylish fashion because clothing is the first thing they’re judged on, Pierre said.

Encouraged by his own educational background, Pierre wants the brand to help people embrace themselves, regardless of race, ethnicity or sexuality. While the VOICE brand is still developing a website, Pierre is active on Instagram, where customers can reach out to order products like T-shirts and hoodies.

“The Hate U Give” was the catalyst for Pierre to form VOICE, but his ability to lead and inspire others started long before his time at Syracuse.

Pierre’s hometown friend and rapper Desmond Mccollough, who goes by the artist name B.T.B Dezz, said Jordan’s status as a leader can be traced back to growing up in Brooklyn.

“Jordan was always someone people in our neighborhood (and) community looked up to. In an area like ours, you see a lot of negative and the worst in people,” Mccollough said. “Yet, Jordan was always looked at as a positive light in all this chaos. Jordan has always had a voice before VOICE.”

In December 2020, Pierre hosted a Newhouse School of Public Communications alumni Instagram Live Q&A with alumna Kelsey Davis, founder and CEO of CLLCTVE. Davis and Jordan discussed career responsibilities, expectations and goals for Black people in today’s work environment.

As the sole founder and operator of VOICE, Pierre places a lot of pressure on himself. He sees the VOICE brand as something bigger than himself.

“VOICE is not just me or even Black people,” Pierre said. “VOICE is the unheard, the underrepresented and underappreciated.”

Pierre believes the work he does is making a trail for other people from marginalized communities to follow upon. When his friends see him going to college, running his own business, doing big things, they are inspired to use their voice to do the same, Pierre said.

Tysean Canada, a close friend of Pierre’s and the president of the National Society of Black Engineers chapter at Syracuse, said Pierre is a trusted confidant, and the two discuss how they can use their platforms to change the narrative of how Black students are perceived at Syracuse.

“We’re more than just athletes and want to encourage Black men and women that Syracuse is a place where one can feel comfortable and inspired to make a difference,” Canada said.

The VOICE founder also spends time bouncing ideas off friends for how to expand his brand. These conversations led to a pop-up sale of print T-shirts and hoodies during the fall 2020 semester on South Campus.

“I had a pop-up shop … It was fire,” Pierre said.

The junior’s ambitions are much larger for the company, Pierre said. And, while he is still developing the brand’s website, he is also working on new clothing designs and expanding the collection of available products.

Amongst print T-shirts of singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill, he wants to expand to have more Americana-style garment clothing and accessories, like tote bags, that he designs.

“Anyone can put a picture on a shirt, but what Gucci and Louis Vuitton are doing is original,” Pierre said. “The sky’s the limit for VOICE.”

CORRECTION: In a previous version of this post, the name of Desmond Mccollough was misstated. The Daily Orange regrets this error.

Published on September 1, 2021 at 1:49 am