Rita sells clothes and accessories for American sensibilities, but with a distinctly African twist.
Rita credits her mom for teaching her how to sew. She and her mom have lived in Boise for about two years. They moved to Idaho as refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. "I'm so happy to show people my talent," she explains. "It makes me excited." "African fabric -- you can use [it] for anything," she explains. African fabric is thick and waxy. It comes in bold colors and patterns. Rita describes it as "crazy.""You can just try to [make] something and [everything] looks great." Rita credits her mom for teaching her how to sew. She and her mom have lived in Boise for about two years. They moved to Idaho as refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rita's mom noticed right away, during a sewing class she took, how a design for a women's purse made with African fabric was a hit with the locals in the United States.
"If we make African clothes, just Africans buy," Rita explains.
That's why Rita has adopted an approach that mixes the two cultures.
But her heart is with the continent of her birth. Her favorite bag has maps of Africa sewn on it.
"I'm so proud. Because in Africa you have good air. You have trees, you can eat the fruits," she explains.
"You can just try to [make] something and [everything] looks great."
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