Lizette Scott spent the early part of her career designing clothing.

She worked at DK&Y, Tracy Reese, and Vince Camuto.

But when she decided she wanted to build something of her own, she made the leap to jewelry,

and Jam and Rico, a celebration of the two islands her family comes from, was born.

We talk about building a product line, how luck forced her hand in making Jammin Rico her full-time

job, and how you celebrate culture without

exploiting it.

Lizette, thank you for doing this. Thanks for making the time.

Of course. Of course, happy to be on the call with you today.

So, Lizette, your grandparents are from Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

By the time your parents were raising you in New York, which part of those cultures were they still preserving?

How was it showing up in your home?

Definitely food, music.

It was definitely a blended family. Everyone migrated to Brooklyn. So it was also

very like very much a community. A lot of immigrants came to Brooklyn to find a better place,

a better home. And I think that was kind of what everyone bonded on when my parents

first met. And so I think it was definitely lots of love on both sides. You are a designer

by training and by trade. You went to college for design at the University of Delaware. You

worked in fashion after college. But you didn't start in jewelry,

right? By doing fabric. Well, I would say I did start with jewelry. I had a family friend that opened

her own jewelry store when I was in high school. And I thought it was the most amazing place.

I was like, oh my gosh, she had all these jewels everywhere. She did engagement rings. It was

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