Lorraina's style is so fun, colorful and bold, just like her personality. Living with her, I can't help but be influenced by her style so I think that my style has become more bold and colorful in some ways.
Lorraina has put into words in an essay that she wrote in college what I also hope to in my work, writing, blogging, photography, etc. to promote thrift store and vintage clothes and urban life. That someone else's "trash" is another person's treasure. That what was once considered worthless is found to be worth much and cherished. Lorraina has given me permission to share quotes from her college essay called "This I Believe."
"I believe in thrift-store shopping because of what it represents. I believe in thrift-store shopping because it is a vivid example of something I am still trying to figure out: Redemption...I believe in thrift-store shopping because I feel alive when I experience the joy and beauty of redemption."-Lorraina
Lorraina is wearing a vintage tailor made dress from the 1950's/1960's from Sonshine Shop Vintage. Isn't it gorgeous? As soon as I saw it, it made me think of her. I told her that it looks like a water color painting.
This street art graffiti walls featured in this blog post are right around the corner from our house.
Lorraina accessorized the look herself. I love this purse that she got in Mexico with her name on it (spelled differently) Lorena.
"I think that’s why I love urban ministry as well.
I feel alive when I watch God redeem those that the rest of society has given
up on."-Lorraina
The vintage dress that Lorraina is wearing is one her own. Love it!
"There is something so powerful about watching
something spring to life against all odds...the
process of thrift-store shopping exemplify the beauty and power of the concept
that is at the core of what happened on the Cross. And that’s why I believe in
spending time in thrift-stores and walking alongside teens [in the city]..."-Lorraina
Lorrainna graciously answered some questions to tell us more about herself in this interview below.
Shapeofagirlinla: What do you love most about South LA?
Lorraina: My favorite part of living in South LA is the people. Some of the most warm, generous, hospitable, creative, and resilient people I know live here in the neighborhoods of South Los Angeles.
Shapeofagirlinla: What do you love most about working for World Impact?
Lorraina: World Impact's commitment to incarnational ministry and spiritual community is what drew me to World Impact over five years ago. I love that we live where we work, and that for us church can happen every day of the week because most of us live within walking distance of one another.
I love that both the people I work with and my students/neighbors are truly family to me. We engage in intentional, shared spirituality around here while seeing the Kingdom of God advance in one another's lives, homes, and churches--and that makes work something to get excited about.
Shapeofagirlinla: What do you love most about vintage and thrift store clothes/items?
Lorraina: For me, vintage and thrift store clothes are about redeeming that which someone gave up on. The statistics on the fashion industry's current affect on the environment are pretty staggering, especially with the rise of a "fast fashion" movement that forces clothing companies to use earth's limited resources in order to produce enough clothing for the trends that come and go every couple months. I shop in thrift stores as a way to show that we can physically slow down enough to find the little "treasures" that find their way in thrift stores while reminding people that clothes can be timeless if we have enough creativity and imagination. And of course, shopping second-hand is way cheaper!
Shapeofagirlinla: Share an interesting story about life in South LA/World Impact.
Lorraina: Life in South LA is always an adventure. I never know quite what to expect when I go to Bible study or walk into the classroom each day. This much I can expect, though: God never ceases to show up, even in the ordinary moments of life where I almost forget that He's there. Some of my favorite moments from living here came during the unexpected moments, like the time the neighborhood kids looked at me with startled faces as we felt the earth and our very-old house shake during an earthquake--then the beautiful peace wash over their faces as we held hands and prayed that God would protect us. Or the time we had a free Sunday night and invited some friends over for yummy pan dulce from the local bakery/panaderia and sat around the table for hours talking about life and loss, and where God is moving in it. Or the time I walked down the street and saw my middle school students convincing the neighbors to "just give a dollar--come on, there are children in the world that won't EAT today!" Each day I keep my eyes open for moments like these that remind me that He is here and that He's always moving.
If you are interested in learning more about Lorraina and supporting the work that Lorraina is involved in, check her out HERE!
Peace.
