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DDPro is a concierge hair, makeup and image consulting company led by Dee TrannyBear-Marino and Deja “The Lady Deja” Smith. DDPro’s aesthetic lies at the intersection of fashion, art, gender and performance; all of which continually influence this dynamic team. Their company perspective is driven by the co-founders trans, ethnic and national identities.
Deja is a descendant of American slavery and Dee is a recent American immigrant from Germany, working together to attain the great “American Dream.” DDPro combines all of their intersectional experiences to produce art that changes the narrative surrounding marginalized people, serves the queer community and shifts the beauty paradigm towards authentically inclusive and affirming media.
DDPro’s client roster is a mélange of unique tastemakers and ambassadors for change. They proudly work with actor/activist Laverne Cox, internationally acclaimed painter Kehinde Wiley, performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon and many other influential leaders across industries.
This is a transcript from our New Year, New You makeover interview during Trans Awareness Month. It has been edited and condensed for clarity by Solonje Burnett, Weed Auntie. Watch the teaser.
WA = Weed Auntie
DS = Deja Smith
DTB = Dee TrannyBear-Marino
WA: How did you get into hair, and what was your path to becoming a hairstylist?
DTB: It's so funny. Ever since I was a kid, I've always played in hair. My sister's dolls, I would change their hair. She would read me to filth. And then when I was in junior high, being that I was so different, I found refuge in hair.
Some of my closest friends were, like, the prettiest girls in the school, and I did all their hair. So hair was always in my life. And we lived in a really, really, small town. I went to school in the bigger city next to it. I found this salon and the owner said “oh, you give me the essence of a hairstylist. I can show you the ways.” And he gave me an apprenticeship, while I was going to school. And that's how it really clicked that I want to be a hairstylist. So I went to Berlin and did my education as a hairstylist.
WA: Oh, I love that, wait, Berlin?
DTB: I grew up in Germany in a very small town. So, it was really interesting being visibly different. In small towns, it's always stunts and shows. And that's why I knew I needed to leave and go somewhere – to a bigger city. I was always drawn to Berlin, because it is like the smaller version of New York. And there I definitely started finding myself. But when I came to NYC, it was a wrap.
WA: Why is it important to highlight + support our Trans siblings during Trans Awareness Month and every month?
DTB: I was gonna say, I'm like, it's important every month. But specifically when we have our holidays, it's really important simply because we are under attack. Celebrating us now is even more crucial than ever before and we deserve it.
If you think about it, we're always on the mood boards. We're never in front. That's why it's so crucial during this fascist administration to center and highlight our Trans siblings. You know what I mean? They try to erase us, but they can't. We have influenced the world since the beginning of time.
WA: As a hairstylist, who has inspired you?
DTB: Oh, wow. Oh, my God. Definitely a few. One of our friends, Oscar James, I've loved his work for so long. Then there’s Kim Kimble. JAWRA is a hairstylist right now that's really, like, killing it. There's so many hairstylists that I love. I'm not the gatekeeper kind of personality. I like to shout out a lot of folks because it's really incredible we’ve got to meet so many different artists. Also there's Carla Farmer and Tym Wallace – both really incredible hairstylists. Sometimes, in our industry, it can get so competitive that people don't like to necessarily acknowledge other folks. But to me, it's different. I really look up to so many hairstylists that do incredible work.
WA: That's perfect. Thank you so much. We love somebody who opens the door and holds it. Hell, yeah.
DTB: That's the way!
WA: Okay, who do you think is in desperate need of a makeover? Who would you looooooove to just sit down in a chair and fix up?
DTB: Aside from every conservative person in America. I mean, I would only touch her if she gives me millions of dollars, but Caitlyn Jenner is in desperate need of everything.
WA: I'm sorry, that is so true.
DTB: It is. It's a hot mess express, honey, okay? Even with all that money, you still lookin’ a nightmare, honey, okay.
WA: Last question, Dee, darling. Who is your dream client – could be living, dead, or currently on the roster?
DTB: No, I mean, for me, it's like, it would be a dream to work with Beyonce. Full stop. Even if I just color a wig for her, girl, give me one of your pieces and I'll do that. That would be a dream.
WA: I just wanna see that hair blowing in the wind.
DTB: Okay, period, absolutely.
WA: Alright, darling Deja. Deja, darling, what drew you to becoming a makeup artist?
DS: Wow, I was always an artist, and makeup was the thing that I snuck around and did when I was a child prior to transition. As an AMAB individual, I was raised very religious. Anything effeminate was highly disregarded and dangerous, not only in my household, but also in my community.
So my mother actually worked for Fashion Fair, and then she transitioned to becoming a police officer. When she was away doing 12-hour shifts, I would be in her makeup, playing and creating for myself these images. I don't know what made me think that I could do that or I should do that, but I wanted to apply cosmetics to myself. So as a child, I often got caught and reprimanded for doing so, but it was something I needed to do.
As I got older, being kind of a shy, reserved child and then teenager, I spent a lot of time in the library. Always in the creative arts section. One day I found Kevyn Aucoin's book ‘Making Faces” and that changed everything for me. The fact that you could transform who you are into somebody else, it's amazing.
WA: Hair and makeup is so relevant in queer culture, particularly for Trans people and drag queens. Can you just speak to the importance of makeup and being able to be yourself?
DS: For sure. Earlier on in my career when I was working, makeup was my armor. I would put on a lot. Maybe I didn't put it on or apply in such a beautiful way, but it was really my statement to the world that I wasn't scared and this is who I was and you were gonna respect me as the person that I was showing you as. Even though I didn't really have the nerve, the courage to maybe say that, my image was the statement that I was making, my assertion that I was who I said I was.
But now, having been Trans for quite a while at this point, navigating both trans spaces and cishet spaces, and maybe passing at some points, maybe not at others, having attempted to be stealth at times and not, I realized that makeup is a tool that I can utilize for defense, but it's also a tool that I can utilize to express who I am inside and also help other people express who they are with visual markers that other human beings might understand and may not. It is a gift to be able to give somebody the ability to fully express who they are and I love it for that reason.
WA: Thank you. She’s emotional over here. Why is highlighting and supporting our Trans siblings so critically important this month and every month?
DS: Definitely every month, this month because, this month during this unfortunate political regime, it's more important than ever to stand 10 toes down on the business of being fully authentic to who we are and being fully present in every space. It's beyond valuable to allow the world to see that we are real human beings with complex emotions and lives like everyone else and you need to be aware that we exist or else you will be easily swayed into eradicating us and that's not gonna happen. We're not going anywhere.
WA: Sounding like my favorite pageant queen. Just kidding.
DS: Where's my crown?
WA: I'm trying not to cry, so I'm just gonna laugh a little bit. Give her her tiara.
DS: Right? It's been so long. You already know.
WA: Next question is who inspires you most as a makeup artist or who are your favorite makeup artists in the space?
Yes, I would begin with Kevyn Aucoin because he was one of the first celebrity makeup artists that I knew of. Sam Fine, because he highlighted black women so beautifully and expressed our cultural relevance in beauty and grooming in such a gorgeous way that it really changed the culture.
Some of the lesser known artists who I really admire, and it's hard for me to say I admire anyone anymore, but I highly admire Fran Cooper who shifted the makeup world in the 70s and continues to work well into the 90s and 2000s. Also a major impact in the beauty world as well as my drag mother, Kelexis Davenport, who gave me the skillset to develop a craft for myself. So, mama, look at me now.
WA: Second to last question, who would you like to give a makeover? Who is looking just messy?
DS: Oh, God, that's a really hard question. I don't want to give anybody a makeover. The only people who need makeovers are people I would never touch. You know.
WA: That is a statement. Deja stayed Switzerland while Dee went off!
DTB: Yeah, someone has to do it. That bitch needs to be dragged.
WA: I love it. Last but not least, who is your dream client, if you could only choose one, and they can be living, dead, or currently on your roster?
DS: You know, at first I was gonna say I don't have a dream client. I do, but all of my current clients, all the talented people that I work with are already my dream clients.
I am very, very blessed and lucky to work with such an esteemed group of people, mostly femmes, non-binary people, even the men, but mostly the femmes really just do it for me.
I'm always inspired by how brilliant they are. They're change makers, they're risk takers, and that's something that just drives me forward. But if I could have my wish, I have two dream clients. Number one is Josephine Baker, my patron saint. And living, my forever first lady, Michelle Obama. I would love to work with you. Anytime. Just gloss? Sure, I got you.
WA: Okay. Just apply that gloss.
DS: Anything you want. Yes. I got you.
DTB: And you know, we got so close to doing them because Kehinde was supposed to do a family portrait of them. I remember. He said he would've used us to do their glam for it.
DS: I was so sad when that didn't happen. I was like, we gotta have Obamas.
WA: You never know, I still believe you might just get them.
WA: How did DDPro come to be? Tell us your story.
DS: Through our friend and amazing drag queen Harmonica Sunbeam. She brought us together to do her hair and makeup for her birthday show for her world-famous Sunday Tea Dance at Nueva Escolita, back in the day before it closed. It was an iconic nightclub in New York City and we were both nightclub girlies.
DTB: Young little kittens, honey.
WA: How long ago was that?
DTB: That was in 2010.
WA: And y'all just like met there? What broke the ice?
DTB: Well, Deja actually noticed me at the tea dance
DS: Correct!
DTB: Because I had just moved to New York two years before and I just kind of started dabbling into like queer nightlife. I was trying to find myself and she kind of noticed me right away just sticking out. (Laughs)
DS: For sure. I've always looked for charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. And at the end of Harmonica's Tea Dance, she would always do a walk-off like a runway battle and Dee was this one obvious standout in that Black and Latinx nightclub.
Every week without fail there would be one unique person with a mohawk, white lipstick, glasses, black high-heeled Mary Jane shoes that would, with a very long ponytail in the back that would pump back and forth. And I'm just like, who the hell is this person? And it turned out to be Dee TrannyBear. Yes, God.
DTB: And it was so funny because when we did Harmonica together, we just, honestly, we worked so well together and it just made sense. Then we were like, oh, well we should give this a try.
DS: Yeah. I think Dee might've called me in
DTB: For a gig. Exactly. Yeah.
DS: And then I called Dee in for a job and then we like, okay, this is our flow really-
DTB: And then a really big gig happened and that's when it really became official.
DS: Yes, official. For sure.
WA: Who was the really big gig?
DS: Kehinde Wiley.
DTB: Correct!
DS: Yeah. Our first big gig in the nightclub because of Dee TrannyBear.
DTB: That's right. Because at this amazing little DL club, he came up to me and was like, what's going on here? And that's how we met.
WA: That's incredible. Because I remember back in the day when the Obama portraits came out y'all were there.
DS: We were.
WA: I literally was like, wait, who, how are they? Okay, Kehinde.
DTB: Yeah, we did his first women's exhibition, which was called Economy of Grace. And we got to do other models' hair and makeup. That was really a once in a lifetime kind of experience, especially for Trans and non-binary folks to do this. It was really, really special.
DS: And we were so early in our career.
DTB: Yes.
DS: Like we, there was no fear. We didn't know enough to be scared or have any parameters on what we could do. And he gave us free range to kind of express and create with him in tandem and with a world famous fashion designer as well.
DTB: But I really think that he loved that. He loved that we were living art in a way. You know what I mean? We just stood true to ourselves. And that's what I believe he appreciated the most. That's why he was like, oh no, I definitely want to work with y'all.
WA: I love that. Honestly, y'all are living art.
(Both DTB & DS laugh)
WA: Can you list some of your most iconic, well-known celebrity clients? Name, drop, honey. Go off!
DTB: Well, we started with Kehinde.
DS: Obviously Laverne Cox.
DTB: Correct. Our girl.
DS: Yes. Queen Latifah, Michelle Buteau, Angelica Ross, Billy Porter.
DTB: Sonny Houstin I've worked with. Oh God, I'm kind of blanking.
DS: Name it, claim it, honey.
DTB: Okay. Lord.
DS: A lot of people.
(WA laughs)
DS: Sheryl Lee Ralph. Jenifer Lewis.
WA: Yes, Queens!
DTB: Divas, honey. Okay.
DS: Divas.
DTB: Deja brought me in for Jenifer Lewis.
DS: Oh, that's right! Jenifer Lewis at Carnegie Hall.
DTB: So many, especially queer celebs like Michaela J Rodriguez, Joslyn DeFreece, Peppermint. Oh my God. Like there's so many. It's just a blessing to work with special folks for real.
WA: When did you start this New Year, New You campaign and why is it important to you?
DS: We started the New Year, New You campaign during the pandemic. It was an interesting time for us. First of all, I don't think either of us has stopped moving from the time we knew each other till then. Just trying to hustle. We live in New York City and we're artists and creatives in a place that is full of creative people in our same career path. So if you stop, you die. We definitely were also in survival mode.
DTB: Yeah.
DS: So to have this moment where the world is literally surviving and we are all kind of trapped at home together. I think many people, especially I can speak for myself, forgot about who I was. The concept of a New year, New you is for all of us to just remember that we can continue developing who we are. We don't have to be stagnant in where we were, you know, the year before, the day before, an hour before – you can always decide in the moment to change, to grow and to be a better version of yourself.
WA: Dee, is there anything you want to add?
DTB: The whole purpose of New Year, New You is really just to keep celebrating who you are and refresh that, right?
WA: The evolution of you.
DTB: Period. We never stopped growing. Don't ever forget that.
WA: What will the giveaway winner win?
DTB: Well, you get a makeover with us.
DS: Yes. And we call that the DDPro Experience.
DTB: Period.
DS: It's a very unique time just to kind of download who you are and allow us to kind of upload what we hear from you into the hair and makeup that we help you to create to take yourself into your next new year.
DTB: Exactly, enhancing what you already have, but making you feel even more proud of yourself and your beauty.
DS: Number one is to be you, because you are the best part of this whole makeover experience.
DTB: Oh, yeah. There's a gift bag!
DS: Yes. We love a goodie bag. So it'll always be a bunch of high end products from hair and makeup, as well as our friends at SASS will be donating some very delicious sumptuous treats for you.
DTB: Just a little something, you know.
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, our team selected 15 New York based AAPI founders, creatives and activists that we admire.
Each a part of the Asian diaspora, with roots in Korea, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, China, and Pakistan, they are celebrating their culture through food and the arts, making history as firsts, centering queer and marginalized groups, and adding to the rich tapestry of New York City.
Take a moment to get to know them and support their work.
Sen Saigon is a plant-based Vietnamese restaurant built on the belief that vegan food can be just as rich, comforting, and deeply flavorful as traditional dishes. Every broth, sauce, and topping is crafted from vegetables, herbs, and time-honored techniques. No shortcuts, just real cooking. Rooted in family recipes and reimagined for today, Sen Saigon brings Vietnamese flavors to a wider audience and invites vegans and non-vegans to the table. It’s a place where everyone feels at home.
Location: 150 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002
@sensaigon.nyc | sensaigon.com
misomomo is a NYC-based, queer Korean-American owned shop selling pronoun pins and other small tokens of queer cheer. misomomo is a one-person passion project born from a desire to make art that resonates with and uplifts queer and AAPI communities.
Chôm's Nước Chấm is a Vietnamese dipping and pour over fish sauce that is used in a variety of dishes. The sauce is born out of Cindy's love for their food, culture, family, and heritage. During a time of turmoil and uncertainty, Cindy aims to create a space where people can feel safe, joyful, and enjoy delicious food.
Cake Is a Lie Tattoo is a NYC based, nerd-focused, community driven tattoo shop that features majority queer and femme artists. Cake features artists in various nerdy subjects including anime, video games, ttrpgs, and fantasy media content. Established by the passion for gaming and community, we hope to continuously grow as a community center that celebrates art and the shared passion of gaming and anime.
@cakeisalietattoo | cakeisalietattoo.com
From Here to Sunday is a small gift shop & gallery located in Gowanus, Brooklyn that aims to bring joy to its visitors. A delight to the senses, the shop presents a thoughtful curation of highly giftable art that is packed with personality, humor, and care. FHTS centers marginalized voices, while grounding itself in the community by collaborating with local artists and causes.
Location: 567 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215
@heretosunday | heretosunday.com
Mighty Lucky is a licensed cannabis dispensary rooted in warmth, culture, and connection. Inspired by the legacy days of being welcomed into people’s homes, the shop was designed to feel more like stepping into a living room than a storefront. Doo’s love for her Korean heritage and admiration for Asian design traditions shape the shop’s accessory curation — from lucky cats and persimmon stash jars to playful, unexpected details meant to spark curiosity and joy. At its heart, Mighty Lucky exists to make the experience of cannabis feel welcoming, beautiful, and deeply human.
Location: 259 Bowery, New York, NY 10002
@mightyluckynyc | mighty-lucky.com
At Mama O’s, we’re obsessed with doing kimchi right. No shortcuts. No weird additives. Just real-deal ingredients, traditional methods, and flavor that hits every time. Whether you’re feeding your family or your customers, you deserve bold, quality kimchi that’s delicious and homemade. Come celebrate with us on 7/11 @ Willows Tavern for Kimchipalooza 13!
Location: 184-10 Jamaica Ave, Hollis, NY 11423
@mamaoskimchi | kimchirules.com
Nine Treasures Creamery 靈寶冰坊 (Língbǎo Bīngfāng) draws from the Taoist idea of 靈寶, or “Numinous Treasures” — mystical forces said to bridge heaven and earth. Inspired by Asian heritage, every flavor is a journey through taste, memory, and imagination.We create ice creams that honor the nostalgia of sharing dessert with your grandmother while building something joyful, modern, and future-forward.
@ninetreasurescreamery | www.hotplate.com/ninetreasurescreamery
Laura Chung is a Reiki master, astrologer, and the host of the Awaken and Align podcast. She has her Masters of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Laura is the author of How To Manifest published by Union Square & Co. She is an activist and trauma-informed healer who uses her various media platforms to share how astrology, history, and our ancestral technologies all intersect at this moment for our collective liberation. She is the Headmistress of Star School.
@iamlaurachung | Laurakchung.com
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Located in Manhattan's Chinatown, Yu & Me Books is the first queer Asian American-owned bookstore in New York City. We seek to highlight the strong voices of our community through a focus on immigrant stories, writers of color, and historically marginalized experiences. Come visit us to enjoy our curated selection of books, beverages, and weekly events!
Location: 44 Mulberry Street, New York, NY 10013
@yuandmebooks | yuandmebooks.com
Love, Indus is an opulent skincare and wellness brand born at the intersection of culture, chemistry, and craft. We pioneer "Indian Beauty 2.0" by marrying rare, regional riches - like liquefied Muga Silk and biotransformed Silver Tips Imperial Tea - with the transformative precision of New York biotechnology. From our "Botox in a tube" Line Limiter to our sell-out QVC debuts, we create high-performance, clinical formulas that restore skin resilience while honoring the luxury of the ritual. Our collection brings the riches of the Indian subcontinent to the modern high-achiever through prestigious partners like Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Ulta Beauty, and the St. Regis.
@loveindus | loveindus.com
Thanushka Yakupitiyage (artist name USHKA) is a queer Sri Lankan-born, Thailand-raised, Brooklyn-based deejay & multidisciplinary artist traversing genres across global electronic club & bass music. She deejays from the perspective of a dancer, blending a wide range of diasporic global club music. Her unmatched versatility and high energy sets take the club-goer on a journey through global club sound. When she’s not performing, Thanushka is known for her social justice work on the intersections of climate and migrant justice.
@ty_ushka | linktr.ee/thanushka
Born in Karachi, Zehra moved to the United States at 8 years old. Her immigrant experience continues to shape her brand and the way she approaches her culinary partnerships. Her recipes draw on South Asian and Middle Eastern flavors, while also intersecting with global influences. Zehra’s many years working in the international NGO space brought her to corners of the earth with authentic cultures and local cuisines that inspire her baking style. She continues to collaborate with local NYC businesses to curate elevated experiences that center bespoke desserts and good energy.
@alchemistxzehra | zehra-mirza.com
Started by two sisters, Zoë and Zoya, ZoTo&Co is a handmade art, stationery, and home decor shop that celebrates being cheeky and playful! Inspired by their Chinese heritage, a love for food, and a need for cute things, their colorful items are designed to spark joy in those who delight in whimsy.
@zotoandco | zotoandco.etsy.com
