ON DUTY CITIZEN
CLEO ABRAM
1) What are a few things you do to stay environmentally friendly?
In addition recycling, taking public transport, and turning off lights, I think it’s important to speak out about the issues you care about.
Recently, a Congressman put forward a bill that would sell off millions of acres of public land. It failed because conservatives and liberals both pushed back, but it was just one threat to our national parks, water, and wildlife. I’m involved with the NPCA, but there are tons of other ways to advocate—on this and many other environmental issues.
2) Do you have any favorite sustainable or ethical clothing lines?
I’m still learning to be a much more conscious consumer. One way to start is to find the sustainable sub-brands within companies you already like. For me, that’s ASOS Eco and H&M Conscious. But at the end of the day, the easiest way to live more sustainably is to buy fewer things you don’t need. -The big corporations like H&M are taking huge steps towards sustainability and I'm a fan! And you're right, to live more sustainably you don't have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe of ethically made clothes. Reuse what you already have, buy less and if you do need to buy, buy better.
3) What are some of your favorite organic beauty products?
A friend of mine recently recommended Honest Beauty and Credo, both of which I love.
4) On a day off, you’re heading to your favorite coffee shop. What are you wearing?
Easy: a soft sweater, flare jeans (100% serious, they’re great), sneakers and a statement jacket.
5) Tell me about something you’re doing simultaneously with modeling that motivates you. Another job? A project? Volunteering? A hobby?
Modeling has been an incredible opportunity to learn (through fashion) about how we share information and communicate. Beyond modeling, I spend nearly all my time in two ways:
I have a full-time job at Vox Media. I'm the manager of what we call “brand strategy” for Vox (Vox Media includes eight different brands; Vox is the brand that helps you understand the news.) At work, I spend a lot of time thinking about a couple questions: How do media companies, specifically political news companies, make money? How will they in the future? How does that apply to Vox? The bigger, really fascinating question is: What are the effects of different business models—on the company, on the media as a whole, and on society?
I also write and run my own political news project, The Short Version. Every Sunday, The Short Version breaks down the most controversial subject of debate and explains what's happening, how it affects you, and the best arguments on each side. You should subscribe and let me know what you think! And keep an eye out for something new on the site soon. -I'm such a big fan Cleo! You often don't read about or discuss the other side so it's nice to see how you break down both arguments.
Finding time for everything I want to do is pretty constant juggling act. But that’s true for everyone. I love every second of it.
6) In addition to modeling, what else may you be doing in your future, say 5 years from now?
This is such a hard question! Mostly because there are so many things I want to do. I’m excited to work my absolute hardest at Vox and see where that takes me. I’m working on a new project for The Short Version that I’m thrilled about, and may mean I can continue to build TSV for a long time. Modeling has helped to make me quite comfortable on camera, and I’m exploring how that relates to politics and news.
In five years, you’ll find me somewhere at the meeting point of news media, politics, and technology. I’ll still be working on the question, “how can and should we communicate information that matters to the people who need it?”
