What started as a song is blossoming into a clothing line that seeks to answer the question of one’s identity with affirming and encouraging messages.

Torrie Patterson, who was born and raised in Prince Edward and is a graduate of Longwood University, said she was driving in 2013 when she had a song pop into her head. She wrote the lyrics to the song down when she arrived at work. It was what she described as a moment of spiritual inspiration that led her to pursue recording a gospel album.

Patterson said she has written more than 40 songs and is in the process of recording her album which is scheduled to come out in 2019.

This led her to look for ways to raise funds for the album. She had the idea for a way to promote the album through an image of her silhouette with the words “Who Am I” in the background.

She used this image to promote the album until a friend and Patterson had the idea to replace the words “Who Am I?” in the background with positive affirmations.

Another friend thought the image would look great on a T-shirt. Seeing it as a natural way to raise funds and spread a positive message, Patterson started making T-shirts.

Patterson said thanks to social media and through word-of-mouth, her shirts have sold in different parts of the United States, including Florida, California, South Carolina. She recently had one sell in Japan and has been contacted by a woman in Africa about purchasing a T-shirt.

“This is more than just an image,” Patterson said. “It just felt like it became more of a movement.”

“The Who Am I brand represents women and men finding their true selves and understanding our purpose and our power,” Patterson said. “On those days when we feel powerless, it reminds us that we are not.”

A self-described dreamer, Patterson said she wants to expand the program to a conference and speak about the program internationally. She hopes to open a clothing store on her website.

The clothing and messages behind them have made an impact in the Farmville area and beyond.

Friend Jill Ahmad said she was familiar with Who Am I and knew Patterson as a singer.

Ahmad was approached about being involved in the Moton Family Challenge Fashion Show back in September and heard Patterson’s clothing line would be featured.

Ahmad was uncertain about wearing the T-shirt in a way that reflected her Muslim faith. Ahmad said her sister, Tuere Davis, has her own clothing line, the Modiste Empress. Her sister was able to use the T-shirt and incorporate it into an outfit for the fashion show.

Ahmad said the empowering message of the outfit and the military green and gold rocketed her confidence on the runway.

Ahmad, who has given away the Who Am I clothing as gifts, said the brand reflects Patterson’s dedication to helping people see themselves in life-changing ways.

“It’s a question that I had been asking,” Ahmad said about the Who Am I project. “All of these beautiful answers were already there.”

Patterson said she works as a juvenile probation officer, and encourages youth to dare to dream, and pursue them. She said she does this now because she wasn’t much of a dreamer when she was younger.

“After 2013, after I received that song, I became this way,” Patterson said. “And now it’s who I am.”