Today we’d like to introduce you to Cheri Carter.
Hi Cheri, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My story includes a lot of trauma and tragic losses (some we will speak on and some we won’t) but just know that it has prepared me for the light that I’m walking in right now. Even this article has made it a “full circle” moment. I decided to do this article, not for pity but with hopes of inspiring at least one person to keep chasing their dreams no matter how far the finish line may be. So here goes… I’m a Washington, DC native who relocated here in 2014.
I’m the oldest of five children, who grew up in the roughest quadrant and poorest ward of Washington, DC. People hear DC and automatically think of the Mall (the Monument, the Whitehouse, the museums) but I grew up in the inner city, where most of my classmates didn’t make it out due to death or incarceration by the time we were in high school. Society counted us out before we had a chance at life. It has always been rough on me and my teenage years were even worst.
Regardless of anything, my dad and bonus mom was there through it all. In retrospect, I never received therapy but I just learned to excel in school because if I did that, my knowledge would get me out! Growing up, I’ve always been an honor roll student and very much so talented participating in theater, dance, cheerleading, choir, and marching band. Honestly, if it wasn’t for my school choir director (Mr. Stanley), Cosmetology teacher (Mr. Leatherman), and the DC-CAP advisor (Ms. Hall) who knows where I would’ve been.
They kept me busy so I didn’t have idle time to be distracted or focus on anything negative. That was my therapy. My 11th grade year (2003), Mr. Stanley took us on a college tour, where we sang at every HBCU between Delaware to South Carolina. It was the exact exposure I needed because it’s where I fell in love with my HBCU, Saint Augustine’s College (you’ll see the connection shortly). It’s when I knew I wanted AWAY from DC! I didn’t want to be a singer when I grew up, it was just a hobby of mine but my heart was in making others feel great about themselves with my cosmetology skills.
It was on that very tour, that a lot of people found out that I did hair because I was doing people’s hair on the charter bus and in hotels as we traveled up and down the east coast. My journey as a hairstylist, actually began in elementary school because although my dad has always had a great government job where he COULD afford to get my hair done, he was CHEAP in every sense of the word lol. I got tired of how he use to do my hair, so I began trying to do it myself. It went from just mine and my siblings, to my close family and friends to strangers by age 12!
By the time I was in high school, I had enough clientele that I began working in a barbershop by age 16 braiding hair (back then, you didn’t need a license for that). So I guess we have him to thank for that! I began taking cosmetology in 10th grade and took my state board by 2004 in the 12th. Needless to say, I failed it by one point. Devastated. I don’t know where my teachers are now but I’m forever thankful for what they’ve done for me!
I had also applied to a few colleges and was accepted to all but chose to attend my number one pick- Saint Augustine’s College, now Saint Augustine’s University. A lot happened over the summer of 2004 and attending college in the fall didn’t go as planned either. I became a mom to my baby boy by May of the next year. I knew I had a life to provide for and was doing it alone, so I did what I knew how to do best… HAIR. I worked hard, saved up, and by age 19, got my son and I, our first apartment. Only a one bedroom but it was enough for him and I. Fast forward to marriage and two children later, my goals became more of a distant dream.
I began working in DC public schools from 2006 to 2011 while still doing hair on the side. Then it all got dark. Unbeknownst to my family, my husband became drunk and abusive. Thankfully it was never when the kids were home. I finally got the courage to leave him when I was 4 months pregnant with my youngest daughter along with my other 2 children after he slammed my face into the window while I was driving and choked me until I almost crashed the car. That was my breaking point and I left. Not long after, due to the stress he caused, which made my pregnancy high risk, I had to discontinue working and lost our home all at the same time.
I didn’t know what to do. I stayed with a family member for the remainder of my pregnancy which allowed me to get myself together. So although I couldn’t work while pregnant, it didn’t stop me from returning to cosmetology school to finish that exam for a second time! By the time my kid was born, I was stable again. New home, working and all was well in my little world. Who knew a year later after deciding to relocate, I’d lose it all again but this time to an electric fire.
The downward spiral began again. I was drowning! I stayed with my family until we were placed in a shelter and lived there for 19 months. It was absolutely the worst time of my life and also when I was diagnosed with Lupus. I fought to get out of that place BY MYSELF and it landed me right where I needed to be… here in RALEIGH.
I use to visit Raleigh before moving here and it was just something about the peace it brought me that made me want to uproot my children and start over. I had just finished losing literally everything- my failed marriage, my main job, became homeless, and was diagnosed with Lupus all simultaneously. The one thing that has never forsaken me was my God-given talent of being a hairstylist. Upon my last visit here, I saw a little brick home close to downtown with a “For Rent “sign and called the number.
The realtor came an hour later and I got approved a few days later. Next, was finding employment. I applied for jobs the same day and was interviewed a week later and got hired immediately! Everything, that I had lost, I gained back 10x over! The one thing that motivated me even in the days that I didn’t think that I’d make it through was that I refused to fail my children again.
I began working at the Wake County Courthouse and Justice Center while building up my hair clientele here in NC. I still traveled back and forth to the DC to take care of my clients monthly and even began to do hair shows in Atlanta. I also applied to Saint Augustine’s University again because now that my children were all school age, it was my time. Needless to say, I was accepted and acquired enough clientele so that I was able to leave my job at the courthouse, put a hair station in my home, and began going to school as a full-time student.
That home is where Cherished Hands Hair and my nonprofit for Lupus (Luv A Lupie Inc.) was born! It wasn’t long before I began getting a buzz on campus and was allowed to set up shop in the living room area of the girl’s dorm, doing hair and nails for the college students at a discounted rate. My health caused me to put my education aside but it was always important for me to complete it because I will be a first-generation college graduate and that means a lot to me. Months turned into years and I returned to working full time and continued servicing my clients from home.
In the midst of it all, while finishing my rehabilitation from the debilitating illness, I met the one person I never knew I needed in 2016. He didn’t care about my past. He didn’t care about my illness. He just simply cared about me and my babies. We couldn’t be happier. He was very supportive of my dreams and wanted to see me win.
This was an unfamiliar feeling to me. It’s just funny how life works. I swore, once I was divorced and relocated to the south, that I’d never deal with another man from DC ever again… well that was short-lived because he too was born and raised in Washington DC. Relocated here to go to and graduate from St. Aug and remained here after graduating. Needless to say, we’ll be celebrating our anniversary on 3/24.
Our family has gone through the toughest of times but there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Nothing has ever been worst than what we’ve been going thru over the past two years. Between the pandemic and my youngest daughter getting diagnosed with the worst type of Lupus, having to undergo chemo, etc. I’ve become more resilient than ever! I’ve never been one to shut down when my backs are against the wall. Fight or flight kicks into overdrive. Going through each of these obstacles has taught me to show my kids to keep fighting. Not only dealing with my daughter’s health, but we were also simultaneously dealing with my son’s issues.
During my son’s 9th grade school year, he began to get depressed ( like a lot of children during the pandemic) with virtual schooling and began failing. He was always a kid who loved to learn so I had to be proactive. Throughout their lives, we’ve always received therapy because when you know better, you do better. After speaking to our family therapist, who helped me look for options, we collectively found an alternative. Coincidentally, it was the same school one of my friend’s sons had recently graduated from so she connected me to the recruiter. We began the application process, he was accepted, and unenrolled him from his school over the summer.
I’m elated to say that after 6 months, my kid just graduated with honors with a high school diploma after testing out this past December! He’s one of my biggest accomplishments to date! I always tell them that if you allow any circumstances or illness to consume your mind, it then consumes the body. So I engulf myself in my work and teach them to do it as well. I’m proud to say that when the world shut down during the pandemic, Cherished Hands Hair X Nailz is what helped keep us afloat.
Once my daughter became stable enough, I also reenrolled at St. Aug, and glad to say, I ended last semester with straight A’s. Sadly, my daughter’s kidneys began having complications in January and my lupus has become active again. I was about to give it all up. School. My dreams. Just everything but after having a long talk with my boyfriend, children, and a few good friends, they all encouraged me to keep pushing forward.
My friend, who’s also a stylist told me about the salon suites she works out of, and as of last week, Cherished Hands Hair X Nailz has a new home. I was literally making a Facebook status about being thankful for all of life’s lessons and it was then that I received your email for this interview. I’m forever grateful! Things are literally falling in place and falling apart at the same time because our health is complicated. Life’s still good and it’s setting me and my family up for our winning season.
I am anticipating graduating next year. My baby’s chemo medicine has slowed down the aggression of her lupus. My kids are thriving! Our other business is doing well. I’ve just moved into the salon and completed another course to expand and offer new services. Last but not least, alongside three other beautiful souls, the Four Seasonsz Podcast will be coming to all major platforms near you!
Is that circle full yet?
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The smile that I’m known for would never reveal the traumas I endured growing up. I learned at an early age to make the best of what was given to me and was determined to not be a VICTIM of anything!
Instead of self-medicating or abusing substances as most would, in this case, I chose to be creative, learning a new talent or extension of my old one and engulfing myself in becoming a better version of myself. I guess that was my form of therapy.
Full transparency, I’m a SURVIVOR of molestation and rape, domestic violence (both verbal and physical), homelessness (twice), endometrial cancer, and lupus. When most would let all of those reasons be the reason to give up on life, I used it to fuel my fire to keep pushing forward.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m a traveling (in and out of state) natural hairstylist with over 20 years of experience, specializing in all things natural. I’m a firm believer and promoter of healthy hair no matter how it’s styled. I offer all-natural hair services from braids, extensions, crocheting, weave and wig installations, eyebrow/eyelash services, and gel x services.
Although I offer an array of services, what sets me apart and what I’m mostly known for being my “growing hands” and loc services. So much so, that people thought I was ONLY a loctician and not a stylist in general. I’ve noticed that every state has its own styling technique with certain hairstyles and when it comes to my loc services, I always hear that it’s different. We (people from the “DMV area”) “twist different “ (whatever that means lol).
The thing I’m most proud of is my growth and willingness to always learn more. Also that I’ve been able to expand my range of services since 2002 while servicing multiple states. Who knew what started out braiding hair in a barbershop would turn into me being in my own salon suite!
I am currently offering braid and extension services (included but not limited to crocheting and twist too), weave and wig install services, eyebrows/ eyelashes m, waxing, and now nail extensions services.
As a way to give back to my community, on the weekends ONLY:
•I offer all college students currently attending Saint Augustine’s University and Shaw University (with a valid id) discounted services until the end of the semester (around May 15th).
•referral incentives
•teachers and first responders discounts
• Seasonal Promotions
•In the month of May, 9% ( because I just celebrated 9 years survivorship) of each transaction will be donated to the Lupus Foundation of America.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
My suite is inside of Naveah Designs. Located at: 916 Rock Quarry Road Suite 107B Raleigh, NC 27610 (directly behind the MLK STATUE at the intersection of Rock Quarry and MLK BLVD).
Availability and pricing can be found on my website: HTTP://Cherishedhandshair-x-Nailz.square.site.
For inquiries and collaborations Email: Cherishedhands.hairxnailz@gmail.com or Cheri.carter@icloud.com. ** Please allow at least 24 hrs for a response.**
Contact Info:
- Email: Cherishedhands.hairXNail@gmail.com
- Website: CherishedHandsHair-x-Nailz.square.site
- Instagram: @CherishedHandsHairXNailz
- Facebook: Cherished Hands Hair X Nailz
Image Credits
ELEVEN03 Photography
