Episode 6: Becoming Shamari-Rene Cherry - From Rejection to Recognition

is another Atlanta local. She is founder and mother of the House of Channel of the Ballroom Scene, and she is the first black trans woman to win Instetician of the Year in two. She is Shamari Renee Cherry or Sha Channel. Shamari Renee joins me in this episode to talk to me about her decision to move to Atlanta in the nineties, growing up in her aunt's hair salon, and how she was able to start her own successful beauty business, Diamond Face is By. I became connected with

Shamari through some of my former esthetic students. They had shown me her social media and I became a fan instantly. Has been one of my favorite guests to connect with right away. We bonded over the fact that we were both trans women in the aesthetics industry and our shared attitude of not taking ourselves too seriously. A disclaimer about today's episode, myself and Shamari Renee will be using the

T word throughout the episode when talking about ourselves. Remember if you're not a T, don't say the word or call anyone the word. We had a lot of fun having this conversation, and I hope you all enjoy listening. I would love to come here like once a month, okay, absolutely, we could talk about all the news going on the training of view of here. We need this, we need it, we are inclusive, we are here right exactly. I love it.

I'm here with Shamari Renee, wonderful Atlanta based astetician, and I just want you to start out by telling our listeners about who you are, first of all, and how you identify. I am Shamari Renee, also known Channel the Mother has Found your Mother? Has you know my preferred pronounce she her in mind? Okay? Absolutely? I am Atlanti's first trans woman of color to on an operative skincare bar in this date of Georgia starting in two thousand

and twelve. Also the first trans woman of color to Estetition of the Year the BBB Awards with Baby Yes, which is what I saw when I found you on social I saw you on Instagram get out of here, and I saw, Wow, she is out here killing it. She's a black trans woman from Atlanta an Aestetician of the Year. Still mine is still mind blowing because like the clip, to be honest, it was almost like I

was at the Grammys or Oscar. It's something because pure I actually have the pot that is Look, I'm looking so samee mind you my I just got to stay. I'm crying crazy. This is such a fake picture because I'm standing here boo when the guy was like, let me just fix your makeup, shaking because you're phone to pieces you can't here. And I was just because I was at the time. I was supposed to thank my manager. He had just passed away in June last year. He's

my business manager and my executive assistant. So you know, not to damper to come moment, but I was. When I look at the picture, I'm looking at myself. I was freaking up because I forgot to thank him because it was like I couldn't have been in that position without him. It makes a year this year on June fourth, Mix a year and he was only twenty six years old.

I gave him such a hard I laugh. It's funny because I laughed now because I gave him such a hard time to work for me, because it's twenty two. I'm like, what can you possibly do for me? Twenty two? I am older than you, et cetera. But he brought such a great light to my business. He was innovative and he wasn't afraid to take a risk. Do you want to talk a little bit about like how he helped build your business and maybe a little bit about your business too? Down faces care I found it in

two thousand twelve. Well, let me start with this. I wanted to work for Mac. Yeah, I used to Okay, the music looking good, they have all of that, right. I wanted to work for Mac and did not know that it's hard to work for them. They hire from with them, so we just get it. But it also's discouraging for individuals like I still wanted to work for them because at the time, we must remember, there wasn't a place for us Yeah, there wasn't any visibility and

absolutely saw RuPaul. So that's one for me. That's the way, except we're gonna accept me apply with them Carmen for about teams straight. Yeah, that one interview. But let me tell you, Okay, a lot of times as trans people say they'd be overcompensated, and I can say why. I think back then, we overcompensated because we felt we need to prove a self worthy because they're already shooting us down. So we had to go in with our armor, like listening. I know my ship. So I do the total research

on MAC that night. I'm like, I'm gonna go inhead with a sled. I'm gonna have to know I'm not a dumb training you know. So Kermit get to the interview. First of all, I didn't know that MAC was a theater makeup. I didn't know that didn't it was too funny about two gay guys can and Canada. I had no idea none of that until then. So I go to the interview looking good. I'm painted like a Chinese Sun said, okay, gorgeous. So I mean they're like, okay, ask me anything about the company. I'm going to get

this job, honey. That lady said, Moms, Cherry, your references checked out. Well, your makeup looks good, your portfolio looks great, your makeup look good. You look absolutely amazing. But are you an aesthetition? I was like, no, what's that? I had no idea what an asthetition wasn't so I think that she could tell my face. I was like, why the hell would you ask me that? So I was thinking.

She was like, well, unfortunately, we can't offer you employment because at this time we're going to just towards skincare. So this is doing that time of transitioning for that right. So it's like I was yeah, I'm like I want to I'm gonna makeup artist. I don't know what aesthetition is. So the girl that interviewed me still happened. Her name was January. She was an alumni for I Assistant International School.

She's like, we need should consider going to school. I was like, not snatched the pant or so mad I tell my mom about it. I was like depressed that about My mom said, well, at least you could go do it, go and check on the school and see what's going. I was like, okay, okay. So I go to the school Kermit and at the time they sold me makeup because I've seen that's what my focus was. But little we both know nether makeup is like the little lest the practicing so and what they were doing

I was already doing, but they were teaching. I was already doing that and more because I was doing shows and they just teat you how to do it for state board. That's it. We're just like dark light. That's it, ten credits or whatever exactly. That's it. I remember doing a microdime bration and I remember the first time when I got this, lady got up and she looked in the mirror herself and touched her face. She started crying. Yeah,

of course I'm in shock because I'm like that. Listen, She's like, no, you sent me f It's so beautiful, my skin fields kid. So I knew immediately it was like a drug addition for that moment. I knew then because we like immediate results, and sometimes it's unrealistic. Let's be clear, not magicians, but you know, hey, I'm doing my best, but a lot of times they want a lot in thirty minutes that they are wrong doing in thirty years. I want you to reverse the thirty years

of damage. Right. So but I remember her face and I remember how that felt for me, and I was screw makeup. Yeah, immediately I wanted to screw make up because you can do makeup all do long. Makeup is beautiful, It's been here for centuries. No, it doesn't damage the skin in lestr abuts that go to sleep in and over and over and over. Thank you. Oh my gosh, when you get that skin right, baby canvas, Okay, that campus right, everything else we'll followed. For me, it felt

good to see that. So I was hooked. But in the same token, Karmen, I didn't think I could afford machines. I didn't know how the hell I was going to get any of those things. There's a lot of upstart costs, right that you don't have any ideas how are you going to even attain those things? And I would just say that to say it's a lot of times, once again, like Mac, I was disappointed because the position that I thought that I don't wanted was never created with a

trans woman in mind. A lot of times with these big companies, that's what happened because we don't always have the access necessarily to go to a school, right, I can't afford to and if you can, that's fortunate. Shamari Renee saw a future for herself in the aesthetics industry, and two thousand and five a time when she was looking to enroll an esthetic school, the world was very

different from today. Remember, same sex marriage wouldn't become legal in all fifty states until these were still the Bush Junior years. After all is the international school. When I when I accepted on going, they was like, well, you have tosinish your transcripts and everything. I was like, okay, this is two thousand and five when this is going on. Right before the same sex law marriage, Obama hadn't even been president checked right, so now these things happened, Okay,

George Bush. Right, I remember saying, oh my god, they're gonna get my papers from school, Like of course there's a transform you're thinking about all those things because once again the stigma. They don't expect us once again to go to school to further education. So when I went to the school, went to the school and delayed in the office Asian Mary, we have some papers, we have papers, but we have some and so and song and this has mailed. I was like, wow, that's definitely my high

school transcripts. You should have seen her face, carm And she was like and I was. She was like, We've never been a situation, but I'm so how about it. She was very apologized, thinking that she was offending me. Actually she wasn't. I loved them because they were so accommodating to make sure that I I was comfortable with everything. They were very mindful of the pronounced they used. There was like, anything that we can do to make your

transition easier. We're here. I don't know. They had meeting amongst the teachers, like, hey, this is the name that we're gonna go. We're gonna go by this. And I had to be honest with your Carmen. I hadn't even got my name changed until even when I graduated. At the time in two thousand and seven, I hadn't. I didn't get my name changed into like August. It's not easy, it's not cheap and at the time and right right so, But the thing is, at the time I felt all

that poverty for them. I don't even think they have those now. Name change. It was the poverty from ladies if you want to do it. They still have it, but had a poverty form because once again i'm trans This was something that I found out through resource other trans sistors, and ironically the cap County when I did it, declined it. Wow, the name changed. Everything isn't that shitty? But I went to Fulton County and they did it quick.

The school is very accommodating to me with that, so they let me go to school for two years without any question about put my names on all the stuff. It's like, you'll handle it. You've been a great student. So when I finished school Carmera, I didn't know how to start a career aesthetics. You have all this stuff, but all the tools, but they don't say go here or there's no guidance. So at once scanned we're in

a different class trends. So I went on several several confusing interviews because you're like, I have all the credentials, all the references. I'm what's skilled? What's the fucking process? That's why I feel like, what's the problem? And I got so many noes? And of course on that training ship, we'll talk about that later. So on my training ship. I'm like, I'm not good enough up. I know this is going to happen. They don't want me to be tray.

They don't want me the perfect come because I'm come to express that kind of treatment period, whether you're a black girl, white, just trans is to me as a whole class byself. Right, yeah, exactly, but even harder when you are black and trans. Yes, absolutely even harder. I luck like I want to remember with a theater company and this and make up for a while. And in two thousand and twelve, one of my girlfriends shout out to Kindred Hall. She's a great esthetician and an alpha ratic.

She has her own place. Shout shout out to love her. She's always just like my sister. If I was in the girl should probably my wife. She's my lipstick lesbian lover. Right, So she never let her hand about me for school. She was like, sham Harry, why don't you start your own business. I was like, just shooting it. They like, I'm like for the rejection or whatever. She was like, trust me, she said, you're in, You're in the community.

You have a following. You like, I've been to the club, but you they treat you like Whitney Houston all the stuff. She was like, I work for this medical doctors medical clinic, and they're selling that micro durmember machine. Would you like about She said, I think we should go. I think you should get that. I was like, okay, ch'ad go ahead, see what's going on, just saying it. No, this bitch was for real. Okay. So she went to the place and came back and told me the price. I was like,

let's talk him down. She was like, well, but she was the one who tell me just got the road. She's like okay. So not only did she go back, did she talk him down, but she gave me half of the money to get the machine. Yeah, so I had no choice but scept to build up the other half. Like okay. So I got the machine and September or two times, well this shout out to Diamond Faces. This makes ten years a decade. Could not believe it. Okay, thank you. So she brought the machine to my house, Carmen.

At the time, I'm living in the hood. I'm on the west side of Town of Police Street right there. The house was built a nice t was a nice house that did it really cute, but it was in the hood. Just to be clear, I didn't have a car at the time. I was a hood rad I was to say too. So that was catching the train okay and stuff. Okay. My first when she came up to the house, she was like, this is the machine. This is what a dude child. I'm going out of

town girl, make your money comment. I promised on everything. I looked at the machine for like a whole week, and you were like, how do I use to know? What the fund? Did I do? I knew how to use it with. I don't have any clients. I didn't have any products. I didn't even know what even get clients from this? And this is two right, what do I start? This is because I want in two thousand seven, so it's having many years later. Yeah, comment on everything.

I did some of my gay kids, and I did queer family, my queer family, and it was like, I want to facial. Yeah. I did one of the facials and they started to post. At the time, I didn't have an Instagram page. I barely had a face of page and I didn't know that you could use those that time for advertisement. At the time, I think was my Space or something going on yeah, that sounds about right. It was back to back there. That was to look

at the money. Okay, a lot of them. So so Kendrick came back in town and she was a girl, I know you're making your money. I was like, I haven't ever used the machine yet. Oh my god. She custom me, I'm so bad. She custod my ass and she and I needed it. She said, you use it. Wait at man, you got this whole machine sitting around. You gotta hoole cam me. They treat you like Whitney houstand bad. You need to use it. I was like, So she made me feel bad. So I needed a

kick in the ask to get over. So I called this at the time, I think it right. Everybody needs that, you know, to get us together. So I woul did this um show. And this was the beginning of the the YouTube. So his name was Jacob and he had a show. I called him and said, hey, I'm sure. He said, what's up show show? I was like, I wanna come. I want to come on your show and talk about a business. He was like, I got some announce he said, with you to stop walking balls again.

I was like, no, as I'm starting to business. He said you are. I was like yes. He said, have you told anybody else? I was like no, He said no, come on the show. We want to take you tomorrow. I was like, he said, we need a guy's Carmen. I went on the show at the time of Rian Blin Tiago, who was on Drag Race. She was hosting the show It's gonna mind Sherry should have been among my clients are gonna girly China, And I was a guy. So when I went on the show, Krmen, I talked

as if the business is already going. I only talked when I saw my head At I finished. Jacob was like, I'm going to play this interview next week and it's going to change everything, Carmen. Those people when he played the interview, they were blowing my father up. What is that I wanted? They didn't even know what it was. They were like I wanted. So I started to clients to start coming. It was offering the community. It was like, okay, great two thousand and thirteen Priday weekend and okay, it

was on a Friday. I had thirteen people in my house, all guys. I know that my neighbor thought that I was a whole. So I know she thought, this is a little horne, and I'm like, I know that, right. But in the the night, I said, let me google how I supposed to look because this is I'm one of something. I just don't know what it is? What is it? When Shamari Renee entered the ascetics industry, she was very aware that there were no spas specifically for

black men. She knew lots of black men in the ballroom scene who were undoubtedly interested in skin care services that nobody was tapping into. So Diamond Faces skin Bar became the first aesthetics business to be owned and operated by a black trans woman in Atlanta. Back in, salon suites were just becoming the hot thing around here. Very few asteticians back then were stepping out on their own to operate their own salon suits. But these days that's

what most successful institutions are doing. I guess you could say that is a trend setter. And then the night came. I was recogress the rare one. I never forget it. I was sitting on my bed, I impoogled images of spas and guess what did not come up? What's up? No black man? Correct? Exactly one, even in textbooks and things like that, Karmen. In my mind, I'm thinking myself instantly, if thirteen people men came to my home today today with no really besides social media, my song only something.

And at that time I didn't even when I did hit an Instagram page, I didn't put any pictures of myself because I was afraid that people wouldn't come and judge, and judgement basically trans right, yeah yeah, or is this I'm running up a happy ending kind of thing at my home. And so all those once again on the

train and ship, all those things came back. Mother said that we are we were south, and not call that training ship because even now training ship will slide out of you and expose this stuff and you're like, damn, I'm still here mentally, So I said, well, you know what, all of my clients I find this hell, so let me use them because people don't know if they get straight one, I don't know, because I don't talk about

that when I come to talk about your face. I don't care what the preference is when I tell you that just got rocketed because they knew when they saw this person, These clients with this white man's going that people are starting to use now that this is I want that. What I love about guys is it's differently between guys and girls. Men are better. Clients are very loyal. I agree, they're very loyal. They're going to refer you

to several people. They're gonna be it is well, I'm they're gonna use everything that they're not gonna be like, well this one person told me to do And did you see the girl on YouTube? What about the girl on TikTok who said to do this? And I'm sitting sid why the hell? But I listened to and not on't even know she's an aesthetician, you know. So it just blew up. I mean, yeah, I can imagine because

you found a niche. That's the thing that Kendra was telling me that I didn't understand that they're no, they're here, they want and the thing is because they've been waiting for that right And the thing is they didn't know what they want they wanted because people always say, you don't know a person doesn't know what they wanted to show them. So obviously that's what happened. And then it just blew up. I didn't expected to go crazy like that, consider I was still working for my home. I worked

from home for two years straight. Okay, and you work out of a studio now, well, I work at a studio and Buckhead actually, but there about six or seven years and most of my clients are steal The clients have been coming to me since two thousand and twelve. And that is a sign of an amazing institution. Didn't

you know what the thing is? That's res and a lot of times, you know what, when you're working in the thick of it, you forget about that, Yeah, and you often forget, oh my god, I've been seeing this person for five years. And when when you said it, yes the kids are graduate, I know, like, oh my gosh, wow, it is wild. Yeah, And I think that's amazing that you're able to find that niche within your community and

and be able to provide those services capitalized off. Because the thing is, we both know in our community, vanity is a thing, yeah, exactly, and there is money to be spent, and they're going to spend it because they want to feel good. And if you think about it, a lot of times in our community, unfortunately people are single. They look but they I think they've investents in the cells so they can feel good about themselves. So I

don't think anything is wrong with that. I feel like the guys, a lot of guys in our community don't have children. Yeah, so they're going to spend money on themselves to look good. The benefits and gentlemen. You know, when I realized now teen, usually I had to create a line for myself, even with aesthetics. It wasn't a place for me. It was not in now that tween years in a decade, and I see it feel good

to see like other trans women. Shout out to my sister and Miss Darting and freaking Virginia, she's amazing, changing faces. Shout out to my other daughter in New York, Til Sanders, She's amazing. Shout out to my other daughter in North Carolina, Sean Griffin. Those are three ladies that I know personally that I say are great, that were influenced by me that I don't know. They asked me stuff, and I always were in boxing. I talked to my sister, Miss

Darting Alicia Darting constantly on the phone. It feels good to know that they watched. They took a chance because you remember Eric and bad it was a hair status or even a makeup artner. Absolutely, but how many people went to school to become an esthetician because they we didn't even know, Like I said, I didn't know that what it was. And I do think that even though I don't think we have a lot of trans women visible in the esthetics centerships, it's still is a very

welcoming industries for trans people. Absolutely. The thing is, you know what coming like, You're the besides them. You're the only one outside of my daughters that I've met an esthetition. There's a transport And I said, my my girlfriends, my girlfriend, Kindrew, my girlfriend, my sister Kindrew consistent Immica not saying there. I haven't been there, but I don't have another had another trancecard can call it back. What do you think

about it? What do you think about that? Because you need that, you know, you have to, especially from different a different point of view. Yeah, And for a long time in my career, I spent a long time just living as stealth and not acknowledging the fact that I was trained. Was that it was awkward. I'd be doing

a Brazilian wax. They'd be like asking me questions about my vagina, and I'm like, I have a vagina, girl like, oh, you know, like I don't know how to tell you this right now, but you know, or they'll be like, don't have a baby, it'll ruin your perfect body or whatever. So it was weird for you in a sense, in a sence, yeah, because it always felt like I appreciated it. I felt like, other, first, you're absolutely beautiful. Thank you. You guys should see her right like right now after that,

I should have one gloss or something. I'm saying, like I didn't put it there with raindow, but a nice black hair, nice slight tend, you know, slightly good time. It's a good time, you know. Oh my god, I love it. So how was this? So stuff? Was it boring? It kind of was boring because after a while I got tired of it, right because you've got to seem like you work said. I never really stuff wasn't for me because I would probably be killed myself because I'm

be bored. Like sometimes since women stuff is really boring, I can that no creative outlet, it's no nothing. You have to come to the stealth women. I love you, guys. I think you're beautiful, but you'll have to come to the gates to get that outlet. That is the ty have to come to the gates to get that. And most likely they want to come to the clubs and be like yeah exactly, yeah, so you need that, but they have to come to that self. If I'm already, if I know that you guys need at why would

I leave what you'll need exactly? And so that is where I started to realize, like, I'm I need to be in my community, working with my people because that's where I feel like I'm most accepted and most comfortable and I can be my most authentic self. Why what is it that you think draws us to the aesthetics industry as trans women? I feel like for us as trans woman, we fell into it in the sense that we made it work in our favor. I feel like

I wanted to stray away from it. But because a lot of time is the image that they put out of us as transformed as sex work Absolutely um with us, we're sexualized all the time. As soon as you say that, And then for me, I don't offer any kind of massages because you don't want to cross that pound and I don't want to fee uncomfortable. I don't want you to feel like it's a happy ending because I don't know what's your mind is when you're comeing to see me.

You never know, you never know. And to my transistors, I want to say, go to school for it. It's a trade. If you're not if you don't know what you want to do, and if you are doing sex work ladies and young ladies, and so my chance if you are doing sex work, just turning into a professional. I mean, it doesn't have to necessarily be sex work, and we're gonna call it that. We're already servicing guys. Just make it a professional way that you don't have to do that, like it's just to keep it real.

You know, if you're gonna do it, go ahead and do and make the best of it. Change your life. And that's what I think the most. My favorite thing about the esthetics industry is that it is able to empower so many women trans or assists to be able to uplift themselves. Before we went to break, Shamari told us about her loyal clientele that she gained from her

years in the ballroom scene. So I asked to tell me about her history coming up in the ballroom scene and founding the House of Chanel, which has been featured on HBO's Legendary. When I first started, I remember saying I want to celebrity clientell and my first celebrity client was Rico Chappelle, the designer. He got me, It's like hey child. I was like, thank you for choosing time, and he's like, hey child, this Rico Chappelle. I said hey. He was like yeah, I heard try to chet the

girl doing faces. We kind of get my face done. I was like, do you want to come tonight? He was like yeah, I said what time? He said about ten o'clock. I was but at the time almost like the strippers, I'm working all night. That's what there was. They were coming in and I had several stripper clients. Was coming easier to Oh my god, they get it. So he came over. No, he didn't have an entourage fore him, since he came to my house asking that he went any red wine. So we just sat a

talk to the facial on him and he is. To date, Rico Chappelle is one of my most one of my loyal clients. He has dressed me several times with different events. He's been a judge of different balls. Anything that I've ever asked him to do, he's been and so shout out to him. I love him, my love like a yeah, he's been amazing. That is something else I want to touch on. Two is so you're founder of the House

of Chanel and you're from the Ballroom. You want to talk a little bit about your history, and they so, well, if I can give out a lot of numbers, because I'll tell you how old I am, I'm not. I'm a vampire. Ladies and gentlemen. So I'm gonna just say this. I'm the foundering mother of the House of Chanelle, and do not people don't edit up. I will come and get you, Okay, okay, don't add it. I would be in the mirror, like, don't play with me. The ballroom

seems actually how they're the foundation to my business. All of the winners shout out to my Daughter's shout out to Overall Mother, Did Levan shout out to Overall Mother, Exotic McClair, shout out to Mother Atlanta Chapter Eric Levan shout out to hold Like I can get the list of winners Tiffany Monroe, like all the big time winners have laid on my table. I could never leave the ballroom scene the because of that alone. They've been the

foundation of my business. Like you said, your niche. And that's the thing is I was in balls in ninety I didn't started doing it for the bottom scene to two thousand and twelve, right, So that's a followed you know that. So they've been rocking with me since then, you know. And not only was I winning and walking doing those times that time ago, but when I stopped and slowed down, they were the first month to attach themselves to my business, and like sha became a part

of their aesthetic. The house smooglare mother excited. He's like cool, get your face, He'll to all the new recruits, the ones with our face. You need to go see the house regard sign did the same way a lot of them. How's it like, No, you need to see. So Scholotte to them for always supporting me no matter what, like I would do pop up shops pre pandemic in DC for pride. Have you ever been a DC Pride I haven't.

I've only ever been. I know this sounds crazy. I've only ever been to Atlanta Pride my whole life, and I've been many times. I know I'm sheltered, girl, you gotta get me out outside. I only went to California, so my first time leaving this health. I've lived in the South my whole life and I never left the South until I went to California in February for the first time. And it was my first time ever leaving the South. I'm from a bubble. Who know, YouTube pretty

just you guys. Once again, you should be seeing how she looks right here. But you know what it was is that training ship where the inner saboteur, yes, exactly. And so I had convinced myself that I wasn't worth any of that, you know. And why do we do that? I don't know. And I think it's because we just let society continue to and they feed it to you. And that's, honestly speaking, that's how we sabotage, because where it's fair to you, it's nothing good, nothing ever is good.

Pre Now, Yeah, what's said about us that age when it killed in the now, the numbers and transplant, specially by transfer murdered, that's insane. Yeah, yeah, that's insane. They say you don't. I'm fine from third too. I passed that almost three times. And that is the average life expectancy for a black trans woman. Yeah, I've had a couple of I had two girlfriends haven't murdered. Shanna Gibson

was one of them. She's like my daughter. She got she was murdered in New Orleans a couple of years back. Mind blowing beautiful girl. Sorry trying to look her up. She's she's just freaking beautiful. Yeah. I was speechless. Yeah, I can imagine I would be use in the houses she walked. She walked sex hour, she was a sexy bit. She was beautiful and shout out to her crowd resus. So she was absolutely beautiful. And I know another girl named Malanda was murdered New Orleans as well too, So

nice girl. So it's crazy in my time, I've witnessed that too. But we've seen some things I think get better. Yeah, absolutely, exact. Absolutely. Laverne Cox has been contributed that she's all On TV. We have M. J. Rodriguez who wanted to go I am de Blanca off the ballroom saying I've been learned. I've been both mothers though elect I love take it all, you know, but it definitely has been since two thousand as well starting my business, that's been a lot has

changed in the community, community, especially for us. Yes, that's the thing. I think trans a lot of times takes the place of color. Passing is another thing too, you know, It's like, if you pass, then get a lot of treats, a lot of perks, a lot of perks, and if you don't, it's going to be harder, harder and maybe even violent way. And I always people people say I passed, I'm like a girl or whatever, But when I was a teenager, I didn't feel that way. No, we never

feel like a brick. Here, Shamari Renee opens up about the struggles she had moving to Atlanta with no plans and nothing to her name. She talks about what it was like being homeless for a month and how that experience shaped who she is today. So you always on the transition, Oh yeah, always, Yeah. From the time I was a child, I was coming up with how did your family take it? I'm actually but he well, I mean my family, they for me, it was They're either going to accept it or I'm gonna be gone. So

it was it going to be. So they accepted it because I really gave them no other choice. It was like, you're either going to accept it or you're not gonna be in my life kind of thing. Did you know it's crazy. When I moved here November, I got I got the bus for fifty dollars. I was homeless. Wow, it's so crazy. But now sometimes in retrospect, when you think about stuf compared to now, things have changed all that because I didn't have a plan. I was homeless.

Mine lived in Conyers. I didn't want to go to her place, and she had two sus signs. I'm sure I'm looking like a boy, but feeling like a girl or feeling like you know. So I didn't want to intervene on that, but I'm saying. I'm saying it to says I stood my stood being homeless, and that was actually a good teacher. Learn how to jump to rails. A lot you learn, for sure. But I don't have any regrets, Carmen, because it don't care makes you who you are, You thick skin and especial being trans. Yeah,

you have to have thick skin. You have to let this ship roll off your back. Because I have the time. People can say what they want to say about your regardless of exactly, no matter how pretty you are, really are they going to see some money Eastern I An or whatever exactly. They're always going to have that thing to punch you down with. Yeah, and see, my my mom, my family wasn't my mom and I and you would never think that we had any kind of problem now,

but we were. I'm gonna think about this because she was afraid. Yeah. And also I think too for parents, they sometimes more in the loss of a child and think that they're losing a son and all of that. I think it's unfair though, Yeah, it is, because what happens is they try to push there on you and a lot of times they're not realistic. You know what they say about expectations. Expectations are just future disappointments. I

know that's right, that's right, because that's the thing. Like, I don't know what my mom thought I was gonna do. My family always said that you're gonna be on TV, You're gonna be doing something like this. They always said it's not kind of knew that too. But I also know I love Danna Ross. I also know I love Jenna Jackson. I was in love with Whitney Houston. Yeah, talk talking to us about that, because that is actually one question I asked on my guests. It's like about

your idols. Oh my god, Diana Diana Ross was the first one. My mom told me she were wigs. I started crying, Oh my god, you didn't believe her because she looked at my grandmother. And then of course there's Janet Jackson, of course, and but of all times, Oh, I'm sorry, Mary J. Blige, Absolutely, I'm such a Mary J. Blige kind of check leg a coat, wedge, heels, short, sexy haircut her. That's who identified with. But honestly, you're

gonna live when I said it's Carmen. I wanted my name to be Whitney Blige because I wanted to talk fast like Whitney Houston, to be charming and sassy. But I alwayso want to be like I'm not having it. No, I'm not having it, you know. So I wanted to be I love the way merchant but Lize dressed. Yes, yes, style, you know, but I love Whitney like charisma, and she

was sassy and just that kind of thing. So and see at the time, there wasn't any trans women that we could say we looked up to exactly, So I looked at those. One Whitney, he said, was the first black man being played on MTV, and I witnessed that. So to me, shout out to Whitney Houston. I will always be in love with Whitney's rest in peace. So those are like the people you grew up watching from. But I was in loving my grandmother and my mom.

My mother was beautiful, and my grandmother was absolutely my favorite aunt. My grandmother was my biggest fan. She was the president of the club like. She was so supportive of anything I've done. She was the one who told me go to school because at the time, when I said about sol she was I was like, right, I think I want to get a sex change. At the time, I thought that's what I wanted. Guess what my grandma said.

She was like, Oh, try if you said the four pussy one time, you to say before again, go to school. I love that you said it for a pussy one time, you can do it again. Shout out to Barbara. Oh my god, Barbara, that was great and that was true. Barbara, right, she shoutou you did it once you could do it. And then my aunt, my favorite shout out to Darwin named Cherry. She's like my second mom. She was the one that had a hands on here. Yeah. I was

her assistant in the and I started taking her own therapy. Right. You know, we go to that phase where androgen you're awkward. You're like, wait a minute, ye, So my breast was growing, I was wearing the bras. My nipples is a big but in my mind, I'm not even seeing her son. It was a Friday night, Friday evening my eydset. She s let me talk to you you in the back. I was like, okay. She was like, what's going on? Man, I'm just tired. She was like, what's going on with you?

What's going over all this? I was like, what you mean? She was like what you mean? She was like what you mean? What I mean? Mind your my aunt? It was the diva blonde bomb blonde Shore, you know, had the hairstyles, the fabulous always. She was like, you're walking around here bras, no touch and she was like, I was like, don't go in on your half shaved your hands and slick back. You look a mask you need she said, um. She said, you need to be wearing

a bra. She said, you are transition. You want to say you look as a matter of fact, since you don't know exactly what you what you need to be, I'm gonna tell what you need. You need to leave clock clock out, leave work and go get your hair fixed and come back to work Monday dressed appropriately like you dressed me go to the clubs is on the weekend when we go do those shows. You're coming up

here to my shop looking at half asked. She told me to leave on a Friday, so that let me know that myne with serious about the transition, because I'm going to leave on a Friday, and means like if I'm not assisting, it means I'm not making any money, and so busiest day. Okay needs a sad laugh. And I came back Tuesday dressed the share and she was like she had a meeting with the shop. She was like, just my nieces. She reintroduced me like it was nothing.

She was like, this my niece. She is the salon assistant and you're gonna respect her. And if anybody does not have any respect of her, don't discuss anything that anything, any problem you have her you talked to me, not her, Okay, just like that. It just happened that she mind was very, very very the one you need, you have to have it. And and at the time me and my mother weren't. We weren't, and she was. She was my second mom,

you know. And of course you know when you're young, you and your no you fucket that or nobody understand why she was afraid. This doesn't come with the hand book. So my aunt was like, listen, I can't pay for your harmones, but you can keep your hair fixed him. And it's a little easier for someone like an aunt to be able to say, like, I can see what's going on without all feeling feelings. She was like and she was like she was like up in the faircast that the boy George Day, my honor is so that

shout out to me and Darrel. She's always been. That's what took to the war show with me. Oh my god. She was like she was in tears, she was taking pictures. We were sitting together. Was so funny timing because as soon as I sat down, they started announcing awards. My ward was the first one in the night. So I was in shock, like not prepared. I just got here and she's so busy trying to fix. Shout out to her, she's trying to fix the train of my dress, Like I look good, I mean a full melt that was

just meltdown, and I think about it. But she was so proud because she would always say, your gifts are gonna make room for you at the table, and you did, and that you did. It's the only difference is I had to build down on tape. I'm bringing my chairs, but even building right, so you're right. Shout out to that. Yes, so thank you for paving the way for us. And it's a rough road at times, you know, your doubt yourself. So one question I try to ask all my guests

is what do you believe makes trans beautiful? Why is trans beautiful to you? The tenacity of it, the tenacity effort to make a way out of no way to find the beauty and something that was called ugly or called not acceptable, called nonbelievable. Like I said, there's no good things that no one when you first become trans, and no one fed good seats into you. So the fact that we can turn anything into something beautiful, that's

what makes you trans. Your your own creation. That's t your your own creation as a transportment where design engineered and built exactly how we want, exactly how we want to Who wouldn't want that? We're not basic? We can't be basically if you do design its yourself. Who wants to be basic? So I feel like, why not accepted? I feel like more people don't accept themselves because they weren't taught it. Oh yeah, yeah, we don't talk that

we're talking. Weren't supposed to love ourselfs. So the fact that we have other women like yourself that are just like us, and we make a way out of no way, that makes it beautiful. And a lot we have regulars as women that don't have that exactly, And I think that is take you know this, women take it for granted in some ways, in a lot of ways. No, I hate when I hear women say I don't want to make up why not? It was created for you actually, so you don't want to take advantage of that? Okay,

I'm sure to put it right. Let me make it, and then you get mad with me, right because I'm better because I'm better at it and faster, and I get it, and then and then you said, oh, you wouldn't be like me, No, you should be taking notes and being like me. I feel like sometimes we're a gift to absolutely. I feel like and in Bibles, certain religious transcript their dual minded people, the indigenous people said that we're doing minded spirited spirited people, and I, yes,

I do. I feel like as transforming the driving fact that we were born with what friends like. I used to want to be sexual brand signed, but I don't want that now because the beautiful thing about being a sister and to a woman as they can bear children, I don't want to bear children. Yeah, I don't want to be a seen apparent either. I look at it that as a benefit for me. I feel like that's alone,

that's a part of how we were wired. We can have children, but we can look like this to be able to think things out, to make something out of nowhere, because that's not easy for anyone to see the bigger picture. No matter what's handed to you, no matter what's whatever, you a person, paint your bed of it, you make the best out of it. And I think you have done that than for yourself. Absolutely, Thank you, think Renee,

thank you so much for being a comment. This has been such a delightful, delightful, delightful your new but tell us for the listeners where they can find you. Follow you guys. What My website is ww dot d faces with two z's dot com. My Instagram page is hacked, you guys, but his diamond underscore faces with his z or. My new page is faces by by Shaha and I'm doing some TikTok stuff. I've got some stuff coming up.

I got some masterclasses is coming up. All you guys can also follow me on Facebook at Shamari Renee Cherry. That's Renee with one E on Facebook and you'll see the more stuff. I hope you all enjoyed my conversation with the amazing Shamari Renee. Please go check her out on social media and please let me know what your favorite part of this week's episode was over on the

Beauty Translated Instagram at Beauty Translated Pod. Please leave us out, rating and review over on Apple Podcasts, And for those who have already, thank you so much for your words of encouragement. They mean a lot. Next week's episode is going to be a big one. We will be talking with Alex Petrovnia with the Transformations project about the state of anti trans legislation on the horizon and stay Beautiful

by y'all. The show as an association with the I Heart Next Up program co founded by on a host name Joel Monique and Yessenia Median. Beauty Translated is sound designed by Jessica Cranchit and produce used by Kurt Karen and Ali Perry, and our theme song was composed by Aaron Kaufman. For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows.