An incredible thing happens when someone recognizes the unique gift they have to give to the world. When they identify what makes them tick and do something truly meaningful with it.
On Day 44, we’re introducing you to a group of people who are doing just that – the team at HAUS Salon. With the skills and resources they have, they’re sharing their gifts many times over and inspiring others in the process.
In Spring 2016, HAUS co-founder Charlie Brackney Love led a volunteer team of five HAUS stylists who traveled to Thailand. Their goal? To help train hairstylists in the Nu Po refugee camp in business skills and new haircutting techniques. The HAUS team had been inspired to help support ARC’s Cut It Out program that trains refugee hairdressers to spot signs of domestic violence and help survivors get help. The trip was life-changing for the team, and for the newly-trained hairdressers they equipped with new and powerful skills.
On their return to Minnesota and inspired by the stylists they met, the HAUS team got their own training in how to spot signs of domestic violence and help their own clients get to help. “The fact that people share deep personal experiences with their hairdressers is universal, and so people really tell us a lot in confidence, and it’s often easy to feel powerless about helping people outside of the salon,” said Charlie of the training.
But their story didn’t end there. This past Sunday, the HAUS Salon in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis opened their doors and invited clients in. Normally closed on Sundays, the staff donated their time and their tips from the entire day, all to support women in refugee camps in Thailand. It was an amazing day of generosity and connection.
Kay Thi – newly resettled in Minnesota from Thailand (far right above) where she translated for the HAUS team on their trip last year – spent the day at the salon talking with clients. The HAUS team has done so much to welcome Kay Thi to Minnesota, feeling the excitement of being reunited with her daughter and husband right alongside the family.
“I’m most proud of the meaningful connections and conversations we’ve been able to have within the communities of our HAUS Team and clients,” said Charlie. “It has created a tangible way for our clients to positively affect change in the world.”
The HAUS team raised an amazing $5,558.80 at the Salon-a-Thon – which will make a big difference for women in Thailand. And, in April, a new team from HAUS will travel to Umpiem Mai camp in Thailand to train a new group of stylists. These talented Minnesotans are putting their skills to work for good. They’ve found their unique gifts, and are generously sharing it with the world – and changing lives in the process.
