I’ve known of Hannah Harris, creator of Brown Girl Hands and one of SCAD’s Valedictorians, since I was a freshman. She was the face of the Business of Beauty and Fragrance major and I was collecting names of people who impressed me. She’s the type of person that has her eyes on you, even in all the moments you might not feel her gaze. And if you didn’t realize she was there, you would immediately know upon hearing her bright laugh. Hannah returned to Savannah not as a student, but as a panelist alongside graduates from the De Sole School of Business Innovation, Meghan Preiss and Feifei Sun. Following the panel, I had the pleasure of joining her to enjoy the sun and spring wind at their calmest. From the philosophy of having a cookie a day to the impressive skill of building branded pitch decks, we spoke about life post-graduation.
Bri Shufford: There’s a plethora of press that highlights the way you have transformed beauty spaces one brown hand at a time. In what ways has your position in this industry changed you on a personal level? What have you learned about yourself?
Hannah Harris: When you’re gaining all of this visibility, you have to decide how you want to present yourself in that light. It’s helped me find my voice. Outside of my laughing, I was never really the loudest person normally. I’m one of those people that observe a lot. Now, I’m a lot more comfortable since it’s been so long, and I’ve learned how to navigate this space. On a personal level, it’s changed what I thought I was capable of. When I started [Brown Girl Hands], I never imagined it would become a content studio. I thought it was going to be a mood board account!
Shufford: Oh, exactly like those inspiration accounts. The Pinterest-esque Instagram feeds.
Harris: Right! Just as a place where people could think about where their inspiration comes from. I didn’t even think about creating content until a brand reached out to me. It’s important to explore different things and be playful. I’m not a fine artist or photographer, but I take my own photos. And having left SCAD, I realized that surrounding yourself with art really changes how you think. We’re all capable of a lot more than we realize.
Shufford: How has that influenced your relationship with your page, then?
Harris: I’ve shied away from the word founder. It sounds so intimidating to me. Even now, I prefer to be the creator of Brown Girl Hands than anything else, because the titles are weird to me. A confidence boost, but still weird.
Shufford: Not to compliment you more, but I admire the sense of play that you put behind all of your work. When I finally started my Social Strategy courses, your Summer Fridays campaign was the most celebrated student example to grace our presence. Having come into your role as their Brand Marketing Coordinator, how does it feel to leave your hypothetical and idealist work behind?
Harris: In school, you would make a deck for let’s say, a pop-up, and you did the research and mockups. You do everything but stop short of producing it. Now, I do a deck, and I actually get to execute [the pop-up]. I don’t think I left anything behind. If anything, I got to finish the work. To actually see it is the cool thing. It wasn’t just a deck. At a smaller brand, you get to touch so much. I was looking up places in SoHo, I was making content with the team, and I still have the time to do Brown Girl Hands. I like doing different things every day, which is why working for a small brand as opposed to a bigger one was a decision full of intent.
Shufford: How do you find the time and space to indulge yourself, whether that be in creative and professional pursuits or leisure activities?
Harris: I’m really big on leisure activities. I love to keep the SCAD energy alive. Going to art museums, attending book exchanges, visiting gardens. You don’t have to be intentional with that stuff in Savannah because you are surrounded by it every day. It’s not until you leave that you’re like ‘wow, this had an impact on the ideas I came up with.’
Shufford: With the importance of social media and digital expression, what advice do you have for students navigating the fine line between curating an online presence and building a portfolio of work in preparation for their job search?
Harris: It all boils down to authenticity. People know that you’re human. Your employer is going to google you, but that doesn’t mean your Instagram has to look like your LinkedIn. Know your audience. Know what you want in them and what you want for yourself. People appreciate the creativity and professionalism of staying true to what kind of artist you are. Know the rules so that you can break them.
An honorable quote that deserves the mention: “I always remind myself, at the end of the day, we’re just selling lip gloss.”
Special thanks to Hannah Harris for speaking with me!
Interview by Bri Shufford.
Graphic by Reem Hinedi.