ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A beauty school in Rochester, eight years in the making, broke ground Friday morning.

Miss Julie’s School of Beauty aims to empower survivors of human trafficking. A historic groundbreaking ceremony took place Friday morning inside the Sibley Building.

Julie Chapus, a social worker and founder of the school, has been working to bring this program to life for years. She said with her experience as a social worker, she saw many people struggling to find a job, even though they were putting in the work to heal themselves.

“And so, for us to have a brand-new program that can bring these students in free of charge to them, to help them gain a life skill, help them gain a license where their backgrounds no longer have to follow them,” said Chapus. “It’s really, it’s breaking down all of the barriers that keep people stuck in that poverty cycle.”

A nearly $700,000 contract from New York state is helping make her dream a reality, even though she did not have access to it for about a month due to the federal funding freeze, she is grateful to now finally be able to start on this project.

The school is set to open this fall.

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