Bianca Williams-Banks affectionately known as Beedy The Black Nail Tech was a young mother of two girls when Katrina plowed her way into The Big Easy. At the time of the hurricane, Bianca was an active hairstylist enrolled in cosmetology school. Katrina delayed her plans, but she never gave up on her dreams. Bianca was displaced to Americus, Georgia, where she continued to do hair.
After a car accident limited the amount of time she could stand on her feet, Beedy took a liking to nails. It became her passion. Her clientele continued to grow in and around the New Orleans area. With a number of people, especially celebrities visiting and relocating to New Orleans, Beedy was blessed with her first celebrity client K. Michelle. Two to three months later, she was contacted by ASOS magazine for Solange’s New Orleans shoot. And, the rest is history.
With the 10th anniversary of Katrina upon us, Beedy was more than willing to tell us her story. –shamere demolle
How were you affected by the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina, professionally and personally?
Personally, I had two young daughters when I left. It was crazy because someone stole my car about a month or so before Katrina. I can’t swim. My kids couldn’t swim. So, my whole thing was, well we have to leave with somebody. I ended up leaving with my daddy and his wife and their children. We went to northern Louisiana. Pictures and things like that, you can’t get those back. You will never get those memories back. That hurts more than anything. Even now, I don’t put pictures on my walls. I keep them in plastic bags.
Professionally, I was affected because I enrolled in my third semester of cosmetology school when Katrina hit. Due to the circumstances, I was unable to return home to finish. I enrolled at Georgia Southern in Americus, GA and I continued to do hair. Being the “new girl” in town was a benefit because everybody wanted their hair fixed by the girl from New Orleans. I was making all the money. Upon returning to New Orleans in 2007, I encountered other issues. I lived with my mother for three months to wait on the home I was going to rent to be completed. After getting established, I reenrolled into beauty school in 2011. I completed the program and became licensed this past May.
What is the name of your business/your profession?
Licensed Celebrity Nail Technician. My brand is Blessed by Beedy. I am currently located at Divas and Dudes Salon located at 7901 Earhart Boulevard, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Are you in the same business you were in before Hurricane Katrina? If no, what were you doing before?
Before Katrina, I was enrolled in cosmetology school. I was in my 3rd semester when Katrina hit. Because we had to leave, you had a choice to transfer hours over to another state, (which Georgia did not support) or return to New Orleans to continue the program. We were given extra time on those completed hours, but not much.
What is the most noticeable difference in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina (socially, economically, physically)?
Socially, I think people come together more now than before especially with local events that we may have taken for granted before Katrina. We used to feel like those things were for tourists. When I came back home we took part more in the city life. We have become tourists in our own home so to speak. We missed so much. It just made sense because not having it made you realize how important it is.
The most noticeable difference economically is the rent prices. The rent is so high here. For someone like me, who wants to own their own home, but credit may not be in the best of condition, its hard. I don’t feel like we have that opportunity. I’d rather be paying $850 for something I will own than to be paying $1650 for something I don’t own. It makes it hard. It puts you back in the same situation. Before Katrina, I was living in an apartment in Michoud. It was called Orleans East Apts. I was in a 2 bedroom/2 bath with utilities included for $625 per month. I worked two jobs just to keep that place, and I had two kids. I worked hard from one job to the next. I was still struggling. I still couldn’t afford to keep that apartment and pay my percentage of daycare.
The flood insurance is so high that people who own rental properties have to raise the rent to make the profit they were collecting previously.
Physically, there are more Caucasian people in communities that were predominately Black. Many purchase homes simply because they had the money to do so. So many places you used to know are no longer in the same location or even in existence.
Did you receive emergency relief? Was it sufficient? If yes, how did you make it work? If no, what should have been done differently?
I received a check for $5500. It was not sufficient for two children and myself. About two years ago, they requested the money back and took my tax return. For them to only give me $5500 and want every cent of it back was a real slap in the face to someone who lost everything. On top of that, we couldn’t even return home. Then there were people that didn’t work or have children that received checks for $20-$30,000 without a requirement to pay it back.
Are you hopeful that things will continue to improve?
I’m very hopeful that things will continue to improve. I’m dying to open my own nail salon and train people underneath me to create an all Black nail salon. We need that.
Are you active in the community? If yes, how?
I’m active in the community. I normally promote a lot of black owned businesses via my Instagram because I’m big with social media, and I have a good following on social media. I participate in prom giveaways by extending my services free of charge to five girls, but it depends on their grades. I recently donated book bags and supplies for a back to school drive because I was booked on the day of the event. I also participated in the Stop the Violence rally in 2012. Currently, I am set to work with an organization called Polished Girls. Polished Girls works with children that are affected by cancer as well as other debilitating diseases.
Are you active politically? If yes, how?
I’m not active politically outside of voting regularly in elections.
