NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: In the latest season of 'Queer Eye,' Maryam Henderson-Uloho of SisterHearts Boutique and Thrift Store in Arabi was nominated to be helped by the Fab Five. She served more than 12 years in jail before becoming an entrepreneur and motivational speaker to help heal prison-related trauma.
When Maryam was in jail, she saw a need in the community to help women adjust to society once they left prison. She recognized that many individuals leave jail with the purpose of bettering themselves, but the constraints of daily life make it difficult for them to adjust. Maryam's purpose is to serve as a bridge for previously jailed people to enter society with dignity. She provides returning citizens second chances while supporting them in establishing economic stability.
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Who nominated Maryam Henderson-Uloho on 'Queer Eye'?
Maryam aka Mary, is 65 years old and she has spent a significant portion of her life in jail. In addition to serving 12 and a half years in jail, she was sentenced to another 12 and a half years on parole for obstructing justice. Mary was sentenced and convicted in New Orleans and spent the majority of her adult life apart from her seven children. Mary not only lost her sense of self throughout her imprisonment, but she also missed out on witnessing her seven children grow up, which put a toll on Mary's mind. Mary's children still adore her, and she considers herself to be their hero. Mary, on the other hand, struggles to perceive the importance of herself as a person, particularly as a mother.
Mary is nominated by her companion, Anthony, who met Mary through Sister Hearts. Mary is now technically a free woman, but she has found herself in a situation in which her body is free but her heart and mind still feel incarcerated. Fab Five's mission was to help Sister Heart free her soul.
What did the Fab Five do for Maryam Henderson-Uloho?
Culture expert, Karamo Brown, praised Mary's candor about wishing to re-establish contact with her family. But he needed to learn more about what occurred in Mary's past in order to figure out how to provide her with a better future. Karamo gave Mary an old photo album that reminded her of herself before she went to prison. Mary informed Karamo that when she married for the first time at the age of 16, she felt she was being treated like chattel. He forced her to read the final letter her firstborn sent to her before passing away while she was still in prison.
Karamo advised her not to avoid her responsibilities as a mother. So Mary decided to contact her children again. She wanted to apologize and explain her experiences not only in prison but also before it. Grooming expert, Jonathan Van Ness, noted that Mary's locs stemmed from a place of safety rather than expression. So he took on the job of providing her with the access and tools she required in order to convey the vibe she desires. Jonathan wanted to give Mary a completely different look. Jonathan made Mary let go of her locs. 5 people were put to the task of detangling her locs which took near about 3 hours. Mary was smitten by her new look.
Design guru, Bobby Berk, wanted to bring new life into Mary's home. When he first visited the place, it felt like a dark, dank cell. He wanted it to feel exactly the other way. Bobby taught Mary how to be more intentional about the things we surround ourselves with. He wanted to add Mary to add plants to her home. Her previous color selections were just a gut reaction to her inability to have any color while in prison. Instead of painting the walls in dark, dreary colors, Bobby brightened things up and brought in color via her home's decorations.
Food and wine expert, Antoni Porowski, wants Mary to have the same aim that she teaches her staff to have in her business. He urges her to start small and rediscover the joy of being in the kitchen. Antoni invited Mary to a restaurant known for its Creole food. Because Mary is a one-pot queen, Antoni decided to combine everything and make Shrimp Étouffée. This way, when she has time, she could make a large batch of the food, place it in well-sealed containers, and freeze it. This was a type of decarceration for Mary.
Fashion expert, Tan France, saw Mary was stuck in the Sister Hearts uniform. Before that, she was in a prison uniform. He wanted to remind Mary that she is still a person, a woman, a human who gets to feel beautiful. Tan accompanied Mary to West London BTQ because she was excited to wear colors. Tan believed Mary's closet should be pared down to only a few items, and those few items should be able to make her seem gorgeous. Tan shows Mary variants of fit and flare, since Mary loved them. He does not want her to get a princess-cut dress. Tan wants Mary to wear light, flowing clothing so that her movement may be seen as she walks. Mary's appearance will be almost ethereal.
Tan even bought Mary a more fashionable set of spectacles. Tan kept Mary's essence but the outfits he picked for her just elevated everything. Tan offered some vibrant designs that are somewhat reminiscent of the African-inspired items Mary already has in her collection.
Where is Maryam Henderson-Uloho now?
Mary's entire family came to surprise her towards the end of the episode. She promised to break the cycle of not being able to open up about loving her family.
SisterHearts rose from a $40 investment and selling garbage out of a suitcase traveling street corner to having developed a profitable thrift store and re-entry program in less than three years. She is now known as a national leader, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and decarceration specialist. Maryam goes all around the country telling her incredible narrative of rising from the ruins of prison to power. She has seven children and presently resides in Arabi, Louisiana.
Season 7 of 'Queer Eye' is now available for streaming on Netflix
