Matthew Chin
Reporter
matthew.chin@guardian.co.tt
Kavita Singh is the founder of Image Expression, a hair salon located in Point Fortin that offers professional make-up, waxing, hairstyling, and colouring to women who want to treat themselves to heightened versions of their personalities. Just days before Mother’s Day, Singh spoke with Sunday Guardian WE magazine, sharing her journey into the beauty industry and the tough road she has had to walk as a single mother of three boys, especially for her ride-or-die, six-year-old Levi Samai, who has Down syndrome.
On her social media platforms, like Instagram and TikTok, Levi can be seen in her salon, helping her ensure the needs of her clients are met, combing their hair, and offering a smile to brighten their day.
Levi can also be seen getting his hair done by his mom and strolling around in the background, enjoying the company of her clients. According to Singh, having him in any environment, regardless of what others think, is her utmost joy.
“I walk very proudly with my son. At a very early stage, I chose to accept him. I did not deny his diagnosis. And I have made a promise that I will never hide him. He’s my main reason for using social media as my platform,” Singh said.
She recalled that when Levi was a baby, she would have him in “a car seat in one hand and a market bag in the other hand.” Wherever she went, he was there, tethered and inseparable.
“I probably only had one or two encounters with people looking at him in a particular way and not being as friendly. It was taboo to me because if you have the opportunity to meet Levi, he is a bundle of joy; he literally brings a smile to any person’s face, he is love and hope. It was very unsettling to see adults with little children looking at him in a way that they don’t want him to come close to them,” Singh said.
For those who kindly inquire about Levi, she would demystify preconceived notions of Trisomy 21 and “break it down” so they would better understand. Singh thanks these people for listening to her and their thoughtfulness—a trademark of a person’s beauty.
When she learned Levi was differently-abled, she admitted that she was forced to educate herself, as the local “health system offered no education, whatsoever, and no support.”
“When Levi was born, I was just told, ‘Your son is Down syndrome; he’s a trisomy.’ There was no education behind it. I did it all on my own. It was like they told you and then threw you out, figure it out on your own,” Singh said.
Although Singh and Levi were subjected to a short string of disturbing experiences, it only strengthened their bond. This motivated Singh to include him in every aspect of her life, without apology.
“I don’t exclude him, I include him in everything. His eyes are the most precious things,” Singh said.
He even goes on little dates with her, but only at “fancy” restaurants.
“We go out on dates like a big couple. I dress my best and dress him up because he deserves nothing but the best. I get my hair done and my make-up done, and I purchase a new outfit for the both of us. And we dine at fancy restaurants like Rizzoni’s and 519. Our next restaurant is going to be Amara in Port-of-Spain,” Singh said.
With Levi by her side, she began the journey of documenting his milestones on TikTok, even as simply as holding his own bottle, which Singh said, was a huge deal.
“It was a party for me because having Down syndrome means he has a weak muscle tone, so he wouldn’t have been able to do a lot of things physically,” Singh said.
“Levi loves singing and dancing. I want to share everything because I don’t know what a lot of people would be going through. But if I could give someone the opportunity to smile ... Something called ‘hope’ is hard to find.
Speaking on the violence that has been afflicting the children of T&T throughout the years, Singh considered Levi in her TikTok videos as an aid in showing the public what a healthy relationship looks like between a mother and her child.
“C’mon, if we go on Facebook or TikTok, it is so sad and depressing. There’s always some killing, some murdering, and some children being murdered or molested. For a change, it would give us a positive turnaround to see a child learning and being happy and his mommy working with him, even though she’s working on her job. Your kids are the next generation’s leaders, treat them as such,” Singh said.
Recalling when she was a teenager, Singh said she began Image Expression, which she described as a “dream”. In those days, she also modelled and had even gone up for Miss Point Fortin Borough Queen and then for the Miss T&T screening. From that point on, her love for make-up and hair styling skyrocketed.
Noting make-up’s ability to boost a woman’s confidence, Singh admitted that beyond the eye shadow and mascara, there were times that she felt insecure in her abilities.
“There were many parts of my life that I did feel [low]. But what helped pull me through was that I had to find self-worth and value within myself. I had to accept who I was and learn to be okay being myself in my skin and not thinking that I had the need to feel to compete with another woman or person per se,” Singh confessed.
She also lamented that within the corporate world, hairdressers, professional make-up artists, and others within the beauty industry are often not recognised for their hours of hard work.
“We, as the hairdressers, are the chemists. We are technicians. We create and formulate, I don’t need a degree or diploma to prove that I’m good at something. I’m gifted and naturally good at it,” Singh said.
While being a boss does good for her business, she described herself as the “CEO” of her household, consisting of 19-year-old Ravi Singh, 15-year-old Rikesh Singh, and her youngest, Levi.
It doesn’t go over her head that the challenges of being both a mother and father to her children are an extreme juggling act that requires love and discipline.
“I finance, maintain, and do team-building work. I consider myself the CEO of my household, and they are my company; they represent who I am. If we as women treat our kids as the next generation’s leaders, it means we implement boundaries, discipline, and set rules. Sit with your child, talk with them,” Singh said.
She admitted her imperfections, saying that she had failed many times throughout her life. However, it’s a relationship with God, she said, and being grateful for her family that no danger has come their way. That motivates her to work harder in creating a lasting impact not only on her clients but also on her children, who see her as their hope.
Asked if her older boys also get opportunities to go out with her like she does with Levi, she said when they had been younger, Ravi and Rikesh would be taken out individually on separate days as the demands of singlehood limited her time.
Reflecting on her own younger days, Singh paid homage to the women who taught her strength and courage.
“Most of the women I had in my life were single mommies and were working on their own. I look at my aunts and see them doing this with their three and four kids. And I promised myself as a little girl that when I got big, I wanted to be like that; I wanted to be working with my children,” Singh said.