Jackson Free Press

Latarsha Ellis, a lifelong Jackson native who has worked as a cosmetologist and hair stylist for more than 20 years, will hold a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for her new salon, Evolutions Beauty Bar (197 Raymond Road), on Friday, April 26.

Evolutions will offer hair coloring and cuts, as well as facials, and other skin- and hair-care services. Ellis says she and her employees will also consult with customers to sell them hair products based on their specific hair type.

Once a month, Evolutions will also offer two free makeovers for Jackson residents. Customers can enter the monthly drawing on the business' Facebook page.

Additionally, Ellis will host cosmetology classes at the salon once every three months for people who are preparing to take the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology's licensing exam.

"When I purchased this building and started working to renovate it, I did it with the intention of opening what I refer to as a 'community salon' in Jackson," Ellis told the Jackson Free Press. "I want to be able to give back to my community through this salon, whether it's through free makeovers or helping to train up the future cosmetologists of Jackson."

Ellis began attending classes to become a cosmetologist at the Jackson Career Development Center during her junior year at Lanier High School. She graduated in 1993, and later completed the cosmetology course and received her license in 1996.

After receiving her license, Ellis worked at Lafandra's Hair Salon in Jackson until 1999. She then worked at Hair and Things until 2002, when she decided to go into business for herself.

Ellis opened Anointed Hands Hair Salon in Jackson in 2002. In 2008, she moved the salon to Ridgeland and changed the business' name to Mainstream Hair Salon. She closed Mainstream in 2012 and took a job with Shape Ups Hair Studio in Ridgeland until 2018.

While working at Shape Ups, Ellis began studying for her cosmetology instructor's license at Hinds Community College in 2016. She completed the program in 2017 and then spent a year teaching at Delta Technical College in Ridgeland before purchasing the Evolutions space in late 2018.

"I decided to call this new salon 'Evolutions' because I believe it symbolizes it my growth in the beauty industry," Ellis says. "I've had to come a long way in learning what to do for my customers and how to do it, as well as the tools I needed to do it."

The ribbon cutting for Evolutions Beauty Bar will take place at 11 a.m. on April 26. For more information, email [email protected] or visit the salon's Facebook page.

Citizenville Hosting JXN Gumbo at Mantle

Community crowdfunding platform Citizenville will host Fondren Gumbo, another iteration of the organization's JXN Gumbo events, at Mantle. (622 Duling Ave.) at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 28.

Citizenville founder J.J. Townsend originally launched the platform as Citizen JXN in 2018 but changed the name after the first JXN Gumbo. The organization is a community-themed crowdfunding platform similar to GoFundMe or Kickstarter that allows local citizens and sponsors to support projects that benefit the community.

During Fondren Gumbo, four neighborhood-based community organizations will give four-minute presentations pitching their projects for Citizenville. Attendees will donate $5 for a bowl of gumbo, bread and a salad, and vote for their favorite presenter. The community project that gets the most votes receives the proceeds from the donations. Citizenville will announce the winner at 8 p.m.

The event after that, West JXN Gumbo, will be April 28 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Proposal submissions close on April 22 at 11:59 p.m., and the ideas must focus on west Jackson.

Since Citizenville's launch, the organization has supported an afterschool program called Growing Up Knowing, a homeless assistance program called SOUL and the Belhaven Heights Neighborhood Association's effort to renovate a local park.

For more information, visit citizenville.org/jxngumbo/ or email [email protected] or [email protected].

Beth Israel Congregation Hosting 52nd Annual Bazaar

The Beth Israel Congregation (5315 Old Canton Road) will host its 52nd annual Beth Israel Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27.

Visitors to the bazaar can enjoy authentic Jewish food such as matzo ball soup, blintzes, Kosher hot dogs, knish and stuffed cabbage, as well as traditional Israeli dishes such as tabouli salad, hummus and baba ganoush. There will also be a take-home booth where visitors can purchase homemade frozen casseroles and desserts.

The event will also have a silent auction, a raffle, a book sale and a white elephant sale, in which congregants bring items from their homes to sell. A portion of the event's proceeds will benefit local charities such as the Salvation Army, Stewpot Community Services, Meals on Wheels, Henry S. Jacobs Camp and Dream Street

To view the full menu for the bazaar, click here. For more information or to call in food orders in advance, call 601-956-6215 or visit bethisraelms.org.