Aaliyah Thompson is a remarkable Black woman and entrepreneur. Thompson, who has autism, rst Black opened her beauty shop when she was only 21. Aaliyah’s Beauty Bar is located 15 miles south of Atlanta in Clayton County. After being diagnosed with autism at 5 years old, Thompson didn’t allow the condition to interrupt her studies. She graduated at the top of her class and started pursuing her passion for beauty.
After graduating from Dutchtown High School in 2020, Aaliyah accepted a job at Touched By An Angel Beauty School in Jonesboro, Georgia. She was able to hone her craft and receive hands-on training for hair, nails, and other beauty services. She completed the Natural Hair Designer Program in 2021 and opened the beauty bar that same year as her birthday present. Her family loved seeing her doing something she loved and always supported her ventures.
“Everyone is different,” says Thompson’s mom, Patricia Terry. “And I think difference scares people a little bit. But difference is great! Being the first black woman in the country with autism to open up a beauty shop shows how fulfilling being different can be. We learn from each other’s differences and become better, smarter and more well-rounded. We celebrate the differences instead of shying away from it.”
Aaliyah’s Beauty Bar is designed to service walk-ins or clients who want to make an appointment with a specific stylist. Thompson kept the needs of Black women in mind when establishing her business and is living her dream with the community’s support.
