We were lucky to catch up with Lashanna Ingraham Lintamo recently and have shared our conversation below.
Lashanna , appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
As a tradeswoman, and a woman of color, I fight for equality every day.
But why should we harden our fight by not having the right clothing to suit our bodies as we work hard not only to take care of our families but to be counted equal to our male coworkers?
For years women have been searching the thrift store racks scrambling through the isles of clothing stores to find the right fit of clothing that fits their trade only to find themselves settling for a men’s pair of pants and that oversize shirt that always gets in the way.
They call me “thefashionwelder” not only am I am a multi certified master welder in the ironworkers trade but a fashion designer that advocates for women through fashion and art, representing for all backgrounds of women that we may be counted and considered as equal humans not only in the trades but all across the work field. After years of struggling with the right work attire only to end up wearing men’s clothing I came up with the idea to make something for women made by A woman, thank that’s how “Ingraham” was born.
I’m a woman.
And I’m a welder.
But the thing is… I don’t like wearing men’s clothing when I work.
Why should I have to?
I mean, sure, women have been fighting for equality for a long time—but it doesn’t make sense that we’re still being forced to wear men’s clothing as an everyday part of our jobs.
My name is Lashanna Ingraham Lintamo, and I’m the designer behind “Ingraham”. We make women’s workwear that fits your body and looks great too! We want you to feel empowered and capable while you’re at work—not embarrassed or uncomfortable with how you look in your clothes. And we know that quality matters too.
Lashanna , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Lashanna Lintamo is a certified welder, entrepreneur, and social media mogul who has made a name for herself in the welding industry.
She is known for her exceptional creations found on various blogs, podcasts, articles, and numerous videos available on YouTube. She also goes by the trade name of “The Fashion Welder.”
Welding is not only a profession for Lashanna but also a part of her heritage. Her grandfather was a self-taught welder during the World War II era, while her distant great-grandfather was a blacksmith welder in the slave trade. Her great-grandmother was a “Rosie Riveter,” who helped build and weld ships on the homefront during World War II. Lashanna has continued her family legacy of welders and pipefitters by disassembling World War II ships in Mare Island Vallejo, California, where her great-grandmother initially helped build.
The creation of The Fashion Welder was intended to take a bold stance in support of women’s equality in the skilled trades and that is how her business “Ingraham” brand was born. Lashanna firmly believes that this world belongs to all of us, not just men and that women’s contributions are essential to our shared history. The Ingraham brand demonstrates this by creating fashionable clothing for women in the trades made by a woman of the trades. The carefully designed work wear is crafted to fit a woman in all the right places, Comfort is so important when working on a project that calls for bending, lifting, climbing and stretching. She aims to break down the falsehood that these industries are only for men through fashion, art, advocacy, and representation. Lashanna is determined to forge a path forward and be a voice for women of all ages, sexual orientations, colors, and backgrounds, despite facing challenges such as racism, sexual harassment, sexism, and discrimination. All women should feel good and beautiful while working any job.
Lashanna believe that the difference is created at youth, she has collaborated with various organizations, including Wendy’s, Home Depot, and local small businesses, to raise funds and acquire welding and personal protective equipment for high schools in Ethiopia where welding trades are being taught. The impact of Lashanna’s advocacy and image is not limited to the United States but also extends to other countries like Germany and beyond, inspiring countless women.
In addition to her work as The Fashion Welder, Lashanna holds a Doctor of Theology, a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. She is an ordained pastor and has ministered to people across the world. She is also a licensed counselor, advocate for women, and mentor.
Lashanna has obtained several welding certifications, including SMAW, TIG, MIG, and FCAW, as well as OSHA 30, Gradal forklift, scissor lift, boom lift, asbestos, hazmat, and confined space training. Her skills have been used in creating historical landmarks such as the Golden One Center, Stockton Courthouse, Marriott hotels, luxury apartments, schools, office buildings, and even restoring historical buildings like the Sacramento Valley train station.
Overall, Lashanna is an inspiring individual dedicated to breaking down barriers and advocating for women’s equality in the skilled trades. Through her work as The Fashion Welder, she has inspired countless women across the globe and made a significant impact on the industry.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
My presence on social media grew by me being my unapologetic self, showing that yea you can be a hard worker and a woman too. In todays Society women are forced to become everything but who they are, I refuse to become a.k.a. one of the guys but retain my whole image as a female a human in society were we are all created equal therefore we should all live work and obtain equality in all aspects of living. Obtaining an audience was a easy task simple as giving the people what they wanted by saying the things they were too scared to say and representing the dark areas that no one wanted to go to, taking hold of the untold stories and topics that need to be shared and aren’t. I am a lover of fashion and art and a welder so I merge my dimensions together. My advice is obtain your whole truth, there is no need of searching for a audience when there is thousands of people searching for themselves in you. Spread your roots and create a strong foundation through hashtags. Hashtags are just like google search, if someone is searching for blue sweater fashion, you need to be there with your pics of those swaggy blue sweaters of yours. When you hashtag female welder bet I’m going to be there on your screen.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Being a woman in the trades is a challenge, but being a woman of color in the trades can be even harder.
As a master welder in the ironworker trade, I’ve seen it all: from not receiving proper pay or equal opportunity, to being placed in the most dangerous situations and having to deal with sexual harassment and racism. It was a mess.
But I refused to become “one of the guys.” I am all woman, and I’m proud of what I do—and I was determined to feel good and be proud of who I am while doing it! So my hair is done, my earrings are in place, and my lip gloss is popping fresh and clean attire every day because it’s important for me to be seen as an equal part of society.
However, it wasn’t enough just to look good on the outside—I needed to feel good on the inside as well. That’s why I decided to start representing other women through activism by fashion and art using our voices, hearts and intellects while holding onto our female energy at all times. It’s my goal to stand as a shield against those who would try to hurt us as well as protect other women like myself from harm by holding onto this sense of humanity regardless of darts thrown.
Contact Info:
- Website: Thefashionwelder.com
- Instagram: @thefashionwelder
- Youtube: The Fashion Welder
Image Credits
Photography: Malika Humphrey, Humphrey House Studios llc