North Shore Natives Behind Designs Worn By Striking Teachers

CHICAGO — As a strike by the Chicago Teachers Union extended into its fifth day, thousands of educators and their supporters rallied downtown as Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivered her first budget address, laying out recommendations for addressing the $838 million budget deficit she confronts in her first year in office.

Police closed nearby roads to traffic Wednesday as demonstrators in red, purple and black demonstrated outside the Thompson Center and in streets around City Hall. Some of the red-clad teachers at these recent rallies across Chicago have been wearing original designs created and sold by a pair of North Shore natives and Chicago Public Schools educators.

Jason Merel and Dana Blumberg founded Red Thread Chicago in August to sell clothes with designs supporting local teachers. The origin of the partnership dates back to early 2016, the last time the Chicago Teachers Union's collective bargaining agreement expired, they told Patch.

Merel, 42, a realtor, 18-year CPS veteran and Deerfield High School alum who currently teaches social studies at a school in the Lakeview neighborhood, contacted a graphic designer and developed the first two designs for t-shirts and hoodies. His "Love" design includes the four-letter word spelled out with an apple emblazoned with the Chicago flag for an "O." The "Fist of Power" design features a fist, also with the Chicago flag on it.

Word soon spread. Teachers wanted to buy the shirts, which were featured in the Illinois Federation of Teachers magazine, and Merel worked to keep up with demand as orders got faxed in, according to the pair. Then last year, Merel and Blumberg became friends after their spouses began working together. This summer, ahead of a possible teachers' strike, Blumberg encouraged Merel to get back in the shirt game, and they formed Red Thread Chicago LLC.

"It's been really cool seeing our designs in person all over the city. We are so glad our designs are resonating with educators and supporters around the Chicago area," they told Patch in response to questions about the business. "Seeing someone wearing our designs has been incredible and it's a reminder that educators are all united. The strike has brought more light to the causes we support in education. We feel supported in our fight for equity in our schools."

Blumberg, 40, has been counselor at an elementary school in the Edison Park neighborhood for the past 12 years. But, she told Patch, she has always had a "side hustle." During graduate school, she started a business selling merchandise on an online auction website and ran it for seven years.

After having her first child seven years ago, Blumberg said she took a step back from running the side business. But after learning Merel was still making people fax in their orders for his popular t-shirt designs, she knew it was time to "bring this business into 2019" — complete with an online store, social media and inventory tracking system.

Red Threads promises to donate $1 for every item sold to the nonprofit Chicago HOPES for Kids, which offers academic help for children living in homeless shelters in Chicago.

"They're an amazing organization and are in dire need of financial support," the founders said. "In the future, we'd sure like to donate to various local organizations that help children in need but in the meantime we're thrilled to be affiliated with such a wonderful and worthy operation."

Merel and Blumberg said part of their vision for the business is to incorporate giving into the business model by partnering with organizations making contributions to education in local schools.

The company's shirts are all printed in the Chicago area, the founders said, and the hats are printed and hand-sewn by Deerfield resident Jen Gensler. One of the shirts for sale in the Red Thread online store is listed as union-made.