Kyle Abram’s work involves supporting regenerative business models that move the global economy toward racial, social, and environmental justice.
Since 2017, he’s been the Brand Catalyst for Reflective Jewelry. His work includes SEO/SEM, as well as writing and researching on topics related to the ethical jewelry space. He is one of the signatories of 2020’s BIPOC Open Letter to the jewelry industry, and is involved with Ethical Metalsmiths in multiple capacities: serving an Editor of their blog The Source and on their newly-formed Action Coalition. He recently co-authored “Where Black Lives Don’t Matter to Jewelers,” published in Canada’s top trade magazine.
Kyle holds a BA from Brown University in Contemplative Studies.
I have been involved in the ethical jewelry world for 4.5 years, and have had a specific focus on promoting artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sources. In just the past 15 months or so, I have seen a marked increase in awareness of and interest in ASGM among small jewelers. I feel that the moment is ripe to harness this momentum, for the betterment of the producer communities who supply the raw materials necessary for our trade — as well as for the betterment of Mother Earth, who sustains us all. This is about racial justice as much as environmental justice, and ties to the Black Lives Matter movement can be instrumental.
While I am a supporter of both Fairtrade Gold and Fairmined Gold, we must face the reality that these projects have not achieved the large-scale shifts to our supply chain that many of us have hoped for. The reasons for this are complex, but one thing is clear: we must make room for other pathways forward. I recently traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to visit several mine sites soon coming online under the USAID-funded project Zahabu Safi. Working with a model of radical transparency, I believe Zahabu Safi represents a new model for responsible ASGM that this not only commercially-viable, but scalable — with the potential to reach millions.