Why does National FFA make custom jackets? Why not stick to the standard sizing? Although this may seem like a silly question, I frequently find myself asking it when it comes to ordering new jackets. My answer is so everyone knows that they can fit in FFA.
I know that one of the biggest hurdles I faced as a young FFA member, and still do, is where do I fit in? Not only do I not come from an agriculture background, but I love dressing up, the color pink, and competing in pageants. How could I fit in? We as humans love to put everyone and everything into boxes and for some reason, the “typical” FFA member is a mystery everyone has been trying to solve for decades. Still, we haven’t been able to and we will never be able to. Why? In 1988, when we changed the name from Future Farmers of America to the National FFA Organization, we broke the barrier of what a “typical” FFA member looks like, therefore leaving the mystery forever unsolved.
If we all turned and looked into a mirror right now we all would look like a “typical” FFA member because a “typical” member can be whoever you want it to be. For me, it’s a girl who loves competing in FFA events and advocating for agriculture, but also has never grown up with ties to agriculture, loves to wear pink and compete in pageants, and is a little too obsessed with Western fashion for my own good. For you, the “typical” member might be completely different, but that’s the beauty of an inclusive organization, isn’t it? To include?
You see, National FFA knows exactly what they are doing when they are making a tailored jacket to fit each and every member perfectly. They hope that we can wear our blue corduroy with pride and know that this organization will help to guide and grow us. So, next time you slip on that corduroy jacket, just know you belong and that National Blue was made specifically for you.
Your “Typical” FFA Member,
Sienna Alexander
Indiana FFA State Reporter
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