I’m actually so excited to come back from our hiatus to this episode of The True Beauty Brooklyn Podcast. As Alix and I listened to this interview in preparing to record, we realized that there are things that our incredible guest, Andre Springer recalls that are so striking, and a little haunting considering the timing of the COVID-19 crisis. 
Andre is the artist behind what we consider the personification of your favorite Auntie, Shaquanda, and the co-founder of the consumer goods company, Shaquanda’s Hot Pepper Sauce. You guys will see what we mean, in that Andre first really started working on his Drag character, Shaquanda during the first financial crisis of our millennial lives, back in 2008. As we listened to this episode, we remembered what it was like during the first times of uncertainty in our adult lives, and how it forced creativity in our generation. 
The loving, endearing, funny, and beautiful drag character Shaquanda was first created by Andre back in the early 2000’s. As you’ll hear, she was resurrected after the Great Recession when he returned to New York from California and began working in restaurants and nightlife. At the time there weren’t many jobs available, especially within the creative and luxury industries that he had always worked in. When he met his first drag mentor, Linda Simpson host of Gay Jeopardy, a spark was ignited. 
He was inspired to focus, fusing his creativity, his incredibly friendly and loving personality, the pride of his heritage with the love of his City, and hone his artistic, and design skills. The result is not only a character for the stage, but a consumer goods product to line the shelves of our grocery stores.
The logo of brand includes the image of a beautiful, gender-fluid, brown drag queen, sporting the friendliest wide-mouthed smile that you can’t help but smile back at.
In our episode Andre is brilliant enough to speak on the importance of equity and equality, (can I get an amen?), the importance of kindness, empathy and of course, representation.
You might be thinking, why does representation matter? Off the top of your head, name an American food brand character. HINT: it’s not good when you can name 7 make-believe creatures, and talking animals before you can name a person of color on a food box.
I hope that his story is what some of you need to hear today! I think we can all take the message that Andre’s story tells to heart. Now more than ever, we all need to believe in ourselves 100%, even if we don’t know what the road ahead looks like. Just like Andre!
Please visit our new site at www.truebeautybrooklynpodcast.com  and email us your questions and comments at truebeautybrooklynpodcast@gmail.com 
visit https://shaquandawillfeedyou.com/ for more information on Andre and to purchase Shaquanda's Hot Pepper Sauce

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