Trans, Entrepreneur, and Latinx
On the corners of Cesar Chavez and Mott in the City of Boyle Heights, there are storefronts and community spaces. A bit further east on Cesar Chavez, there is one place that has been both for the past eight years. It’s impossible to miss the infamous Marilyn Monroe waves and grooming tools spray painted above the small storefront, reading Erika’s Beauty Salon.
Erika Ramirez-Olivares, 31, a trans woman from Aguas Calientes, Mexico, who began a whole new life 11 years ago in the United States with no family or friends, became her own boss at the age of 23. Alone in a foreign country, she had to hustle to ensure she had a place to sleep, food to eat, water that runs, and a phone to stay connected to those she left behind.
Almost half of all startups don’t make it past four years, according to the Statistic Brain Research Institute. And according to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Economy report, out of 909 certified LGBT business owners, only two percent are transgender-owned.
Before starting her own business, Erika studied cosmetology and worked at another beauty salon for three years. Her drive and confidence reflect greatly on her business. She began with just one styling station. Eventually that grew to two. Now she has five. Her goal is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for her employees and clients.
A report released by the National Center for Transgender Equality that surveyed 28,000 transgender people in the U.S unveiled that 77% of those who were employed hid their gender identity, even delaying it in fear of mistreatment.
Erika relocated a friend, who goes by the name Azul, four months ago from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles. Azul, 28, is originally from Jalisco, Mexico. She was sent to the United States at 15 at the beginning of her transition because her parents felt she would be in more danger over there than in the U.S. She picked her name because of her favorite color and feels like she is the color blue.
After a 22-hour drive and move, Azul began working at Erika’s Beauty Salon. She believes that Erika is not only a lifelong friend, but a good example of how to run a business. She said she feels more comfortable at Erika’s because as a transwoman herself, they understand what the struggles can be.
“We all suffer,” Azul said. “I have had a fairly good experience but at a moment in time, I was tormented. My mother passed away. It felt like my family ended and I’ve learned to survive on my own, but I don’t complain. I’m 28 and I feel more fulfilled. I can do more for myself.”
Under Erika’s mentorship, Azul has learned to be more consistent, secure, supported, and inspired to do more for herself. She has also learned what to do and expect as a business owner.
“There are many moments where I’ve needed (Erika’s) support and never a time that she’s not there. We go everywhere together. We go to the bank, we get food together, we’re up and down,” said Azul. “She has a noble heart. She is a woman, just someone so sincere. I see us being friends for a very long time.”
The unemployment rate in the transgender community often has to do with the denial of opportunity, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality. Erika’s Beauty Salon provides opportunities and work for trans people and anyone willing to display they are hard workers.
Organizations like TransWork are dedicated to helping transgender people through a program that is designed to assist employment needs, entrepreneurship aspirations, and hiring goals with the help of Independence Business Alliance staff.
Ester Mejia also works at Erika’s. She has been working there for almost three years and has described her experience as pleasant. Erika provided her with a station and has been supportive and understanding of complicated schedules.
“She’s a good person, she gave me my space. We would cut hair at the hospitals and when I needed to leave she would let me,” said Mejia. “When I moved far from Boyle Heights I couldn’t do it anymore, so I come in at about 1 and can leave by 6.”
Erika does worry about her business and her workers because of the pandemic, since at the beginning, they weren’t allowed to open the salon. She described it stressful because she is in charge of what happens and clients are afraid of contracting the virus. There is product collecting dust on her shelves because the business has slowed down.
Success didn’t magically happen for Erika as she had to save, earn, and spend money to maintain a sustainable lifestyle, along with deal with personal issues.
Erika spoke on violence against trans women, not limited to the United States but in other countries as well. She said she likes to stay updated with news that not just impacts her community, but everyone else as well.
“I feel fear because I can put myself in her shoes and say, ‘What was the motive and why did they kill her?’” said Erika. “Sometimes we’re in the wrong place or with the wrong people. There is just the chance of bumping into someone who doesn’t accept you.”
Although Erika feels safe and accepted by the majority of the Boyle Heights community, she still fears that someone who may disagree with her gender identity can walk into her salon and assault her. She touches on her experience with intimate partner violence with an incident that occurred two years ago.
“I had a very strong domestic violence [report] that the police came and we had to go to court. He threatened me to death,” Erika said. “He beat me.”
She said that sometimes, when her relationships lead to or end with violence, the fault can fall on her as well, not just her partners.
“I can’t say he is the only one at fault because one should be aware of what type of man I’m getting into a relationship with. Sometimes I feel as if I’m at fault because again I’m here alone in this country with no family. I only have friends and acquaintances,” said Erika. “So sometimes I feel so lonely. I became a refugee to the first man who spoke to me beautifully, tells me he loves me and I surrender.”
Erika shared that she was blessed to have had good support from the officers that arrived at the scene and the station because sometimes that’s not the case for other trans-folks.
The National Center for Transgender Equality published an audit of policies in 2019 that included 25 of the largest police departments in the United States, and found that law enforcement is generally failing to protect transgender people.
Although the pandemic has slowed down the business, Erika expressed gratitude for her landlord cutting the rent and she’s now had to dip into her savings to keep her business afloat.
She has improved her business with mask coverage, and clear borders to divide the stations and clients. And she makes sure that there are no more than two workers in the space so there is a low maximum capacity.
When asked for any remaining thoughts and goals she has in life there were two. The first one was to eventually own a building herself and expand on locations for her hair salon.
Her last thought was words of wisdom to not just those who are transphobic, or homophobic, but to everyone about educating themselves about the trans-community.
The Harvard Business Review concluded that the longevity of LGBTQ owned businesses is more successful that includes their ability to attract top talent and innovation of its employees.
“I would love to see a center where people can go to learn more information about trans gender identity to help them understand we’re normal people as well. We just have different sexualities that are honestly the only difference. We’re working citizens as well,” said Erika. “We’re not endangering anyone for being who we are.”
