FISP Alum: Teresa Turner Interview
We interviewed Teresa Turner, a recent graduate of the FISP program, to learn about her story in connection to Black history in her own personal and professional life. Read about her journey through FISP and plans moving forward below:
Teresa Turner was re-introduced to the Fundamentals of Industrial Sewing and Production through her daughter, who visited ISAIC during Detroit Homecoming. She first heard about it on the news earlier in 2020, but she couldn’t pursue the program as she was working full time. Hearing about it again sparked her curiosity and she decided to take advantage of the opportunity.
Teresa says, “what piqued my interest was that there is actually something like this that existed. I am a home sewer; It is relaxing. To have a place where you can actually find jobs for industrial sewing, I thought wow that is something.”
Previously, she worked with a company contracted through GM for 23 years in various “demanding” positions. Teresa describes, “this right here (FISP) is giving me room to breathe.”
How would you describe Black excellence in your personal life?
T: I would describe it as family, because that is the closest to me—my family... I hope they can look at me to say hey this is how “Mom” used to do it or “Gran Gran.” They look at me to guide them to do what they need to do. I can give my experiences to help guide them. Black excellence is just assisting family and letting them know they're loved and someone is here if they need something.
How is ISAIC/ FISP a part of your journey to advancement and prosperity?
T: I am at a different space in my life now. Back then, I had to work to support my family and do what I needed to live every day. This program here, when I looked at it, it let me choose it. I chose it because I want to do it; It's for me. I like sewing. It relaxes me but the picture that I have now with what I am learning now—a lot is opening up in my head about other opportunities, it's not just about sewing. It's not just taking this and going home and re-doing my pillows. I'm looking at marine, sails, and the boating industry. I would’ve never thought of stuff like this. Once I get this skill and learn it down pack, I know it's later on in my years, but I still have life and I want to take advantage of something for me. I have a feeling this is going to lead me to my own business. Back in my 20s I said I wanted to do this, but the way my life was I had to work, work, work to take care of my family and I'm at the point where I can do me. It's something that I don’t have to do; I want to do for me. This program will give me that opportunity.
What inspired you to take a sewing class, and how has it influenced your appreciation for Black history and culture?
T: I'm learning a lot from this class; Everyday we’d learn about a new designer that I didn’t even know existed. When they talk about the people they dress or what they make it gives me a greater appreciation for it. I'm not a huge fashion follower but I like designers. I appreciate someone taking something and creating something out of it. Most fashion people are artists, and they can look at something and think of it in their mind and make it come out. I like the construction of it, so I can take someone's vision and make it. It's another avenue for Blacks too. I appreciate it more and didn’t realize how much we were within the fashion industry as a culture; I just never realized it.
How has Black creativity and self-expression been expressed through fashion and sewing throughout history?
T: Back in my time, there were hip huggers with wide legs and platforms. That was the style in my teens; You had that and you had the smaller afro and we were starting to get to the curly type. I just think of the creativity of us trying to put outfits together that made sense. My sister had her own style. She would cut and mark up jeans back in the 70s and now it’s a huge thing. She was doing that way back then and people would give that look like “wow that is different.” ... It’s just something how creativity flows. My granddaughter tells me what she likes and doesn’t like in fashion, she's developing her own style. It think its self-expression and every individual has the ability to do it. Some of us are not as brave as others but if you pay attention to what someone thinks too much, it cuts off creativity.
How can sewing and fashion be used as a tool for promoting and preserving Black cultural heritage?
T: I believe it could be used as a tool to pass it down. I think sewing in any aspect is a skill everyone should know about. Through culture, it is something you can pass on. Who knows where it could come from? My aunt was a seamstress; She made dresses for me and my sister, and I got that spark from her. My sister pursued this. She passed it down to her daughter and I tried to pass it to my daughter. I think it is something we should use it as a tool to enlighten someone else's life. I am teaching my niece to use the machine now, showing her how to be comfortable with a machine.
What do you hope to gain from FISP?
T: A sense of accomplishment. That is important to me because of my personality; I need to know that I can do something with the knowledge I've gained. I am definitely going to pursue working in this industry. I want to grow. This is opening my mind to all the other possibilities that I could do, like computer aided drafting, I used to hear CAD at my industry all the time but I never put it together with industrial sewing but that’s what we talked about here in class. It is another opportunity to learn additional machines.
What is your favorite learning from the program?
T: How to not be intimidated by an industrial sewing machine. I just like learning the different things it can do like the different feet. It’s something about how when I use a foot I am starting to trust It. It’s really the machine, not being intimidated. You hear people say the Juki goes like “zoom!” But I am tackling it, I am controlling the foot power and everything, reading a tech pack, and I used to hear that term when I watched the fashion shows and now I am understanding what it is for and how to utilize it.