LP 3

I visited the barber shop two more times. My intention the first time was to talk a bit more with Brandon about his life growing up, but it turned out he wasn't there. I noticed Ives was sitting on the couch with with woman and a young girl, who i assumed to be her daughter. I didn't feel right interrupting their conversation, but I saw she had noticed me. She said hello and asked me what i was doing there. As soon as i told her, she got very excited. she said she had a project in mind to go around to different barber shops and interview the men there and get an inside look at what they're going through. She was extremely energetic and talkative. You could tell she had a real passion for what she did. Turns out she is Ives' cousin. She lived in NY for a while and is now moving back down here. Her name is Shandi Louis, but goes by Shandi, as she made sure to point out to me. A single mother with two kids, she is hard to miss. Not because she was the only woman in there besides me, but because of her fashion sense. From her tall spiky Hair to her large, dangling silver earrings to her neon floral-print top to her snakeskin stiletto heels- her whole outfit said "look at me". She looked good, she could pull it off.

I found out she is a sort of motivational speaker. She holds conferences and different events where she helps businesses and other groups with their customer service skills and other skills. Her website, http://www.shanitalks.com/ has more information about what she does.

She is very involved in her community (Harlem, NY). She talked about how she works with different businesses, and holds workshops and meetings for teenagers and young adults. She works a lot with a barber shop in Harlem called Denny Moe's Superstar Barber Shop. They hold many events to benefit the community, and they are an example of a barber shop who's doing things differently. they don't just cut hair, they give back. If you look on their website http://www.dennymoesuperstarbarbershop.com/dm/home.html you can see anything from all the famous people they cut hair for to all the good they do for the community.

Shani helped organize a fundraiser called "Cut for the Cure" Cutting For A Cure” in which barbers from around the country took part in a 48 hour hair cutting marathon. The event helped raise awareness and the money went to cancer research.

They are part of Chris Rock's upcoming documentary Good Hair. here is the video link talking about perms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-JAbs-xzXw

Every Friday Shani gives workshops to the youth of NY that are going through rehabilitation. She said she's been around all kinds of people and that it doesn't matter what race, religion or sexual preference they may have, they are all good people.

She is currently cutting and putting together a video for QVC and HSN and is thinking about going back to school for journalism. She wants to bring her business down here.

I got her contact info , and have already reached out her because i definitely want to learn more about what she does.