Penn sophomore designs clothes to 'Rep Yo Faith'

College sophomore Jazmine Smith is so passionate about her Christian faith that she put it on a t-shirt.

Over winter break, Jazmine decided that clothing featuring Christian messages would be the best way to share her beliefs with others. She quickly began working towards making her idea a reality and launched her clothing line, Rep Yo Faith, shortly after.

“When you wear it, it’s a way to start a conversation” Jazmine said.

There is sometimes a stigma associated with being so open with your religion.

“Often times when Christians speak up about our faith, we are shut down,” College junior Chaz Smith said.

Jazmine chose the name Rep Yo Faith to speak to the younger generation. The shirts have a message, but the designs are simplistic.

“It’s not too many words,” Jazmine said. “[It’s] sweet and to the point.”

Jazmine is not concerned with creating a huge return on investment. The only reason she charges for the clothing is to pay for the production and delivery from the shirts. She advertises her brand through social media and said that she hopes it gains attention through word of mouth.

“I try not to look at the quantity, because that’s not what it’s about,” she said. “I want to get the news out there.”

She has expanded her original line to include a purity campaign. She said that sometimes people who are waiting until marriage to have sex feel skeptical about telling others.

“Why can’t waiting be cool?” Jazmine asked. Her shirts in the purity campaign have subtle messages like “Worth the Wait” and “True <3 Waits”.

Jazmine gets the word out about her faith in other ways as well. She currently writes a Christian blog called The Chosen Ones 2.0. On the blog she addresses everyday issues that teenagers face, and she hopes to be a positive role model.

Jazmine encourages everyone to check out her brand, even if they’re not Christian. She doesn’t want people to feel excluded.

“[Christians] have a bad rap about judging people,” Jazmine said. “They think we’re so unfriendly.” This is the kind of attitude that she wants to change using her clothing brand. She hopes to open up conversation and make the topic of faith less daunting.

“It’s very difficult, but don’t feel ashamed of your faith,” Chaz said. “Even when you feel like you’re being told so often to be quiet.”

In the upcoming months Jazmine will be working on designing a colorful Rep Yo Faith clothing line for kids.

“I’m an outgoing person, and outreach was something that was always easy for me,” Jazmine said, on why she chose to take on this project. She encourages others to use their gifts and not to hesitate to start something.

“I thought up the idea on a Thursday,” Jazmine said. “And I was working on it by Sunday.”

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