HAMPTON, Va. - LaTonya Wilson-Taliferro runs the Beyond Beauty Academy in Hampton.
We interrupted one of her classes for a good reason, she received a People Taking Action Award. LaTonya also received a $300 gift card from Southern Bank.
One of instructor’s students wrote us about the salon owner and teacher. She said LaTonya is very inspirational.
For nine years Latonya organized a back to school drive to help local kids. It starts with free hair cuts.
“We did 176 kids this year, we give school supplies we motivate them to get ready," LaTonya said.
LaTonya said what she and her team get is far better.
“They give us hugs they give us so much love and support it makes us want to do this again and again.” LaTonya said. “At the end of the day we do it because we love to see that smile on their face.”
And its not just families in Hampton, Latonya and her goodwill garrison help kids from as far away as New Kent County. It started out as a program to help foster kids, then grew from there.
“ We started taking on people who’d lost their jobs then it didn’t matter we just knew we wanted to give back to this community so it didn’t matter who we did as long as we did them and they felt good about themselves," LaTonya said.
Her beauty and barber school students and colleagues share her vision.
Congrats to LaTonya and her team of cosmetology community angels!
