I grew up poor. Like a lot of poor kids, my clothes were either hand-me-downs or came from Goodwill or Family Dollar. And like a lot of poor kids, other kids bullied me because of what I wore. 

For most of my life, being poor made me insecure, as if my poverty defined me. 

But over the past few years, I’ve reimagined myself and my sense of fashion—and, in the process, discovered my own self-confidence—through thrifting. It began when my best friend took me to Carolina Thrift in Raleigh, and we spent hours trying on clothes until I found something that excited me. Thrifting gave me permission to be the boisterous, colorful kid I always wanted to be—the person I always was inside—but could never afford to show to the world. 

Kids today still get picked on for not wearing popular brand names. I wanted to share with them what I’ve learned—that no one else can define who they are, they can celebrate themselves through what they wear, and it doesn’t cost a lot to do it. Through social media, I connected with five Durham kids living in Oxford Manor and another in the Lofts at Southside and, with a few of my finest thrifting friends, took them to the Durham Rescue Mission. 

The goal was to let them express themselves creatively with just twenty bucks. Along the way, we asked them questions about how they want the world to see them.

They walked away from the experience with a bunch of fun new clothes. I left thinking that even a little more access to creative resources could go a long way to making underprivileged kids feel more confident about themselves. 

Jahleel, 10

What’s your favorite thing about yourself? 

I’m a funny person.

What do you want people to know about you?

I’m very athletic and competitive.

Noah, 11

What’s your favorite thing about yourself? 

I like my hair, my skin. I like that I’m able to do a lot of things. I’m smart. I like my looks. I like that I can do a lot of fun things that other kids can’t. And I like thrift shopping.

What do you want people to know about you?

I want them to know that I’m an artist.

Alazia, 14

What’s your favorite thing about yourself? 

Tough times, I know what to do. And when it comes to the things I love, I know what to go for. Like, my mind is like, yes, that one. I’m that confident person.

What do you want people to know about you?

I want people to know that I’m bold and confident. I want to be out there. And I’m not afraid of anything. I’m ready to take risks. I’m a fearless girl.

Theo, 12

What’s your favorite thing about yourself? 

My favorite thing about myself is I know people judge me and bully me sometimes, but still, I’ll just be open with it. And I like to be a gamer sometimes, watch YouTube, be funny, play with my friends.

What do you want people to know about you?

Don’t judge me.

Jordan, 11

What’s your favorite thing about yourself? 

I can express myself in colors, earthy tones, neon tones. Things that say I’m full, I’m confident, but I’m also really scared at times.

What do you want people to know about you?

One thing I want people to know about me is though I may look easy to approach, I can be very shy and don’t really like to talk with new people too often.

Ryan, 11

What’s your favorite thing about yourself? 

I like to play around. I like to have fun. I kinda like schoolwork. I like watching anime ’cause it reminds me of myself.

What do you want people to know about you?

I want them to know that I’m all about fashion—style.

Contact staff photographer Jade Wilson at jwilson@indyweek.com. 

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