EP019: I Will Stand Up For You

Jessica: Hello friends! Jess today interviewing a member of the Avanti community, Martae. Martae has been shopping with us for a couple of years now and I'm so excited to hear more about what got you into body modification so before we go dive into any questions that I might have, why don't we start by hearing a little bit about you?

Photo by @taesbad21

Martae: At the same time I got my belly pierced, I didn't feel that but that nose piercing, I actually cried. I don't ever cry with any of my piercings but that one really really hurt and I don't know why a lot of piercers I've talked to about it says, it's because I got the other side done and I guess it's just so sensitive from this side so it's just like I didn't like that.

Jessica: Yes. Did you go to the same piercer?

Martae: No. I got my first nose piercing there actually at Avanti.

Jessica: Ohh!

Martae: After that I went to Paramount Tattoo to get my belly and my other nose piercing done so I was just like, I don't want to stop now. I already got my belly and my nose. Why not? I didn't get my next person until three years later because I was always skeptical on getting it which was my lip.

Jessica: Oh! Cute.

Martae: But I'm just like, you know what? Let me buy fake piercings and let me just see how this gonna look and once I bought it I'm like oh yeah, I'm getting my lip pierced. I got my lip pierced in 2020 but not there anymore.

Jessica: Ohh.

Martae: Unfortunately, somehow, I swallowed the jewelry.

Jessica: No!

Martae: Yeah, I swallowed my ball and it came out and I didn't realize it until after I ate my food. I'm just like, "Oh where's my lip ring?"

Jessica: Oh no.

Martae: And I was at school, so I didn't have another one and it closed so I'm just like, Dang it! Now, I can't wait to get my lip repierced too. [inaudble 3:51] in my belly because I don't have either one of those either and right now, I'm applying to media school to go back to Beauty School because I did a 10-week program in high school and like I said, I love makeup and nails so that's my passion, it's always has been and always will be so I'm going back to Beauty School, which I really excited about so yeah, that's a little bit about me.

Jessica: That's exciting. Actually, I interviewed a hair and makeup artists who teaches at a Beauty School and that interview will be on our blog, probably in the next day or so. So you should check that out because I asked her, so what do I need to know about Beauty School if I wanted to go and she goes into it.

Martae: Okay, Oh my god, that's amazing. Okay, for a second, I got a little nervous because I thought you guys said you were interviewing for a job there. I got a little too excited. I was like, Oh yeah, I'm putting my application in again and let me just apply and see what happen.

Jessica: Well, I always keep application so you could always apply. I'll just keep them.

Martae: I do really want to work [inaudible 4:59-5:00] but I'm not a piercer so I was wanting to work as a cashier.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: But I was just like, you guys aren't hiring.

Jessica: I know, anything can happen, we're growing pretty fast so -

Martae: Yes.

Jessica: So you said you didn't have your other nostril or your belly button anymore, what happened?

Martae talks about the piercings she retired

Martae: With my nose piercing, I went to Georgia for graduation a couple months after I got it. It fell out when I was sleeping. I couldn't find it so my hole closed a few days later, because it hurt a lot and I thought I felt it but I was sleeping and didn't wanna wake up. I'm like, I don't know what's happening. Whatever, I'm going to go back to sleep but then when I woke up in the morning, I'm like, because I usually always have to move my nose piercing back in.

Jessica: They gave you an L shape.

Martae: Yeah. Which I dont like. I hate those.

Jessica: I don't like the L shapes at all. Silver boogers for days.

Martae: But they gave me an L shape one so I always had to push it back in and it would hurt but I didn't feel that because I went to fill it [inaudible 6:10] still there. Because I don't know, a lot of my piercings like this one, this side, my nose side, the one that had been have pierced, which for some reason won't close, even if I pick it out or it falls out but every time this one falls out, I know because it's either stuck to my pillow or it's pulling down on the piercing but with this one, it didn't do that. I couldn't feel it. I didn't know that it came out and so I woke up and I had bought some earrings, some stud earrings, but they didn't work. They were too big, so it just looks weird.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: So I'm just like, you know what? I'm gonna let it close. I'm eventually gonna get pierced again. It doesn't matter

Jessica: Come see us. We'll put the threadless one in there so it won't go anywhere.

Martae: I will, but first I got to get that belly piercings.

Jessica: Yes.

Martae: It's the main one I want. I don't care about my nose. I want my belly.

Jessica: Why don't you tell me a little bit about why that belly piercing means so much to you?

Martae talks about how her navel piercings helped her accept her body more

Martae: Because I'm a little bit on the bigger side, and I was never really confident in my body until I was told that I can get my belly pierced and it doesn't matter my size.

Jessica: That's awesome.

Martae: So I always see skinny girls with it. I'm just like, I want my belly pierced by---losing weight is so hard.

Jessica: It's so hard.

Martae: I'm just like, you know what? I'm gonna just go in the piercing shop, see if I can get it done. If they can do it and they tell me I look fine with it, Okay, I'll do it and I did it and I never had any regrets after that.

Jessica: Awesome.

Martae: What happened with my belly piercing is I bought---I was stupid enough to buy $5 jewelry.

Jessica: I mean [inaudible 7:54]

Martae: I lost in the mall which was a huge mistake because the man already, I already knew it was [inaudible 8:01] because the man tried to hook me over this one. After that, I put it in and it started burning immediately, and my piercing was completely healed so I'm like, why is this happening? Am I allergic to this metal? And then after that it rejected my burden so what I did a couple months ago, I came in there to Avanti's to just see how much it would be and if they actually can repierced it and he said he can, he said he can repierce my belly button, it's no problem.

Jessica: You talked to Jasper?

Martae: Yeah and he said that he just wants me to let it heal a little bit longer so I've been putting CBD on it every day because that's what---actually it heals faster now.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: It's been about three years since I got it pierced last time so semi-regular we get it, but I just been trying to get the scar smaller.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: It's completely almost gone.

Jessica: That's awesome.

Martae: I am ready to get my belly repierced.

Jessica: I'm excited to see you in the studio so we can get that done. I love that it did that for you for body positivity because you're perfect the way that you are, you know?

Martae: Thank you. I see that now that I'm perfect the way that I am but I've always been self-conscious in my body and in my apperance because of high school and middle school I was bullied a lot so and I was bullied because of my forehead or my skin color and I'm just like---confidence is hard, but I have a lot of friends that say that I'm beautiful and I am who I am for the way that I am. So I'm just like, I'm way more confident. I wear a lot more half-shirt now.

Jessica: Nice! Well, I can speak to that too because I got my navel pierced for the same reason. I always go to the pool and I'd always wear a tank. I'd want to wear a bikini but I would wear a tank top over the bikini so it was like I was doing what I wanted, but also didn't want anyone to see me.

Martae: I still haven't got that confident and wear bikinis yet, but I'm getting there. I'm hopefully gonna get that by the summer. Let's hope because I like bikinis, they look good and if I get my belly pierced before the summer, I'm gonna definitely wear a bikini. I don't care what anybody says.

Jessica: You fought for that navel piercing and also the body's do amazing things.

Martae: Yeah. So we'll see. I'm excited. I'm definitely I'm still saving up. I'm trying to save up for it because that's expensive.

Jessica: I know.

Martae: I think it's worth it because all my other piercings that I also got my the top of my ears pierced. I had to go to the hospital and get them took them out because they went inside.

Jessica: Ooh!

Martae: I got those done at Claire's where I got my lip piercing done at. I got it done in the mall at a Piercing New Tattoo Place.

Jessica: Okay.

Martae: I was a little skeptical at first. My mom had told me not to do it, but then I just did it because it was $35 so I'm just like, yeah, you know what? Let me do it, but like I said, I swallowed the jewelry and it came out and closed and I accidentally bit it so there was a big bump in my mouth so I guess I'm a little worried about getting it repierced because the bump is still there, but it's very small. I still everyday play with it but I want it repierced. I have to get them repierced. I don't like myself without piercing. Ever since I got my belly pierced, every time I look at pictures with my belly pierced, I get kind of sad that I don't have it anymore. I'm just like I have to get repierced and I was so used to having two piercings, I'm like I'm getting my nose repierced, it doesn't look right with just one anymore.

Jessica: I feel the same way with mine, I had to take my lips out because I was having some issues with them and I wanted to cry when I took my first one out - my philtrum and I was almost put it back in even though it's not happy, the angle that it was pierced that was just not healing correctly.

Martae: See, I got this side done first but I also I think I want to get this side done.

Jessica: That would be cute.

Martae: I definitely want to get my septum done

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: I've been thinking about---it took me about eight years to convince myself that I want my septum done but I'm always buying fake septum jewelry and just putting it there and it looks so cute to me. I'm just like, why not?

Photos by @taesbad21

Jessica: Do it.

Martae: I'm going to be working in the beauty industry, I hope and I'm going to beauty school so it doesn't matter.

Jessica: Well and what's cool about the septum is you can tuck it up. So even -

Martae: Yeah, I know, I see my friend do that all the time, yeah. Okay.

Jessica: It's the coolest piercing. I have my septum pierced. I love it because when I went through a phase where I got it pierced and then I didn't really want it shown anymore, but I didn't want to get rid of it so I just kept it tucked up for a year.

Martae: Really?

Jessica: Yeah, I kept it tucked up for a year and then I was like, Oh, I'm ready to wear this again and I just popped it back down. Yeah, that's awesome. So what draws you to beauty school? So you said you like doing it in high school?

Martae talks about why she wants to go to Beauty School

Photo by @taesbad21

Martae: I didn't find my love for the shape until my graduation day came because I went to Northridge Beauty College and got my nails done and I got stiletto tips.

Jessica: Yes!

Martae: Stilettos, so I'm just like, oh my god. I'm never going back to coffin or square or anything but I do go back to coffin because I actually like them a lot.

Jessica: I like coffin too.

Martae: Speaking of Northridge Beauty College that's where I'm gonna go because I like the vibe there. Honestly, it's close to my house.

Jessica: That's awesome.!

Martae: I did my high school program, my two week high school program at Beau Monde Academy.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: Which is where I have all my credits but that school is way too far, that's in the Lloyd Center. I live in Beaverton so -

Jessica: I live in Beaverton

Martae: But it takes me an hour to get to the Washington Square by bus, but it would take me three hours to get to the Lloyd Center.

Jessica: Okay.

Martae: So that definitely wouldn't work, that would just be a total inconvenience for me, because it takes 59 minutes to get there to Washington Square but just it's so much to get to the Lloyd Center so I'm just like, I need to find a beauty school that's closer to me.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: And my mom was worried about me being down there at night.

Jessica: That's a good point.

Martae: Now, she feels okay with me going to Northwest Beauty College because it's way closer, and if anything happens, she could just pick me up five minutes away.

Jessica: Yeah, that one's in Beaverton?

Martae: Yes.

Jessica: Oh okay.

Martae: Do you know where the Beaverton Central Station is?

Jessica: Yeah, I do.

Martae: It's over there.

Jessica: Oh, perfect! I used to take the bus. I live over by 185th so all the way to Washington Square.

Martae: Willow Creek?

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: Okay. Yeah, I know that area well, that's where my school is.

Jessica: I worked at Black Rock coffee bar on 185th in baseline. I worked there for like a year.

Martae: Wow! I still haven't had Dutch Bros or Black Rock Coffee.

Jessica: You haven't at all?

Martae: No.

Jessica: I mean, it's a lot of sugar.

Martae: Coffee, I'm not want to drink coffee but a lot of people been wanting me to go there in Dutch Bros so I'm like okay, let me try it but [inaudible 17:05]

Jessica: You have to try.

Martae: I haven't done it yet.

Martae: So I just decided because I'm not really into hair as much.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: I have like 5 head dogs in the closet right now. [inaudible 17:20] closet, not in my closet because they come into my closet, they scare me.

Jessica: And that would scare me too.

Martae: But I have 5 head dogs in the closet. I haven't touched them about a year. I just and I've been buying acrylic nail kits a lot doing my nail and I don't know if you know this but at Walgreens, they have there acrylic nail kits with the tips, the long tips. I don't cut them.

Jessica: Okay.

Martae: I can't go back to medium either. I have to have long.

Jessica: I love having long. I would do long but then I started working with all the little tiny threadless jewelry.

Martae: Oh yeah.

Jessica: I hate too long. I am like I can't get it.

Martae: Takes me so---what I do have my long pierce mind blowing nose in, it takes me so long to change my jewelry, or even fix it. My nose ring always goes out. It would take so long to fix it because of my nails. I'm like, but it is easy to put on my eyelashes, with long nails, it's super easy. I don't even need to use tweezers to put my eyelashes on when I have my long nails.

Jessica: I would like to do that too because you can use the nail tips like press it in. Yeah, it makes it easier.

Martae: Yeah and I don't know, I applied to be an Online Beauty Advisor.

Jessica: Oh cool!

Martae: And I've been playing with different makeup, looking at different looks. I actually put a black and yellow eyeshadow on my lips. Half yellow, half black and I'm like, Oh yeah, I'm not going back, I like this.

Photo by @taesbad21

Jessica: Do you have pictures of it?

Martae: Oh yeah, I can probably email them to you.

Jessica: That would be perfect. That way we can put them in our blog post so everyone can see some of your makeup looks.

Martae: Okay. Yeah sure. I didn't like putting on any makeup this morning because I just woke up so -

Jessica: I didn't either. I did my hair so I did look like---I was like I gotta at least do my hair because it was sticking out like this.

Martae: And I just took my hair I'm afraid so I just put in my pony though.

Jessica: I hear you. It's quarantine, there's no rules now.

Martae: Exactly! I am super super ready to go to school though.

Jessica: I bet.

Martae: Because I applied there once and I got in but due to papers that we couldn't find that they needed and the class started the next day and we were going to get those papers then, I couldn't do the program, but we have those papers that they need so I'm going again.

Jessica: Nice!

Martae: I am definitely going again and I'm super excited.

Jessica: Yeah, I'm excited for you.

Martae: It's all worth it because I still talk to the person who did my nails on my graduation day. I talked to her all the time, she's been helping me with my decision of going there because I like the vibe and they don't really have rules. They have rules and regulations but Paul Mitchell Beauty School and Aveda Institute both have to wear all-black but you don't have to wear all black at Northwest Beauty College.

Jessica: Oh nice!

Martae: So I like that, you have a little bit more leniency on what you can wear.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: I mean, all black is just so coffee.

Jessica: Well, and especially if you're like I like bright colors and I like -

Martae: Exactly, yeah.

Jessica: Eclectic style like I don't think I could just do all black everyday because I like polka dots and I like stripe.

Martae: I think it's worth it to go to beauty school. It's gotta be challenging because I went to culinary school at first.

Jessica: Oh, yeah.

Martae: Yeah. I want to say it was the worst possible idea I did because I've always been into baking. I am wanting to be cake decorator but that classes are just too hard, the homework.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: When in high school, they, for some freaking reason put me in special education so the stuff I learned specialized, I didn't learn how to do General Education classes and General Education homework. So when speciale education, you didn't get any homework at all.

Jessica: It doesn't help you at all.

Martae talks about beating the odd’s and rising above expectations

Martae: It doesn't. It doesn't and it's so irritating so I don't know. I'm like, I'm going back. I'm going to a Special Ed College right now but it's actually helping me with adult life like they don't care. They don't care, they are tough on you because they want you to see how adult life is, being an adult is. It's helping me a lot. I'm learning how to apply myself better as far as time goes and I'm just learning so much and I'm just like, this is what I needed in high school, why didn't I get this? And only General Education classes they put me in in high school was business classes but still with support from the Special Ed teachers.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: I try. It wasn't until senior year, which I graduated six months early from, which they said I would never do.

Jessica: Wait and go, that's awesome.

Martae: They even said that I was failing all my classes and I wasn't gonna graduate ever so I'm just like, Really? Really? Because I've checked with all of my teachers, I had all A's and B's so I don't understand how I was failing my classes and that's the funny thing about it is because I proved them wrong.

Jessica: Yeah, you did.

Martae: You know when I walked went to actually walk in graduation, and all my special education teachers there. They we're so surprised to see me. Why? Why are you so surprised to see me that I'm here at graduation walking with my class? I waited six months early, doesn't mean I'm not gonna walk in graduation ceremony.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: I know it's not a once in a lifetime opportunity, but it was my opportunity that I had to take because I had to prove them wrong that I can do this and they said, I wouldn't make it through cosmetology school or culinary school. Sadly enough, I didn't make it to culinary school because I failed the program but I'm going to make it to costemology school. I don't care what no one says I'm making it through there. No matter how hard it get, I'm not gonna quit.

Jessica: In culinary school, having worked in restaurants, culinary is not for everybody.

Martae: Yeah, I never knew that. It would be that hard.

Jessica: It is tough. Yeah. I've never gone but I know it's tough.

Martae: It is. When I started off with the actual culinary program, but then I discovered that they actually had a baking program and the problem with that one is that it's at night and my mom didn't want me being downtown because I was [inaudible 24:15]. My mom didn't like me being downtown that late at night because the classes were until 10 which Okay, I understand that because I was scared every day because there's a lot---they said, there's a whole lot of homeless people and if we took out the trash we need to go in twos because there's a lot of homeless people hide in the trash.

Jessica: And then for anyone who's watching this, who's not familiar with Portland, our homeless community can be very violent. I've experienced that working in downtown, they can be very violent at times, and it's not it's very safe.

Martae: Yeah, so I'm glad I had a nice kick on me every almost every night.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: They stopped when it came to....because they actually, I see when I went in, I didn't expect to have homework.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: I don't know why it's a freaking school. Why not? Of course, it's gonna have homework, it's not just cooking in the kitchen, or baking in the kitchen. If we actually had to do a class called Food Ethics. I hated that class. I hate it so much. I really hate that class and I never want to do it ever again, food I thinks ruin my life and I'm not being dramatic because it really ruined my life. I stopped. Every time I eat a cow, every time I eat a burger or something, I cried. Literally tears. I cry every time I ate it but it's like something's told me not to stop eating meat.

Jessica: You're like I am hungry but I don't want to die.

Martae: It's hard for me to go vegan or vegetarian because I like meat.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: I don't eat a lot of meat either. I barely eat meat. I don't eat. Well, I love fried chicken but -

Jessica: I love fried chicken.

Martae: I tried not eat it as much but I love steak. Ever since I had Carne Asada Tacos, I have never stopped eating steak. I don't eat beef anymore. I don't eat chicken anymore. When it comes to my tacos and burritos, there's this place by my house, they're amazing and they make the best steak burritos. I go there every day and get a steak burrito or the Carne Asada Fries that they have.

Jessica: Oh, I think I know what you're talking about. That place is good.

Martae: Bandito Taco.

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: Yeah, and I actually plan on going there right after this.

Jessica: You're like now, I want a taco. Before I wrap up our call, I was just wondering if you...so you have gone through so many challenges where people told you you were not going to be successful, where society told you that you needed to look a certain way and you have shown so much like no, I know who I am. I am pretty freaking awesome and I am smart and I am talented and capable. So for our audience who's sitting at home and going, Okay, well, that's easy for her to say, what advice would you have for them?

Martae ends the conversation with advice for overcoming obstacles and bullying

Photo by @taesbad21

Jessica: Yeah.

Martae: And that actually, I worked with those kids for six years. I've always worked ever since I was in high school, actually, no middle school. I've been working with those kids because they have a voice too but they need to stop being bullied and I stood up. It took me so long to stand up for myself but it was so easy for me to stand up for them because that's not their....sounds like it gets easier though, it really does. It gets better, there's bullies, because that's just who they are. Maybe there's something going on in their life that we don't know about - that makes them bully us, but it gets easier and it gets better and if you need to talk, I'm here. Please hit me up on any social media accounts, I am here.

Jessica: Thank you so much, Martae. That is absolutely awesome. I'll make sure that we have your social media tag in our posts so people can get in touch with you.

Martae: Okay.

Jessica: I wanted to thank you so much for your time today. I hope you enjoy Bendito Taco.

Martae: I will.

Jessica: And I'm excited to see you when our stores open so we can pick out some navel jewelry and we can get that stabbed.

Martae: I am excited. Thank you so much!

Jessica: Yeah, thank you.

Martae: I really enjoyed talking to you today.

Jessica: I enjoy talking to you, too!

Martae: I actually think I recognize you from seeing you in the store before.

Jessica: Whoo! I'm there all the time.

Martae: I think I do recognize you now. I think I really do recognize you. I think you actually helped me picked up my nose jewelry?

Jessica: I probably did. You look familiar to me, too.

Martae: Thank you. I look forward to being back in the store because your store just gives me life. It makes me excited because it just so the environment you guys have there is just impeccable and amazing.

Jessica: You gonna make me cry, thank you.

Martae: Thank you!

Jessica: Thank you It was great seeing you!

Martae: Bye!

Jessica: Bye!