国产哟哟

Story contributed by Julia DeRidder ‘23,

国产哟哟 Student Newsroom Creative Arts & Events Supervisor

Kim Roxie, the founder of the LAMIK Beauty makeup line that caters to multicultural women (standing for Love and Makeup in Kindness), was almost as impressed with 国产哟哟 as we were with her. After watching a moving tribute to victims of police brutality, and celebrations of Black change-makers via PowerPoint, Roxie expressed how impressed she was with graduate student Aprell Munford and undergraduates Kyla Thomas, and Aryanna Wiggins- Gamble’s introductions and hosting of the event. “I come to you… a part of that movement”, she said of Black Lives Matter. “It’s not far-reaching, it’s happening right at home”.

She proceeded to tell President Doran that she has a phenomenal student body and thanked the Office of Multicultural Affairs. This grace, positivity, and thoughtfulness continued throughout the evening, where she detailed how the events of her life got her to where she is now.

And what a life it has been. Roxie was a varsity cheerleader, played the piano in the choir and in a jazz band. But when she had one physical altercation at 16, she got kicked out of school. She shared that “you can’t make mistakes as a Black young woman”. Roxie was then transferred to an alternative high school for students at risk, by administrators who were convinced she didn’t have a positive future. Roxie was able to prove her naysayers wrong, and got into Clark Atlanta University as a public relations major, with the support of her mother.

In order to help pay for her tuition, Roxie had to get a job. She ended up working at a department store doing makeup. Even though she had never done makeup before, she began to sell more makeup than her manager. By the time she graduated, she had a plan in mind: save $10,000, and buy herself a store to sell her own makeup -- makeup that would compliment her skin color. When she was 21 years old, she had saved $9,500, and her Mom wrote her a check for the last $500.

Originally, no one was willing to let her rent one of the empty spaces in the mall. She eventually was able to convince the owner, and proceeded to become a hit. Roxie was able to buy popup locations in Atlanta and New Orleans, but in 2018, she decided she wanted to do more. She closed her shops and moved exclusively online, using augmented reality technology to let people try on makeup. This was luck -- because when COVID-19 hit, Roxie was able to continue to sell her vegan, clean, makeup online, without any hitches.

Roxie discussed what it was like to be a Black entrepreneur. She informed us that Black women only get 0.6% of venture capital. She has customers of all skin colors, and believes that “an entrepreneurial mindset is a curious mindset”. As for her products, she believes that LAMIK is an empowerment tool, and that beauty is revealed, not applied.

She ended the evening answering questions, and with her curious daughter on her lap. Aprell Munford said when she told “her daughter Loretta, your ‘hair grows towards the sun’, it resonated with me because it captures the essence of reclaiming the narrative for young BIWOC by allowing us to embrace our natural beauty, starting with positive self-love affirmations”. Aprell, and many others in the Zoom chat, were also impressed with her statement “what makes me tall, and gives me my platform, are my losses and failures”.

It was an empowering evening. You can follow Kim on Instagram @thekimroxie and on Twitter @KimRoxie. Purchase LAMIK Beauty products at lamikbeauty.com.

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