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Englewood Teens Find Reupholstering Furniture Fun

 Shawtiana Clinton learned how to reupholster furniture through nonprofit program, Teena's Legacy.
Shawtiana Clinton learned how to reupholster furniture through nonprofit program, Teena's Legacy.
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Photo courtesy of Jamika Smith

ENGLEWOOD — Learning how to reupholster furniture has been fun for Englewood native Shawtiana Clinton, 19.

The Woodlawn resident picked up the skill through a program for teen girls called Teena’s Legacy. Founder Jamika Smith, 38, launched the nonprofit in 2012 to honor her late grandmother, Alberteen “Teena” Stredrick, who died in 2010.

“When I first started, I was like ‘This looks boring, it doesn’t look like it’s fun,’ but when I got to do it and started, I had fun,” said Clinton, who now loves sewing.

She has been working on couches and chairs with Smith since she was 17. Clinton said she’s grateful she met Clinton when she did, referring to the program as a good distraction.

 Shawtiana Clinton learned how to reupholster furniture through the nonprofit program,  Teena's Legacy.
Shawtiana Clinton learned how to reupholster furniture through the nonprofit program, Teena's Legacy.
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“I’m glad she was there because she actually helped me,” she said. “If it wasn’t for her I would have been like any other teenager. I wasn’t really an in-the-house type of person. I used to always go outside.”

Most of her free time was used to learn the trade, Clinton said. She fell so in love with reupholstering that she started to teach others in her family. She said she would love to turn her newfound passion into a job after gaining more experience.

Clinton is working with another teen on a special project. The Chicago Rainbow Push Coalition is using the girls’ services to reupholster nine conference room chairs for its 45th annual convention June 25-30. Smith, a Chicago Lawn resident, said she wanted to teach them about marketing their talent and sharpening their communication skills.

The reupholstery program is one part of Teena's Legacy, but the program's mission goes deeper than just developing a skill, Smith said.

Reupholstering “is pulling back the layers of your own life,” she said. “It’s getting deep to the bare of the chair, into the bare of your own soul, and when it’s clear, you have this clean slate. It’s like this clean slate and you can create whatever you want to create. It’s the same thing with your life, once you start pulling back those layers you just try to figure out what you need to do.”

Smith learned the trade from just being around her grandmother, who would sell pieces at garage sales. She said she tried it herself one day and realized she had the gift as well.

Smith said she wants to keep her summer apprentice program going, which is why she has an annual 5K Run and Walk. This year, the third annual event will be June 4 at Sherman Park, 1301 W. 52nd St. Sign-in and registration is at 9 a.m., with the walk and run starting at 10 a.m. People can register online at www.teenaslegacy.com.

The teens will be able to share their thoughts and feelings, Smith said. The theme this year is “A Message from the Soul.”

As participants walk, they will be encouraged to interact with one another.

“My whole goal is to create a safe space where people can come and hear the message from our young people because I believe we demonize our young people, but never ask the question why they do the things that they do,” Smith said.

The goal is to raise $3,000 for the summer apprentice program, which teaches the young women how to reupholster furniture. A portion of it will also go toward buying such items as an industrial sewing machine, tools for projects, fabric, startup furniture, transportation and marketing materials. The program runs from June 20 through the end of August.

Register for the 5K run and walk online at www.teenaslegacy.com.

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