arnell
master stylist | educator | author | entrepreneur
After graduating from Lamar University with her Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Sociology, founder, Tracy Arnell Williams, accepted a position in the Texas Legislature. She then transitioned into a civil service career as an Adult Parole Officer, and went on to become a Juvenile Probation Officer. During her tenure, she discovered her passion of meeting the needs of others but was ready to move beyond the often complicated and ugly experiences that come with state and government civil service. That passion soon led her into the world of beauty.
After graduating from beauty school, she opened Salon 1700, and as an owner-operator, she combined her eye for beauty along with her love of service and became a TEA Recognized, Distinguished Certified - High School - Career and Technical Education Instructor where she provides cosmetology instruction for both the Duncanville and Dallas Independent School Districts, respectively. For the last eight years, 90% of Tracy's students have successfully passed their TDLR cosmetology exam on their first attempt. Because of her proven success, she added online cosmetology refresher courses to her thriving brand.
Unfortunately things took a turn for the worst and in January 2019, her mother, Carol Stanley, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. As her only child, she was then tasked with relocating her mother from Houston to Dallas and soon became her mother’s age-in-place caregiver. Juggling her career as an owner-operator as well as her teaching responsibilities for two school districts, she soon became overwhelmed and thereafter sought the assistance of a private duty attendant but quickly discovered that there were limited resources for African American family caregivers. Determined to make the transition as uneventful and pleasant for her mother, she later began attending support groups and networking with friends in similar situations which led her to co-found The Alzheimer’s Care Champions, a non-profit dedicated to promote the health and well-being of family caregivers.
Tracy currently resides in Dallas and is an unapologetic single-mother to a Black male engineer who exemplifies the excellence of her unconditional, parental love and great expectations.