Just a few minutes in a conversation with Snow Hill native Tawanda Auston will inspire you to conquer the world. You would never know that when she graduated from Greene Central High School in 1997 that she didn’t know what she wanted to do. 

She is an author, a businesswoman, an award-winning actress, a movie producer and writer, and a community leader and balances her family life as the mother of two sons and one daughter. She has traveled to Thailand to learn Thai Massage and pursued multiple licenses along the way. She has followed her passion and pulled together a full-service holistic approach to wellness. 

Highly motivated and passionate about her purpose, Auston went from high school to Pitt Community College and earned her Associate Degree in Business Administration in 2000 and continued her education North Carolina Wesleyan University to complete her Bachelor of Arts Degree also in Business Administration two years later. She said she thought a business degree would be good to have regardless of what she decided to do.

“I was working at Wilson Medical Center while in school and had just gotten a big promotion when I decided I needed to go back and get my MBA and I had a lightbulb moment. I knew what I wanted to do. I’ve always loved learning and I always thought I’d have a business.”

After college, she moved back to Snow Hill and found her way to Lenoir Community College where she started taking classes in the Therapeutic Massage Program. Life got in the way and put a pause on her education as she moved to Wilson County where she earned her nail tech license at Nash Community College. She later went to Edgecombe Community College where she earned her esthetician license, opened her business Five Touch Spa & Salon in 2012, and completed what she started at LCC, her massage therapy program at Johnston Community College in 2013.

Fast forward in her career as Auston has written two books “It Goes Deeper Than The Muscle” and “27 Ways to Release.” To add to that accomplishment, she is premiering her movie, “Release,” Friday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Boykin Center in Wilson, which was inspired by the spa and filmed in Wilson. The Red Carpet event starts at 6 p.m. The movie coincides with the spa’s celebration of 11 years of serving the area. 

Her story continues as she is planning on a second movie script as well as a play, which will be a series and a spinoff from Release. “Massage has inspired me to write books,” Auston said. “Everything is a steppingstone to other things. I never imagined I’d write a book, but I’ve learned to never say never.”

“The purpose of “It Goes Deeper Than the Muscle” is to get to the root of the problem to experience true freedom which requires releasing whatever does not serve,” she said.  “The book is what inspired the name of the movie; however, the spa is where it all started which inspired it all. The second book, which is a journal, was also inspired by the movie.”

Auston wrote and produced the movie and after casting the lead to the film to someone who was unable to take it, decided to take the part herself. “My background is modeling. My agent wanted me to get into acting. I got a part and enjoyed it, so I thought I checked that off my bucket list until this came along.”

Glad she did as she received the best actress award at the Marbella International Film Festival in Spain, which bring together artists and their films from all corners of the globe to display their talents to the commercial world. “I was so honored for Release to be showcased on an international stage.”

Auston said she is excited for Release to be premiered and to be produced in Wilson. She is very involved in the community serving on the Foundation Board at Wilson Community College and the Massage Therapy Advisory Committee at Johnston Community College. She was also appointed by the Governor to serve on the State Board of Massage Therapy.

So, what’s next for this entrepreneur extraordinaire? “I’ve really cleared my bucket list,” she said. “I want to do more retreats. My purpose is to help people find their purpose, to find that freedom. I tell people I am always my first client. This movie is like my resume.”

“I’ve met a lot of people who have helped me along the way including Kinja Dixon who set up the interview,” she said. “I’m looking for the bigger picture and to have that collaboration. When walking in your passion, no one can stop you, but you. Don’t think of what you’re going through. Think of what you’re going to.”

To learn more about the movie and for ticket information, go to thereleasemovie.com.