Celebrity makeup artist, Shennel Patrick, Embracing Black Beauty

Shennel Patrick sparkles with delight as she learns I’m calling from Jamaica. The Grenadian-born, New York-based makeup artist, beauty expert, and content creator, widely recognized as “Nelli”, yearns for her homeland, especially during the extended New York winter

Patrick’s work has been featured on several media platforms, including Essence, Teen Vogue, VIBE Magazine, Bravo TV, the Today Show, and more Her high-profile clientele includes the likes of Chimamanda Adichie, Cynthia Bailey, Ashley Blaine, Khadeen Ellis, Robyn Dixon, and others

Before captivating audiences with her extraordinary makeup artistry, Patrick was an undocumented teenager in a foreign city with minimal support It takes a little persuasion to get her to discuss this challenging period of her life She prefers to focus on the positive, insisting that dwelling on negativity would have hindered her survival and subsequent success As I share my mother’s similar experience as an undocumented immigrant, she agrees, “It’s crucial to discuss the reality many Caribbean people face ”

Patrick left Grenada at the tender age of 16 “I missed my graduation and ball,” she jests She confesses to having been “pretty naive” upon her arrival A year and a half later, she discovered her undocumented status, causing her dreams of law school to be abruptly put on hold This realization, coupled with a shrinking support network, left her grappling with potential homelessness and working any job she could find just to stay afloat

Despite her naive outlook, the birth of her daughter jolted her into responsibility At 23, Nelli became a mother and found solace in beauty and makeup, which, to her surprise, transformed into a career “It gave me an identity,” she shares, “and opened numerous doors ”

Celebrating Black Beauty

Patrick has built her career around the celebration of Black beauty. She enthusiastically states, “I adore creating luminous, bronzy skin against bursts of jewel tones ” Her striking work has garnered attention from several media outlets, including Essence, Vibe Magazine, and Teen Vogue, among others One glance at her work, and her talent is indisput- able. She masterfully enhances black and brown skin tones under any lighting conditions, making them glow radiantly

We discuss how black skin is often marginalized in the world of film and photography Patrick articulates that the camera has historically been a biased tool

Traditional photography training propagates a range of longstanding biases, where “light skin” is considered the norm, and camera settings are calibrated to prioritize pale skin tones. Patrick acknowledges the restrictive nature of such practices when working with Black skin

Despite this revelation being new to Patrick, she assures me that it will inform her future discussions

However, she hasn’t been oblivious to its implications in her field. While she provides her own studio spaces, she has also collaborated with photographers and filmmakers as an on-set makeup artist She admits to having encountered biases and limited understanding among some colleagues who fail to recognize the “limitless potential of dark skin ”

Patrick’s makeup chair doubles as a therapy space Not only does she accentuate the natural beauty of dark skin, but she also offers a safe space for intimate conversations “I recall a 60-year-old woman from Grenada who came in one day,” Patrick reminisces They discussed life in the big city, their shared homeland, and their experiences in the U S amid rising xenophobia following the Trump election Patrick notes that society often disregards the beauty of older women, assuming it fades between the

Ages Of

40 and 60

The second time beauty rescued Patrick’s life, it was in a more direct, tangible way In 2016, a horrific car accident left her bedridden and unable to walk Facing yet another hurdle, she turned to faith “I made a promise to God that if He would allow me to stand on my feet again, I would use my gift,” she shares “I promised that I would serve with purpose, or not at all ” Her miraculous recovery forged a mantra she still holds dear: “I transmute pain into purpose ”

Continued Transformation

Starting a business is no small feat While success stories often take center stage, most entrepreneurial ventures face significant challenges and don’t survive in the long term At the end of every interview, I ask, ‘Where do you see yourself in the future?’ and ‘What advice do you have for prospective entrepreneurs?’

Shennel Patrick’s response is refreshingly candid “I am uncomfortable with the current season in my life ” She openly admits that she doesn’t have everything figured out Her journey serves as a poignant reminder that success is not linear –it ebbs and flows Despite her victorious battle with immigration, she is also grappling with the closure of her brick-and-mortar business

Yet, in the face of these challenges, Patrick remains steadfast, “Sometimes life hits you in a way that you have to sit still and listen to the one who guided you here,” she smiles

US announces new measures to deter Caribbean migrants from illegally entering country

The United States Department of State and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have announced additional sweeping measures to deter Caribbean and other migrants from illegally entering the country

The announcement came a day before the May 11 end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, and the lifting of the pandemicera Title 42 public health order, which allowed the government to halt the entry of people and imports to prevent the introduction of a communicable disease from outside the borders of the continental US

The State Department said that when the Title 42 order is lifted by midnight Thursday, the United States would be strengthening its enforcement of long-standing Title 8 immigration authorities to expeditiously process and remove individuals, who arrive at the US border unlawfully and do not have a legal basis to remain

“Individuals who cross into the United States at the southwest border without authorization or without having used a lawful pathway, and without having scheduled a time to arrive at a port of entry, will be presumed ineligible for asylum, absent an applicable exception,” the State Department warned

“If removed, they will be barred from reentry for at least five years and subject to potential criminal prosecution for repeated attempts to enter unlawfully,” the State Department added

The US said Haitians, Cubans and Venezuelans are among migrants flooding the country’s southern border in their attempt to enter the country Many who have managed to cross the border have sought asylum

As part of the comprehensive, multicontinues onA5 – Caribbean migrants