We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Thomasena Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Thomasena below.

Thomasena , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

There are many things I can say about my mother Wilma Garth. As a single parent she taught me life. She taught me what to expect and how to go about handling it. My mother was very supportive of all my decisions. She also taught us Jesus. One night I tried to avoid going to church. I wanted to hang out with my friends at a neighborhood party. So I hid at another’s friends house till the party started. No lie my mom came in and snatched me. That same night two people were shot at the party. That was a pivotal point in my life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a hard working, kind hearted person. When I walk in a room i present myself friendly because I believe in leaving lasting impressions and bold memories for others. When I meet people I want them to know that I’m genuine and I truly have a passion for life. I was first introduced to hairstyling at an early age. My mother was attending a local beauty college and she would ask me to do little things while she worked on her clients in the kitchen. I learned how to fingerwave and wrap a Jerry curl. I liked that I was able to style my own hair different. As time went on, i started styling hair for the girls at my church and some family members.
During my teenage years I was introduced into sign language at Church. Being a part of an amazing group of youth, ignited my curiosity to explore sign language more. By the time I graduated HS with a GED, I was approached with the option to go to
Beauty school. By then, i was really good and everyone thought it would be my best move. Deep down I wanted to interpret. My cousin, who is apart of the Deaf community, inspired me to pursue as an interpreter after having my salon open for 6 years.

I’ve always been torn between the two professions for a long time. I love creating colorful looks for my clients and I also know that the deaf community longs for access so they needs interpreters. As a stylist, my main goal is to create an atmosphere where my clients are safe and able to for fill their Color dreams. I want them to have fun and be themselves. It doesn’t matter if they are a doctor, lawyer, district manager of a common food chain, they want to look sassy. It drips to their attitude. It’s a boss feeling of I can wear my color with confidence, and taste.
Being a sign language interpreter has opened doors for me to recieve clients who are deaf or hard of hearing. It makes it easier to get a clear underrstanding on the expectations. I feel they are happy that thier stylist can speak their langiage.
There was one moment while I was working a hair show that I met a stylist that was Deaf. There was no way I could tell until he started talking. There is a certain tone the Deaf have in their speech. It’s very distint. When he spoke, I immediatly started to sign. He was shocked! His face lit up. Someone in the industry that he choose knows his language. I knew I was doing the right thing. I knew this was my purpose to bridge the two worlds. Deaf only want access to thier intrest and career chices. I would like to be the first stylist to do so.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

After that experience with the styllist who was deaf, I knew this was why I had been preserved. This is my purpose. I can help bridge the gap of commuication for the Deaf in the beauty industry. They have every right to access information as I do. Im currently in connection with a few beauty industry leadeds making them aware of the importance to give all acess. So far, I have a booking for April to teach and interpret at the expo. I believe this is just the begining.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

It was April 2020 at the brink of Covid. My son and I was traveling home and I ran over a metal object in the road, My car caught fire without warning. I wae burned on 35% of my body. This included my left hand. My hand alone was 85% burned. I had lost feeling and motion. I began to pray because both my careers required my to use my hands. This was a troubling time for me but I commited to the therapy and pushed through the pain. When I went back to work, it was times where my hand would hurt, itch really bad, and even lift up where the skin graft was attached. But I kept going. II wanted to give up so bad but when looked in my children face, I knew I had to keep going. I knew there was greater purpose on my life.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: sassations
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThomasenaBrown/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqXhIGVs9g4VfOg7dgfzIEw

Image Credits
Girl with green and girl with hand on shoulder photo credit Jess Photos choir behind me Pride Photography. photo with me in white, Korliss tiktok handle @magictothekor i took the rest.