Felicia Leatherwood'S Loving Your Hair Virtual Birthday Bash

Um is, is, is um ah day huh, so ah ba uh, hello, everybody. I am excited to welcome you to felicia leatherwood's birthday bash. My name is love. You jai jones and i am a writer speaker, podcast host and i am a longtime friend of felicia's. She is one of my dearest friends and she is to be celebrated, so i'm excited for y'all to be here to join us for this special occasion. So there's a lot of things that we're going to do today. One of those things is that we're going to have some surprise pop-up guests for you and then we're also going to do giveaways, because felicia is a given woman. She is like, while i'm being celebrated, i want to also give back to y'all, so how you're going to win the different prizes is you're going to um share your favorite photo of you and your favorite brush with the best item and the hashtag is fl birthday. Bash and brush with the best all right so share it on social and then bonus entry. If it's one of your newest additions, you must be joining the live the entire time. In order to win, we have so many good things waiting for you. We have so many pop-ups waiting for you and i'm excited to even chat with felicia every time her and i share space. We have a good time so y'all didn't come to see me. I am going to bring on the birthday girl the birthday woman, the birthday fierceness felicia, leatherwood, hey bo. What'S going on, how are you my capricorn sis, yeah? Well, people think it i'm a massage, because we did this early right, but you are. You are like right at the new year like right before the new year, but that's why i do it early, because i feel like everybody's out of town they're busy they're just not around so i move my birthday. Sometimes i have in october november. You say i'm gon na be celebrated, i'm still a capricorn, though i'm still a capricorn and i'm excited. Thank you so much for being here on your, like. I don't know what your weather's like, but here it's a little sunny and overcast, and i appreciate you being here on this sunday afternoon. Everybody else. Thank you. Yes, first of all, you already know chicago's dumb code. All right, like you, already know um, but when you ask me, i show up because you always show up for me like just. I didn't even give me a chance to even introduce you, but everybody knows who you are, but i just want people to know that felicia is the hair whisperer. Okay, that's what people know her as the hair whisperer. They know her as the person who you know, whips everybody's natural hair into shape, but i think you are more of you're like a heart helper. You are an amazing friend you're, an amazing sister. You are a purpose-driven woman and you walk you're walking light. You know you are somebody who you walk in a room. You instantly make it better. So i i just deeply appreciate you, so i'm excited i'm excited for this new year. For you every new year you get better. Thank you. I'M gon na throw the butter back on you because you just yeah you buttered me up. I am a reflection of the people around me and so for me, you are that you are that you, you know, people know you on social media, but they don't know how much you really support your friends and that's huge in our community of women of color Is the support there's so many um a lot of conversation that we don't support enough, but i'm here to tell y'all lovey 120, give support checks on me calls to make sure that i did the thing i was supposed to do. What'S up with that girl? Did you do it and you feel like she's, your friend, your sister and also you gon na get reprimanded, but in a loving way? I like that. I look for it. So thank you. Oh man. Listen. When did we meet felicia? Do you remember? I know that we met through afrobella who was coming on today later and we ate. We went to a caribbean or west indian um. That sounds like us spot. We went to a couple of spots, but that was the one we ended up at and i just remember: lovie was talking really fast, like you were talking super fast and i was like what she wait. I'M gon na catch it. Okay, it was like i was like i was stationed, and then i jumped in was like okay, i'm good. I got it and then we just connected found out. We were capricorns and that's all you have to say to a capricorn. Is that you're a capricorn? Well then, we're like you and the club are ready. You have to kick yourself out. You know, listen because we we have this understanding of how we operate. Like you know, we do talk fast, like we, we think fast also, so i i talk as fast as i think so, which is why i'm like and plus that i'm nigerian. So i also talk fast because i'm nigerian, we do that too yeah, and that was probably what 12 years ago that was. Oh, my god, 12 years, i was like 12 years ago that was before the glow up before. Like any other stuff, i need to make a list of all the things i've done with my life. Since i met you, i think we should do that with our long-term friends like what did you do since you've known this person for eight years or 10 years or 15 or 20 years? What did you do and not to even depress you, but just to the accomplishments, not the bad things y'all the accomplishments you've made in that time, the level up is good. You know what i mean like we've seen each other through very many different phases of life. Felicia was on hand and like did my hair for my wedding, like she was the only person who i wanted to touch my hair on my wedding day, i was like i can't i was like felicia. Can you please do my hair? I mean she was going to be a guest anyway, but i was like okay, you look like. I always feel like when i look back like the people that are gon na come on my wonderful clients. I used to be able to touch their hair and friends. When i look back at at their special you guys. Special moments always be like it could have been better um. I do it every time, even oh, my god better. You know, but that's that speaks to like you wanting to always get things right like you wanted to make sure that everybody's crowned speaks to their glory, which is an incredible thing. So now that it is your birthday we are celebrating you, you just told me something that i actually did not know, but when we were just like talking before this started, fun fact felicia, i'm gon na be asking you for random felicia fun facts about this event. So give us the the fun fact you just gave me before we came on, but i was like. I didn't even know that, oh my god, okay, so i have a condition. Don'T even make me say the long name. It'S a science name where my scalp is so tender and tight since birth that it hurts like really just to touch it. It hurts. So i can only do my own hair for the most part, like i found one other person that can possibly do my hair and not hurt me. But really i thank god for my mother because she must have known because she just backed up off it um, but she put the little space on fro and picked it out and that hurt and then my dad would come and my grandma and they would torture Me they would do the hairstyles, but i have a condition and it's it's common and rare at the same time. Yeah. So that's funny you, the hair whisperer have tender like you, have scientifically tender head yes, and is that what got you doing your like hair in general, like what else got you doing this? So definitely that because no one wanted to touch my hair, it was just horrible okay and then i had a hair, stylist jack me when i was like 13 years old, 12, 12 or 13.. She gave me these real, pretty braids. It was cute. I went back to get it again because you know when you little, you think you got hair when you got braided like my hair is wrong, and so i went back and she didn't feel like doing it. She braided my hair around and around all the way to the top of my head put a little wooden bead. What they you do when they're doing a weave now that base she put it as a hairstyle and went to school. They talked about me bad. I was like no one would ever hold up my life like this again. Oh my matters in my own hands at that age, so you've been doing your own hair since you were 13. longer, probably eight, probably oh, okay, you you're true to this, for real i'm shooting it exactly yeah, oh my god. Okay, just think about other fun facts. As we're doing different things today, because i'm gon na be asking you to drop other things, i want people to know more about felicia the woman yeah we're supposed to be giving some giveaways some prizes. But i don't know if people knew that about my scalp, but anybody watching there's so much opportunity for you to win some amazing gifts and uh. Just listen to all these little facts and we'll come back to you with the questions i i'm a fan about it. So other thing um: what did you want to be when you were like five years old? I think when i was five, i honestly wanted to design wedding gowns really. I know it's weird yeah. I want to come from because i used to doodle and for some reason, wedding gowns at a young age was like it's. It was your well let's back up when you watch snow white cinderella, all these little fairy tale movies that don't have black girls in it, but you know we we replace them with ourselves. It'S like dress. That really did it. For me, the dress, the shoes and the hair, so for me, playing with dolls, was never about the doll. It was about her hair. What i was going to do to the hair and what she would wear, and so, as i grew my parents watch me drawing all the time sketching um. I know how to take a pen and really just take lines back and forth, and it will come into a shape of a man or a woman's head like this is stuff, my little weird nerdy things that oh yeah, and so i was always drawing dresses and Shoes and doing hair, so my parents really thought she wants to be an artist. So they put me in an art magnet where i learned all these different um techniques of art, sculpting, contemporary art, abstract, art, photography and i ended up doing hair. Why? You know what again i'm learning a lot about you, which is kind of wild. How did i i never heard you talk about wanting to like draw wedding, gowns yeah when i was actually, i should have been like yo, maybe felicia should have designed my even though i had my wedding ground was nuts okay, so we have our first celebrity puppet. Are y'all ready are y'all ready? She is before i give you her name, i'm going to talk about what she's done. She is best known for her role in the marvel cinematic universe as detective missy, misty knight in luke cage. So you already know who i'm talking about a role she also plays in the defenders and iron fist, most recently starred as lola carmichael in all rise. Please welcome simone misik. Hi simone, hey, hey, hey, hey, ladies happy birthday. Felicia. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, wait simone. What and lovey lovey do you know? What sign simone is yes and her husband wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Wait! You married another capricorn! I married another capricorn yeah yeah. I took the uh the. What is it? I got the torch for my parents, they're both libras they're a day apart, so when i met him - and he was four days uh apart from me, i was like. Ah, this could work. That'S like an organized household felicia is always the one reminding me that uh we gon na be all right. She'S like capricorn. Are you gon na? Be fine yeah, because you know capricorns, we we like money, but it's not even the money. It'S the success. We really like the success. We don't care, you know the money we know is going to be there like intuitively. It'S there. That'S success, part, no matter what it is. If it's success growing a plant making a meal cleaning the house work whatever it is. We want that and that's what drives us, and i love that about the both of you. Well, that's definitely what drives you friend. This is your birthday we supposed to be talking about you and your fabulous self. Exactly alicia will grow a plant. She will fix you a meal i remember being over at your house. Getting my hair done and you'd be like you want something to eat. Most people will order something felicia would pull something out the refrigerator and pick it up real, quick with her hanging water supply. Like uh-uh, you can't do tap water. You got ta, have your cane these special herbs over here. You know i'm on some different stuff right now. This is some dr savey stuff, and then i found this so charlie, charlie birthday party, too felicia simone. What'S your favorite thing about felicia uh, i guess this also ties into my my memory of felicia, which is that felicia is all about energy she's like if somebody moon, ain't right, i don't fool with them, so she interviews people before she agrees to do their hair And she prefaces it like. Oh i'm, gon na, give you a consultation hairstylist. Is it's really like a consultation like you know, they'll go in and touch your head and look at it and felicia is the hair whisperer. So she does, you know, put put her hands in your hair. She like pulls the strand out, blows it up. Oh no, you ain't drinking enough water, she'll smell it and burn some incense and she's like salmon in your life, like she's done. All of that with my hair, but it's also so that she can make sure you're, not crazy, and so one time i recommended someone to go to felicia and i don't know how they made it through that first initial interview process. But this person came up with felicia's house and she called me up. She was like simone, your girl. I i can't food her. I was like, oh god, oh god. I was already a little surprised that she passed the first initial interview, but i was like what happened felicia. She was like she picked up my mail and she started reading it. I was like what do you mean she started reading your mail she's like she picked it up and she was like. Oh you've got such a such trip so-and-so and i said to her. You read my man, no well, it was out there. Felicia goes. I will never have her in my house again, but she's all about one protecting her privacy, other people's privacy, she's, not gon na tell you whose hair she's touching with dealing with, but she's, also about protecting her space, her energy, the people that she has around her, Which is why she attracts such amazing people to her it's why her reputation is. I mean it's stellar and it's why so many people from so many different walks of life, and so many different industries want to work with her because she's a good person, but she wants good people around her and she's. Always i think my phrase for felicia is i don't fool with that? She don't fool with food. So that's my that's my favorite thing about felicia, but it's also like my favorite memory. Oh okay, i need tissue where's, the oh, you didn't bring tissue. You already knew you was go, you know what capricorn is. Usually, i think you know, but yeah hold on hold on no you're. Not going do you deserve all you deserve all these great words. Oh my god. Thank you so much, and i you really do remember that story, my god. Oh i got lots of stories, but i had to just you know that was safe. It'S safer, no names were used, no one was harmed in the retelling of that story, but you know, the thing too is simone, is one of the first one one of the first clients that turned into a real friend like it's rare, that i can get that And i have a few, but i know it's in my hand how many clients have turned into real friends - and you have been a true friend to me true friend, just not even on some hey, what you doing come over. Let'S hang out, can you do my hair but awesome real? Let'S hang out, let's eat, let's talk, yeah and not pick up a comb or a brush yeah. Thank you. Thank you for your time and your energy friend. Thank you. I love you. I love you happy birthday, enjoy this next trip around the sun. You deserve it all the love and the prosperity. That'S going to come to you. Oh thank you. I love you too thanks for joining us simone all right. Thank you. Ladies see. You later bye, bye. All right, so we have two giveaways. Actually we have to give we're excited the first one is a 30 minute virtual consultation with felicia so to win. You have to share your favorite photo of you and your favorite brush with the best item using the hashtag fl birthday, bash and brush with the best. Okay and you can you'll be entered. We will. We will announce the winners at the end of this bash, but that's first prize we have another prize for you. Okay, it is a copy of gabrielle union's. You got anything stronger, which is incredible by the way like it's phenomenal, so same way anytime, you post a photo. You are entering to win one of all the prizes that we talk about right. So i'm excited to see what y'all got my favorite brush with the best product is well. I had hair well hair issue. I call one inch of hair hair at this point, so my favorite is, i always use the detangling brush like that thing. It stayed in my shower stayed in my shower. You got new stuff now now you have other things to play with that. I'M super excited for you too, so i just used the thermal heating cap. Oh, it was so good popped it in the microwave for about a minute, and i left it on for about a good hour. You know the condition would be like leave it on for 15 minutes now. I want this thing to last to soak in so i'm liking that too right now, but it also when i use that i feel like i've wrapped my head into a snuggie like i forget, i literally got in my car getting ready to go somewhere and pulled Down the mirror was like oh snap, i'm deep conditioning, okay back up, so i i love that, but wait until you try that shampoo scalp massager, that two in one you put that shampoo inside of it and girl exfoliate that scalp with the shampoo in it you're Gon na love that you sent me that i have the box, so i'm looking forward, i'm today's probably gon na be wash day for me. So i'm gon na try that today and do the thermal it's gon na, be a full self-care sunday situation happening over here. So i'm excited for that and then next pop-up is somebody that we both know and love. Who is incredible? The reason we actually know each other patrice grel yersic, aka afro, bella she's, the creator of afrobella.com, a site dedicated to celebrate the inner and outer beauty of women of all shades of beautiful. Her award-winning blog shines, a loving light on natural hair and the wonderfully wide range of gorgeous skin tones and sizes. Women come in so welcoming, patrice, hey girl, hey hi, hello. How are you? Oh, my god, i miss you so much and i'm like i need to just get on and come see you and love you. I need to go to chicago, but i know it's cold right now. I can't fool with you and this we're all cozy over here and i got my drink like you told me to so, i loved it. Hey, let's go wow felicia the birthday celebration um. I was just looking back at our old posts to prepare for this. We go back to march 2010. What i know: it's been a lifetime. You know a lot of stories, this industry, that's so critical and so transactional. You know a lot of stories patrice. Tell me what i can't tell the stories uh you can, but you know you know i'll be there. I don't know. I know i know going back and reading that first, one though it reminded me of how look at what's going on next to me right now. Okay, i don't even know what is going on. I know too many cats um. You were so brand new to this going back and looking at it. I had to find you like you know, and you were nervous about your interview. I remember you calling me afterwards like is this okay and it was, it really was and to know that i was there at the beginning. It just gives me such a wonderful feeling for you. So many of the things that we have discussed through the years have come to pass. You have done things that you and i just briefly were saying you know what you should do. You should do this. You should you're doing it. It is so amazing and so beautiful and to watch how you have hold on get away from him. Sorry, so watch how you have in your own way behind the scenes in front of the scenes. All the scenes transformed this industry rejuvenated this industry inspired people to do what you do made people wish they could do what you do and continue to do, new things. Let me tell you what, when i open this box, i was like she has been working. You are on the set and in the lab, or wherever are you supposed to be doing your thing? Thank you and it's so awesome to know that your dreams are coming to fruition. Oh, thank you and the time that they're supposed to i am so happy for you. Thank you. You were my first like professional interview like real interview and honestly um the client i had at the time she said people are looking for you. I was like what are you talking about. I was hungry. Well, you did this hairstyle on jill, scott and jill scott likes to disappear and re-emerge with some grandness, and so when she did, it was like the hair and her wardrobe and everything, and so she said, um and i think the natural hair community had just like Said: hey we're not fooling with creamy crack we're ready for natural hair and they were looking at jill scott as the goddess of that yeah, and so i had the pleasure of meeting jill in like 20 to 2003 or four, but basically the hairstyle she stepped on The carpet with it it got a lot of um acclaim and reviews, and you were one of people like where is this girl and my client at the time sent you a message saying: she's my hair, stylist yeah and that's how we became you know came to Do the interview, and then you said to me: what else do you have after this? I didn't have what i said was: oh i do these workshops, i travel and do workshops. I had never what yes, i thought you already had that in the works. I did not know that i did it once, but i was like you know what i'm gon na go to chicago and make it happen, because sometimes for me, if i put it out there, i do it like once i say it, i got ta, do it And so basically, coming to chicago and meeting you and you introduced me to lovey inisha and everybody was just so great and wonderful, and so thank you for welcoming me into you guys circle and taking me in as a friend. I love you both so much. Thank you. I love you felicia and i it's so funny. I look back at that. First event. First of all, my blog post ends with she's coming to chicago, and i can't wait to meet her. So please don't look at that blog post, those old ones. Look terrible, but that's where i remember sitting next to renisha. You know what i mean. That was one of the first times that i was like hey. What'S your name again and like it's just it's so funny to look back on on those times and how formative they were, and i just want to say you are one of one for me. I don't usually do interviews with people and then bring them home to my house and then hang out with them and then stay at their house and they stay at my house and then we travel the world together like that does not happen yeah. So, thank you for being a genuine friend beyond all of the glitz and the glamour and for still being in my life. I love you. Thank you. Look you you're. Definitely gon na cry a few times today, felicia. I love you happy early birthday and merry christmas to you both merry christmas. Thank you. We'Ll talk soon, okay, okay, so we have our first winner of the prize and it's taya. It'S toya miller, toy middle lacrosse. You are the winner of the first prize, which is a 30-minute virtual consultation with felicia um. We will announce the second one, i guess next, but first we have another pop-in. Okay, felicia you, you are loved just so you know you are loved and it's because you deserve to be loved and this person is an american comedian and actress. She is best known as a semi-finalist on nbc's last comic standing, a series regular on amazon's, upload and host of 100 humans on netflix. Please welcome zainab johnson hi felicia hi. It'S an american comedian, okay, happy birthday! Felicia! Thank you! Yes! So felicia! You know we go away like when i first moved to l.a you. I had never had my hair done by a black woman before you no growing up in new york. We get our hair done by dominicans, oh yeah, so i had never even experienced that before um uh and you were like whenever i think about like my journey in la i think about you. I think about a few things. I think three very specific things like felicia took care of me in very different way. You know in very different ways, um in my journey out here and a lot of it stems with. Like my hair um. I think that when i first you've moved like maybe two or three times since i first met you and you know when you hear that somebody is gon na, do your hair out their house, you think, like they gon na, have you in the tub you're gon Na be using somebody else's washcloth, you're gon na ran business and you're gon na treat it as such. I'M gon na treat it as such, and so i love that and respected that, and the last thing that i always think about when it comes to you felicia, is that you are always connected to really beautiful, strong black women, and i think that that's like so I appreciate about you, that's so inspiring. I just always feel like you have like a really wonderful um tree. Oh you know, and so, if i'm, if i'm even like a small branch on that tree, then i am very proud so yeah so so. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me in your life allowing me in your space taking care of my hair when i, when i do when i do have hair that you can do but zaynab you were my last perm relaxer yeah yeah after you, and i remember Saying every time you would book your appointment to get the relaxer, i would grip my teeth a little bit i'll, be like dang. I got ta. Do that again, all right! Let me because you know what what happened with us with relaxers is. We would put the relaxer on and in school we were taught to just break down the cuticle just a little bit, so he was still had a wave, but as women like really got into it, they wanted it bone straight straight like right when it was done And we would always have that wave a little bit and you would call me like girl this puffy again. I don't know like we just did it a week ago and i'm like damn. I don't want to do this again. Well, you know, you know. Hair culture is very different from like the northeast to the wet, like i never experienced like i mean i do feel like there's like this natural hair, wave and boom. That has happened in probably like the last like eight years, but before that it's like i, i never. I was coming to you getting a relaxer and then you would press it right like i had never had my hair pressed before moving to la. So i just think that it was, you know like there's so many like cultural changes that you have to adapt to when you move from east to west, or vice versa, and part of that is hair. And i i remember you did my hair for a while and then i shaved it off without even letting you know like you might have just saw a picture. But i remember when you talked to me when i shaved it off, you were really happy and then you expressed all of what you were thinking when i had the perm. You were like girl, i'm so i i did not want to put another perm in your hair, so we got there. We eventually got there, but you had you know it was. It was so wonderful to see your afro and how just voluminous and beautiful and even the ball head striking like. I know my favorite thing. Yes me too, but i i decided. I want to grow hair now so yeah, but yeah definitely um you just all your hairstyles, you because you're beautiful, so you can wear anything and i was so excited when i did see you with your haircut and then when you grew it out and how i Every now and then we'll get a nice surprise from either you a lovey or patrice. You know simone, where you guys will say i need a trim, and that is my opportunity to love on your hair again yeah. So i know like sometimes people like, i don't want to bother you and ask for a trim you're busy. I am, but it is still such a wonderful treat when you guys hit me up and say: can you give me a little trim because i feel like i'm still in the game with you, like you still consider me, your hair, slights, yeah felicia. You know how everybody be like watching like instagram in the trades and stuff like that like when is another season of insecure coming i'd be like when are they wrapped, so felicia could do my hair? When is she free so that she can do my hair? So i'm like like, like i, will forever um call on your service as long as you are available. Thank you. So thank you. Yes, yes, and i'm so happy to be able to celebrate you and share your birthday with you. Thank you so much for having me love you it's a pleasure to meet you too. Virtually i don't think i've ever met you. You never met him, yeah yeah. So so that's nice too. So thank you for having me felicia. I love you. I love your energy. I love your brother. Like i love like you know, i like every everything that i've experienced through you. So thank you and happy birthday nab, and i really hope you love the new products um that we sent you uh. You should have a box if it's not there, it's on the way it may be there, but i'm not home right now, i'm not in l.a yeah, i'm in michigan, so yeah yeah midwest, but i can't wait. I cannot wait. I love you zaynab. Thank you. So much thank you for joining us. Okay, so we got winner number two, that's hysterical. Renisha james won the copy of gabrielle unions. You got me stronger, yes, renisha yeah and congratulations to the first winner as well. I didn't get a chance, that's totally miller, crosstalk miller. Yes, congratulations to you both! I look forward to speaking with you toya in our private console. We have our next drop-in. Okay, y'all know her from your favorite tv shows and films from mad men. Dear white people spike lee shirak. If bill street could talk, candy man she's everything, okay, so please welcome tiona paris, hi felicia, hi lovey, hey girl, hi y'all. I'M sorry, i'm like at my grandma house, trying to find a little spot to talk to you. How are you happy birth happy early birthday? Thank you. You look so beautiful. I love you. I love this lipstick honey. Yes, oh please do. Please do i love it felicia, i'm so happy for the opportunity to celebrate you and to love on you. Oh my gosh. I think back to our first time together and i it goes, i think, as far back as 2013 um was this was the sag awards our first time working together, it's time through twitter, and i never. You were my first twitter girl when i tell you so for the sag awards. That'S the purple dress our big thing we did together again. I could not find a natural hair stylist. I had gotten to the point in my natural hair journey, where i was like. I'M ready to wear it on the red carpet because i have still been doing half wigs new wigs, whatever straight trying to press the heck out of my little leave out, i was like no i'm ready. I have to find a hair stylist. I could not find a hair stylist, so i finally dug deep deep and i saw that you had did jill scott's hair and it was mostly braids, but you were like natural hair and it was beautiful and i was like i'm going to reach out to her And see if she wants to work with me, i ain't nobody. She don't know me from a can of paint, but maybe and so we've reached out. I think i found your contact from twitter or wherever we were on by the way me. Neither me neither, but i was desperate, i'm like how can i find this woman, i got ta be able to get in contact with her um, so that was our way in and you came to my little apartment - and i just remember i had such for that Moment because i had never worn my hair, natural and styled on the carpet. It was a big deal for me and i also realized that there was a gap in um representation in that area, that if we were wearing our hair it was either in a fro or in braids, and that was very it was a one or two folk Doing it, and so when we spoke, you know, i don't know if you remember, but i was like. I have a very specific vision. I want to see the texture of my hair and i want it to be styled in a way that we consider um, elegant and classy, and so that day was a little stressful because it was also like one of my first big award shows and i'm sure I probably drove you crazy, but what you ended up with sorry what'd. You say you were wonderful, actually you, you know, i don't know if you remember. You said to me that you wanted little girls to feel proud of their natural texture and i'm yeah. I'Ve never had anyone say that i was like wait. What that was what your focus was hitting that carpet is when young black girls see you with your natural hair that they would feel inspired to love their own natural hair, that i'm confirming that that was 2013. I'M looking at the picture right now, good god, i think y'all. If you're watching this google with tiona paris, purple, dress, sag and use this stagger, warrior fred. That thing right there between the dress, the hair. Oh. Thank you. I think that it ended up going viral for 2013 and um, so many women were um. You know i don't know, but maybe like instagram, because i really wasn't on twitter uh reaching out and just saying um what that meant for them and recreating it. And i really i do think that was like one of the first times we had gotten to see textured hair styled, not in braids or an afro, but styled and saying: hey, i'm okay. This is great. This is beautiful and we can do this and felicia. That was your magic hands, bringing that to to be because we tried like four different ways and we had extensions in it and it was like no, no, no, it got ta just be my hair and we tried other. They were beautiful, but the thing i had trapped in my head, you as an artist and a creative and someone who loves natural hair, was able to to bring that out, and i just remember crying and um. My mom was there and she was like. Is this? What you want, i'm like yes, this is it because no one had seen that done before and you know, and so it's always a little scary, because you're like oh my gosh, are you going to talk whatever, but i just knew in my heart and having met You your energy, i just want to say thank you for always having just beautiful calming energy um, one of the other guests before was talking about your home and um, and what it was like for her when she came to your home - and i just you know When we met gosh, that's like eight years ago at this point, so i was a different person, a younger woman just starting to live on my own um, and you know i never lived by myself and all of this stuff. So i was in a very specific place in my life, but when i came to your home and how you treated your home and just as a woman hairing everything aside, just the energy you had in your space, i that still lives with me. Felicia like anytime. You go to felicia's house, like you feel sexy, you feel grown and that's how you walked away. Uh walked around your space and treated your space as the castle as a place of peace, and so i thank you for giving me that um, you know just sharing that with me as a woman and and so that's fine and that's also, i met lovey at Your house, do you remember that lovey? I do not remember this because i'm like oh my gosh, yes, i've done that. I you, wouldn't you probably wouldn't remember, because i think i came to get my hair done and you were over there typing away and so felicia's like. Oh, that's, my friend, lovey she's from chicago. At that point i think you did yeah. I think you did yeah um, so you were over there typing away, but, yes, i met levy uh there and uh yeah, i'm just so proud of you felicia. Just you. You really have changed the game. You really have um. There was just such this huge gap in the in representation and in the market, and not only have you done well for yourself, but the way you brought up other young uh creatives behind you and said you know i it's there's so much and i'm not gon Na hold it all to myself here, young woman, you talented come on here here and you know you just spread the wealth, spread the opportunity and and are giving other young black women and young artists creative artists the opportunity to shine and help us try to catch Up with the need now um for artists like yourself and just good spirits and good people, so i'm just so proud of you and i thank you for literally changing the game. Thank you. Oh yes, that's wonderful! I love you. Thank you so much. I love you too. Thank you. Thank you in person, again, one day, everything's working, i know i'ma see you, i'm gon na be able to hug you, because i miss that i do too. Thank you. Thank you for bringing us. Yes, thank y'all, happy a good one. Happy holidays, happy birthday, love you! Thank you! Ah she's dope, um prize number. Three by the way, is the drunk elephant product bundle. I love drunk elephant like i use their products for my face, and so whoever wins this you're winning. So i'm actually gon na already tell you who won that's natasha, nunez natasha! Congratulations! You got a good one girl, that's a good one like drunk elephant, will have your face. Looking glowy, okay and prize number, four: okay, professional troublemaker, the fair fighter manual by me, okay and uh, the winner of that is charlotte smith. Oh congratulations charlotte! This is another great book, so you're gon na love it you're gon na laugh. You might cry a little bit, but you're gon na feel good and you're gon na gain self-reflection, and i love that word word so enjoy enjoy, and now we have our last celebrity pop in and she is somebody we both know and love. She is she, you are about someone who's changed the game for the culture, for television, for black women, creatives she's done all of that and she's the person who runs your favorite television, show. Everybody'S favorite television show insecure, bringing on issa rae happy birthday to you early. Oh, thank you so much, but this is about you. I know we're going to be celebrating you all month, long all january long. You know all forever um because you know, like everyone said before me, you have been such a pioneer and when i think about you, um well, i think about you as a person. First uh just because - and i've told you this before, and i've said it in many interviews, like i admire just how considerate of a person you are like how thoughtful you are um, sometimes sometimes you know you can get confused about like the fact that this is You know a business relationship, i met you as an artist. I met you as a hair stylist. You came into my life. I came into yours and in working with one another you can take for granted the person that exists behind the art form and the artist, but you never. Let me forget, just because of who you are and your actions and your heart um. I have not even known that i've needed you as a friend and even as a confidant until you've said words of wisdom to me, sometimes through touching my scalp or just being in my presence. You sensed like something's wrong or you're something's, not right or you're scary-ass psychic abilities, like a sense about you. That'S just like you've been here before and um you. You bless us with your gifts and i just want to thank you so much for being a genuine friend in my life, a genuine, loving, thoughtful considerate friend. I don't i wouldn't be here without you, you know i wouldn't have the confidence without you. So love. You saying all these generous things about me, like, i think about you being in my corner and by my side, so thank you so much for just being the person that you are. I'M like this, like don't stop, but keep it coming name a more iconic duo. Felicia, okay, you want to like make a more iconic duo, listen people. They were messed up when we got together, because i think you know a lot of people were like wait. How did y'all meet wait and we met at the perfect time perfect awkward, ass time? Yeah i was transitioning in into some other things. Um in terms of my hair creations and issa was like blowing up. You know in youtube world, and i actually i met issa before issa met me because she advertised on awkward black girl like if you want to you, know advertise or you know sponsor any of the shows, and i was like you know what i'm gon na put Up loving your hair with natural care, and - and it was the last episode her very last episode that i went and did my little pr marketing on her and some people well actually a lot of people they caught it at the end they were like. I saw your name on awkward black girl. I saw loving your hair and i was like yeah. Then we ended up sitting next to each other. At a dinner because afro bella taken me with her to um, there were two dinners it was like. It has to be 2012 whenever oprah spoke, because that was, and that was 2013. 2013 and that had to be 2012 what it was. Maybe it was a year before. Okay, like nine years, almost yeah we've been together, yeah yeah and that's what but i g, i told issa, said hey: you need a natural hair. So let's call me i hear from her ass. I hear her like, like it's sure what i need to do and when i look back on that picture those pictures - i don't know what i was doing out there, but i was needing you. You came at the right time. Well, i've had the most fun and the most pleasure creating like. If i had to end my whole hair career right now. I definitely you you're the one right there. You you you're the mic, drop the mic and walk off the stage with it, because you have given me the freedom to create. So i mean literally all the freedom issa. She sits there and she's like do it. She don't like it. She cool. She don't be tripping out, she be like. I don't know about this. One look, i don't know and we flipping into some real, quick and then she out of there she's, like i'm good, like that's, what's crazy, like i don't think that you're you're creating from scratch when i think about the fact that there have been, if maybe i Can count on my hands the number of repeat hairstyles, if at all you know like, even if there are are there any, i don't know, but the fact that you have been able to just create out of thin air something new like that is just no one. Can do that? No one can do what you do. The way that you do and like i don't know where you draw inspiration from, but you need to start, you need to start calling yourself a hair artist instead of stylist. Let me just put it up here. Thank you. That'S actually real, because you've probably done hundreds of hairstyles on issa between insecure between the red carpet between her photo shoots, and i cannot ever be like man easter, got that on again wow doing that again. Wow, like it is always new and i'm two weeks ago, actually one of the episodes of insecure issa's hair went viral where, like people, somebody put together a collage of all the different styles in the episode, and i'm like that, is the goats right there. Like you, i mean you've done some transformative work. Thank you. Oh you guys. I appreciate hearing all of this and i think i needed it. So, yes, you have definitely helped my whole self-esteem come up today. Thank you so much. Thank you isa for being here and giving your time. I know you are hella busy, so thank you so much what it is. We are again we three capricorns are busy as hell, but we have to make time to look on each other and take care of ourselves and celebrate one another. So i'm glad that you are taking the time to be celebrated um and to love on yourself as much as we love you. So thank you for all that you've done for me for us um and i i hope that you are running to your island. Soon. Listen, i want, i want felicia to have this life of leisure. Okay, that is that is my wish. For felicia leatherwood is like half the year she's, just a woman of leisure. You know she's, not gon na. Do it, no, she ain't gon na. Do it. None of us can do it. You already know we be lying when we're like. We just wanna relax, we're lying exactly i'm trying to even her family. Every time issa's like quiet, i go okay, i'm out and then he's gon na go. Do something be like never mind, just drop some luggage. Let me just wait. You know like a lot of people, i'm tired! Here'S! The next shoot that i just did that's fantastic. We were i'm serious this time you just watch and you just watch uh you'll see we're gon na hope. We'Re gon na pray for the best, but thank you so much isa for joining us like y'all, keep saying yes to felicia because she deserves it. So it's really dope to have you come on and show some love. She needs to hear it because she just she needs to hear it. My pleasure, happy birthday, love you love y'all and have a good holiday, happy holidays, happy holidays, happy early birthday yeah! Oh, my god, ah capricorn love, fun. Fact me and isa also met in 2012.. Really it was like. The universe was operating all these different things at the same time, yes, wild, it's actually wilds, which me, i think you and i met in 2011 or 2010. Then yeah, so it's it's kind of wild. So then we have giveaway number five, which is the big box giveaway, which has all the things that were given away today. Well, most of them has the brush with the best beauty, bundle 30 minute, consult with felicia, leatherwood, professional troublemaker. The fear fighter manual, carol's daughter, wash day, delight, bundle, gabrielle unions, you got anything stronger, the skincare bundle by burst and a satin pillowcase by cece's closet. This is like the big kahuna and that winner is ivory. Michelle, oh ivory, michelle! Congratulations! I don't see her on the side, but i think she's gon na pop up thanks for all the birthday wishes everybody. I see you guys over here ivory there. She is thanks. Ivy, oh yes, come on felicia. What do you want to say like? How do you feel right now? Well, first of all, i need to give a huge like this is just a sidebar shout out and thank you to janine, who is my amazing assistant. I only want to call her sister but she's, my assistant she's great, and michelle and nikki, like everybody that really helped to to make this all happen and quick in the bellamy group. Thank you guys and lovey yo, i'm giving you an air hug right now, like a big old, big, big glove, big glove and everybody that came on. Thank you guys so much for your time. This has been more than i could have imagined um. I don't even know i didn't know what to expect, but this was great. This was absolutely great and this is something i can hold dear forever. It'S it's a video, so i'll have it to look back on and to appreciate. So, thank all you guys so much for being here and i'm ready for my toast. I got my little. We are gon na. Do a toast i'm ready to get it ready, and then i got ta run to the airport and go to l.a because hey come on capricorn. So, first of all, when you asked me to do this, i was honored because it means that you want me to share space with you and i never take that for granted. People have reflected so many things about you, and one of the things that i just have to say is: you are a beacon of light truly in this world, where a lot of times things feel dark, where you're not sure who to be around you're, not sure Who who safe space can be - and i think you serve a safe space for a lot of people, and i'm just hoping my prayer for you - is that you constantly find soft places to land in this world that your biggest desires are blown out the water. I pray that you continue to find helpers everywhere, you go and your purpose keeps evolving and you keep finding it and you keep enjoying everything that you're doing and that you also get abundance. Okay, because i want this island for you, so i can come visit. Um selfishly so i can come lay on your balcony everybody's probably like what is this island? They keep talking about y'all, i'm trying to build a house on the island. So wish me well on that people and we're wishing you all the checks to pay for it, but you are somebody who is just beautiful inside and out and we thank you. We celebrate your very being. If you stop doing here today, you are no less valuable to anybody and, like you, are a blessing to everybody you come across, so i just hope this birthday and many more are memorable and full of joy for you. I love you dearly. You are such an important person to me and deserve all the great things so toast to felicia leatherwood. Thank you. Thank everybody for joining and being here, congratulations to all the winners you have to run to the airport. Thank you and more to come. Thank you and i'm gon na come see you really soon like i want to be there where you are right now come on. You got a room and thank you so much just again, everything for everything, um and everybody that was on today. You guys are amazing and so happy birthday to everybody, like all the birthdays are coming up. This is to you, y'all, stay safe out here.