We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lashanna Ingraham Lintamo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lashanna below.
Lashanna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me was when my grandparents chose to adopt me when I was a little girl.
My early childhood began with a lot of instability. I was abandoned by my father, and eventually Child Protective Services removed me from my mother’s care. One of my earliest memories is walking long distances with my mother through the city going under bridges and squeezing through sharp fences just to reach a soup kitchen. I still remember those cold green peas they served. At that time in my life, those peas meant survival.
After spending time in foster care, my grandparents made a life-changing decision. They stepped forward and adopted me as their new baby girl.
What makes their kindness even more meaningful is that they didn’t have to do it. My grandparents were already retired and living peacefully in the country home they had built together. Their lives were settled and comfortable. Yet they opened their doors, their hearts, and their entire world to me.
Because of them, my life completely changed.
They made sure I experienced everything a child should. I was enrolled in every sport, from little league to track, softball, basketball and they supported all of my creative interests like music, art, and travel. They were present in my school life, attending clubs, sports events, and activities. I grew up surrounded by a garden, fruit trees we could pick and snack from, camping trips, and plenty of time spent at what I lovingly call “elderly hangouts,” where I learned wisdom far beyond my years.
They gave me stability, love, and the freedom to explore who I could become.
Later in life, when my grandparents became elderly, I had the honor of caring for them until the Lord called them home. Being able to serve them in their final years was one of the greatest privileges of my life. I was blessed to hold both of their hands as they transitioned from this world.
One day I asked my grandmother why she and my grandfather made such a big sacrifice for me. Her answer was simple but powerful. She said:
“I didn’t want you to end up in the system and have your life ruined. Not my grandbaby.”
Those words have stayed with me my entire life.
Their act of love is the reason I strive to be an inspiration to others today. Through my work in the skilled trades and through my brand, Ingraham Work Wear, I advocate for women and encourage them to step into spaces they may have once believed were not meant for them.
My grandparents showed me that one act of kindness can change the entire direction of someone’s life. Because of them, I believe deeply that women can pursue creativity, welding, construction, and manufacturing that we can accomplish anything we set our minds to, especially in the blue-collar trades.
Everything I do is, in many ways, a continuation of the love and opportunity they gave me.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Lashanna Ingraham Lintamo, and I grew up in a small rural area of California living a country, homestead lifestyle. Growing up around land, animals, and hands on work taught me early on the value of hard work, creativity, and problem solving. So when the economy struggled in 2008, it wasn’t surprising that my grandfather suggested I consider learning a skilled trade. That advice would end up shaping the course of my life.
I began my career working in the trades and eventually became an Ironworker, spending years working on commercial construction projects. While I loved the work itself, I faced a constant challenge that many women in the industry understand all too well trying to work comfortably and safely in gear that was never designed for us. Most of the clothing and protective equipment available in the field was made for men. Jackets were oversized, gloves were bulky, and nothing fit the way it needed to in order to work efficiently.
Over time, that challenge planted a seed in my heart. I realized that women in the trades deserved workwear that actually fit their bodies and supported the work they do. After several years of planning, designing, and developing products, my brand, Ingraham Work Wear, was born.
As someone who has always loved fashion and design, building this brand has been an incredibly inspiring journey. I enjoy every part of the creative process thinking, planning, sketching designs, developing prototypes, and finally bringing a product to life. There are very few feelings that compare to seeing something that started as an idea in your mind become a real product that helps people in their everyday work.
Through Ingraham Work Wear, I design protective gear specifically for women in the trades, including welding gloves and jackets that are both fashionable and functional. My goal is to solve real problems women face on job sites by creating gear that fits properly, allows freedom of movement, and still provides the protection required in industrial environments.
In addition to my work as a designer and entrepreneur, I’ve become known as an advocate and influencer within the women-in-construction community. Through my YouTube channel and social media platforms, I share my journey, promote opportunities in the trades, and encourage women to step confidently into industries where they have traditionally been underrepresented.
One of my biggest motivations comes from my own experience working in the field. Throughout my career, I never had the opportunity to work alongside other women. That absence showed me just how important representation and mentorship are. Today, I strive to help open doors and construct new pathways for women entering the trades now and in the future.
Alongside running my brand, I currently serve as a professor at American River College, where I teach Welding Technology and Work Experience within the Diesel, Automotive, and Welding programs. I also serve as a CTL faculty trainer and spend a significant amount of time involved in outreach for our Career Technical Education programs, visiting schools and speaking with students about the opportunities available in skilled trades and manufacturing.
What I am most proud of is being able to combine all of these passions teaching, welding, design, and advocacy into one mission: helping people see that skilled trades are not only valuable careers but also powerful spaces for creativity, innovation, and opportunity. More than anything, I want people to know that my work and my brand are about empowerment. I want young people, especially women from all backgrounds and cultures, to see that there is a place for them in construction, welding, manufacturing, and beyond.
My hope is that when someone sees my journey, they realize that no matter where you start, you can build something meaningful with your hands, your ideas, and your determination.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I believe my reputation comes from the fact that I am not just designing workwear, I have lived the experience for nearly 20 years as a tradeswoman and Ironworker.
For most of my career, I had to wear men’s clothing on the job or search through thrift stores hoping to find something that might work. Nothing was truly designed for women in the trades. The clothing was oversized, bulky, and often made it harder to do the job safely and efficiently. One of the biggest challenges I faced was welding gloves. The gloves available were designed for men’s hands, which meant they were always too large and bulky for me. I struggled to get a proper grip on my stinger or weld gun because the excess material would bunch up between my fingers. That lack of fit affected both comfort and precision.
That frustration is what led me to design my own welding gloves the FW1 Welding Glove. They are very personal to me and truly one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever created. The FW1 gloves are soft against the skin, flexible enough to handle detailed work, and designed with the dexterity needed for welding without sacrificing durability or protection. I paid close attention to things that matter in real welding environments like having a snug fit between the fingers and enough coverage to protect the wrists and arms. I also designed the FW2 Women’s Welding Jacket, which was inspired by my own experience working in the field. The jackets I wore on job sites were oversized, heavy, and clearly made for a male body type. As a woman, that extra weight and poor fit made it even harder to keep up physically and prove myself in an already demanding environment.
The FW2 jacket is designed specifically for a woman’s anatomy. It provides protection while being form-fitted, comfortable, and functional. It allows women to move freely and perform their work without being weighed down by gear that was never meant for them in the first place. What helped build my reputation is that I bring real, hands-on experience into every design. I understand the exact problems because I’ve lived them myself. That insight allows me to create protective gear that is not only functional and safe, but also fashionable and properly fitted for women in the trades.
I’m not just designing products, I’m solving problems that women like me have faced on job sites for decades.
We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.
I currently sell my products through my website, www.ingrahamworkwear.com as well as on Amazon. Using multiple e-commerce platforms has been a great opportunity for my brand, and I’m truly grateful for the reach it provides.
Selling on my own website allows me to build a direct relationship with my customers. It gives me the ability to tell the full story behind the brand, connect with women in the trades, and showcase the purpose behind the products I design. My website is really the heart of the brand experience. At the same time, Amazon has been incredibly valuable for expanding visibility. It allows me to reach customers who may not yet be familiar with Ingraham Work Wear but are searching for welding gloves or workwear online. The platform introduces the brand to a much broader audience.
One of the biggest advantages is using Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) system. I ship my products in bulk to their warehouses, and Amazon handles the storage, processing, and shipping directly to customers. That system makes logistics much easier and allows me to focus more on designing products and growing the brand. Like any platform, there are pros and cons. Amazon provides incredible exposure and convenience, but selling through your own website allows for more control over branding and the customer experience. For me, using both platforms has created a balance one that allows the brand to grow while still maintaining a strong connection with the community it was created for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ingrahamworkwear.com
- Instagram: thefashionwelder
- Facebook: Lashanna Ingraham Lintamo
- Youtube: The Fashion Welder
Image Credits
Lashanna Ingraham Lintamo