Meet our brilliant-minded, justice-seeking friend, Lindsey Low! She is a true academic, approaching life and work with a curious mind and passion for change. A lifelong learner, Lindsey embodies the tenet of our Sseko Manifesto, ‘read good books and ask hard questions’! We hope you’re as captivated by her dreams, passions, and pixie cut as we are!
Meet The Ace
LINDSEY LOW
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
I grew up in Waco, TX and lived there my whole life until a couple years ago when I moved to Oregon to pursue my masters degree. I went to Baylor University where I majored in psychology. Like many, college was a very formative time for me, it is where I realized what my goals and dreams were for the future. I went to the University of Oregon to get my Masters of Education in Prevention Science with an emphasis on mental health prevention, one of the top programs in the nation for this particular area. Prevention Science is (in a nutshell) the study of what goes wrong in life, and how can we stop unhealthy patterns early enough so that they do not become lifelong problems. I am working as a Family Intervention Specialist with the Youth Villages Intercept program of Portland right now, but plan to eventually continue my education with another Masters in Social Work.
I love to read, and I spend a lot of time at Powell’s bookstore in Portland, OR, where I now live. My favorite books are those written about the dichotomy between social good and the opposite, social and personal destruction. It seems odd, but it gives me a more grounded perspective on the world and what we can do to make it a better place. My favorite book is This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Everything he writes is beautiful, I’ve never felt so captivated as I have reading his words.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING DESCRIBED AS THE ACE?
I love it! I love to constantly be learning–my life would be so dull if I weren’t perpetually immersed in a new book or asking hard questions. I love being kinda dorky and reading books and think it’s fun to always be learning. My Masters degree was the hardest year of my life but it was incredibly formative and gave me really good perspective going into my career. Achieving my Masters degree helped me look at my own privilege through an empowering lens, instead of making me feel guilty for the privilege I was born with. Like Sseko Designs, my work and education has made me passionate about education as a tool for alleviating poverty in our community. It is a huge stepping stone for people, and brings people out of poverty and into opportunity.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL STYLE
My short hair is probably the most obvious style choice i’ve made. I cut it two and half years ago, it was a drastic change that came about at a time when I was needing change in my life. It is comfortable and a good representation of my personality, very low maintenance. It was shocking for some people when they first saw, but I had never felt more feminine, beautiful, and comfortable with my body. My short hair makes me feel better about the way I dress, and brought about a whole new level of confidence. I really believe in empowering people to love and accept themselves, which is why I love Sseko and the way each product empowers women. That being said, I find that I wear a lot of thrifted things, and pair them with my Sseko Ribbon Sandals during the Summer, or the new Sseko oxfords I just got for Fall and Winter! I don’t always match but I always feel very comfortable with myself and I think that comes across. Style doesn’t have to be “by the books” but by your own books. When your passion is inspiring change in the way other people view themselves, the confidence you show in your own style and demeanor can be pretty powerful tool.
WHAT PIECE OF THE SSEKO MANIFESTO RESONATES MOST WITH YOU?
“Stand up for yourself and those who can’t.” It can be really easy to stand up for yourself and expect others to do the same. The more I’ve been in school and in the world, I’ve learned that we all have different levels of privilege. There are some people that can’t stand up for themselves, and there are those of us who have the capacity and privilege to be able to stand up for both ourselves and for those who cannot. I believe it is my responsibility to stand up for those who can’t. I want to work with families and children in crisis—and I realize that’s not for everyone. I already feel predisposed to do that sort of work and know it is my life’s work. It is emotional and draining and maybe undesirable from the outside looking in—but I feel like it’s my responsibility.
HOW DO YOU SEEK THE UNFAMILIAR IN DAILY LIFE
The field I am in lends itself to the unexpected and that’s exciting to me. I never know what is going to be thrown at me– I have to be prepared for any and all situations. Every morning I wake up and choose to be excited about what possibilities the day holds, I think that is key to living well. My whole life I’ve thought of myself as an ultra-curious person, walking down the street, wondering about the lives of the people passing by. We’re all so complex and intertwined with the world around us, it’s fascinating to me. Humans are so resilient and that is so encouraging to my work. When you’re working with people in crisis you’re in a place of unknown all the time, but it keeps you on your toes.
HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO SEEK THE UNFAMILIAR?
We all have skills and purpose for being. Becoming aware of those skills and purpose in ourselves and clueing into the skills and purpose in others helps everyone to thrive. Get to know the people around you, know what they love, need, and want in life. I think letting people tell you their story and being genuine in listening to those stories is a way to step outside of our comfort zones. Just try it– you may just find that we’re all so much more connected and similar than we think.
