Carmen Laurent

Carmen Laurent is the host of Beauty Translated. Follow her on Instagram here. Follow Beauty Translated on Instagram here.

Describe Beauty Translated in 10 words or less.
A Podcast that Celebrates the Beauty of Southern Trans Individuals.

Can you tell us about the NextUp program? What was it like, and how excited were you when you found out you were accepted?
The NextUp program was created to teach creators from marginalized groups basically EVERYTHING about making a podcast. The NextUp program did just that, we had 2 weeks of classes that went over everything from creating a format for a new show, marketing & sales, audio engineering, mixing, mastering, editing, and even guided us through creating our pitch decks. The program was like a dream come true, I kept asking myself if it could really be happening. I was so excited I quit my job as a teacher 2 months after being accepted! 

Did you develop friendships with any of the other people in the program?
Absolutely, having lived in Georgia my entire life has made me feel very sheltered. I have created a bond with each member of the program that I will cherish for life! When we all traveled to LA in February to shoot our commercials for our Toyota sponsorship, it felt like meeting friends I had known for years. Each of the amazing individuals in the program has taught me something and ultimately helped shape my vision for Beauty Translated. 

How has the show changed since the moment you made it to what it is now?
It has changed A LOT! The rough draft idea I had for Beauty Translated before it even had that name, was to recreate the experience of the skin therapist-client by conducting the interview recording while I actually give the guest a facial, the more I thought about that idea and all of the logistics, i realized i was thinking way too literally about the beauty concept. And it has strayed from conversations of beauty to bigger conversations on Trans visibility, Trans rights, the experience of Trans people in rural or conservative areas and even spirituality and religion. So it really does end up feeling like the types of conversations and relationship building that I was doing with clients in the treatment room, when you listen to the episodes. And I am hoping to have more conversations with transgender professionals in the Beauty and Wellness world.

Were you nervous about being so open on a podcast?
This was one of the biggest challenges for me in making the show. In my day to day life prior to creating this podcast, I was a teacher at a beauty school and being trans is not something I ever felt comfortable talking about openly with students or even clients in the treatment room, so at first it was hard for me to talk so openly about the trans experience. And even tell people I know that I am making a podcast about being trans, as prior to creating this show I was not out to a lot of people in my life. 

Thanks, Carmen!