Stray Bullet Didn’t Kill Her Dreams

Tabrya Murdock-Washington launched ​“The Brya Collection” hairstyling business amidst a pandemic — and less than two years after suffering from a gunshot wound that forced her to learn to walk again.

Murdock-Washington has launched her hair business inside a studio on Dixwell Avenue.

She specializes in doing natural hair for men, women, and children. She developed the skill while growing up in tough circumstances, and with help from a middle-school mentor with whom she has stayed in touch.

Murdock-Washington, who is 20, was raised in New Haven by her grandmother. She attended East Rock Community Magnet School, then Wilbur Cross High School. As her Cross graduation neared in 2019, Murdock-Washington planned to attend Paul Mitchell Hair School in North Haven for a two-year certification program. Then, two weeks after graduating, Murdock-Washington was shot in the lower back by a stray bullet at a pool party in Hamden.

The injury left her suffering with PTSD. She had to learn to walk again at 18.

After the shooting, Murdock-Washington became more motivated to pursue her goals and find her own quiet space to continue doing hair again, she said. ​“This is my healing place. And this is just the beginning.”

Since deciding hairstyling was her passion, Murdock-Washington embarked on a mission to become her own boss. This goal kept her focused and from giving up she said. ​“Just thinking about being able to take control of my own life helped me to push through everything.”

A Mentor’s Role

Tamera Wells helped her get there.

Wells, a social worker at East Rock who also taught dance, met Murdock-Washington when Murdock-Washington was in the fourth grade. Wells helped her with learning and reading difficulties and with classroom behavior. 

Wells and Murdock-Washington would meet one on one weekly. They would have lunch with Murdock-Washington’s friends to talk out concerns. Murdock-Washington would help Wells with office tasks and make up dance routines with her. Wells recalled Murdock-Washington having the ​“warmest personality” despite her personal struggles.

“I had to grow up early, and it affected me a lot. I needed someone like Ms. Wells to believe in me and be proud of me,” she said.

After graduating, Murdock-Washington and Wells kept in touch. After the shooting, Wells was still there to help.

​“New Haven students don’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Wells said. ​“But she persevered when things weren’t going her way.”

She’s looking forward to getting her hair done at Brya once the pandemic eases. ​“A girl who I considered to be lost and rightfully upset with a lot of things around her is now an example,” said Wells. ​“She didn’t give up, she overcame and rose up.”

Early Start To Work

Doing hair started as a hobby for Murdock-Washington. In middle school she pictured herself pursuing fashion. On her 11th birthday she got her first sewing machine and learned more about fashion. ​“Hair came out of nowhere,” she said.

When Murdock-Washington was in high school, her mom was incarcerated. Murdock-Washington decided to get two jobs to keep busy, one at her aunt’s salon in Hamden, the other with New Haven’s Youth@Work program.

Murdock-Washington learned to do hair while young and doing her own hair every day for school. She later began doing her family’s and friends’ hair to get more practice.

When the shop opened in July, Murdock-Washington offered two or three styles. She has added at least 10 more styles since then.

The shop’s pink walls meet at a client chalkboard wall filled with personal notes from those who get glammed up by Murdock-Washington.

In the future Murdock-Washington hopes to get a bigger salon to employ more hair stylists while also having a space to teach classes about doing hair.
​“This is helping me to grow more. I can’t look at nobody else to do this but me, because I’m my own boss now,” she said.

Find out more about her business through her Instagram account.