Olivia Brown’s inspiring journey to redemption

The shop is bright and eclectic; gold, pink, blue, and white decor bring color to the walls and a single salon chair anchors the space. Its owner buzzes back and forth between the cabinet full of dyes and potions, the shelves full of product, and the minifridge before offering me a bottle of water.

Olivia Brown is an energy field: a 33-year-old Black woman, entrepreneur, single mother and person in recovery. The last of these has shaped much of her relentlessly positive outlook and sparked the passion that drives her to create transformations every day in her Cedar Rapids salon.

Like so many Iowans, Olivia is a boomerang — she was born in Cedar Rapids, moved to St. Louis and returned later in life. However, her reasons for returning were anything but typical.

“I came back to Iowa to go to Heart of Iowa (a local treatment program run by ASAC). I had no money, a 3-month-old baby boy, and I had just relapsed.” Olivia describes this period as one of the most difficult in her life — she had made the decision to work on overcoming the core issues that caused her to use, and to achieve stability for her family.

“Addiction for me is a reaction to something bigger,” she said. “Everyone who struggles with doing something compulsively, whether it’s drinking, drugs, social media — you have to address the core issue or you will end up right back in the cycle.”

There was another motive for choosing Cedar Rapids as the place where she would rebuild: Her daughter had been in Cedar Rapids in the care of family, and Olivia desperately wanted to reunite with her.

“(My kids) deserve to feel safe and protected and know I have their back, and there were times I wasn’t doing that. I was so selfish. Meanwhile, (my daughter) needed me. I'm feeling the consequences now that she's a teen with a voice and has these negative memories.”

In the years that have passed since her time in treatment, Olivia has taken steps toward improving their relationship.

“I’m rebuilding my relationship with my daughter, rebuilding my life — and it’s hard, because I want everything to happen effortlessly, and I want her to trust me. I have all of these wants, but I have to accept that just because I'm ready for those things doesn't mean she is. The only thing I have control of is being the best version of myself so that when she is ready, I am able to be the person that she needs me to be.”

“What do you think people should understand about redemption?” I asked her.

“It’s not just about redeeming yourself to others, redemption is about finding the path to your own destiny. Redemption is a personal thing, but everybody is capable of change.

“If you had told me three years ago that I would have my own business, be happy, have my own place to live — I was homeless! I was carless and jobless! (In treatment), I had to wake up every day and tell myself that I deserve a happy life, my kids with me, money in the bank. Even when I didn’t believe it yet, I could envision it, and I knew one day it would come true. Literally, standing in the mirror and saying ‘I am beautiful, I am strong, I am sober today and that’s awesome.’ ”

As a stylist who specializes in curly and Black hair, Olivia’s work is a walking billboard. Within five minutes of meeting one of her clients, I demanded to know who was responsible for her luscious healthy curls. A week later, I was in her chair. She has honed her skills at freelance gigs for modeling agencies, at traditional salons, and finally at her own space — she opened Liv Creative Hair Artistry with a tax return just over a year ago.

“There were some people who thought I would fail, but I haven’t. It only takes one person who believes in you to help you believe in yourself.”

“Who was that person for you?” I asked.

“My mother’s best friend. She helped me to find work as a hair and makeup artist, she was a huge part of my life. When my son was born, the Department of Human Services insisted that I have somewhere to go where I could be monitored, and she took on that role — she moved us into her house until I came back to Iowa.”

This act of kindness meant that Olivia was able to keep custody of her infant son until she was accepted into the Heart of Iowa program.

“Do you think there’s a reason that the work you do is literally creating physical transformations for others?”

“Oh, absolutely. I love helping people to explore new possibilities for themselves. Some people are afraid of change, even when they know it is for the better. I love educating clients and helping them feel confident in knowing what to do to look and feel their best.”

It has been a long journey, and there still is plenty of road to travel. Olivia hopes that sharing her story will help others to recognize their own ability to overcome the challenges they face and build a life that brings them joy.

“My story is long and messy and sometimes ugly, but I am so proud of what I have been able to accomplish so far. I love that I have my own oasis,” she says of her space. “And that it’s not only my escape; it can be an oasis for my clients, too.”

To support ASAC, the nonprofit organization that offers the Heart of Iowa program, please visit http://www.asac.us/about/opportunities/donate/

Sofia DeMartino is a Gazette editorial fellow. Comments: sofia.demartino@thegazette.com