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Story & Lesson Highlights with Rashod Stanley of East Point, Georgia

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Rashod Stanley shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Rashod , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Honestly, no two days are the same. As a fashion designer, I’m always creating — sketching designs, working with fabrics, or planning the next collection for The Trenches Global. At the youth center, I spend time mentoring kids, teaching them skills like sewing, and just being present for them. And as CEO, I’m handling meetings, partnerships, and making sure the brand keeps growing. It’s a lot to juggle, but everything I do ties back to empowering the community and showing our youth that their future is bigger than their circumstances.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Rashod Stanley, also known as Armon Rashod. I’m a fashion designer, CEO of The Trenches Global clothing brand, and founder of The Trenches Global Impact Center, a free youth community hub in Atlanta. What makes my work unique is that everything I create—whether it’s a clothing collection or a program for kids—is rooted in the belief that your location doesn’t determine your destination.
Through The Trenches Global, I design statement pieces that tell stories of resilience and culture, while our Impact Center provides inner-city youth with tools like sewing machines, creative workshops, and mentorship opportunities—all completely free. Right now, I’m focused on expanding both sides of this vision: growing the brand globally while making sure our community work continues to empower the next generation.
At the heart of it all, I’m driven by one mission: to show that fashion can be more than style—it can be a platform for change.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What breaks the bonds between people is usually a mix of fear, pride, misunderstanding, and lack of communication. When people stop listening to each other, stop seeing each other’s humanity, or let ego and hurt take over, connections weaken. Division can come from trauma, inequality, or even the simple fact of people not feeling valued.
What restores bonds is love, empathy, and action. It’s listening before judging. It’s showing up consistently, even when it’s hard. In my work at The Trenches Global, I’ve seen how creativity—whether through fashion or community programs—can rebuild trust. When people come together to make something, serve together, or share a vision, healing happens. Bonds are restored when we remind each other that we’re stronger united than we could ever be apart.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The defining wound of my life was going to prison. It stripped me of my freedom, tested my faith, and forced me to confront the choices that led me there. But it also became the turning point. In those moments of isolation, I realized I had two options: let that pain define me, or use it to rebuild myself.
I chose healing through purpose and creativity. Fashion became my outlet, a way to tell stories of resilience and transformation through clothes. And founding The Trenches Global Impact Center became my way to make sure others—especially the youth in my community—didn’t have to take the same path I did.
The wound was prison. The healing has been building something greater than myself: a brand and a movement that proves you can rise from the trenches, redefine your future, and inspire others to do the same.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
One thing I’ll never give up on is The Trenches Global Impact Center. No matter how long it takes, I’m committed to empowering youth and giving them the resources I wish I had growing up. It means a lot to me to be opening a second location right here in Atlanta, in the same community that raised me. This isn’t just a project—it’s personal. It’s about pouring back into the place that shaped me and making sure the next generation knows their future is bigger than their circumstances.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What false labels are you still carrying?
The false labels I still carry are the ones tied to my past—felon, criminal, lost cause. Those words were stamped on me long before I had the chance to prove who I really was. And even now, sometimes people look at me and see my mistakes before they see my growth.
The truth is, those labels cut deep. They follow you, they weigh on you. But I refuse to let them be the last word. Every stitch I sew, every kid I mentor, every step I take with The Trenches Global is me breaking free from those names and rewriting my own story.

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