On this episode, Indie sits down with friend and influencer Quani Burnett (@beauty4brownskin). Quani shares her time to talk about pushing the agenda of inclusion, maintaining a full time career, and maintaining a healthy headspace during difficult times.
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Welcome to coming clean with Indie Lee a podcast series about living with passion, acting with purpose and being fully present. I'm your host, Indie Lee and today's episode I interview quani Burnett of beauty for brown skin. I cannot wait for you to listen to this podcast. I know you will be inspired as I am by her. Hi everybody. Its Andy. Welcome to the podcast. I cannot tell you how excited I am and how honored I am. That I get to spend this episode with a dear friend and someone who I hold very close to my art on internet kewanee and I met my gosh, like year and a half ago.
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Yeah, yeah. I'm really be and by the way, for those of you who don't know, although I kind of feel like everybody does know who you are. You're kind of like famous now. But oh
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Kalani has an Instagram account, beautiful brown skin. She is an advocate for change. She is really helping to push the agenda of inclusivity. But done in in such an authentic and beautiful way and really working with brands to help them effectuate change on their side. So for me, it's an honor that I know how busy she is, by the way, we'll go into this she also has another full time like career, but took time to talk with me today. So Connie, I love you and I am so honored that you're here with me today. I love you too. Hi, everyone. Thanks for joining us in this conversation. So as Andy said, my name is kewanee and my Instagram is beauty for like the number four brown skin. And you know ever since I started my platform, one of the focal points that I've always preached is visual representation.
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Among the social platforms of beauty brands,
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and I also really advocate for inclusivity. And when I say that, you know, it's definitely important to have that same representation within these companies in positions of influence as well. So, you know, I definitely try to attack it from all sides. And it's just something that honestly has really come naturally to me. And I'm quite thankful to just have these types of conversations. Well, what's amazing is you have been really having these conversations and proactively reaching out to brands long before what's going on right now in society with black lives matter. This has been something that you set on this path to create change before people were making it Top of Mind, and something that I appreciate what I think was so striking for you, with me with you was you
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reached out to me and said, Hey, this is what I'm noticing. I'd love to see more representation on your feet. I'm like, Yes. Could you help me with that? And, and we just created this friendship. And
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I love that. You're now creating a platform and people are going to recognize who you are and why you are and you are creating change. And we are seeing changes and I can tell you from personally, just from what you've done with me, we were having this conversation a little bit before we started to record. As a result, I have developed relationships with other influencers in the VIP OC community and I'm proud to say that when I look at my feet is more inclusive and I am excited. Wani knows when my daughter looks at my feet, she's gonna see her representation. They're both my daughters.
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So and that's something that was always important to me that we had talked about, but I love that we're seeing all brands are doing this and you know, we talked about this, there's no straight line to getting there. Exactly.
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I think so. So one thing for me, you know, like, especially with the pull up the club challenge and just other things, you know,
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one thing that so, you know, I think that you can, there's ways that you can acknowledge what a brand is doing without necessarily always condoning everything that they may have done in the past. I mean, when when all of that first came out, I mean, I won't lie, I spend a lot of time, you know, when brands were showing their their stats, you know, and I would say, I would say thank you, you know, thank you for being transparent, but then I would send this like, separate longer message and I would say, you know, I implore you to, you know, look at visual representation, look at your hiring practices, look at you know, and I kind of gave kind of a general statement to these brands. And, and something like you said, like, there's no straight line, regardless of, of the intention behind them. I'm still appreciative that one
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Brands were transparent. So that increased awareness amongst consumers
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who came together to support Black Lives Matter. And it became something that was bigger than than just beauty or skincare. And then three
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brands were putting their money where their mouth mouth was. And so to me, regardless of the intention, the fact that grants were making tangible donations that directly benefited me and my people, that that was everything to me. And so, you know, I, I acknowledge all of that
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doesn't mean that I condone, but I but I acknowledge that all of those things collectively helped black people and for that, I mean, I can I can say that I appreciate that. I and I think the important thing for brands and I know personally for me is just, it shouldn't be contained to just this time. This is
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We have the opportunity to change the future. Yes. And every new historical narrative one of inclusivity. Right? And, and do it in a way where we're all raising each other up.
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And in there are a number of marginalized communities and how are we doing that and how we're being transparent and not afraid to ask for help.
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As I said to them, it's it's sorry, Connie, and I want to go into that because wanting to change her name.
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It's not quanties responsibility to educate me. It's my responsibility to educate myself on matters that I don't feel I know enough of, and that's not just in the black lives movement that's in any movement. Don't rely on other people to teach you. You go out there and you proactively learn and step into your uncomfortableness and have the conversations that don't feel good but learn why they're not feeling good and
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For me, that's what what this is this is all been about is, how are we going to take that uncomfortableness and move forward to consistently create change from this point forward?
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And that's, you know, again, the those conversations are much too large to talk about just in one podcast. And so yeah, I think, I think one thing, something that I recently shared on my stories was that
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some sometimes I think, and I'm not saying that this is the case now, but we may have to realize that right now, what we're doing is just planting the seeds. And I say that because think about, you know, we're protesting now, my grandparents were protesting in the 1960s. You know, I mean, and so, we, we need to look at them and said, they've been doing this for, you know, however many years and they didn't necessarily see a true amount of change. And so I definitely think that
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Right now we're just planting seeds. And we and I'm not sure when those seeds will be watered and I'm not sure when we're going to see the actual fruits of the labor. Everyone's like, you know, well how are we going to change and again, there's, there's, there's multiple, there's multiple things that need to occur. But one thing that I've been encouraging people including myself is I think sometimes we gotta we have to look within identifying implicit biases. Yeah, that's and and having those having those hard conversations with your loved ones and the people who around you because you know, something,
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you know, the late rapper Tupac Shakur something he said that always stuck with me. He said, he said, You know, I don't need to be the person that will change the world. I just need to spark the mind of the person that will change the world. And
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and so if you know again, if if you're only keeping it within your
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So far, you're only you're making it very singular, you know, again, you you have to branch out. So you have to have those conversations again, with the people that you know, so then they can have the conversations with the people that they know. And, you know, I think that that's, that's just one very, very small part of how changes inactive but again, I think when people can at least acknowledge and dismantle their implicit biases and discriminations, then we can try to work on the you know, the systemic, yeah, by nation and racial injustice that we have. I I'm doing tremendous amount of reading and watching and research to understand where mine are, because listen, I have to I am a I am a consequence. I don't know what the word is, but basically my life right of my life experiences and that starts from the point I was born to now and all that has gone into creating who I am and what have I've seen or been a part of where maybe I
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wasn't the best ally? What is that? What was that about? How can I change that? When did it happen? Why did all those things that I need to look in myself that I think all of us need to look in of itself? You know, was there a time where I crossed the street? Um, you know, for no other reason, you know?
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It's, it was unconscious.
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You know, our, the conversation that I had with my parents, and I've been having some really beautiful conversations, and I am, I think I'm very lucky of the way I was raised. I'm very proud of the way my parents raised, but it was interesting. I was having a conversation with them. And the my mom said,
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I did you and unjustice. And she said, and I didn't realize it until now. And I said, Okay, well, what, like, What are you talking about? And she said, I always told you don't look at somebody's skin color. Like you shouldn't judge it based on law. You need to and she goes in, you know what, and doing that.
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My intention was don't judge a book by its cover, but I did not allow you to see the hardship that they had had. And she said, and I'm sorry, because I didn't realize that, that there's something to that that's harmful. And I didn't realize it until now. That's, I mean, that's the beauty of it again.
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You know, sharing, sharing stories, experiences, that's, like I said, that's what makes up makes up one's life. And as we as we continue, and that's one of the things I'm so appreciative of amplifying black voices right now, because for so long, we were we were muted. And we were, and no one no one cared to listen to what we had to say. And so as we're able to share our experiences, our allies and non black counterparts can really begin to understand again, the hardships and just some of the things that we
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Go through, like, I mean, even racial microaggressions you know, so like, you know, you said so for example, when I first came on this platform, you know,
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I used to always feel like my name was to ethnic meaning I was discriminated against by my name. So he was working in health care when people saw my first name, they, they would assume that I wasn't, you know, a Doctor of Physical Therapy they were so my had a position that wasn't worthy of that title. And, you know, I just didn't feel comfortable sharing my real name. And so, when people begin to amplify black voices, that was it came to a point where I finally felt empowered to say, you know, this is my name, my name is Connie and you know, I have a doctorate degree but I'm, you know, I'm also from Flint, Michigan, where the water still isn't clean and you know, all of the you know, they make me they make me up but they don't necessarily define me and so,
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you know, I definitely, I love that you change your name, by the way, I think it's well as I want to change my life.
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Name legally 10 years ago I was like wait change your name I gotta change it to my contacts and no I again just My name is Kwame I just shared I just on my platform I just shared a nickname that's all so it wasn't you know, wasn't like I was it I've done a full name change I just, you know, I just I just didn't showcase like my my real name and I love that now you feel comfortable to do it and I'm not comfortable but you feel that that? No, I don't like that term that you feel empowered. Our Mm hmm. For sure. And I am I am except me for my beautifulness and who I am get to know who I am. And this is my name.
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And you are I think one of the most beautiful individuals inside out at that I know and I love that we have developed a relationship and a true friendship. I truly consider you a dear friend that I can have the conversations with and always say like I always said funny. It's not your your
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To educate me, but help me to learn what I might not know that I did or, like, you know, how do I have more inclusivity in my feed better representation in my feed? Um, you know, as we start to look at when our our team grows, how do I employ a recruiter who's going to help me find a diverse set of candidates because in the past, my, I've been very blessed that people have always wanted to join my company, and you know, someone knows somebody and whatnot. We had this conversation before, you know, recruiting paying recruiter is very expensive, and I'd rather put it into the salary of the person who we're hiring, or be able to hire more people or do more things, but what I can't walk the walk and talk the talk of I'm not going out and proactively, if I'm saying I'm an ally, then you need to be an ally. You need to realize, unfortunately, there's a cost with having a recruiter, which is fine, that's a business cost, but then you're starting to bring more voices to the table. More inclusivity your show.
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The way you want to show up as a brand and as a person. Exactly, and, you know, to be quite honest with you, it would behoove companies to, to hire to hire black people.
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representation. It's invaluable. It really is invaluable. And
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I have directly i i've been privy to have an understanding of when you when you incorporate more inclusivity to whether it's a product or a campaign or what have you, that it I mean, you know, from a business then generates more sales and I mean, that's not that's not the purpose of a bit but Oh, as a business and understanding, you know, you know, business ethics like that's, that's, there's nothing wrong with that. Like, for me, how can I say that this brand is for everybody if they're not looking and seeing everybody within a feed and how can I look at product
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development. And if I'm not having, you know, all different skin types, a person of color, you know, but how do I have Additional Voices at the table by having all of this diversity within an organization, you get to have very interesting and rich conversations and grow as a brand.
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That's what I'm looking forward to. Exactly. And, you know, to kind of backtrack a little bit, you know, I actually, I really, I, it's in my bio, you know, pushing the agenda of inclusivity really do value the word inclusivity over diversity, because, you know, I just want it to be something that that just becomes seamlessly transitioned into all the brands. So it's not about you know, you hired this one Brown, on black person, it's just, it's just, it should just be it should just be in the, in the very core and DNA of who these brands are. And so all of that takes time.
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You know, as I again, you know, with the pull of challenge and people wanting aware accountability, you know, I think that again, there are things that brands need to do in the short term. But also, there's going to be things that are it's going to be to never stop. Yeah, this is this is let's go forward and go forward hard. And but as we do, let's go and be proactive. and say what we said we're going to do and be hold ourselves accountable to it. I guess I can't say that this is otherwise I'm not being transparent. I'm not being authentic. How, like, what made you go from obviously, you're a Doctor of Physical Therapy like you. How did this start? Like? Yeah.
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Oh, um, so one thing that you know, growing up, you know, I would say that my family definitely, ingrained into me that I was to get a stable job and so
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You know, growing up, I actually wanted to be in that athletic trainer. Um, but I chose, I chose the physical therapy because it was a doctor degree and I told you kind of the discrimination that I face because of my name. So I was like, well, at least, you know, if I doctor doctor and have to call me doctor, so, you know, I chose physical therapy, and I chose working for the government because it was instability. And that was really what my family wanted for me. And so
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right before I started my blog, I actually was interning for the W MBA. I thought I was living the dream I was doing that on the side. But it didn't make me happy. I was what what was supposed to be the best time of my life was was actually the worst. And my skin was actually really bad. And so when the season ended, I ended my internship and I have like all this like free time
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on my hands, and so
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You know, I remember, like I became a support member and I spent the time that works with a lot of money on product.
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So once I actually started to find products that worked for my skin, and I will look on their social platforms, one of the one of the glaring things that stood out to me was that I didn't see people who looked like me. And that was honestly again, visual representation was like a true focal point of what my platform was. And so, representation is so important because like, I need to see someone who looks like me. Yeah, in order that the product will work for me. Agree. Exactly. That's so important. And it's not just in the social feeds, it's in the advertising. If you walk into a forum, you know, all of the features, the size the products, no one looks like me, then I'm like, this is gonna work. It's gonna work for my skin. Absolutely. You know, so, you know, honestly, just, um, you know, I just had an idea
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idea that I that I really wanted to push visual representation and I just met with it. I'm so I'm so happy you did because as a result, I have you in my life, which has been a true blessing. It's just funny how everything has just very quickly happened. And it's just, you know, being in California I was able to, you know, meet a lot of brands because other brands are based out here they are they have events out here and the more events I went to the more people I met and, you know, that's kind of led up to just everything now, but you know, I definitely will say like, this wasn't what I thought, I mean, when I first started, so it's just something that definitely has happened very organically and I, I'm thankful for that. So, okay, we know you have a full time job as a doctor. I do. I like okay, plus your plus you've Oh, prior to black lives matter. You were, like you said pushing the agenda of inclusivity Okay, now we have black lives matter.
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Which has really I know,
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just amplified, given them the opportunity to amplify your voice and your mission and a lot of people are reaching out to you to help and talk to them and whatnot. And people have always listened to you. So now you're able to share more information. How do you find the time to take care of yourself?
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I definitely, you know, I definitely think that that is an you know, it's an ever challenge. So, one thing, one thing that I started to do was that I started to stop scrolling, like mindlessly through Instagram meaning, meaning I'm very strategic. So I'm strategic in like, what I follow I'm, I'm strategic and stories that I watch.
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And, you know, it's definitely a balance of, you know, sharing resources to sign petitions or,
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or what else I know I shared, you know, I shared your resource because I thought it was so perfect. I'm like, Okay, let's take
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Link we have swipe up with some sharing. Exactly, because there you go. And so you know, I don't have 10,000 followers yet. And so I'm actually very thankful for my brand, friends with brands and also just my friends that have the swipe up link because they're like, Listen, Connie, whatever you want us to post, we will do it. And again, it's all about reaching more people, right? It's all about, it's all about the impact. And so,
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you know, I definitely think I've, I've cut down on my time on Instagram, and then, you know, the the genuine friendships from people that I have made in this community. You know, they have definitely made themselves available to me, and I'm really appreciative. So sometimes it's 10 o'clock at night and I'm crying and I know that I can text a certain individual and that person will answer and so,
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you know, I know I've texted you late at night, and I
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might, we're both very close with Michael Ahmed. I've texted him crying late at night, with
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things and that's what's so beautiful though about the social media. I mean, there's it's a double edged sword for sure. Or
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there's some beautiful relationships as a result that I've made that I will cherish forever. But I seriously do not know how you do it. Like I, I don't like to someone, you know, on our team of like, I hope she's taking care of herself. Like I don't want to sound like a mom. But look if I mean, like something like to be so to be completely transparent. So like today, I went on a walk with with a friend Oh, effort. And it was great because her because of COVID of social distancing. I hadn't seen any of my friends and again, I work in a hospital. So even as people were starting to regather I didn't because I have a responsibility to, you know, my co workers and my patients. I'm going on that walk today was just it was so it was just really nice. That'd be transformational for you.
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As your as your friend, I
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implore you to do that more because you are such a force but you need to take care of yourself so there's my little mom goodies are
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a weekly thing but but just something that was actually really nice that I did prior to getting ready for my podcast with you I actually showered with the sleep body wash I know that I'm but I
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I just came from the walk and it was just um, I really I mean I have the distress one in the sleep but I really like to sleep one like it just kind of creates this like I mean the shower just transforms and then I did a few spritz of the of the body oil and then I just I lay down. And that was like that was everything for me like right literally right before I'm so glad. Well for those of you who are driving and listening to this, you'll have to go because we are going to put this on YouTube. You have to see first of all, she's glowing. She's just gorgeous. Her soul shines through everything anyway, but I want to
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First time like, honey you your skin looks fantastic.
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I didn't sleep well last night but again like I was so excited for my walk this morning. I'm glad you're doing stuff for you. It's so important because
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in addition to everything that's going on right now in society, you're still a doctor, you're still out there helping others and you're still a central worker you haven't been able to take a pause mess if anything, it's it's just hire more and heighten it. So
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there's that concern of how do I take care of myself and that's why you know, you have to take care of yourself because we both know that it does boost your immune system. So there's my little you know, I still have to play the mo mama and depart.
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Hopefully I, I love to write. If you follow my Instagram, you'll notice that more of my posts have been leaning a little bit more poetic
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ends and so that's definitely
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that relieves a lot of stress whenever sometimes I might feel
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anxiety or I may feel, you know, just kind of taking in some of the negativity that we see on social media.
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It just helps me to kind of write it in such a way that that is encouraging to other people. But then it's also like, for me, so yeah, that's why it was my next question is how do you handle negativity? I mean, listen, with everything going on, everybody has a different agenda and a different way of
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creating information and sharing information differently. How do you handle it? I mean, you see so much positive and so much negative going on in the world right now and being so tuned in. How do you how do you handle that?
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For sure, I definitely think it's a work in progress. So to share something with you, I remember I had started to be a little bit more vulnerable in my stories, you know, I would some like I would sit in my my car during my lunch break and I'd be admin so one one time someone took someone
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They, they, they follow me from their beauty account but they they messaged me from a private account to let me know that they thought that I was humble bragging. And I remember it like crushing me because I'm like, me sharing the energies that I have. I mean, these things are like literally life changing for me, like, that's not a humble brag. And I remember it, it really affected me to the point where, you know, even now I don't necessarily share any good news that I may have have, you know, been able to, to have within the beauty space, I don't even share it because I don't want people to think that about me. So, you know, I'm a very sensitive person. I just, I'm so sensitive and I take everything to heart. So, you know, one thing you talked about, you know, people, the differences between people, I always, I've always had the stance that I respected. So I was, you know, I wrote in the poem
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You know, some people, some people start the fire and some people hold the space and
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you need all of that collectively to make change. There's I said in the poem, there's not a there's not a right or wrong way, you know, people have every right to feel the emotions that they feel.
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And I just, you know, I can only speak for me so I just try to, you know, I just, I tried to control when I can control and so I think
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I think respecting other people's differences or the negativity that comes, but then also just
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coming to a place of knowing, like you you you know, your own heart and sometimes you can spend your life trying to try to prove it to other people but yeah, well said Well said.
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I completely agree and it's a it's a muscle that I also have a hard time with because I am so sensitive and
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And I don't think people realize that I don't think people realize a lot of things like we're still a small company. Well you To be honest, if I can just you know be very honest with you I think I'm like you said I think it's certain some some brand owners are very, very vocal and i think i think i think you're very visual but you're not necessarily very vocal meaning obviously the name of the brand is your name. Yeah. Face your face is seen but I don't necessarily think people know you and that's kind of the beauty of of our friendship is that if you are
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it's something that I am i go i vacillate sometimes I'm I am vulnerable, and then sometimes I'm not. And it's, I don't know, like, Do people really want to see a vulnerable side to a brand founder or do they just want to see the products? No, it's that's a that's a fair one.
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One thing and I don't know, and yet it has my name. And that's kind of why I did started mindful Monday. And why I started the podcast was because I wanted people to get to know me a little bit better. And I thought this was a great way for people to Yes. Or intimate to know. Yeah, people want to listen in, you know that that's your, you know, your audience. And I think that's absolutely, like they can choose to do it. I'm not necessarily putting who I am in their face.
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Started to post on my personal Instagram. Yes. Which I love. Thank you. And then Mike then so if I my team is like, well, that's what we want on our feet. I'm like, okay, could we have a conversation like which 1am I going?
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Oh, and I heart thing. It is and then when people attack, it's like, it's me personally, like people have to realize if you say something negative, I'm listening. I'm listening and I want to learn and I want to better myself and raise the brand up and do all the right things, but I'm not perfect.
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But I will I am willing to take accountability and try and move forward. But I get nervous. I'm like, What do I say? When can I say things? And it's a hard thing, because
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there are so many people who have sacrificed to be a part of this brand.
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And I don't take that lightly at all. There were a lot of people who took a chance at investing, you know, the brand. Surely don't take that lightly. And I never want to do something that could ever harm the brand because of something that I did or didn't do. Or maybe I didn't say the right way. And so I'm trying to find my voice to, I guess, let them say,
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Oh, I, I want to you know,
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if, you know, you said that you weren't perfect. And I and I want to gently say, you know, because sometimes people people use that as an excuse, right? They say, Oh, I'm only human. I'm not perfect and I think I went on mix. What I am hoping for brands and brand owners
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You know, we, I don't, I don't need you to be perfect. I just need you to be willing to change and I and and, and and that's, I think that's the beauty like don't be Don't be perfect just be just be willing, right you will be accepting be be open and willing to take some steps that might not be comfortable let me and and just do it and what I realized is I'm not gonna you know i'm gonna i'm not always going to be perfect that's good but I am going to be true to my heart I'm always going to be open with people I'm going to admit when I do something wrong or if I do something right I will try to get back up and do it again and I think that was part of my vulnerability when the when this first came out and said you know I can change and say you know, this is who I am but I bout to do better. I've got to be a better parent and that to me that are you know, Allied I am taking it seriously but actually doing
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Yeah, yeah, doing the work and that's, again, social media is only one small
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teeny tiny goes so much behind the scenes and personally that i know i mean we have these private conversations I know I'm doing so
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I know you're getting more involved and looking to help brands how what can we do How could you help I mean share some things that I I want you to plug you I'm basically saying please plug yourself because I think you're a badass and I think that your heart is so in the right place
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and I I want people who may be driving and who may be in the beauty industry or might not be in the beauty industry but are looking for someone to help them
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how how how do you see that with you? I don't know how else to say but please tell people about you because I freakin love you. No, no for sure. So you know I definitely have been putting it I've been I've been putting it out there that I really am considering transitioning
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For time in the beauty skincare space and so,
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you know, I definitely think that, you know, brands,
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you know, paying for that labor is it's vital
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I, before I considered, you know, making it making it a business or or just making it more formal, I used to give away information freely just because I truly wanted to see change. And so even for me, it's been an adjustment to you know, I have to be a little bit more formal now and I fish and I have to understand the value that I bring. And so, you know, I ideally, I would love to work in areas of diversity, but also consumer engagement social media for a brand full time. So, you know, I definitely think a diversity role. I feel as if
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ours like the future of a company. I think a lot
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Other people would benefit from some sort of diversity role, but then it would be my hope that that role could evolve into something more permanent with the job, right. Like, I don't think I wouldn't want to necessarily just do diversity or inclusivity for, you know, right. Career, but so i think i think it just has to be a natural evolving, but you know,
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I think it's to have that at HBO, we had a Diversity Council. Yeah. And that count. So within that Council, you had employees too, right. So, again, it's about having a role, but then having a role within that diversity. Absolutely. Exactly. I mean, HP is huge, but that's exactly what it is people from accounting people from creative people from all over, you know, HR legal, you know, at tax, you know, and and that's what made it up and then looking at supply diversity and making sure we supporting women owned businesses. Exactly. They already own businesses. And that was just a part of a function. It was just a part
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of someone's job that they've gotten involved with. But I think right now we're at a place where
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we have to make some changes now, change, you can't say you're going to do it and then not do it. We've got to make the changes. And so I think right now, having someone like yourself, go in and help and talk with people, so they have a better understanding of what that really looks like and really means so important. So external, so that's so so what a lot of people when the Polo challenge they, they said in their next steps that that they were increasing, creating internal diversity,
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what have you and so I think it's definitely important to have an internal change, but then again, where I see myself is kind of this external role for for brands and having a little bit of more objectivity. Yes. Due to the things that that needs to be done. It can be harder on people that way too. And take Taylor and get to
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Absolutely, I love it. I love it. I implore anybody who's listening to please check out quanties Instagram, it is it is a wealth of information and read the highlights. See what she's posting, she has so much information in a non judgmental way but really helping to to move this inclusivity agenda forward. Which is has been what she's been passionate about for as long as I've known you for now.
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Right and as well probably your entire life but since I've known you you've been doing that, but I always ask three questions. And then I and I want you to tell everybody how they can find you besides me saying it over and over beauty for brown skin the for number four.
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I might be your publicist soon. So my big three questions are what is your current? Like? What are you currently passionate about who I am passionate in
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Black voices being heard, and I'm passionate about seeing
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the dismantling of, of racism and racial and justices.
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I remember I was at a point where I, I was struggling to keep the two things separate, right, like I was more So focusing on the inequities that existed within the beauty space. But I think that it's okay, these are these are intersections of assault and so being able to combine all of those things and because I'm at the end of the day, I'm one person. Yeah, you know, so I see it from the side of inequities of the beauty space, and then having black voices be heard but then I'm looking at it in the greater the greater grand scheme scheme of things.
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You know, I I really wanted to see change as a black person. I have a black brother. I feel
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For him, you know, if I don't have to drive at night like that there's a fear that if he gets pulled over, he might not make it. Yeah. So I mean, I'm, I'm really, I'm, I'm,
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I'm just passionate people, I think people really want to be seen, heard, and acknowledged or recognized and so as and we just haven't allowed it as a society. Mm hmm. So I'm really passionate about amplifying first I have to perfect storytelling of myself. And then I want to be able to
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have a have a say in the storytelling of black voices. So that's, that's kind of where we're amazing. What's so then? Sure. It's very related about what's giving you purpose. I think it's probably that is what's giving you I don't want to put words in your mouth but eating again, I worked my whole life. I spent, you know, eight, seven years in school. I did a residency
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So that's eight years.
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I had some struggles along the way. As far as getting into PT school and completing it and out, you know, I didn't, you know, I didn't have, you know, a lot of money resources. So like, I was one of the only students that like, worked multiple part time jobs in addition to school full time. And, you know, I didn't always do it, right. And, and so it's like, I'm happy to have the position I'm in but I do recognize that, you know, I'm not sure that I necessarily did it out of happiness. I did begin again, because I wanted stability and security for myself and my family. So I think within this beauty space,
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I've found purpose because it's literally all of this has come So naturally, like I I don't, I don't pitch to people I don't
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I every I mean, just everything has just happened in such a way that I mean, you you can't
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leave it up to nothing but purpose like this past this. All of this has to mean something for me, right? Why? Well, you know, so
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different but somewhat similar in that I became an accountant because my mom said I need to be a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher, or an accountant don't like blood. didn't think I had the patient speed teacher and definitely can argue. So I was like, Okay, I'm good at numbers. I'll be an accountant, but it wasn't what I loved. It was right. I should have at it. But I'm passionate about educating and empowering me. I feel purpose of what I do every day. So I completely it makes I mean, that's why I asked the questions, the three P's the purpose, the passion. And then the third one is, what do you practice in order to stay fully present or more present?
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I am practicing.
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I am practicing being being present and so when I say that
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there was a
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An opportunity I had a really, really long time ago, and it fell through. And I remember that I really ruminated on it for a really long time.
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And so, and then even just a few months ago, I was so anxious about what was going to happen, you know, as far as me being able to, to work with with brands and so now, I really am taking it day by day and each each engaging conversation, each phone call each, you know, email dm, I tried to take it, take it in as it as it comes that day, instead of worrying about what's going to happen next. So, you know, I it's a it's a process I'm you know, I'm journaling a lot more I mean, I love to, but, but I tried to make it separate. So I guess I'm writing more poetic captions within just you know, like, I have
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I my journal right here next to me, but I mean, I just write, I just write what I feel. So, like when I got back from my walk this morning, I wrote, I just wrote what I felt at that at that moment and so that that definitely helps me to to just stay present. That's that's what people don't realize that's a form of meditation is journaling. So, I think that's one that I don't practice that I go.
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I fall off the bandwagon like I get on and I get off. I'm really good at meditation, but journaling. Yeah, but I feel like gardening is like a form of meditation for you. Oh, I'm, I mean, quanah you should see what's in my greenhouse. I've got purple cauliflower, several different types of peppers. I don't even know how many different types of cucumbers, kale.
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I mean, I just went Berzerk. I've got snappy, it's just because I'm home. I wasn't home. You know, I was traveling so much. And this, I am finding there are a tremendous amount of silver linings from this pandemic. Um, and I'm trying
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to focus on those because I do know that focusing on positive brings more positive and positive is I'm back in the greenhouse. And I'm seeing and connecting with those quote unquote roots again. And with you know, I have an older dog who I absolutely adore and she's been sick and I'm home with her, you know, I'm home with my kids. Like, Nick. Yeah, I have to tell you. I didn't that was such an incredible blessing to have that time with them that like especially Jacob, who came home from college that I never expected to have. But I don't know that I enjoyed being some is third grade. Teacher helper.
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Parents. Yeah, I think parents that was like the one thing they weren't anticipating, you know, it's not a strike.
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I do not understand Common Core math.
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And then the new way that they're teaching division, and Oh, please, I was like, I don't know. Take a calculator out. I don't know.
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It's the same
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Honey, I thank you so much for giving me this gift of your time. And no problem. I mean, I love you and D and again
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just being it's it's therapeutic to, to talk and to share my voice and to hopefully, even if it just encourages one person. Yep, I think you are both the space and the spark.
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I really appreciate that I really do. So again, I'm going to include in the show notes, it's beauty four, the number four brown scan.
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And I really hope that this is another part two to this because I think there's still a lot to discuss. And I welcome me I told you when this first started, I know you did. I said you want to get on and take over mindful Monday. Are there things What can I do to amplify everything you're saying and the offers always open? Thank you. Wow, love you, too. I will talk to you later. Okay, well
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I'm sure by now you can understand why I am obsessed with kewanee and everything that she does. I truly
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I asked you to check out what she's up to and again at UT for the number four brown skin she is just an incredible resource and an incredible soul. Again, hope you enjoyed this podcast and if you liked what you heard, please subscribe and of course leave a review. And as always, if there are other ideas for contents or guests that you would like to hear on the show, please email me at coming clean at indie li.com again, coming clean at indie lead.com. Have a great day, guys.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai