Kaila Methven, a lingerie designer who is also heiress to Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) fast-food chain, has reportedly launched a program to help employ LGBTQ people who have lost their jobs during the coronavirus epidemic while raising $1 million for LGBTQ charities and social organizations associated with the electronic dance music (EDM) community.
Methven — whose grandfather founded Rainbow Chicken Unlimited, the company that acquired KFC in the 1980’s — wants to hire LGBTQ people, domestic violence survivors, and people in the sober community through a newly conceived Independent Contractor Program within her organization the Peace Love Unity Respect (PLUR) Association.
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The PLUR Association’s Independent Contractor Program would hire members of these communities to work flexibly, independently and remotely with her “Madame Maven” lingerie fashion brand, a brand that includes the “Special K” line of bright and sparkly undergarments inspired by dance music festivals.
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“Giving people opportunities to work for themselves in the fashion industry and learning the ‘ins and outs’ while they learn about clothing, lingerie, and art has developed and really improved every aspect of the PLUR Association,” Methven told Star Observer. “Art inspires me… love inspires me… so does sensuality and passion,” she added.
In addition to helping employ those in financial need, the PLUR Association also hopes to raise $1 million for LGBTQ charities and social organizations like EDM Cares, a group of electronic dance music enthusiasts who also do charitable works like food/clothing/toiletry drives for homeless shelters and events for disabled military veterans.
“I want my contribution to the world to be the soldier spreading the message and true meaning of PLUR,” Methven said. “I aim to use my voice as a philanthropist, it’s my dream to make a difference in the world. This is the beginning of days, we all unite globally as human beings.”
The PLUR Association seeks to foster recognition of the need for respect, diversity, inclusion, and equality for people of all gender identities and sexualities in the workplace, according to Methven.