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March/April 2022 Vol. 1 Issue 1
Shalonda
STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc. Denver - March/April 2022
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There No If, Ands, Buts About It! MyAre Expectations andOr The Truth There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It! A Letter From The Editor A Letter from the Editor
I would have to say that I grew up poor by world standards. A Letter thebecause Editor my mother constantly poured I never feltfrom like it What if tomorrow didn’t arrive? All of your plans, hopes unconditional love into my other siblings and me. Her love and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if wouldn’t allowthat me you to focus on what didn’t have or anything everything decided to putI off until tomorrow never What if tomorrow didn’t arrive? All of your plans, hopes I could be missing. However, asno lifereason happened, I realized happened? would be to save a rainy and dreams There wouldn’t have a street to park on. for What if thateverything when others, myput experiences were more day, andcompared you could spare someone theuntil trouble of making that youto decided to off tomorrow never complex. EvenWhat still, Iifhad opportunity to overcome them. promises. yourthe last opportunity seemingly happened? There would be no reason to save for aexpired rainy
today? wouldspare you do? day, andWhat you could someone the trouble of making One of the most I learned from my promises. Whatimportant if your lastthings opportunity seemingly expired upbringing is that the truth will always override my I’ve been that I often today? Whattold would you do? seem like I do too much. expectations. car doing that I enough owned, and I purchased Honestly, I The feel very like I first am not I’m a firm for myself. It wasn’t a new vehicle, but it was mine. It had a believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. fewHonestly, dents, and thehandle. tires didn’t match either. The heat air that I couldn’t I not sometimes wonder how would I feel like I am doing enough and I’mlife a or firm conditioning didn’t work, and the exhaust pipe would shake be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything onme. me I likethat a leaf whenthat I started car, probably itopportunity was have to be the very boring. In mybecause opinion, I found couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone. A challenge being held in place by the wiring of a close hanger. With be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to all me.ofI to mefound is an adventure. What is the In worst that canand happen? its imperfections, was aboring. beauty inmy myopinion, sight, I was have thatmy tocar be very opportunity If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn a blessing that to everyone. A challenge veryisappreciative to isn’t ownafforded it. something new about myself. yourcan pride and in to me is an adventure. What is Relinquish the worst that happen? return acquire life. If I do nothing, I fail, if I trythat I don’t, butall instead learn Though it seemed likeand I drove car for eternity, it only something newwith about myself. Relinquish pride in survived one year me. I didn’t keep gasyour in the fueland tank, The best advice ever given to me happened when someone return acquire life. and I never changed the oil either. I drove it fast, and on cold told meI didn’t to make my tomorrow today. doing mornings allow it to warmhappen up. Rarely did I In bathe it so or I have pressed my way through doors with a key that only The best advice ever given to me happened when someone even provide it with routine or preventative maintenance, and hope provided. have alsoonly learned the today. difference between told to make tomorrow happen In doing so before Ime knew it, myImy first and method of transportation what God blesses me with and what life can burden me with I have pressed my way through doors with a key that only slowed down and shut off in the middle of the road. as well. I compare it toalso knowing when be confident and hope provided. I have learned the to difference between whenlife tocan be quiet, because what God blesses me with and what burden me See, I expected my car to run forever, but the truth is with someone may get it confused as well. I comparetoitensure to knowing when to be confident and I never did anything that it would. I expected with being when to bearrogant. quiet, because my car to go when I needed it to but never considered my someone may get it confused thoughtless and erratic treatment’s impact on it. I expected to Make youarrogant. tomorrow with being ride forever, but the truth is I never invested in my cars’ future. happen today, but most importantly make it count. Make you tomorrow I’m saying that we will only Life is but a whisper andget happen today, but most out of life into it. in How wewhat mustwe putput ourselves a importantly make it count. will we ever expect to know God position to hear what it is Life is but a whisper and if we never spend time with Him? telling us.put we must ourselves in a My goalposition in life isto tohear win.what For this it is to happen, I must telling us. be willing to do what is necessary and align TerrytoL.win Watson myself with what is true, which is Editor/Founder God’s expectations. Terry L. Watson
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MARCH/APRIL 2022
DENVER
CONTENTS
thee_situation LLC
Monique Elam Johnson
On The Cover
STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc. Shalonda Palmer
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FancythatGlow Beauty
Fenise Yancy
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The Lavish Box LLC
Leslie Williams
Huami Magazine Cutest Baby
Wynter Rose
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Also Featured
Lalese Stamps She has always been a creative. Now, her talents are taking her places she never imagined. Meet the face and owner of Lolly Lolly Ceramics. Milwaukee, WI
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Santia Pace It has been said that she has magic in her fingers. Learn more about the face and founder of Creative Styles Salon. Pensacola, FL
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Victor Durrah Jr. He is pouring back into the same community that helped to build and shape his life. Greenville, SC
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STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc. By Terry L. Watson Photos Provided by Shalonda Palmer Mentoring. Empowering. Transforming. Those words effectively describe who Denver, CO resident Shalonda Palmer is. She is also a vibrant, influential leader, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and mental health professional. “I am a woman of essence, shining light in the lives of girls, women, and families,” Shalonda says. Originally from Texas, Shalonda has utilized her upbringing and personal life experiences to distribute hope and teach others how to transform their lives. She has recently authored two books that focus on helping others navigate through life changes. They also specialize in the areas of mental and behavioral health, women empowerment, and entrepreneurship. Shalonda is recognized for creating nontraditional and traditional therapeutic intervention and prevention services. She has also produced materials that support women’s mental health in various areas such as personal and leadership development. She is also the founder of STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing direct services to clients. These programs focus on mentoring, empowering, and ultimately transforming the lives of its participants and their families. “We envision preparing them for society, future education endeavors, and personal change,” Shalonda says. “We accomplish this by focusing on mental health services, psychoeducational empowerment classes, transitional housing, entrepreneurship training, and educational exposure that lead to job creation while promoting healthier lifestyle choices.”
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STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc. is growing at a fast rate, mainly through referrals. It has enjoyed a 95% program completion rate for youth and young adults since its inception in 2016. Shalonda opens up about the things that have shaped her life. Emotional and mental struggles are real. I never understood my worth because I wore many masks to cover my real self. In 2016, after a near-fatal car accident, I realized I was a special kind of substance with an assignment that I needed to surrender to. Life had given me plenty of ups and downs, but it had also given me a lot of strength through every trial. Navigating through mixed emotions and behaviors caused me to withdraw and become unrecognizable to myself. I had to make a decision that would affect the rest of my life and step outside of my comfort zone and be obedient to the assignment that I was given,” she says. Launched in Colorado, STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc. was created through a vision from Shalonda Haggerty in 2014. She says, “The inspiration to develop a platform in which female youth could address their trauma through a psychoeducational and experiential curriculum was derived from personal experiences and growth during my adolescent years.” In 2016, the vision became a working project focused on supportive interventions by introducing what is now STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc. signature program entitled B.L.I.N.G (Beauty. Leadership. Image. New you. Goal Digging). The response from parents, participants, and community partners encouraged STAR Girlz to develop a year-round empowerment program that would address real-life challenges surrounding girls and young adult women. They accomplish this using the acronym S.H.I.N.E., which means Self-confidence, Heal, Inspire, Navigate and Elevate. This has served as the foundational base since its debut.
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“My faith in God and family background have been major influences. The girls are my reasons. Without their involvement and transformation, STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc. would not be able to be as successful as it is.” Shalonda believes she was chosen for this royal position for such a time as this. “My passion is to see youth and families overcome obstacles that try to deter them from shining in their most vulnerable stage of development. By giving from the heart, I can be a part of their transition and serve as a positive role model,” she says. “My faith in God and family background have been major influences. The girls are my reasons. Without their involvement and transformation, STAR Girlz would not be able to be as successful as it is.” While Shalonda appreciates the opportunity to lead STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc., she wishes she could have changed a few things. “I love my business journey, though I wish I had someone in my life to mentor me about starting a business earlier in the process. From building a brand, sustainability, and networking, I believe it would have helped to prepare me,” she says. Moving forward, Shalonda hopes to attend and complete Law School at Thurgood Marshall in Houston, TX, within the next five to seven years. She also plans to open a recovery center and transitional home for young adult women transitioning from abuse and human trafficking. Lastly, Shalonda would like an opportunity to speak on major platforms such as Black Girls Rock and network with other influential women of color. To learn more about Shalonda Palmer and STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc., please visit their website. h
STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc. www.stargirlzempowerment.org 720-583-5951 11
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FANCYthatGlo By Terry L. Watson Photos Martin Lowenthal of ML Visions Hair by Candy Currie of Queenz of PHX The days of traditional dental care have changed. There are new players in the game, and they are offering bright and brilliant alternatives. Fenise Yancy of Phoenix, AZ has launched a business that offers teeth whitening and tooth gems. Her company is called FANCYthatGlo Beauty Beauty. Fenise opened shop in the Summer of 2021. She has always whitened her teeth, ever since she was a child, using the proven method of baking soda and peroxide. Her desire to have white teeth would carry on throughout her life and eventually led to her business. This is how it began. She says, “I purchased a whitening light and posted pictures on my Instagram stories. I received several replies from friends asking if it worked and if I provided the service. They also wanted to know how much is the cost of the product. So I decided to research the teeth whitening business. For four to five months, I randomly purchased products and began to offer my services, and the rest is history.” Fenise best describes herself as a child of God who loves life. She is a mother of two, Dalen, a 19-year-old student-athlete at the University of Arizona) and Olivia, a six-year-old kindergarten dancer, athlete, and an inspiring entertainer. Fenise is a native of Fresno, CA, and later moved to Phoenix, AZ, in 1999 to follow her dad, who had returned to Arizona in 1998. In addition to owning FANCYthatGlo Beauty Beauty, she is a self-help influencer for Domestic Violence, a compulsive Yogi, and an inspiring Fashion Influencer. She holds a B.S. in Healthcare Administration; and has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare field.
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Fenise appreciates being in a position to motivate others. Expounding on her mantra, “THINK GOODKarma!” she shares that she loves to smile. “When I smile, it makes me happy and energizes others. Why wouldn’t I want to share that with others? To be happy about your smile brings confidence, and confidence is self-love. You gain a little pep in your step, and it motivates you throughout your daily routine. More than anything, it simply makes you feel good,” she says. Though FANCYthatGlo Beauty Beauty is a fairly new business, Fenise has faced some challenges. One she says is social media, and another one is time management. Social media, she says, is today’s biggest platform for marketing, and she struggles with the constant need to be on it. “There’s a difference between posting about my life and posting for business purposes; that can help or harm you. Posting for requires agile research to become affective,” she says. Being a single mother poses its own share of challenges as well. Between traveling for her son’s games, daily meetings with prospective agents, assisting him with his business, and being present to meet her daughter’s needs, Fenise says things can get a little tricky. In the future, Fenise plans to succeed by being consistent and disciplined. Within the next few months, she plans to launch new products such as home whitening kits, other home whitening products, and lip gloss. She also plans to hire a social media manager. That may be difficult because she is such a do-it-myself type of person. “My end goal is to have a Wellness Spa with teeth whitening, yoga and meditation classes, juice bar, and weekly counseling sessions,” she says. Her advice to others who may follow in her footsteps is to be patient, trust the process, and only run your own race. Never look at others in your field as competition; instead, utilize them as motivation and learn from the experience. h
FancythatGlo 16160 South 50th St Phoenix, AZ 85048 602-710-8644
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thee_situation By Terry L. Watson Photos Provided by Moe Elam-Joseph Just as the effect icing has on a cake, a good hat often completes the deal of an outfit or arrangement. Monique Elam-Joseph of Houston, TX, is a self-described creative who loves art and fashion equally. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, and free spirit. Monique has been married to her husband, Marlon, for 21 years, of which they share two daughters, Asia and Taylor, and a one-year-old grandson, Zayd. Monique is a proud graduate of Grambling State University and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. This talented creative loves spending time with her family, attending church, and watching the latest Netflix series. She also has a passion for travel and has identified herself as a solo international traveler. “Traveling is peaceful and it brings me great joy. I also love sharing my traveling experiences with others,” she says. As stated, Monique has a natural love for art, and one day, she decided to paint a couple of her Fedora hats because she wanted to look different. She sent one of her designs to her mother, and the reviews were great. People soon inquired about where they could get Monique’s custom-designed Fedoras. During this same time, Monique had posted pictures of herself wearing her hats on her social media page. That action resulted in even more inquiries. Having those results on hand, Monique decided it was time to turn her craft into a business, and thee_situation LLC was born.
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Monique designs and customizes Fedora hats, blazers, and earrings. She shares she never dreamed of going into business. When the decision was made to do so, she shared that she did not want to have the word, “hat” in the business’s name. “I knew I was more than hats,” she says. Instead she settled on “thee_situation”. “I am a part of a brunch group that produces themed brunches once a quarter. If one of our members is wearing a popping, dramatic outfit, we say, “What’s this situation you got going on? In December 2019, it came to me. I’m a whole situation by myself,” she says. Monique’s entrepreneurial path was set into place early in life. She says, “Growing up, I saw my parents involved in different business ventures, so entrepreneurship has always been instilled in me. My mom left a six-figure job in 2011 to pursue her balloon business and has never looked back. Her decision inspired me to become an entrepreneur also,” she says. Because she didn’t have any prior experience running a business, Monique says she faced several challenges with getting her company started. “I began by ordering hats from China. It would take 3-4 weeks and sometimes longer for shipping. This was very inconvenient for me, yet fortunately, I was able to find a wholesaler in the United States,” she says. While it may have been challenging to launch and grow her business, Monique says she wouldn’t have changed a thing. She is a visionary and is always looking ahead and planning for thee_situation LLC. Moving forward, she says she plans to incorporate more custom products and create a team to keep moving the business forward. For those contemplating jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, Monique offers some tips and advice. “Purpose fuels passion, so whatever you love to do, it will put you in the right position. Don’t worry about business cards, a website, or even a name. Start by putting your work, ideas, and content out there and get a mentor. Going into business sounds nice, but having a knowledgeable mentor will help with addressing the many aspects of the business,” she says. To learn more about thee_situation LLC, please visit their website. h
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The Lavish Box By Terry L. Watson Photos Provided by Leslie Williams Leslie Williams is a 27 year-old Detroit, MI native. She is the oldest child of three and has a half-sister. Leslie’s family has moved around a lot throughout her life, living in Arizona, Connecticut, and Michigan. Moving helped her adapt quickly to almost any situation, a quality that plays a huge role in who she is today; a proven businesswoman. Leslie is the owner of Lavish Box LLC, a 24-hour beauty supply vending machine retailer. She offers a range of products that extends from multicultural to ethnic specific. Some include false eyelashes, bonding glues, combs, edge control, braiding hair, and flat irons. Additionally, Lavish Box LLC offers a small marketplace that features specialty curated local, minority-owned products. Lavish Box LLC began in June 2020 during the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic. Leslie says it came about as a response to the lack of beauty supply retailers and major retailers available during social distancing and other mandates due to Covid. She also wanted to address a general lack of ethnic products available in convenient retailers. She says that braiding hair, needle and thread, hair glue, and wig caps are products specific to inner-city beauty supplies but are typically unavailable at major retailers and convenience stores.
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“I’ve made mistakes and I have failed. I’ve also had successes and won, yet each situation serves as a learning experience for me.” Leslie shares she loves the opportunity to provide a service that helps women feel beautiful whenever they want to and on their time. She also loves giving other aspiring, enterprising women opportunities to bet on themselves and reach for their own greatness. “I’m inspired by the vision I’ve created in my head of what my success looks like. Having that goal and keeping to it inspires me to work harder until I reach it,” she says. While there have been some ups and downs for Leslie in business, she shares she wouldn’t change much about how things have happened. “I’ve made mistakes and I have failed. I’ve also had successes and won, yet each situation serves as a learning experience for me,” she says. Leslie offers some advice to those who are thinking about starting a business. First, she says you must genuinely believe in yourself. “I want others to know the sky isn’t the limit; in fact, it’s way more beyond that. You have to take the steps, and you have to do the work. Most importantly, you have to just do it,” she says. Lavish Box LLC will be adding more locations and expanding its franchise network in the future. Their future plans are also to create partnerships with other brands. “Our goal is to saturate densely populated black neighborhoods, get our machines into schools, universities, airports, and other major transportation hubs.” To learn more about Lavish Box LLC, please visit their website. h
www.LavishBoxBeauty.com 313-229-8936 22
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Lalese Stamps Lolly Lolly Ceramics
By Terry L. Watson Photos Provided By Loalese Stamps
Lolly Lolly Ceramics, the name itself, exudes excitement. Founded in 2017 by Lalese Stamps, Lolly Lolly Ceramics is a Black-owned, womenrun small business in Milwaukee, WI. The brand focuses on objects that are functional, unique, and handmade. In September of 2019, Lalese embarked on a 100 Day Project where she made 100 mugs with 100 different handles for 100 Days, bringing national recognition to the Lolly Lolly name. Today the Lolly team is made up of four people, but growing. The demand for Lolly Lolly Ceramics is high. Most recently, Lalese was invited to appear on the Daily Show with Trevor Noah to celebrate Women’s History Month. A collaboration was announced between the two, The Lolly Lolly Ceramics x The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Collection, and will feature three special-edition mug styles set. Lolly Lolly Lolly originated in Columbus, OH. In July 2021, Lalese moved her operations to Milwaukee, which is also her hometown. “I’ve been a creative my entire life, but I didn’t begin to make ceramics until 2017. I studied graphic design at the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus. While studying for my undergrad, I noticed that I was always on my laptop and became afraid that I wasn’t using my hands to create as much, so I enrolled in a pottery class at my local community arts center. From there, I started selling ceramics at the local flea market to make a little extra money. One thing led to another, and now I’m selling direct-to-consumer on my own website, wholesaling, and even doing custom orders for brands such as Saine Heron and Solange and the MOMA Design Store,” she says.
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“I always tell people to listen to their gut and just keep going. As you grow, there are going to be people who interject themselves onto your dreams and goals, but only you know you, and you’ve gotten yourself far for a reason.”
In September of 2019, Lalese designed and completed a 100 Day Project where she made 100 mugs for 100 days with 100 different handles. This project has been her sort of claim-to-fame experience. In addition to mugs, this year they hope to roll out more dinnerware pieces like bowls, and plates. With an abundance of plants in the studio, planters possibly will be a major alignment to the Lolly Lolly Ceramics brand. Lalese says she is inspired by a lot of things. Recently she went to the Harley Museum for the first time in Milwaukee and was amazed at what she saw. “The museum itself is beautiful, but seeing the journey of another brand is so inspiring. They’ve saved everything from bank notes to invoices to initial motorcycle sketches. I hope I can grow my brand to be recognized on a global scale like Harley is.”
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Like most businesses, Lolly Lolly Ceramics has seen its share of challenges. The biggest challenge has been handling the high demand of work. The growth of Lolly Lolly Ceramics happened very quickly. Navigating entrepreneurialism has suddenly become a wild ride for Lalese, but she says it’s also very empowering. “Scaling up our production has been a challenge within this challenge. We want to produce more work for our audience, but that has meant a lot of sacrifice and patience. We are so close to rolling out a new way to produce our pieces; we’re excited about it because it’ll mean new opportunities for products, workshops, new team members, and so much more,” Lalese says. The journey for Lolly Lolly Ceramics has been enjoyable, says Lalese. She shares this isn’t much she would change about how things have happened. “I” ve learned along the way, and I’ve hired the right people to navigate areas that are unfamiliar to me.” For others who may follow the same path as she has, Lalese shares some sound advice and encouragement. “I always tell people to listen to their gut and just keep going. As you grow, there are going to be people who interject themselves onto your dreams and goals, but only you know you, and you’ve gotten yourself far for a reason. Sometimes outside advice can be helpful, but it also can be very detrimental. You need to have the wherewithal to be able to take it all in, but know which things are important and which are not,” she says. h
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Brothers Restoring Urban Hope, Inc.
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By Ellen Richardson Photos provided by Victor Durrah Jr. There are few powerfully inspiring stories like that of Victor Durrah, Jr. Victor is the President & Executive Director of B.R.U.H. Mentor (Brothers Restoring Urban Hope). This non-profit organization aims to restore urban communities across the Upstate of South Carolina through group mentorship, leadership training, and spiritual guidance, has turned his past into a prosperous future for the youth in his community. “I grew up in a poor neighborhood in Cowpens, SC. While I was growing up, we had a community center that gave us a safe space to come and do homework, have a snack, play sports, and just receive any kind of support possible to all the kids in my apartment complex,” said Durrah. “The woman who operated this center, a woman we all called Mama Doris Anderson, was a real mentor. She even took us all on trips to Washington, DC. Everything that she did gave us hope for the future, and I just want to do the same for our future leaders.” Before having the opportunity to achieve his goal, The 5-foot 11 athlete, who played guard in high school, would do the same at Spartanburg Methodist College. This opportunity would allow him to obtain his associate’s degree and transfer to the University of Southern Carolina Upstate to receive his bachelor’s degree in non-profit administration and management. “When I was given the opportunity to go to school, I originally planned to pursue teaching and coaching, but I felt like God was pointing me in a different direction, one that would allow me to impact my whole community more profoundly,” he said. That impact was through the B.R.U.H Mentor program. While working at a local Boys & Girls Club, Durrah began to see a need for urban youth development and mentorship for young adults aged 16 to 18-years-old. “Once these impressionable students begin to age out of programs like this and others like it, I noticed that most were left to figure out how to become a successful adult without someone to show them what this looks like,” he said. “As a result, my fraternity brother Antonio Boyd and I began coming up with mentorship programming catered to underserved young adults between the ages of 16-24 that assisted them in discovering and developing their unique talents so that they could become thriving, productive, and engaged adults. It is funny because this started out as a class project that 17 years later has served over 20,000 young people throughout urban communities here in Spartanburg.”
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While giving birth to this mission would stem from a successful class project, God would take Durrah on a bit of a journey before his dream to run this organization full-time would become a reality. This journey would begin at the Boy Scouts of America in Spartanburg as a district executive, director of multi-cultural markets, and ultimately senior district executive in less than a decade. Before long, this bornto-be mentor would return to the school that began his professional career as a director of professional development. “While I enjoyed this job, the position mostly centered around campus development,” said Durrah. “So, it wasn’t long before I realized that pursuing this kind of position was keeping me away from my passion, which was being out in the community helping our urban youth,” he said. This desire would lead Durrah back towards a dream job at a remarkably familiar place. “I have always dreamed of being a CEO of a Fortune 500 non-profit organization. In February of 2020, I was given a chance to see this dream come true when I was offered the executive director position at the Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County, in Bervard, NC,” he said. “While I accepted the position initially, something kept telling me – God kept telling me that I had unfinished business with my own non-profit organization right here in Spartanburg County. So, I returned home and began working full-time at Brothers Restoring Urban Hope, Inc.”
Thanks to following the lead of the Holy Spirit, Victor and his talented staff are celebrating 17 years of changing thousands of lives for the better in the community. “When I was in college and even when I was growing up, I was blessed to have mentors in my community that gave me hope to pursue a bright future. Knowing that my staff and I are becoming the same type of mentors who are now guiding future leaders right here in my community has meant everything to me,” he said. “We have even taken over the old community center that I spent many of my days growing up, where we now provide group mentorship, leadership and soft skills training, and spiritual guidance. We even offer free wi-fi and computers to both young adults and parents in our community who need to come by and set up professional profiles, pay bills, etc. About a month ago, during our 17-year anniversary, B.R.U.H. Mentor was awarded the first-ever Key to Spartanburg County, for our community development work, by Spartanburg County Councilman Monier Abusaft.” Victor is surely following the purpose that God has given. To learn more about his program, please visit his website.
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HuamiMagazine.com Denver - March/April 2022
Santia Creative Styles Salon
By Terry L. Watson Photos by Cazualtee Santia describes herself as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister-friend, and of course, a hairstylist. “I’m a woman who wears many hats, and I look good while doing it,” she says. Originally a native and resident of Washington, D.C., Santia moved to Pensacola eight years ago after her husband, Jonathan, job placed them there. Natural Hair Care and making others feel beautiful about themselves is her expertise. “I truly care about the health of my clients’ scalp and hair. I listen to their concerns and offer solutions and treatments that will work best for them,” she says. While enjoying the success of Creative Styles Salon Spa, Santia decided to change the dynamics of her business model. In 2017, she stepped out on faith and launched her own natural hair care product line that includes shampoos, conditioners, tonics, and lemongrass butter. The reviews have been stunning. One client shared, “I’ve always used hair tonic while sporting a short hairstyle. I decided in September 2019 to use Santia’s products because I wanted to let my hair grow. The results have been amazing, and some people are doing head turns, not thinking it’s me. My hair smells good, and it’s so soft. People often ask to touch it. I am so pleased with my hair growth.”
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“I’m a woman who wears many hats, and I look good while doing it.” Santia’s products are available online and in various stores in Washington, D.C., Miami, Atlanta, and Pensacola. What Santia loves most about styling hair she shares is connecting with new people and providing confidence and encouragement. She also credits her aunt, who recently passed away for impacting her life and career. Like most business owners, Creative Styles Salon Spa has been affected by the Covid 19 pandemic. Santia says when the virus arrived in Pensacola, she had to close her salon. However, being the wise businesswoman that she is, she was able to offset her losses with the online sales of her hair products. She survived, proving that her brand is her to stay. In the future, Santia says she plans to distribute her products to more stores and open other hair salons throughout the region. Her advice to others who may follow the same path she has is never to give up. “Obstacles will come, but you have to keep pushing,” she shares. To learn more about Santia and Creative Styles Salon Spa, please visit either of their locations in Pensacola, Fl, h or visit their website.
Creative Styles Salon Spa 2829 Michigan Ave. Suite B Pensacola, FL 32526 850-434-2545
Creative Styles Salon Spa 2 6706 US HIGHWAY 98 Pensacola, FL 32506 850-741-0716
www.creativestylessalon.com 36
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MAGAZINE
Cutest Baby 38
Wynter Rose The daughter of Christopher and Latisha
HuamiMagazine.com Denver - March/April 2022
To submit photographs to be placed in the Huami Magazine Cutest Baby feature, please send a detailed email to huami.cutestbaby@gmail.com
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HuamiMagazine.com Denver - March/April 2022
