Meet Cassi Chambers. Cassi was born and raised in Eugene and has lived here her whole life. She has what she would call a super Eugene background. Cassi is the mother to a seven year old son who is her world. Cassi is a local hair stylist at HAPI Hair Studios and co-founder of Hair Artist In Pursuit of Inclusion, HAPI. She specializes in protective hair styles and she is determined to be accessible to everyone. With the goal of being inclusive, she has created Cassi’s fund. “Cassi’s Fund” is a special fund where donated proceeds will be used to service people or families in need of hair services. She does not want anyone to feel like they have to drive all the way to Portland to get their hair done.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
Family, to me, is the cornerstone of everything. I lean on my family for everything. My family consists of my seven year old son, my mom, my dad and my step mom. I see my mom every week, she watches my son for me. My dad and stepmom retired about 4 years ago so we get to hang out often together. I have a brother that is 12 years older than me and 4 step siblings total. We like to get out and do things like snow boarding together. I also want to add Letty, who is my sister from another mister. As a single mom I wouldn’t be able to function without the support she selflessly pours into Kamari’s upbringing.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
As a kid I was always very in to macramé. My dad would buy me books on different knots and patterns and it was the most fun puzzle to learn and play. I braided my hair in every way possible that I could think of. I started in the restaurant industry early on and would always braid everyone’s hair before work. A coworker one time, made a comment that I should go to school to do hair but I got into braiding in kind of a weird way. Thinking back, doing hair was not something I would have envisioned myself doing. Everyone thought I would go to school for psychology because I have always thought therapy was the best thing invented. However, when I got pregnant with my son I had a friend reach out, her name was Destiny Henderson and she recommended I learn his hair. So I took her advice and decided to go to school and learn hair. I knew I liked braiding hair and I figured I could do something with that but I quickly realized that school teaches you the bare minimum, not only about hair, but especially about black hair. Now looking back, there is probably an extensive amount of trauma that black students experienced listening to the way the teachers talked about hair. I was really angry about the way that they talked about hair in school.
I was really frustrated from a conversation with fellow classmates one day and I went to Leah Dunbar crying and I couldn’t put into words why I was so upset but I knew that what was being said was not okay. Leah explained to me that I was witnessing systemic racism and its making you angry. Because of the conversation with Leah, I realized that I wanted to do braids even more. I got a manikin and did a whole head of braids and started asking for advice on how I could improve. I reached out to a friends wife and she recommended that I work on speed and lines. I found out how many people were going to Portland so I started offering to practice on their hair.
What I love most about what I do is the connection to history of it all. It is rooted in such resilience and triumph and beauty in every aspect. I love the people I get to meet and the fact that even on a hard day, I still know it will be a good day. I also love being able to give back. An experience that changed me and made me realize I was in the right place was when I met a very sweet little girl that I absolutely fell in love with. She would come in to the salon with her grandma and the way that her grandma would speak about her hair forever changed me. I would tell her grandmother to leave her with me and spend the entire time talking about how amazing her hair was and all the magic that was inside of it.
In the future I would really like to grow HAPI. It would be great if we eventually had a school where you start out in school and then you become an assistant to a real stylist that has either participated in the program or meets the guidelines we have set. There is so much more that can be taught especially the language used revolving around hair. I would also like to have a salon in my house so I could spend time with my son while I am working.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
I would have to say Café Yumm, Studio One Café and Café 440.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I was born and raised here.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
Man there are so many, I have to name a couple. The two women that I work with, Amber and Cheri, Challenge me in all of the best ways. I would be failing myself if I didn’t say Ayisha Elliot has made an impact in my life. Leah Dunbar has also inspired me. Then the little girl Audrey that I told the story about. She made me want to take every single ounce of time to make sure that every kid that sits in my chair knows that they are their very best the moment they show up, and their very best when they leave. Its hard to pick one person, my dad is my rock. Lastly, Erin Harville that girl does not sleep. The amount of things she has accomplished in her life are just so incredible to me. I also must mention Sasha, I’ve never met someone with so much drive and discipline. And Lastly Tamal, for teaching me to laugh at life and never be afraid to value myself.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
My Son wants to learn about Egypt, so I would take him there and feed that curiosity.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
I love the Greys Anatomy, I am a huge fan. I also really love to watch Bernie Mac Show and New Girl. When it comes to movies I love stand up comedy movies, but I really love this movie called Their Eyes Were Watching God, its with Halle Berry based off of a book. Its a great movie.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Find ways to decenter yourself in situations because there are so many opportunities to grow when you aren’t only seeing things from your own point of view. Also go to therapy. A quote that I heard that I love is, “The world happens to you or the world happens for you. If the world happens to you then you are forever a victim, if the world happens for you then everything that is happening is happening the way it is supposed to.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A short term bucket list goal would be to move into a house with a yard and get a dog. A long term goal would be to take my Son traveling as long as I can.
Q: What is your go to band when you cant decide what to listen to?
TLC and Lauryn Hill
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
Cafe Lucky Noodle. I worked there 5 or so years and a lot of my great long-standing friendships stem from working there.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
It would be one of the Smith’s. I came from a family where my mom and dad separated when I was young and it was not a peaceful divorce so I often got caught in the turmoil even though they tried for it not to be that way. Fast forward to now me and my sons father are not together and that happened early on well before his first birthday and I have always admired the way they hold their relationship. I remember hearing she was very inclusive of his Childs mother and I admire families that can transcend their own egos and show up for their children in those ways. Will Smith is so analytical and truly questions himself and his life on such a regular basis and he does everything with such an intention because of that. I feel like Jada embodies strength, and assertiveness, and discipline and I just appreciate the ways they both show up for their children and family as a whole. I would take them to Mcmenamins on the river. I feel like they are calm peaceful people and would like the view.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
Even with a population of 160,000+ it still feels like you know everyone.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
My hope is that I will be able to move into the home that my parents own and rent from them and start to remodel it to prepare myself for retirement. I also see myself teaching hair, and growing our business. I want every single person in this community to feel like they can walk into a salon and find somebody that they know will be able to take care of them.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Every year I go out to the country fair property and I just walk it by myself. Sometimes I bring my son but most of the time I go by myself and just grow my nostalgia.
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
This is so Eugene of me, but I have to say the Oregon Country Fair, that is my most nostalgic place. There’s art and there’s family and music and the food is SO good
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
I think December. I have a lot of friends and family that are born in December. My son was born in December and its Christmas. Its a chaotic month but it makes me happy. I love Thanksgiving but we don’t call it that. It is just a day when we know our family is going to get together. I like Sundays. I go get breakfast with my son on Sundays and I enjoy those times.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
Cheese
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My Son, my family & the community around me that pushes me to be my best self.
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Daphne, and what I call the smell of the Oregon Country Fair. It is a combination of honey buckets, hay, weed, citronella, patchouli oil all mixed together with BO. It is a horrendous smell but when I smell it, it reminds me of home.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Comfort, Food, Family
