Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ramona Ferreyra. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ramona, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

In 2017 my nephew Jadiel came down with meningitis at four months old. I relieved his mom from the NICU so we could sing about stars while he healed. We talked about the moon, and said goodnight to everything. I stayed with Jadiel for a week after his release from the hospital.

That week I sang to him, in Spanish and English; I told him where our people came from; what our elders were like; how we were a blend of Africa, Europe and Tainos (the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean).

I felt an urge to share everything with him. I was eager to extend the moments we shared during that week. An easy way to do this would have been baby bodysuits that reflected our identity, but I couldn’t find any that did so respectfully.

When I tried to buy him a onesie that would reflect that he is Dominican, American, Taino… My search results included a onesie with “bad hombre” across its chest. Jadiel’s illness warped time for me. I became obsessed with how he would see himself. How the world would see him. What he would inherit from me. A year later he was wearing my first design. Well, his first design, Folklorico.

Over the last five years I have expanded our offerings to include books, spiritual aids and gift items. Each is a piece of the mosaic that makes up our identity and helps others begin their path towards remembrance and understanding how complex and beautiful our history is.

Ramona, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Guatuke sees Ojala Threads as a love letter to her ancestors, and her descendants. She impacts policymaking in the areas of criminal justice reform, public housing and public transportation. Guatuke tweaked her leadership style at Harvard’s Kennedy School and Center for Creative Leadership. She previously led outreach efforts for the FBI and Department of Defense focused on community engagement and environmental resilience. She learned everything about retail while working at the Gap for nine years.

Ojala primarily creates baby bodysuits, a clothing item with very little flexibility as far as pattern is concerned. However, our designs, packaging, poetry and authenticity are unmatched. These strengths allow us to expand the children’s clothing market, creating a demand, and supply, for culturally themed clothing. Our designs have demonstrated their ability to attract customers and proven their flexibility.

Hispanics shopping for children are less likely to be satisfied with dressing room experiences, customer service they experience in stores, and navigating through stores. Our E-commerce model will remove these hardships. Furthermore, our bilingual staff will ensure their exchanges with customer service will be positively.

U.S-born Hispanics are going through a reversal in acculturation in which they are rediscovering their family’s heritage. Research shows that this is often triggered by motherhood. They are no longer interested in assimilating. This trend is pushing many Hispanics to look for ways to pass on traditions to their children. A clothing collection that honors Hispanic heritage for infants will appeal greatly to these consumers.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My customers see me as source of information, not just goods. They know that each product I create comes from a place of questions. They answer the questions we all face when attempting to engage our ancestors and better understand our history. I only make pieces that answer my own questions so their purchase is always educational, and empowers them to continue on the path to remembrance.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Pop ups are the best source of new clients for me. At in person events I get to connect with clients in a genuine way. We do pop ups every weekend during summers and the holiday season. These are challenging for me physically, due to my chronic illness. To counter this I now employ Bronx teens. They support me physically, and are learning how to start and operate their own small business. I pay them $15 an hour which allows them to gain financial freedom that their families often struggle to achieve.

During in person engagements I am able to share our story, our why and the impact our sales make on the South Bronx and our partners in the Dominican Republic. This is something I still haven’t figured out how to do via social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.ojalathreads.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/ojalathreads