Imani Anderson

Hello, my name is Imani. I am a beauty enthusias finally taking the steps to get my cosmetology license. I have always had a strong desire to express myself and channel the vibrant energy within me. This has followed me into adulthood; I enjoy dyeing my hair fashion colors, “customizing my character” by getting tattoos, and exploring my gender identity through alternative fashion ranging from baggy streetwear to eccentric, attention-grabbing outfits. I recall asking my mother to “play dress-up” as an excuse to explore the contents of her makeup bag, creating unique shapes on my face. I believe that this has fueled my personal motto, in layman’s terms, ”matching your outside to your inside,” as a universal way to show my openness to providing services that help people. I believe beauty services are gender-affirming care. That energy has led me down different paths throughout my life, including exploring interests in fashion, visual arts, performing, and film/media.

My free time generally includes watching movies and television, in which I find myself analyzing how the imagery influences how I perceive the storyline. Including the way the character’s appearance tells the consumer how they are changing internally.

Throughout my adolescence, I pursued the arts in many forms, like painting, acting, singing, and a brief film class, with my focus being dance. As someone who believes in expression, dance was a significant part of my life; even though I decided not to pursue dance, my experience introduced me to the beauty/fashion industry, which I showed interest in in my youth as well. Throughout my years dancing, I learned the art of changing my appearance to tell a story and the importance of maintaining my hair and skin’s health. As an adult, I continue to dance in small ways whenever I find a moment to myself.