Hermie's Salon: "I see what being informed did for me and want to see what it can do for ot

Hermione Fraser, is the owner of Hermie’s salon, and she has been in the business for over 40 years. Additionally, her work as a community leader is a critical part of the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health’s Health & Beauty Council. Ms. Fraser points out that her salon not only offers perms, braids and hair coloring, but also the best products for her clients. In wanting the best for the clients of Hermie’s Salon, Fraser partnered with the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health (AAIUH) to provide information and health awareness for her clients.

“It’s a promising experience for my clients, they learn what to ask when they go to the doctor.” Fraser says of her experience with AAIUH, in addition to the Institute’s personal impact on her life. “For me, I get a lot of knowledge. There was a program, offered by the Institute about diagnosing sleeping disorders and it helped me to find out about my own disorder.” This particular program pushed her to go to the doctor, where she realized she suffered from a sleeping disorder. The atmosphere of Hermie’s Salon is as personal as the stories she’s willing to share.

​​The influence of the partnership between the salon and the Institute did not stop with Fraser. She exclaims, “The Breast Cancer Awareness Session was the most memorable. I had a client who attended the session and because of this went to get tests done. She then found out she had breast cancer and was able to get ahead of it.” Fraser added that her client is now doing okay.

Since partnering with the Arthur Ashe Institute in 2000, Hermie’s Salon has, and continues to influence the lives of her clients and employees. Hermie’s Salon is not just bright because of the colorful ambiance, but the overall family-like atmosphere that one feels when they enter. Fraser says, “Because I got awareness of my situation, it makes me ready to get more involved. I see what being informed did for me, and I want to see what it can do for others.”