About Us
Teena's Legacy Mission
Teena’s Legacy is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit agency that provides a valuable trade of re-upholstering furniture, promoting economic transformation along with practical tools, and life skills encouraging self-discovery.
Our goal was to focus primarily on young and adult black women age ranging from 18 -35 who’s seeking a better life for themselves and their families. These are young women who live in urban communities and are struggling with identity, trauma, homelessness, and or formally incarcerated. But over the years we’ve subcontracted with different organizations and institutions that serves all ages, race and background.
Teena's Legacy Core Values:
- Love
- Truthfulness
- Creativity
- Abundance and Prosperity
- Sisterhood
- And Living In Your Greatness!
Who Is Teena and what Is Her Legacy
Teena’s Legacy was founded in 2013 by Jamika Smith in honor of her grandmother Alberteen Stredrick (Teena). Alberteen transition back in 2011, but not without leaving a long-lasting impact on Jamika’s life hence motivating her to keep her legacy alive.
Alberteen (Teena) was creative, vibrant and always about her business. She grow up in the town of Pastoria and Sherrill, Arkansas. Shortly after graduating, she went to New York City for vocational training and returned to Arkansas to work on the family farm. She left Arkansas for Chicago at the tender age of 19 in order to earn a better living for her family. She held a number of jobs including clerical, domestic, culinary, resale, and factory work. She retired from Leaf Brand Candy Co. where she held a number of position. Alberteen (Teena) was an accomplished seamstress and a self-taught interior decorator. She had a creative eye for fashion which resulted in unique and stylish clothes; she would model her designs in fashion shows she hosted and coordinated in the basement of her home and different local venues. She also had a gift in restoring and reviving old furniture back to its original glory.
Grandma believed strongly in self-sufficiency and having your own, her vision for her family was for them to tap into their natural gifts and use them to start their own business and leave a legacy for their children. And I am doing just that, keeping my grandmother's legacy alive for my daughter, and the cycle will continue.
