You can put my head on your heart!

Or a picture of it, anyway.

For a while now, I've been wearing a blue t-shirt with a hand-drawn image of a guy named Fred on it, with his name and hometown scrawled underneath his head. Don't know him, never met him, but I love him.

Or I love the idea of him: this t-shirt is one of many available through Joy T-shirts. It's pretty simple: you buy a shirt with someone's face on it, and in doing so get a code, that allows you to access their website and upload a photo of yourself. Eventually, they draw you, and then put you on a t-shirt. Why? well, in their words:

"Every face on a Joy T- Shirt has been inspired by a real person. When you wear your shirt you are encouraged to think about that person and how your everyday actions can affect others and the world we live in.After you purchase a shirt you may then upload a photo of your own visage via the participate link to have your face drawn by hand and worn on the hearts of others. It is about taking an active stance against racism and discrimination while being an advocate for peace and equality... because in someway or another, we are all connected!"

You can see me here and, should you choose, buy me and wear me on your heart. Or someone else, should you choose: after all, some of you know where my head's been and won't want it anywhere near your vital organs. And then someone will wear you, and so it goes. Fred, by the way, has a passion for "soccer, video production, movies, hip hop, spending time with [his] family, carib lager, jerk chicken, lending a helping hand, banging on the drums." And I can get behind pretty much all of those things.

I love this idea for its simplicity, and the truly viral nature of the message. Every time I wear the shirt, someone asks me about it, and I spread the message. It's fun, it's smart, and it's direct. so a massive shout out to Jeff Woodrow, the smartypants behind all of this. And thanks to him for not making me look too much like Fred Savage in the drawing.