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With passion and dedication, she celebrates the third year of OCP and the recent opening of OCP Downtown, catering to professional athletes.
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OAK CLIFF ADVOCATE VOL. 18 NO.7
Werk Stories podcast
Zen and Beatrice
Judge Vonda Bailey
Lisa Layne
The interior of Bella & Brawn, a Bishop Arts boutique run by a motherdaughter duo. Read more on page 27. Photography by Yuvie Styles.
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Podcast creates space for women of color to discuss workplace experiences
“When you know you’re in a space that is soul-sucking, it is taking your energy, it is changing your personality.”
Birthed from back-to-back discriminatory work experiences, the podcast Werk Stories has become a vital space for Black women and women of color to share their workplace experiences.
Created by Joi Louviere, the podcast seeks to empower women through storytelling and community support. By collaborating with therapists, HR professionals, and employment lawyers, Werk Stories provides actionable advice to help women navigate and change their industries.
Louviere’s journey to creating Werk Stories is rooted in her passion for storytelling.
“My storytelling desire has been there since I was a teenager,” Louviere says.
After earning degrees in journalism from Hampton University and Georgetown University, she traveled the world for over three years, during which she worked in communications and social media for nonprofits.
Her travels and work experiences highlighted the many stories that needed to be told, leading her to nonprofit work focused on children and college access. However, Louviere couldn’t escape the workplace bias, discrimination and overall racism present in the nonprofit world.
Louviere’s breaking point came while working at a nonprofit where she faced constant targeting based on her gender and race.
“There was a lot of targeting based on me being a woman. Other women there experienced similar things,” she says. “And then I’m a Black woman, so it kind of gives you that double the fun of the interactions that you go through and how people assume things and just the way you’re treated because of that.”
Despite excelling in her job and receiving raises and promotions, she was never treated well.
Realizing that many women lacked a safe space to discuss their workplace traumas, Louviere decided to create one.
“I need to create the dream space that I would have wanted to process my trauma,” she says.
Louviere’s podcasting journey began with a pitch contest at CultureCon, a conference for creatives of color. Her off-the-cuff submission won her mentorship through Acast, a production company, and provided her with the tools and connections to launch Werk Stories
The podcast features two types of episodes: storytelling episodes where women share their workplace experiences, and educational episodes with experts offering advice on various topics.
Louviere emphasizes the importance of inclusivity, ensuring that Werk Stories is open to all women of color.
“I really wanted to make sure that it wasn’t just talking about Black women. I wanted to make sure that I was open for all women of color,” she says.
Werk Stories is available in concise, 30-minute episodes, making it accessible for listeners with busy schedules. The podcast, along with its Instagram page, serves as a resource for women seeking community, advice and inspiration.
Louviere’s efforts have resonated with many, creating a natural community of support.
“This gives people a moment to be soft when we’re expected to be so strong. People can just kind of relax,” she says.
In her advice to other women of color facing similar challenges, Louviere emphasizes the importance of trusting one’s instincts.
“When you know you’re in a space that is soul-sucking, it is taking your energy, it is changing your personality,” she says. “I need people to be proactive about getting out of that situation.”
The community has grown organically, with listeners engaging in conversations and sharing their work wins on the podcast’s Instagram page.
Louviere envisions Werk Stories as more than just a podcast. She dreams of hosting in-person events and workshops to help women navigate their careers.
“I see it being like pop-ups in a community, where you can actually go and get a workshop about salary negotiation,” she says.
For Louviere, the ultimate goal is to see a world where Werk Stories is no longer needed.
“I said I would love for there to be a day where this isn’t needed,” she says. “It’s irrelevant.”
FAR MORE THAN 50% OF PEOPLE in the service industry are women, but when it comes to leadership positions, men outnumber women 2-1. Michelle Carpenter is looking to change that.
Carpenter owns two restaurants in Oak Cliff — Zen Sushi and Restaurant Beatrice. Zen Sushi has been a Bishop Arts staple for 17 years now, while Restaurant Beatrice made its home off of North Beckley Avenue two years ago.
“I’m half Japanese and half Cajun, and with Beatrice, I was ready to tell the other half of my story,” Carpenter says. “Throughout the whole time that I had Zen, I’ve always wanted to explore the Cajun part of my culture and provide high-quality Cajun food.”
Carpenter was born in Tokyo and moved to America at age 5. She grew up in San Antonio and worked in various Japanese restaurants. In her early twenties, she decided that she wanted to expand beyond being a sushi-maker and train to become an actual itamae, a highly-revered profession in Japanese culinary culture.
She moved to San Diego and trained under several itamaes during a twoyear stage, later returning to Texas where she found work at Mr. Sushi in Addison. She then moved on to Yamaguchi’s in the Park Cities, where she was eventually promoted to executive chef under itamae Yama-San.
In 2006, Carpenter decided to open her own restaurant, Zen Sushi.
Zen Sushi has found plenty of success as it has been awarded over 14 ‘Best Sushi in Dallas’ awards, but Carpenter wanted to pay homage to her Cajun family traditions in a second restaurant.
Restaurant Beatrice, named after Carpenter’s grandmother, is an in -
dependent restaurant sourcing from local farmers, gulf seafood suppliers and they even have a hand in raising their own pork. They strive to make everything from scratch and their contemporary Louisiana menu provides a large variety of dishes to explore.
“We’re not doing the same things as everyone else,” Carpenter says. “There are lots of very good restaurants in Dallas that make good food, but few tell a story about a chef, people or a culture. Food is culture, and chefs are the leaders of culinary culture.”
In 2023, Restaurant Beatrice was a finalist for the ‘Best New Restaurant’ in America by the James Beard Foundation.
After being in the restaurant industry for 38 years, Carpenter has learned a lot, and wants to share her knowledge with women who desire to be leaders in the restaurant industry.
Last fall, she partnered with Dallas College and Steve DeShazo, the Dallas College Workforce Director, to create the Women in Restaurants Leadership Program. The tuition-free, eight-week program was offered in the spring of 2024 and included seminars, training and stagiaire opportunities to anyone looking to advance in the restaurant industry.
“We really wanted to do something to make an impact on the industry,” Carpenter says. “There is certainly a gap, and personally, I didn’t have any mentors like myself or at all. I know that it would have made my journey as a chef or restaurateur, and a business owner much easier. I wanted to make sure that the students in the program could learn from my mistakes and missteps along the way and take away some hesitation and barriers for them.”
Opposite: Restaurant Beatrice serves porchetta with Louisiana-raised pork belly, creamy gristmill grits, tomato butter sauce and seared okra.
Classes were hosted on alternate Mondays where industry leaders helped students master leadership skills and strategies to grow their careers. Outside of the classroom, students attended stages at Restaurant Beatrice, Zen Sushi and other restaurant partners for shadowing experiences in different areas of restaurant management.
The program was a huge success and will be returning for the fall. Overall, 82% of the students received paid opportunities and 100% of the students felt the tuition-free class was worth paying for given the content and networking opportunities. Two of the students were hired for Restaurant Beatrice and Zen Sushi, and one student signed a lease and is opening her own concept in Fort Worth this summer.
Carpenter says they are also planning an advanced women’s class where a number of select students from the first class will be part of an intensive program taught inside the restaurants. The students will prepare their own menu, market their own concept and open it to the public with a safety net.
“It feels great to see that success, and it gives me energy to continue doing what I’m doing and it just makes it worth all the time and effort and the volunteer hours that we’re doing — we see that we’re making a difference,” Carpenter says. “Even if it’s a small difference in a small number of people’s lives right now, this could certainly grow and become bigger and have a bigger impact.”
is
Story by JILLIAN NACHTIGAL | Photography by AMANI SODIQ
Vonda Bailey knew she wanted to be a lawyer at 2 years old.
Courtroom drama Perry Mason would appear on Bailey’s television each night before bed. The show followed the trials of a master criminal defense attorney handling the most difficult cases in support of the innocent.
“He was so brilliant, and you could tell he had a passion for the law,” Bailey says. “I just remember being like, man, I want to be like Perry Mason. I didn’t know what that entailed at the age of 2, but the older I got, I realized that I like advocating for others. I’m very outspoken, I would say how I feel, and I’m honest within saying what I feel.”
From that moment, Bailey knew she would someday be a lawyer. When she
expressed her desire to her parents, they would have their own mock trials with one of them behind the couch acting as the judge and herself on the other side.
Bailey grew up in a law enforcement environment. Her dad worked at the sheriff’s department, her mom was a felony court clerk and she had cousins who worked as constables and in prisons. She describes her dad as being strict, but that didn’t stop her from being the rebellious one of her siblings.
“I stayed in trouble in school,” Bailey says. “Growing up in school, I didn’t like bullies, so I would be the person who bullied the bullies. I don’t like to see people mistreated, and that was from an early age. I wanted to advocate for those who couldn’t.”
Bailey grew up in Oak Cliff and graduated from David W. Carter High School. Being from the historic Dallas neighborhood encourages her to share her story and speak at events, because she knows others can be inspired.
“Being from Oak Cliff means a lot to me — it’s unique,” Bailey says. “For me, there is a sense of duty for the things that I want to do, what I want to accomplish, and what I want the younger generation to see. When they’re deciding whatever career choice they want, I want them to think, ‘I can do that, because this chick from Oak Cliff, she did it.’”
After high school, Bailey attended Dallas Community College where she obtained her associate’s degree. She received her bachelor’s and master’s
degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington before attending Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Following graduation from law school in 2014, Bailey established the law firm of Vonda Bailey and immediately made an impact in the Dallas area.
B , a courtroom-based TV show involving cases with issues related to child support in Texas.
Inspiration struck on New Year’s Day in 2018 as Bailey was watching Paternity Court . Afterwards, a new show, Couples Court , came on. She grabbed the remote to check the TV guide and was met with a lineup of various court shows slated for the day.
Bailey hosted an annual Client Appreciation Yacht Party where she collected donated items to give to those in need and children. She is a frequent speaker at local schools’ career day, and has provided pro bono services.
Her most popular endeavor is her YouTube show: Support Court with Judge Vonda
“I noticed that there is clearly a niche for court shows, but why was nobody talking about the most controversial thing ever as it relates to law?” Bailey says. “With child support, some people love it, some people hate it, some people don’t believe in it, but I knew I had to do this.”
Going into it, Bailey knew there would be naysayers, but she wanted to educate people about child support issues.
“Education is not about popularity,” Bailey says. “Education is about getting the information out to people, whether they like it or not, whether they agree or disagree.”
The show gained traction, and her YouTube channel currently has 684,000 subscribers. Bailey also has a large audience across other social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
For some, Support Court is merely entertainment, as Bailey dramatizes scenarios and provides intriguing storylines. But for others, it has made a lasting impact on their life.
Recently while traveling back from a trip to Las Vegas with her husband, Bailey was approached by a woman in the airport who recognized her from Support Court.
“She gave me a big hug and said, ‘I just want you to know, I got custody of my grandson from watching your show,’” Bailey says. “That just made me feel good, because
I’ve done something that is in perpetuity — it’s forever on the internet. So people can go look at it and say, ‘Oh, that’s what I need to do.’ I didn’t cover every aspect of child support, but almost anything people are looking for, they can find it.”
While clips from Support Court still go viral on social media here and there, the show is currently on a hiatus as Bailey was recently elected Judge of the 255th Family District Court in Dallas.
Bailey always knew she wanted to be a judge, but was waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.
“The previous judge that was sitting on the bench, I didn’t like the things that were going on,” Bailey says. “For me, when I see an issue, when I see people being mistreated, or if I see a process that can work a little better, I’m not going to sit here and complain like the rest of you. I’m going to get in the game.”
Bailey planned her campaign for about three years. When it was time to start campaigning, she was in her element.
“I knew I was going to win, and not in a cocky way,” Bailey says. “I just knew I was going to win because I knew what it takes. I knew what it took to get there. But I also knew that my work ethic is impeccable and nobody’s going to outwork me.”
In 2022, Bailey won the election by beating the incumbent judge by nearly 20,000 votes. In January 2023, she took the bench.
She’s “reopened” the 255th court by taking steps to assist litigants. In her first couple of months on the bench, Bailey established a monthly night court for those who could not get off work and established a monthly pro se court where those not represented by an attorney can have the help of a local attorney group.
Throughout her career in law, Bailey has never shied away from sharing her life on social media. Recently, she has decided to be more open than ever with her followers.
The judge who used to sit on the bench that Bailey now occupies filed a bar complaint against her in 2018, which tells the state bar that a certain lawyer does not deserve to have their law license.
“That was very hard, and it took years to really get over it,” Bailey says. “During that time, I was a newlywed, I was pregnant with my daughter, and I had a very rough pregnancy, just dealing with the stress of having to hire an attorney. It was a lot.”
Last February, Bailey was sitting in her
chambers filming videos for her social media. She started to talk to herself about how she came out of that dark period in her life and knew she needed to share it.
“I didn’t think about how the most traumatic thing in your life, actually sharing it, could be a release,” Bailey says. “It wasn’t until that moment that I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.”
In her profession, people often are not open about their feelings and emotions, Bailey says. It was important for her to show a side of her that the public often does not see.
“In the legal profession, we’re very good at being mystique and mysterious,” Bailey says. “I think people fail to see this humanistic side of us. Me opening up and sharing my life on social media allows me to be relatable and have different conversations, where I’m not confined to this judicial box of things I can and can’t do.”
The response to her story, which she shared on YouTube and TikTok, was overwhelmingly positive.
“So many people were like, ‘You encourage me to tell my story. You encourage me to not be afraid to just go after my dream,’” Bailey says. “People just feel inspired and really impressed that a judge is literally in tears telling you all about this traumatic time in her life.”
Between serving as a judge, maintaining her presence on social media, and being a mother and wife, Bailey recently expanded her portfolio to include film acting. She appeared in the 2023 film, Shadows of My Past , as herself. The drama, which is avilable to stream on Tubi, is described as a “heart-pounding tale of love, betrayal and redemption.”
“It was really exciting to see myself on the screen,” Bailey said. “I was overwhelmed with emotion because my 4-year-old is like, ‘Mommy’s on TV. She’s in a movie.’ This is just the start.”
Bailey’s current term as judge ends on December 31, 2026. And while Support Cour t will not make its return until she is off the bench, Bailey still has plenty of projects in the works.
“I have so many more things in store,” she says. “This is not the end of Judge Vonda Bailey.”
A mother-daughter team passionately dedicated to Oak Cliff, the community they’ve called home since 1999. With a deep appreciation for the historic and diverse architecture of Oak Cliff, they take immense pride in transforming their listings through personalized design and staging, as well as passionate representation of those dreaming of owning their own piece of Oak Cliff. As residents of East Kessler Park and The Dells District, they are proud to be woven into the fabric of this vibrant community. Their commitment extends beyond real estate, as they actively engage in events and initiatives that strengthen this unique neighborhood.
Coach Lauren Cross built one of the city’s most successful track programs
Story by SIMON PRUITT | Photography by KATHY TRAN
“ WITH HER BEING AS PHENOMENAL AS SHE WAS, AS TALENTED AS SHE WAS, IT WAS EASY TO BUILD A PROGRAM,”
says Coach Lauren Cross about Sha’Carri Richardson.
The two entered David W. Carter High School at the same time, Cross in her second position as girls track and field head coach and Richardson as an incoming freshman set to dominate. Cross coached Richardson all four years at Carter, where they made it to the state championships during her last three years.
Cross grew up in Houston, running in the high school girls circuit. She continued her athletic career at Grambling State University where she ran the 400m. Shortly after graduation, she had a short stint as the head track coach at Kingston High School in Oklahoma, before moving to Dallas to be with her husband.
In Cross’ first year, Richardson sustained an injury that would sideline her for her freshman season, but led the team to a state championship appearance as a sophomore.
“Her sophomore year, we made it to the state title and we got runner up,” Cross says. “We lost the whole state title by about six points. We were just happy to be there, let alone win it all. We weren’t even thinking about that. So once we ended the season, I told the girls, we didn’t think about winning. We were just thinking about getting to the state week to compete.”
The Carter girls would go on to
win the next two state titles, with Richardson setting standing records in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m races in 2018.
After a short stint at Louisiana State University, the “fastest woman alive” went professional and was primed to headline Team USA’s Olympic roster for the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics. She was appearing in commercials and TV interviews all while giving fans around the world a show as she won her final qualifying 100m by a significant amount. Just weeks before the Olympics would start, Richardson tested positive for marijuana, failing a mandatory USADA drug test that would disqualify her from competing in the games.
Cross and Richardson have remained close since her graduation, recently reuniting at the annual Nike track and field trials in the ramp-up for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Watching her and remembering her as a 14-year-old girl I met to the professional athlete that everybody wants to be around,” Cross says. “She’s so humbled.”
Seeing the success and attention brought to Carter by Richardson, some athletes even switched schools specifically to join Cross’ team.
“I explained to some of them that everybody’s not going to be Sha’Carri,” Cross says. “It’s such a small percentage of kids that do it professionally. The high school experience is the most important experience. For most kids, that’s as
"Ann’s
far as they’re going to go and you just want to make sure that it’s memorable for them.”
Runners under Cross have garnered far more than a fun high school sports experience. The team has made it to state championships every year since her hiring.
”Once you win, it’s easy for kids to buy into the program,” Cross says. “I was still learning a lot at that time. With her being as phenomenal as she was, it was easy to build a program out there.”
Carter’s girls track and field team has been successful, but consistent winning is far more difficult than it seemed at one point.
“Over the past couple years, we’ve gotten to state but haven’t won a state title,” Cross says. “I didn’t realize how great that ride was. It helped put the foundation of my program. That’s just our minimum expectations to get to state.”
Given the self-imposed standard of excellence, Cross is methodical in how she arranges practices and workouts with her students.
“Being an athlete, you have your routine,” she says. “You don’t look at it from the administrative side. Coaches basically gave us workouts in high school and college. But once I put on the coaching hat, I had to analyze; how does this workout really help the girls?”
Going on her 11th year at Carter, Cross is still learning the subtleties of coaching. But once her team is out on the track, there’s only one thing that matters.
“When you understand how winning feels,” Cross says. “All of the other nonsense goes out the window.”
Oak Cliff resident beats ovarian cancer, continues to fight
Story by JILLIAN NACHTIGAL
years.
AND THE AROMA OF RED WINE FILLED ANNE FEY’S SENSES AS SHE SAT DOWN WITH HER FRIENDS IN A PACKED RESTAURANT ON VALENTINE’S DAY IN 2007.
“I apologize for being late, but I’ve had a wild day,” she says.
As she prepared to unpack her day and spill the details of her upcoming trip to Europe, her phone rang and her doctor’s name lit up her phone. She exited the crowded room to take the call.
“Hey, you can’t travel,” the doctor says through the phone. “You’re going to have surgery. You have a mass.”
Earlier that day, Fey visited her doctor after feeling a pain in her side and experiencing some bloating. A CT scan was ordered to make sure she was in the clear before traveling. The worst she imagined was appendicitis, but it was confirmed that she had a mass on her ovary.
She returned to her table and to the last bit of normalcy she would have for several months.
Within a week, surgery was scheduled. By the time the big day rolled around, her mass had grown significantly, to about the size of a cantaloupe.
Before going into the operating room, her family and partner by her side, her doctor pulled her aside to speak to her alone. Fey sat up in her gurney, and the doctor uttered three heavy words.
“You have cancer.”
She received a hysterectomy that day, but her journey was far from over.
“It really is a moment that makes time stand still,” Fey says. “I didn’t really know I was going to have to have chemo. I just thought, well, I’m gonna have a hysterectomy. And we’re gonna get this all out of me.”
The cancer had spread, and Fey began chemotherapy.
After her first round, Fey’s mother suggested going to a support group at the hospital for women with ovarian cancer. Still overwhelmed by the whole process, she gave it a shot, but afterwards told her mother there was no way she would be going back.
Fey endured six rounds of chemo. On her birthday, July 26, she was cancer-free and has been ever since. This month marks 17 years. After going into remission, she decided to give the support group another chance.
“When I stopped my chemo, I was in this no man’s land,” Fey says. “So I went back to the
It really is a moment that makes time stand still
group on my own. I sat there and all I did was just cry. They just looked at me and I said, ‘you know, I didn’t even really like you guys when I came the first time.’ And they’re like, ‘That’s okay. We’re just gonna love you through all this.’”
Fey went through her journey with a lot of support, and she knew some did not have the same. This sparked her desire to help others who are walking the same path that she did.
“I was full of gratitude that I have gone through that process and made it on the other side,” she says. “I thought the least I could do would be to help new people. Some people have more support than others with their family and friends.”
Some of the women in the ovarian cancer support group were involved in the Be the Difference Foundation, whose mission is to create awareness and improve the lives of people affected by ovarian cancer through education, support and research.
Fey got involved in an initiative where she would speak to medical students in residency about her experience. The program, Survivors Teaching Students, has the objective of increasing the medical students’ understanding of ovarian cancer symptoms and risk factors so they will be able to diagnose the disease in earlier, more treatable stages.
There is not a screening for ovarian cancer, and symptoms can often be dismissed. Com -
mon symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating and nausea. Fey would not have visited her doctor had she not been planning on traveling, and wants to do her part in making sure the right information is out there.
“There’s usually three of us that talk to the doctors, because we want them to have different stories,” Fey says. “So many women get misdiagnosed — you really have to be an advocate for yourself. The residents were always really engaged and asked lots of questions. It’s such a good resource, and the organization is also really focused on the fact that there isn’t a lot of research being done on ovarian cancer.”
According to the Be the Difference Foundation, more than 72% of latestage ovarian cancer patients will die from their disease, but when it is treated early, the survival rate is over 92%. Unfortunately, 85% of women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer are already in the late stages.
Fey, alongside others at the foundation, seeks to change that through education and awareness.
Additionally, Fey provides support for newly diagnosed women. Whether it’s suggesting some of her favorite foods that got her through treatment, or giving them someone to vent to who has been through the same experiences, Fey wanted to be there for those going through their own battles with cancer.
“I wanted to help them go through that chemo dance,” Fey says. “Initially, I was very afraid of chemo. I just wanted to be able to give them a spoonful of hope, just little things to help them through and help the rest of the family.”
After going through her journey, Fey says she has learned to appreciate the joy of a normal day.
“After you’ve been really sick, and in this case it was the sickest I’ve been in my life,” she says. “You appreciate coming home to a good cup of coffee or having dinner with your good friends.”
Story by PARKER JOHNSON | Photography by YUVIE STYLES
ARTS DISTRICT , a mother-daughter duo has created a unique shopping experience that blends inclusivity with a vibrant sense of community. Aimee and Ashtynn Hughes are the minds behind two successful boutiques: Bella & Brawn, and Glam House. Their journey to boutique owners is a story of family collaboration, community support and a shared passion for fashion and business.
Aimee Hughes and her husband first conceived the idea for Bella & Brawn seven years ago while both were still working in healthcare. “We knew that we wanted to do something different in the second half of our lives,” Aimee recalls. The couple’s children, particularly Ashtynn, showed a strong interest in fashion and business, making the idea of opening a boutique a family affair.
Bella & Brawn opened its doors in July 2019 in the Lower Greenville area, right before the pandemic hit. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the local community’s support helped them stay afloat. “The neighborhood was extremely supportive. They kept us going through our website when we had to shut down,” Aimee says.
The name Bella & Brawn was chosen to reflect a space that welcomes everyone. “Bella means beautiful in Spanish, and Brawn sounds masculine. We wanted a place where anyone, regardless of age, sex or sexual orientation, could find something
they loved,” Aimee explains. Early on, the boutique became known as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly for those looking to align their outward appearance with their true selves.
In February 2022, Bella & Brawn moved to the Bishop Arts District, a move that felt like coming home. “We felt like that’s where we belonged,” Aimee says. This move set the stage for the opening of their second store, Glam House, in March 2023. Ashtynn, having graduated from college, co-manages Glam House with her business partner, Yulissa Bautista.
Glam House, while under the umbrella of Bella & Brawn, has its distinct personality. “Bella & Brawn has a more classic feel with a focus on vintage candles and purses. Glam House, on the other hand, is more about ’60s and ’70s glam—think disco balls and Marilyn Monroe,” Aimee describes. The store caters to a younger crowd, from teenagers to those in their late 20s.
Ashtynn and Yulissa’s complementary skills are at the heart of Glam House’s success. “Yulissa is into fashion and cosmetology; she can put an outfit together in a snap. I’m more focused on the business side of things,” Ashtynn says. This partnership has allowed Glam House to thrive and adapt to customer needs, introducing more gift items alongside clothing.
Supporting local artists and musicians is a cornerstone of the Hughes’ business philosophy. Glam House regularly hosts local
musicians on its stage, providing them with exposure and a platform to showcase their talents. “We don’t charge them; they get to put out a tip jar and keep all the proceeds,” Ashtynn explains. The store also collaborates with new businesses, offering them space to introduce their products to the community.
Running a business with family has its challenges, but Aimee and Ashtynn have found a balance. “We set clear boundaries. Sometimes I have to remind her I’m speaking as a business partner, not as her mother,” Aimee says. Ashtynn adds, “We’ve learned to switch from personal to business mode quickly, and that has made our relationship stronger.”
Their advice for those looking to start a boutique, especially with family, is to establish boundaries early on and to follow one’s dreams. “It takes discipline and hard work, but if it’s your dream, it’s worth it,” Ashtynn says. Aimee echoes this sentiment, encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to take the leap and pursue their passions.
The Hughes family has big plans for the future, hoping to open more stores with unique personalities under the Bella & Brawn umbrella. “We want to continue growing and adapting to what our customers want,” Aimee says.
With a foundation built on family, community support, and a clear vision, Aimee and Ashtynn are proving that with the right mix of passion and perseverance, dreams can indeed become reality.
By GAYLA BROOKS
Voice of an original holiday tune hails from Oak Cliff
In a strong, clear voice, the songstress cries out that no presents are necessary this year. All she really wants for Christmas is her guy.
It’s a simple wish, recognized by most of us as the theme of one of the all-time most popular Christmas songs: “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” And no, it’s not Mariah Carey’s version.
Long before the Queen of Christmas sang her early 2000’s classic, Americans have been listening to a similar tune. But one thing Cliffites may not know is that the original vocalist, Lisa Layne, grew up in Oak Cliff, graduated from Kimball High School, and began her career here.
Just one more Oak Cliff success story to add to the list.
Layne’s love of music started at home with her family. She began singing at the age of 4 with her father, who is still a professional musician.
“We were all musically inclined,” she says. “Not all of us performed professionally, however. That’s just what we all do for the most part.”
Her family lived in the Lenora Kirk Hall district, but because she was a diabetic, Layne attended Martin Weiss Elementary School, where her mother worked.
“Mom wanted to keep a closer eye on me,” Layne says. Then, it was on to L.V. Stockard and Kimball.
“No teacher really influenced my music,” Layne says. “I did have a junior high choir teacher who told me I couldn’t really sing, but I decided not to listen to him.”
Layne and her family lived close to Westmoreland
and Kiest Boulevards. “Living where we did in Oak Cliff was very nice,” she reminisces. “We had a creek and park running alongside the whole neighborhood. Lots of friends there, too. Oak Cliff is a lot prettier than North Dallas.”
“We ate at Tippy’s Taco House a lot,” Layne says. “My brother, Brett, and I worked there, too, during high school.”
In addition to her after school job, she sang as a member of the New Tyme Singers and participated in the 1979 school musical, “Bye, Bye, Birdie.” After her 1980 graduation, she joined a guitar-stroking vocal trio named Beaver Creek along with Marsha Britton — a friend from Oak Cliff — and a male vocalist/musician from California.
“Beaver Creek performed all over [the] North Texas area,” Layne says. “Most of the clubs and things, well, I can’t recall a name. We did do Johnnie High’s Country Music Revue a lot during the early ’80s.”
In 1986, she answered a newspaper ad from Vince Vance and the Valiants, who were looking for three female singers to sing the three-girl group songs. It turned out to be an event that changed her life.
During her five-year tenure with the band, Layne attracted quite a bit of attention for her mature voice with its heatfilled sound, a perfect fit for Vance’s vision of recording the now-Christmas-classic.
The song landed on the Billboard country charts six times in the 1990s, and LeAnn Rimes and Kelly Clarkson both covered it.
Layne then relocated to Nashville, where she joined a successful beach music band, while also doing quite a bit of demo work. In early 1993, she won the role of Patsy Cline in the first national tour of “A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline.” After touring with that troupe for the better part of two years, she joined the Nashville troupe as the lead in the same show. Her next move was performing at Nashville’s Texas Troubadour Theater, doing the Patsy show from 1998 until 2000.
Layne is one of only three women certified by the Patsy Cline Association to do official tribute performances to the late singer. Wearing her “Patsy costume” — including the trademark white leather boots — she belts out the familiar Cline tunes to appreciative audiences full of fans both old and young. Layne has appeared with Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Hall and Oates, Julio Iglesias, Little Eva, Larry Gatlin, Fats Domino and Chicago.
Since debuting the song, Layne has now re-recorded her signature holiday song alongside 12 other Christmas classics in an album fittingly titled “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” She is accompanied on all selections by the world-famous Jordanaires.
Her latest project? The new album, A Tribute to Patsy Cline.
“These are some of my favorite Patsy songs,” Layne says, “[the ones] I wanted to record.”
She’s also singing as Patsy in the show “Always, Patsy Cline” at the God and Country Theatre in Branson, MO, where she has been performing for the past seven years.
So this holiday season, when her song blasts over the airways, remember that Lisa Layne is one of us — she hails from the Cliff.
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