Meet Mallory!
Here at Dressember, we love to highlight our interns! Our intern network spans across the United States & Canada, and their collaborative hard work behind the scenes makes the dream work.
Meet Dressember Editorial Intern, Mallory Mishler. Just a few years ago, Mallory never would have guessed that life would take her here. Having grown up in the Midwest she loved the simple things in life: forests, books, adventures, and family. And while that hasn’t changed, advocating for peace, justice, and equality take up most of her time these days. She couldn’t be happier to be able to live out her passions on a daily basis.
Some fun facts to know about Mallory include that she is from Michigan and currently attends Hope College in Holland, Michigan. She is majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies with a minor in Peace and Justice, as well as Kinesiology. Her hobbies include all things artsy! Mallory plays piano and guitar, and last year she had an obsession with painting anything and everything. She says that her “artistic rage took over.”
Earlier this week I had the privilege to sit down and have a conversation with Mallory to talk about her passion and drive for justice. Through our phone conversation, I could tell without a doubt that Mallory is a woman with spunk, character, and a deep desire to not only see justice done in the world but to invite and inspire others to join with her.
When Mallory was a freshman at Hope College in 2015, she received an email from some fellow students on campus inviting her to participate in Dressember, which was starting the following day. Waking up the next morning excited to participate, she suddenly remembered that she only owned two dresses. Regardless, Mallory still decided to participate and remembers thinking, “If there are people fighting against [human trafficking], it must be worth fighting for.”
As the month went on Mallory started to learn about the atrocities of human trafficking, and the value of advocacy. Reminiscing during our conversation she said, “I couldn’t believe I had gone for so long without knowing something like this existed.”
The next year Mallory helped to lead Dressember at her school, and since then an IJM chapter has been started on her campus. Starting out majoring in Dance and Exercise Science, Mallory found she just wasn’t as excited about her classes as the justice events she was a part of outside of school. That drive to make a difference and positive change in the world led her to ask the question, “How can I make my passions a part of my everyday life?” The answer was to change her major of course! She laughed when we talked about the beginning of her college career to where she is now, “from that one email to this crazy wild ride.”
“I couldn’t believe I had gone for so long without knowing something like this existed.”
So, in light of who Mallory is — a kind, compassionate, and endeavoring inspirer — here are her wise and sage pieces of advice just for you!
Her must-read book: With so many fantastic resources at our finger-tips, how does one narrow them down? Mallory highly recommends starting with the book, The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance by Bethany Hanke Hoang and Kristen Deede Johnson.
Her tips on talking about justice: We all know that at times, sharing about Dressember and the realities of human trafficking can be hard. Not everyone wants to listen or is as interested as you are. It can be discouraging, but Mallory encourages sharing even if it is difficult. “The only thing you can do is share your heart with people. Come from an open and honest perspective. No one can argue with your story.”
Her writing must-haves: Since Mallory is a new Editorial Intern for Dressember, it is only fitting to share her writing rituals. Mallory says that she loves to go to a local coffee shop marking any seat by a large window as the “prime spot.” Her computer, lots of natural light, and a good cup of strong dark roast black coffee is all she needs.
On the topic of writing, when I asked Mallory why she wanted to write for Dressember, her animated response was, “Are you kidding me! Everything I love in one spot.”
At the end of our phone call, I wanted to keep talking with Mallory, her excitement was so contagious! As the conversation came to a close, one quote stuck with me, and it sums up Mallory and her heart for Dressember:
“All I can ask for is to be able to accurately tell people’s stories and inspire others like I’ve been inspired.”
Are you inspired yet? I am! Welcome to the Dressember team, Mallory!
XO
About the Author
Amanda Kinney is a senior at The Master’s University and calls Southern California home. She enjoys long walks, rain, photography, and all things peppermint. On a daily basis she can be found eating vegan food and talking with her peers about ethical issues. She is enthusiastic about joining the Dressember team and plans on being a life-long advocate against slavery.