PSA (Long but Necessary):
I see this petition floating around social media concerning beauty schools being mandated to teach on "black hair". Look here...every school is going to teach based on a different curriculum. Some schools are private and some are chains so the curriculum can be based on the demographic of potential clientele.
This is why it is soooooooooooooo important to do your research about what school you want to SPEND YOUR MONEY. That isn't just a beauty school but any school! Ask yourself: do they align with your personal values, what is the percentage of hires based on graduates, what is the skill level of the educators, are the educators diverse in ethnic origin; all of these questions need answers and are up to us as consumers to do the research. Don't be afraid to ask the tough questions at the beginning so you are not upset once you get in the door!
Now let me clarify a bit further, a reputable school that wants to be INCLUSIVE should have a curriculum that speaks to ALL hair textures and skin tones. You can't just lump it together and say "black hair" cause every African-American person doesn't have the same hair texture just like every Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, etc does not either...learn HAIR, learn SKIN! Even if it is not a full month-long section dedicated it should absolutely be covered. Some companies build curriculum's for beauty schools and then some Educators have learned "trial by fire" as to what to do and what not to do that offer additional insight. My experience has been on both sides of the coin, yes I was provided foundational information but it was up to me to expand my knowledge by doing the work. This is where continuing education comes in for those who may have attended schools that didn't initially meet their expectations.
Yes, there is a lot of work that needs to be done within the beauty industry relating to diversity and inclusion as with most industries. However, it will take those who are IN THE INDUSTRY to make the necessary changes to ensure bad behaviors, misinformation, lack of understanding, poor judgment, and whatever else is rectified. Excuses are void and everyone is not going to agree or be open to learning. If any of you paid attention to my page there was a conversation about this on a national scale just a few weeks ago which I had the pleasure of being one of the panelists on! Matter fact here is the link: https://youtu.be/8ui0NIlNig4
Pay attention to those around you who are tirelessly working to ensure our voices are being heard on topics such as this, focus your energy on supporting them versus jumping on the bandwagon of another petition. Instead reach out to your personal stylist, barber, esthetician, or makeup artist and sew a seed into their business. Support them, our businesses have been severely affected by city and state shutdowns due to the pandemic. If you don't have a personal beauty professional then I can certainly put you in touch with someone!
Lastly, for those who are in Arizona, I am planning a workshop for beauty professionals who want to learn about working with textured hair and deeper skin tones. If you want to get on the list as to the event announcement hit my business page: Style Exhibition. There are resources and individuals who can help you become better at what you do, you just have to be willing to do the work.
