It all started when...

     I toured the Los Angeles LGBT Center for Homeless Youth in 2014. Meeting kids my own age without new clothing to wear to school or job interviews inspired me to transform my interest in fashion into a solution.

     I took my mom’s old sewing machine and a bag of her clothes waiting to be donated to begin practicing the basics of sewing. With the help of the internet, I was quickly mastering DIY tutorials that taught me how to turn torn flannel shirts into trendy circle skirts. After a few months, I was impressed by how my amateur work could make these forgotten garments into new, fashionable outfits. I delivered my designs to the shelter soon after, where I realized that impact I had made on the youths’ confidence. Ever since then, I set out to make sure no one who receives second-hand clothing ever feels second-rate.

Sew Swag Inc. is now a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.