Life & Work with Laquita (Elle B) Brown of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laquita (Elle B) Brown.

Hi Laquita (Elle B), thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Elle; a musicallv inclined, meticulous and self- motivated St. Louis native. I also go by ‘Cousin Quita’ (heyyy cousins).

A quick learner, who’s candid yet reserved with a sense of humor is how I would describe myself. Mentoring our youth is one of my biggest aspirations. Songwriting is my love.

I moved to Atlanta in 2015 with a big dream in my heart of being amoungst the greats in songwriting, (and you couldn’t TELL me that I wasnt going to write for Kelly Rowland at that time), lol.

Although I moved to Atlanta with an optimistic mindset, God had other plans for me. Plans that has turned out to be 11 years of extended character building, challenges, and the picking up and bearing of many crosses publicly.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
This journey has not been an easy one at all. Prior to moving to Atlanta, I had fixed my credit and prepared myself for my transition to a new city in the month of March, 2015. However, once I arrived, things were not as they seemed, and by October 2015, I was facing homelessness, and still until this very day, I’m dealing with homelessness…But somehow, it just work. One thing is for sure, I thank God i don’t look like what I’ve been through, nor what I’m going through.

One of my biggest challenges was being diagnosed with an incurable disease, which was HSV2. When I was diagnosed, I heard Holy Spirit tell me that I would be healed, and that i would have to publicly share my story. I immediately agreed.

About a year later, I learned of herbalist and biochemist, Dr Yahki, and that discernment kicked in letting me know to listen to him. Going through the healing process, especially while being homeless, was one of the biggest challenges I ever had. I was filled with tears, gratitude and appreciation when I received my negative results. There’s a lot that could be added to that story, but for now, I would say dealing with HSV was definitely one of my biggest challenges, especially on my mental, but i pushed through with my head up.

If you’re dealing with HSV, you’re not alone. Since sharing my story, I’ve received hundreds of messages across different social media platforms with others sharing their truth. I started taking Zoom calls and have spoken with hundreds of people as far as Africa, UK, and Dubai. Some I’ve genuinely grown to have dope relationships with. Just know that you are not alone if you’re dealing with HSV.

I’ve taken loss after loss…Hit after hit….I’ve pushed through trauma, and I’ve been in isolation in a way that many are unable to relate to. Still, I give it my all and I keep going. I’m not sure how God will deliver me out of this hardship, but i refuse to quit or give up.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
While I moved to Atlanta for music, my actual employment falls under Customer Service. I absolutely love providing great customer service. Most of the attributes that makes for great customer service, such as good listening, patience and empathy, those things are already instilled in me, which makes having great customer service a second nature.

I also have a cleaning service, Elle On The Move, which i hope to get my LLC for in the near future. I also work from a cleaning service app which I have many 5 star reviews.
For me, cleaning is therapeutic. I also believe that cleaning for others is a part of my sacred work. The compliments and reviews I receive makes me proud. Sometimes my clients and I build great relationships, and that feels even better. I give much thanks for my cleaning and organizational skills.

Customer Service is a way of life, and I believe my customer service skills set me apart in many rooms and environments I find myself in. It allows me to interact in ways that oftentimes causes the receiveing party to find immediate comfort while speaking with me. I give thanks for such gifts.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Sometimes i wonder exactly how I was growing up myself, lol. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an 80s baby and we had a lit childhood! The 80s and 90s were just different, lol.

I was raised by my grandparents. My mother suffered from schizophrenia. My father was around but eventually overdosed on heroine.

My grandparents did an amazing job raising my siblings and I. Although we struggled, we were blessed. Although we had to eat government cheese and powder milk, we were blessed.

I came up during the crack epidemic era. We can remember when our neighborhoods went from being a village, to seeing many walking around like zombies. It all happened so quick. I always think of how blessed my sister’s and I were to have our grandparents. Many kids in our neighborhood had to live with their parents and witness how the drugs were affecting them. My grandparents would allow kids in our neighborhood to come over and play on our swing set. Something so minute meant so much to some kids.

Sometimes i try to recall what may have happened to me. When I was younger, maybe around 11 or 12, I drowned while playing in a lake at church camp. I just remember waking up after receiving CPR. At the most, I thought the only affect that it may have had on me was the trauma of being scared to swim again. Til this day, I still can’t swim, but I look forward to learning how.

Well, when I was in my late 20s/early 30s, I ran into a neighbor by the name Carla who use to babysit me and my sister. One of the first things she said to me was that when I was around 11 years of age, I stopped talking. She said I didnt speak words and would only point at things. It was interesting hearing that, because even in my adult life, I’m fighting to open up my throat Chakra more and use my voice. This is why I say sometimes I wonder what happened to me.

Colorism was also something that caused me trauma during my childhood, and even into adulthood. Being a super darkskinned girl in the 90s just didnt work in my favor. I honestly didnt see anything pretty about myself until my late twenties. That trauma of being called ugly actually led me to being promiscuous when I got older.

I noticed that in some cases, if a guy wanted to have sex and i said no, it was followed by “you ugly anyway” and things along those lines. Hearing that messed with my self esteem so much so, that I found myself giving in because I couldn’t take being called ugly much more. This led me to having promiscuous ways in my early 20s.

Even with all the said trauma, I have always been told that I smile a lot, and that I always move with love.
When around friends, I would always joke and jone, lol, (jone is another name for roasting). I loved music and dancing. I was always the type of person who would try to consider the feelings of others. I was a goof-ball at times. Jim Carey use to be my role model, and i did all the goofy things he did, even in public places, lol.

There’s so much more I can add about my childhood, but I’ll say it was filled with good and bad. There were many ups and downs. Ultimately, I’m grateful for the experiences because they helped mold me into the person that I am today.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ellebmusic717
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/RnKXvcJdKSMxDoH2A