Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Reynolds.
Megan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started volunteering with the Syrian refugee community in East County in January 2017. My mom and I adopted a newly-arrived Syrian family and helped them get settled here in their new life in El Cajon. While working with this one family, I met a lot of the other Syrian families in the area.
Through all this work, I realized the need for the women in these families to try to work for the first time ever. Because these women are not from a culture where they often worked, the idea of commuting to a job is very daunting to these women. I’ve always had a passion for jewelry, so I decided to combine my love of jewelry design with helping the community that is near and dear to my heart. We officially opened in November 2018 with four Syrian refugee women in El Cajon as the makers of all of our pieces.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been fun so far, but there have definitely been a few obstacles! The cultural and language barriers have been the hardest part for us. Training all of the makers and communicating with them each week was a struggle for sure. But, we are improving with communication each week and the makers are confident in knowing the work they have to do each week. Additionally, it has been a challenge to break through with boutiques that already have well-established jewelry lines stocked. But, I think our story is helping us break through now!
Please tell us about Jamila Collective.
Jamila Collective is focused on fresh, yet timeless jewelry designs made with the highest quality materials. All of our designs are playful but refined. They are made of sterling silver, stainless steel, Swarovski® crystals, and freshwater pearls. While we are known for our pearl designs and our cluster earrings, we are really known for our story and for the special women who produce our pieces. We set our brand apart with our focus on providing economic opportunities for local Syrian refugee women in East County through creative work. And, because it’s commonly asked, our name is from Jamila, the Arabic word for beautiful in form and spirit.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My dad loved going to Charger and Padres games, so we would often go tailgate and attend the games as a family. My dad died when I was eleven, so I cherish these simple, fun times as a family.
Pricing:
- Earrings: $25-$80
- Bracelets: $40-60
- Necklaces: $40-115
- Rings: $30-$34
Contact Info:
- Website: http://thejamilacollective.com
- Phone: 619-940-5537
- Email: thejamilacollective@gmail.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/thejamilacollective
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/thejamilacollective
Image Credit:
Cindy Lynn Portrait
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