Feature Story

As Jessica Haynes quickly weaves yarn into the loops of braided hair, she thoroughly explains the process and steps of completing a sew-in. Jessica is a full-time student of the University of Mississippi, and a part time beautician from Arkansas. “I learned how to do hair when I moved in with my aunt, “Jessica says. Since the beginning of fall semester, Jessica has built a small cliental of a few close friends and has been promoting her business in hopes of a rapid expansion of her cliental. “I do hair on the side to make money and to try to support myself,” she states. “I’m a very independent person.”

Since the age of 15, Jessica has been self sufficient. To the best of her abilities, she has financially supported herself and even purchased her own car; but Jessica did not become this GI Jane over night or by choice. This burden fell on her by fate.

It was one week and day after her 15th birthday. Jessica, her mom, and her siblings had just gone dress shopping for her first prom. Jessica pauses to recall this day, “I shouldn’t be doing this. I’ve told this story a thousand times. ” She sighs and then begins to speak again, “On the way back she smoked a cigarette and ate her food. Me and her were sort of into it about a prom dress, so I wasn’t really talking.” The day had seemed as any other until a blink of an eye, Jessica found herself in the hospital in hopes for the survival of her mom. “Thirty minutes before she fell back”, Jessica says, “she said 'You know I love you.' After that, I knew it was over. Her mom had died from a stroke.”

As soon as the funeral was over, Jessica was whisked away to first live with her aunt in Biloxi, Mississippi. Her dad was murdered at young age, so living with her aunt was the best option. “Now that I think back, I wouldn’t have made that choice,” she says. Jessica and her aunt were not compatible. They constantly argued and on many occasions that left Jessica to fend for herself. Jessica’s love hate relationship, with her aunt, drove her to move back to Arkansas to stay with her brother. Jessica hoped for better living conditions, but quickly she realized this may not be the right decision. Her brother was not the best caregiver because he was also young. Finding a meal, some money, and attending school became her biggest issues.

Shortly thereafter, Jessica moved back in with her aunt. She realized in order to better her lifestyle she would have to be more independent. At the age of 17, Jessica put a $6,000 dollar down payment on her a hybrid Toyota Camry, so she could have her own means of transportation. She learned how to do hair from her aunt, so she could make money; and she has paved her way to come to college. “What keeps me going is my family; my brothers are the only two things I have left. I want them to see stuff they haven’t seen. ”