I'm a professional dancer who is starting a T-shirt factory together with refugees in Greece called "Not A Factory" AMA!

So basically you're employing exploitable refugees to make cheap tshirts? What could go wrong?

Hahaha. They won't be cheap, because I want to provide the people we work with a good salary. And make them less exploitable by providing them with a steady job. That's the goal of the project...

What could go wrong? Lots of things!! But if I only worry about all that I would never start anything.

Greece currently has an unemployment rate of 20%. How do you justify hiring undocumented refugees to do work actual citizens of greece could be doing?

Good question. First of all, I want this project to benefit both Greeks and refugees. That is why I will work with greek suppliers and partners. For instance the printing will be done by a greek company and we will sew the T-shirt.

The refugees will not be undocumented btw. They will have a staying permit in Greece and have the legal rights to work in Greece.

And in the end, we have to try to help everybody... If some people suffer, we all suffer.

You didn't answer his question.

You're providing native Greeks that already have jobs with more work, not providing unemployed Greeks with jobs.

You are ignoring the plight of your countrymen and women to give jobs to foreigners. Basically, you're saying "fuck unemployed Greeks" so you can virtue signal.

Worst of all you're here on reddit trying to pander to other virtue signaling millenials in the hopes that they'll buy your merchandise.

Why is there such an emphasis on Greeks vs. refugees? Jesus Christ they are ALL people. Every single one of them is a fuckin human and deserves the same considerations. A lot of these people didn’t just move to Greece for fun, they literally fled their homes because of the threat of death.

Thanks, I'll probably get downvoted here as well. But... I always find it weird that I have to defend myself for trying to help some people and not being able to help everybody. I want to! But do know how difficult it is to even help some people?

Oh, man, I can already see the inevitable trainwreck that this AMA is going to become. Time to grab a chair for some front row viewing.

Hahaha. Very possible. Enjoy! :-)

You definitely turned me around with your 'if some of us suffer, we all suffer' comment. Thanks for sticking it out, OP.

Thanks bro.

How do you think your project is different or similar to “sweatshops” in less developed countries?

Good question. I've never been in a sweatshop in a less developed country. So I don't know for sure how things are there.

Some things you hear is that people are underpaid, and work in unsafe environments. We will of course provide a safe environment and a good salary. Next to that I really want to help people back on their feet, so providing trainings and courses that helps them to develop.

Why don't you structure this business as a worker's co-op? That would give your workers an actual say in democratically deciding what constitutes a safe environment.

EDIT: also, if you're in Greece and want to help refugees, why not collaborate with the anarchist groups doing a lot of that work already?

Yeah, I'm looking into that. In Greece there is also something called a Social Cooperative Enterprise, this could be a great legal form to use as well.

I didn’t think refugees were allowed to work?

In many countries not, but in Greece they changed the law a couple of years ago. And if they are at a certain step in the process of asylum, they are legally allowed to work.

Those people shouldn't be in Europe. How about helping rebuild their home countries?

Still a bit early in some cases. Look at Syria, not really ready yet for rebuilding it seems.

It seems that the project is only supposed to produce a small number of shirts (several thousand) that sounds like a few weeks or months of work. How much long term impact do you see this project having? Will it be financially viable to keep up business long term? Are you worried about backlash from Greek citizens over creating jobs they can't have?

Good questions.

Initially it will only be a small number of shirts, but I'm hoping that this can continue and grow. Making it possible to hire more people and provide more work for people. I'm planning to work with different artists who will make different t-shirts collections around a certain theme. And in that way grow a brand.

Will it be financially viable? It can be for sure. But it will depend if the t-shirts will find their audience. In northern europe (I'm from The Netherlands) there are lots of people willing to buy an organic t-shirt if they know that it is produced well and supports a good cause as well.

Greek citizens have been really supportive actually. Remember, I am creating jobs that didn't exist before. And helping people that need help. Working together with Greek companies. I am basically bringing in thousands of euros into the country that wouldn't be there otherwise.

Is the plan to build a new building or take over an existing one?

There are lots of abandoned buildings in Greece, so we will use an existing one.

"Use" as in "rent" or as in "squat in"? If the former, why does it have to be abandoned?

Rent. Maybe abandoned wasn't the right word. Empty? (I'm not a native english speaker... )

How old were you when you started performing in ballet, and what is the hardest thing about performing synchronized ballet in front of large audiences?

I started dancing when I was 12, and even though I had a lot of ballet during my training, I went into contemporary dance. The hardest thing sometimes was dealing with the nerves. Sometimes before the show I had pain in my tongue from being nervous, very weird sensation.

Do you make not-a-shirts?

Actually we do! Or kinda!!

CSS or SCSS?

Both.

I volunteered on Lesvos at Camp Moria last August and it was a life changing experience! What Island are you going to set up your factory? I'd love to see what you're doing there.

Ah really? I was in Lesvos as well, working with The Timber Project. Who did you work with?

I will start the project on the mainland though, close to Larissa there is a camp where I know a couple of talented people. I want to start there with them. You're super welcome to come by ones we're up and running! Or even before ;-)

What city are you in? Thessaloniki has a big migrant problem. To solve it, the city leaders have been going to abandoned or closed down factories on the outskirts of the city, and converting them into camps.

The outskirts of the city are full of them. I have police friends there that are assigned to patrol/secure the facilities.

Yeah, I've been at some of those camps, not always the most cosy places. This project will be based in Larissa, there is a camp close by as well.

What kind of dancing did you do?

Contemporary dancing, nowadays I mostly do Lindy Hop though.

Is the "A" capitalized for a reason?

Not really, why? Would it be better without?

Is your family wealthy?

Nope, parents are both public school teachers and I have three siblings.