Jia Brunson in She Memes Well: Character Analysis, Role, and Relationships

Overview

Jia Brunson—called Njia in full—is one of Quinta Brunson's four older siblings in She Memes Well. Her name means “the way” in Swahili, and Quinta describes her as the sister who “forged the way for us Brunson girls.” Jia appears throughout the memoir as a hair stylist, fashion influence, and caretaker figure, particularly during Quinta's childhood and adolescence.

Jia is twelve years older than Quinta (born three years after Kalid, who is fifteen years older than Quinta). She is positioned in the family as one of the two sisters who helped their mother manage Quinta's hair, alongside Kiyana. While Kiyana specialized in braiding, Jia specialized in straightening and styling—a division of labor that shaped Quinta's experiences of getting ready for important events.

Plot Role

Jia appears in two key chapters of the memoir: Chapter 2 (“V Is for Victory”) and Chapter 14 (“Rough Edges”).

In Chapter 2, Jia is introduced as part of the family portrait. Quinta describes her as always ahead of the curve in fashion, immaculately put together at every event. She was the one who straightened and styled Quinta's hair from a very young age, and she hovered around Quinta before school dances and performances to make sure she looked perfect. The chapter also reveals that Jia went on to open her own beauty salon.

In Chapter 14, Jia's role expands. Quinta explains that Jia specialized in straightening and styling, and that for important events like prom or dance recitals, she would go directly to Jia. When Jia did her hair, Quinta felt like “a little Black Marilyn Monroe.” Until moving to Los Angeles, Quinta never went to a styling salon that wasn't Jia's. The chapter also reveals that Jia went on to open two salons of her own.

The chapter also shows a brief moment where their mother pushes Quinta toward Jia's bed, suggesting Jia practice on her sister since she wanted to go to cosmetology school. Kiyana volunteers to braid instead, and Jia is relieved—an indication that braiding wasn't her preferred specialty.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Jia's actions in the memoir reveal several consistent traits:

Care for her sister's appearance. Jia's hovering before Quinta's dances and performances shows a genuine investment in her youngest sister's presentation. This isn't just professional skill—it's personal care.

Professional ambition. Jia's path from doing her sister's hair at home to opening two salons demonstrates drive and entrepreneurial spirit. Quinta calls her “the boss that she is.”

Specialization and skill. Jia's choice to focus on straightening and styling (rather than braiding) shows a clear sense of her own strengths. The relief she feels when Kiyana volunteers to braid suggests she knew her limits and was comfortable deferring to her sister's expertise.

Fashion-forward sensibility. Quinta describes Jia as always ahead of the curve in fashion, which positions her as a style influence within the family.

Chronological Arc

Jia's presence in the memoir follows a clear arc:

Childhood (Quinta's early years): Jia, along with Kiyana, helped their mother with Quinta's hair from the time Quinta was a child. The kitchen-table hair sessions were a family ritual.

Quinta's elementary years: When Quinta started dance classes, Jia and Kiyana were in high school and getting good at doing their own hair. Their mother pushed Quinta toward Jia's bed, suggesting Jia practice on her sister since she wanted to go to cosmetology school.

Quinta's adolescence: Jia became the go-to stylist for important events—prom, dance recitals, performances. Quinta would visit Jia for straightening and styling, and she never went to a salon that wasn't Jia's until she moved to Los Angeles.

Later years: Jia opened two salons of her own, fulfilling the cosmetology ambition hinted at in the childhood scene.

Relationships

With Quinta: Jia's relationship with Quinta is primarily one of caretaker and stylist. She made Quinta look good for important moments, and Quinta trusted her completely—never going to another salon until adulthood. The relationship is also one of admiration: Quinta describes feeling like “a little Black Marilyn Monroe” when Jia styled her hair.

With Kiyana: The two sisters shared a door between their rooms and divided hair duties—Kiyana braiding, Jia straightening and styling. When their mother suggested Jia practice on Quinta, Kiyana stepped in, and Jia was relieved. This suggests a cooperative rather than competitive dynamic.

With their mother: Their mother delegated hair duties to her daughters, recognizing their emerging skills. She pushed Quinta toward Jia's bed specifically because Jia wanted to go to cosmetology school—a practical way of nurturing Jia's ambition while solving a family need.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Choosing cosmetology as a career. Jia's decision to pursue cosmetology school, hinted at in the childhood scene, led to her opening two salons. This decision had a direct consequence for Quinta: she had access to professional-quality hair styling throughout her childhood and adolescence, without ever visiting a commercial salon.

Specializing in straightening and styling. By focusing on this specialty rather than braiding, Jia carved out a clear role in the family's hair-care division of labor. This allowed Kiyana to handle braiding while Jia handled events and special occasions.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Jia connects most directly to the theme of family and cultural roots as foundation. Her name—Njia, meaning “the way” in Swahili—was chosen by parents who were embracing Black Power movements and giving their children African-influenced names. Jia literally “forged the way” for the Brunson girls, setting a standard of presentation and professionalism.

Jia also connects to self-acceptance and authenticity. Hair in the memoir is deeply tied to identity. Quinta's descriptions of feeling like “a little Black Marilyn Monroe” when Jia styled her hair show how hair care shaped her sense of self. Jia's role in this—making Quinta feel beautiful and polished—was foundational to Quinta's confidence.

The hair-care scenes also connect to comedy as craft and survival tool in a more indirect way. The hours spent in chairs during hair sessions were formative for Quinta's patience and her ability to entertain herself—skills that later served her in comedy. While Jia isn't directly credited with this, the family hair ritual she participated in was part of that foundation.

For more on how family shaped Quinta's identity, see the main book page or the ending explained guide.

Questions and Answers

1. What does Jia's name mean, and how does it reflect her role in the family?

Jia's full name, Njia, means “the way” in Swahili. Quinta says Jia “forged the way for us Brunson girls.” This is reflected in her role as the fashion-forward sister who set standards of presentation and who opened her own salons—literally creating a path in a professional field.

1. How did Jia contribute to Quinta's appearance for important events?

Jia specialized in straightening and styling hair. For events like prom, dance recitals, and performances, Quinta would go directly to Jia. When Jia styled her hair, Quinta felt like “a little Black Marilyn Monroe.” Jia also hovered around Quinta before these events to make sure she looked perfect.

1. What was Jia's specialty in hair care, and how did it differ from Kiyana's?

Jia specialized in straightening and styling, while Kiyana specialized in braiding. This division meant Jia handled special occasions and polished looks, while Kiyana handled the long-lasting braided styles Quinta wore for everyday activities like dance and cheerleading.

1. What career did Jia pursue, and what does it reveal about her?

Jia pursued cosmetology, opening two salons of her own. This reveals her professional ambition and her skill. It also shows how the family's hair-care practices—which began as a practical necessity—developed into a legitimate career path.

1. How does Quinta's description of Jia reflect the family's values?

Quinta's descriptions of Jia reflect the family's emphasis on presentation, professionalism, and mutual support. The parents gave their children African-influenced names as an act of cultural pride. Jia's name meaning “the way” and her role as a path-forger for the Brunson girls shows how the family's values translated into action—each sibling contributing their skills to support the others.

For more discussion of the memoir's themes and characters, visit the questions and answers page.