( Kat graham / cis woman / she/her / bisexual ) well, well, well… if it isn’t IYANA EVANS, the 36 year old HAIRSTYLIST, who is best known around town for THE GIRL THAT DISAPPEARED AFTER HER MOTHER PASSED. apparently they’ve been living in RED RIDGE HEIGHTS for ABOUT TWO WEEKS, and according to word on the street they are PRO-DEVELOPMENT. i’ve heard that they are quite CREATIVE & COMPETITIVE, and if their life had a theme song it would be MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE by MITSKI. / nacha, 29, she/her, est
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𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒
Name: Iyana Evans
Age: 36
Occupation: Hairstylist
Gender & Pronouns: Cis Woman
Pronouns: She/Her
Sexuality: Bisexual
Neighborhood: Red Ridge Height
Faceclaim: Kat Graham
𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘
tw: death mention
Iyana Evans was born and raised in Sedona until she was ten years old. Her father moved them to San Francisco, California, to be closer to his family after her mother passed. She would come back during the summer to visit her maternal grandparents. It was the only way her father could move without the threat of going to court over grandparent rights. If he weren't grieving and desperate to leave this place behind, he would’ve fought this out rather than give in with a compromise. A written agreement, worded in a way that specifically allows her father to stop the visit when he deems it necessary, that Iyana would be able to stay with her maternal grandparents during the summer. And that lasted for a couple of years, Iyana visiting during the summer. But stopped once she entered high school, only visiting a few holidays.
The once present father buried his head in work, struggling to accept what had happened. His parents and siblings were a big help in being present in Iyana's life while he became emotionally absent from it. She is a spitting image of her mother, something he once loved but then struggled with. He comes to terms with it, but as the saying goes, a little too late. Iyana was on her way to cosmetology school. As appreciative as she was for it, it wasn’t of his own volition. It was from the help of her stepmother, whom she at first didn’t like.
Iyana knew how hard her father took her mother's death. It didn’t make sense to her that he remarried. She thought he would’ve just stayed single for a long time. But then it made sense; he was trying to push away any memory he had of her mother. Trying to forget and move on. She blamed his new wife for it, keeping her distance from her and her kids. But the lady was patient, and she never forced anything. It took time, but it helped Iyana realize that the anger she had towards the new wife was actually towards her father. She developed a relationship with her stepmother and her kids, even welcoming the half-siblings to come. But the relationship with her father remained awkward.
Iyana knew from a young age that she wanted to do hair. It was something she and her mother did together; it was their bonding moment. She was young, but what she knew from haircare to style was all from her mother. There was something about how the hair is styled that can lead to a change in how the person looks. It was interesting to her. It was tedious, dedicating a hair wash day to take care of their curls. And noticing the difference in care for her own hair and her mother's. Staying on top of her hair care and learning different styles helped her to feel closer to her mother after she passed.
Iyana’s dedication to learning more about hair started as a mix of not wanting to let go of her mother and a genuine interest in the artistry of it. Even after finishing cosmetology school, she continued taking extra workshops to learn more styles. Cosmetology school doesn’t have an extensive curriculum on curly hair; it was disappointing to find out, but not surprising. She learned everything she wanted to and more. But most importantly, she learned to have a balance. This is a common theme Iyana faces throughout life, learning to have balance. The first was making sure she wasn’t like her father and becoming obsessed with her work. She did good with making sure work stayed at work, and when she was off the clock, she was living her life the way she wanted.
Iyana is protective of her peace; it is her motto. But she also had to learn to have a balance with this. It wasn’t bad to follow, but she willingly let go of relationships instead of trying to work through it. There are some situations where leaving was called for, and there were others that she could’ve worked through. It was almost as if she was being avoidant. Some relationships and friendships could’ve lasted longer, maybe even been something more than what it is. But she learned from it and found that balance.
Even with her relationship with her boyfriend. She understood his dedication to work, but she wanted to help him find a balance. Iyana had to learn that her style of balance is not the standard for everyone. So, with that, she found a middle ground. She helped keep his head above water in a way that best fit him. They always found ways to work together. And when he proposed, it was a yes with no hesitation. She knew this was a relationship she had wanted for a long time. But maybe it was karma, a taste of her own medicine, the way it went downhill. Only a couple of months into their engagement, after he found out the company that bought his app did not have good intentions.
In her effort to comfort him, there was something she said that he misunderstood. She could’ve used better words; she has accepted that, but her fiancé couldn’t see past it. Misinterpreting her words and actions, spiraling further. He was trapped in his own pain and guilt, and she didn’t know how to reach him. How to find their balance. She couldn’t seem to say the right things, though it didn’t matter. Even if she could say the right things, she wasn’t sure it would reach him the way she wanted it to. Their relationship became rocky.
Then one day, she came home and all of his stuff was gone. The only thing he left behind was her spare key he had. She was heartbroken. And all the attempts she made to contact him went nowhere. It felt like a fever dream. In an apartment that feels emptier, and the ring on her finger that felt heavier than it should be. It was almost a blur, the way she moved forward. Finding herself putting more hours into work than she normally would be okay with. Accepting clients after a certain time, knowing it keeps her at work longer. Coming in on days she had off to work. Finding workshops to partake in. She was doing what her father did after her mother passed, without realizing it. She did what she could to keep herself busy, as if she was waiting - hoping - for him to come back.
It was a comment from a friend that made her realize what she was doing. The balance she created no longer existed. It wasn’t an easy decision about moving. If she really wants to leave this behind and start somewhere new. But her cousin reached out with an offer to live with her in the house she bought in Sedona, Arizona. The decision to live with her was an easy one. Iyana knew she was the one who could help her through this. And it would be nice to get close to the other side of her family, even if there was a risk of her ex-fiancé being there. But she didn’t give that much of a thought when making the decision. If she did, she wouldn’t have come; she just leaped at the chance. Or, at least, that’s what she believes.
𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒
Maybe some friends she had when she was younger before she moved away from Sedona. She could've kept in contact with them throughout the years
Iyana visited during the summer, maybe during the last summer she was in Sedona she had a short young love type relationship
any connections while living in San Francisco, California
potential clients at the Luxe Salon
more to be determined ...
