Cranston resident Melanie Jackson had barely started her new business, Itslit, before the pandemic hit.
Now, as the crisis wears on, she has found a unique way to help spread hope during a trying time.
“Itslit is an event decor company and includes 3-foot light-up marquee letters handmade by me. I was in the midst of building out my inventory when coronavirus news started to take a turn,” Jackson said. “Now I am someone who believes in signs, literally and figuratively. So when everything started to shut down, I thought maybe this is a sign that this leap of faith was just not going to work. Instead, I took the situation as a sign that I have the ability to make these huge letters and I can try to make a positive impact in these unprecedented and scary times.”
Jackson started to think about how she could somehow spread some positivity.
“My husband and I had been taking our dogs for walks in Garden City, which as you can imagine is very quiet these days,” she said. “I thought, wouldn’t that be something if I could bring the letters here and take a photo in a place that is seldom empty during the stillness this virus has brought on?”
After bringing the “HOPE” display to Garden City, Jackson took her initiative “a step further,” incorporating various locations around Rhode Island.
“We’ve been to Garden City, Providence Skyline, the State House, the Newport bridge, Roger Williams Park so far,” she said. “I am leaving the future locations up to the people who can vote on where we go on Instagram, @itslit_ri. It’s a fun, interactive way to get people involved and exciting. We’ve received such positive feedback from people it’s lovely to see communities come together and hear from people as to how it’s impacted them.”
People have reached out to Jackson asking if the display will make it to their respective town or city, so she is looking at those requests as well. She said she hopes to “get to every location we can.”
Jackson said she has long been driven by a creative impulse.
“I definitely got the craft bug from my mom, but it was only when I bought my house in Cranston that I started to dabble in woodworking,” she said. “It’s been an evolution ever since, from home decor to customized corn hole sets. I built a 4-foot set of love marquee letters for my wedding last year along with all of the decor and flower arrangements. Coffee tables, floating shelves, planter boxes, console tables, high boys – I’m always up for a challenge to learn a new skill.”
Jackson is glad to be able to bring her message of hope to as many people as possible.
“People are so appreciative of small acts of kindness and I truly believe together we can all lift the spirits of those who are in need,” she said.
If you want to follow the “HOPE” display as it travels around the state, follow Itslit on Instagram or Facebook, @itslit_ri.
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