Black women represent the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S. Though they face a unique set of hurdles, recent data shows they are succeeding despite the obstacles, among them is Garifuna Entrepreneur Eudy Perez.
Eudy Perez is a trailblazing Garifuna woman entrepreneur, who is the Founder, CEO Cosmetologist, hair stylist and make-up artist of Eudy Perez Cosmetology, LLC, servicing the New York Metropolitan Area, as major contributor to the City's economy and the vibrancy of its neighborhoods. Eudy is a single-parent mom who has overcome adversity and demonstrates resiliency. She is trained and licensed to perform cosmetic treatments to the hair, hair dyes, facials and total or partial extensions, skin, and nails of her clients.
Despite a long and difficult path, she managed to fulfill her dream, to pursue her passion, not only exalting natural beauty, but also taking it to another level. Her determination and resilience are evident in the success of her beauty and make up salon, located at 509 Willis Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10455 where she has been serving a growing clientele for the past year.
Eudy is a Honduran immigrant of Garifuna Ancestry who despite her academic pursuit and hard work, felt that she was not advancing in her native country. Therefore, she decided to explore a career as a Cruise Ship crew member. The crew category often includes crew in the largest departments onboard. For example, all Housekeeping Staff, Food and Beverage Personnel, and Security Patrolmen. According to Eudy, working as a cruise ship crew is one of the hardest things she’s ever done.
While working on a cruise ship is truly a once in a lifetime adventure and luxurious, in the end it is still a “job.” It entails 7-day-workweeks, lots of split shifts, and being required to be “on” all the time, even when off duty, in passenger areas. Therefore, in 2011, she decided to anchor her life in the United States, landing in New York City, where she started working in the housekeeping department of hotels.
However, she never lost her dream of pursuing her passion for the beauty industry. She started pursuing the required training to become a professional cosmetologist. In 2018, she started working at M Fabulous Beauty salon, as a hair stylist. She also started producing Live beauty tip videos on Facebook and building an audience, while offering hair style services in a corner of her apartment.
Meanwhile she completed the required 1,000 hour approved course of study, to pass both the New York State written and practical examinations required to apply for a Cosmetology license to operate in New York State. As proof of successful completion of schooling, Eudy had to have the Affirmation of New York State Approved Schooling section of the application completed by her school director. She then took the Appearance Enhancement Written Examination, which is based on the pre-licensing curriculum.
After passing the written examination, she took the cosmetology practical examination, which consists of a series of tasks that she had to perform within an allotted time frame for each procedure. She was required to demonstrate various procedures within the specified time. After she passed the practical examination, she was issued a New York State Cosmetology License, which allows her to provide service to the hair, head, face, neck or scalp of a human being, and in addition includes providing, for a fee services for the application of dyes, reactive chemicals, or other preparations to alter the color or to straighten, curl, or alter the structure of the hair of a human being.
She then did her due diligence to obtain a business license for Eudy Perez Cosmetology, LLC, to be legally authorized to transact business in New York State. It is servicing the New York Metropolitan Area, with Cosmetologist, hair stylist and make-up services, while providing an opportunity of employment to the Garifuna immigrant community.
Being a single parent and a full-time member of the labor force, Eudy faced a unique set of challenges, among them the birth of her daughter Mia, who was born with microcephaly, she does not walk, does not speak, and has impaired vision, and depends 100% on Eudy, and the support of the people who love them and have decided to share this journey with them.
Eudy Perez was born in the Garifuna community of Río Esteban, Colón, Honduras from where she emigrated at an early age with her mother to the City of Puerto Cortés. She started working at the age of 12 on a banana plantation to help her mother buy her school supplies. That experience helped her to become more organized in terms of her finances, since she had to manage her money, and contribute to the household expenses.
Eudy's journey as an immigrant Garifuna entrepreneur is truly inspiring, she experienced the demanding nature of working on cruise ships and housekeeping in hotels, before transitioning into the beauty industry. Her hard work and dedication led her to achieve the American Dream, by becoming an entrepreneur, as a single parent to her daughter Mia. Though she faced a unique set of hurdles, she is succeeding despite the obstacles.
