Revolt

#REVOLT

The salon industry is full of beauty. Creative people are plentiful. Vibrant personalities and artistic designs keeps the smiles coming. It is a place for the unique, loud, prim and proper. It welcomes home boys and home girls alike. Regardless the age, if you can fit in the chair, you are welcomed. The salon industry is happening. 

In all its splendor of artistic flair and technological advances, it needs an enema. Wait, what just happened? The outer appearance, by way of social media and marketing of the salon industry appears to be lose and flowing. However, from the inside it is rigid and stiff. It is not all encompassment. It is segregated. So there in lies the crap and a lot of it. Segregation is the crap that causes our service model to be blocked and backed up. On the outside a person can look perfectly normal, have clear skin, a flat belly and all. But on the inside, their colon is blocked; they are full of crap. We look like we are truly flowing with our colorful artsy tartsy hair designs and fancy salon names. Sometimes we are. But, we need an enema of sorts to loosen up our service model approach to the vast and diverse world of hair; with emphasis on hair care for the textured hair masses. 

What is wrong with the service model, you ponder? Because the salon industry is primarily segregated we do not see it. It is the training of the masses by the powers that be that pretty much teaches and promotes that people of the same race pretty much have the same hair texture. That is false. It is how they indirectly promote segregation. Call it target audience, demographics; you can put any word you want on it. It is what it is. Segregation. And where there is segregation. There is discrimination. No matter how nice we separate those shopping aisle using covert racial undertones such as, "ethnic, women of color, natural hair,

bi-racial and the likes." It looks as if we are finally opening up to the other half of the world who went unnoticed. What other half? What is there not to see? Over 90 percent of humans have some degree of texture in their hair! However, when one observes how hair styles and hair care is promoted, they have to admit, straight hair rules. There is a separate practice and cost for those with textured hair. According  to the 2015 Department of Labor report, America has approximately 688,700 plus licensed cosmetologists. And they all began their education of hair care and hair styling on straight haired mannequins. There is segregation in the education of hair when the mannequins are black and white with straight hair. Textured hair mannequins are not open for discussion; nor are they an option to purchase during the education of cosmetology. The extensiveness of the hyperbole in the beauty industry is shameful. Especially in America. To separate people, then use word play, photos and the emotion quotient in advertisement and education is misleading and deplorable to say the least. At what point were retailers (and of all places; a pharmacy, i.e. CVS) gullible enough to hang a sign called "ethnic" above a hair care aisle? I guess "coloreds only" would bring out the Tiki torch carrying customers, huh? They feel comfortable seeing white people with no texture walk down one aisle and seeing people of color and whites with textured hair walk down another? Dude.

This nonsense has to end. I work in the industry. I have been doing my part to address this nonsense. Attempts are definitely being made to end it; but for the most part, segregation is real. It is ignored, accepted, overlooked. To describe my observation, I will describe what I call, The "segregated" service cycle. This cycle of segregation pretty much consists of approximately 6 simple steps (give or take):

1. Let people know you are a licensed cosmetologist
2. Let people know what you do
3. Let people know where you are located 
4. Let people know what your work hours are  
5. Let people know how much you charge 
6. Let people know what hair care goods you sell. 

In return, the customer:

1. Arrives at location
2. Request what is on salon service menu
3. Pay services rendered
4. Purchase recommended hair care goods (optional)
5. Refer clients
6. Rebook appointments

We are pretty much trained to do business with people who look like us. To sum it up, you get what you pay for. Sounds fundamentally sound right? 

Wrong. Why?

You are not getting what you paid for. You are getting what you "wish" you could get when you pay for it. First of all, everyone knows the world is diverse. Segregation does not work effectively. It overtly screens out certain people. When people are screened out, people are at risk. Second, race has very little to do with hair. Yet there is a discriminating distinction between those with texture and those without texture. There is a discriminating distinction between those who are of color without texture and those who are of color and no color with texture. You gasp?  

Both hair stylist and customer need not lie, deny and turn heads in another direction as if this segregated cycle is functioning. The segregated cycle is not functioning. People are woke and alert. The race card is not being played too much these days. A paradigm shift has taken place within the hair salon industry where customers of every race with textured hair are fed up with the covert segregated cycle. 

While the internet, blogs, YouTube, certain celebrity stylists, multicultural salons and other social media outlets have offered some relief; textured hair consumers remain under served. They are forced into a section called "ethnic" for no reason. They embrace the "natural hair movement" as if straight hair is not  natural. The separateness leads to cyber bullying, discrimination, and racism. And what is this new buzz word I'm seeing, "cultural appropriation?" They are using this term to slander straight haired women who wear cornrow or box braids. Geesh. This nonsense leaves customers and consumers feeling fed up, scorned and left out.

I remain stunned. How can I help the fed up, scorned and left out customers?They have some how fallen through the cracks of the very industry that is supposed to help them. The world of hair styles and hair care is utterly, totally and completely filled with diversity and textured hair. So what am I to do?

REVOLT.

I looked up the meaning of revolution to make sure the word could capture my sentiments. Is a revolution the solution for who I call the "textured hair masses?" Of the many definitions of revolution, I chose one that read, "Revolution is the forcible overthrow of a social order in favor of a new system."

Real life hair care.

"Yeah," I thought to myself, "A revolution is the solution. Hashtag revolt!" So, with my pumped fist, fervor and excitement, I typed "the revolution will be live."  Gil Scott Heron, the famous spoken word poet who wrote about revolution in the 70's was right when he spoke, "the revolution will not be televised." The segregation towards textured hair consumers and customers within the hair salon industry has brought about much dysfunction and mis-education. Along with it are unprecedented practices that yield ill-prepared hair stylists and a heart broken customers.

For the most part, the segregation within the beauty industry reminds me of a dysfunctional relationship. It has secrets and wives tales that are as valid as alternative facts. It is full of remorse, regrets and resentments. And like a bad relationship, both parties ultimately conclude, that karma is real. What goes around comes around. Segregation and dysfunction reflects lack of self love. We must learn to teach and help people care for their textured hair.

I will help. I will teach. This is the revolution in hair care. It is live! I am starting this revolution by replacing that segregated cycle with a new textured hair care world order! The new cycle is The Wright Method for all hair textures (regardless the race). The Wright Method has three simple steps. This system is user friendly to both the hair stylist and customer.  Great hair requires three simple steps in no given order regardless the color of your skin, the texture of your hair, the service requested, location of the salon, hours of salon operation, cost of goods, cost of service; rather you re-book, refer or purchase retail. The Wright Method is as follows:

1. The right hair care products for your unique hair fabric
2. The right hair styling tools for your unique hair fabric
3. The right technique(s) for your unique hair fabric

This is my revolution. This is my revolution in hair care. It reminds me of the revolution during the outbreak of the AIDS virus in the early 80's. There was a belief that AIDS was contagious and airborne.  Along came a group of doctors who partnered with CDC (Center for Disease Control) to revolt. They wanted the segregation that resulted in discrimination against those with HIV/AIDS virus to end. Together they created and implemented "Universal Precautions." This drastically reduced paranoia, ignorance while simultaneously protecting the spread of all viruses. It all but stamped out the discriminatory practices against those with HIV/AIDS. I am suggesting everyone and all companies adopt "The Wright Method" where everyone with any type of hair texture can be serviced effectively.

I am inspired. Part of being a revolutionist is to not merely point out what is wrong. Remember a true revolution not only forces out and overthrows what is not productive to the masses, it vehemently is in favor of a new system! Are you ready for a revolution?

My simple method replaces segregated cycle of dysfunctional hair care for those with textured hair to a desegregated cycle that functions for all hair textures.

Join the revolution. It is live. I am coming to a city near you. "The Wright Method" will be promoted via public speakings and teachings. My appearances consist of a presentation, Q&A and a pop up shop.

Serious inquiries, email or contact me at 216-321-1101.

Nappy Hair

Stereotype. 

Is it me, but do you ever reflect back on those pivotal moments when you had those "A-ha Moments" in learning that were very fascinating? I still have them to this very day. When I was in the 6th grade, I was full of excitement to learn how to use different words to express myself. 

In reminiscing, nothing quite tickled my fancy that I can recall, like learning the word, "stereotype." Now, if my memory serves me correct, which it doesn't as I age, I recall thinking the word stereotype meant some kind of stereo. I just knew my guess could not be wrong. After all, I knew what a stereo was and I knew what type meant; so how could I have went wrong on that word? Boy, was I wrong. 

Since learning what stereotype meant, I've come to realize that it is just as real at 48 years old as it was at 11 years old. If it has been a while since you've read the definition of stereotype, let me refresh you. As defined in Websters, "stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing."

Being a hairstylist, stereotyping, unfortunately, is very commonplace. For example, it is not uncommon for a hairstylist to assume that a person is black if they have brown skin with textured hair. I highly recommend licensed hairstylists to do a thorough consultation. A consultation gives the professional  a chance to get to know the customer first before they even touch their hair. It is the consultation that reduces the likelihood of stereotyping. 

Artificial hair.

In no place do I see stereotyping like I see it in the hair industry. Stereotyping has moved from the eyes to the thoughts, to the pages and now to the computer screens worldwide. Words and images of "natural hair" being predominantly associated with women of color regardless the location. As a matter of fact, stereotyping is also changing the meaning of words. Stereotyping promotes the ignorance that "natural hair' is textured hair for Black girls and women. Funny, what about boys and men?

Yep, it's that bad. I was in the salon the other day and my new guest asked, "What is your take on natural hair? I notice in all that I read about you, you shy away from that word." I responded, "Well...if it grows from your head, it's natural." She was like, "Oh." I told her that I was not trying to be funny or not sensitive. I told her that I was being professional. In being professional, it is in one's best interest to avoid stereotyping. I doubt any customer I serve would find me credible if I asked if they had "natural" hair as I touch it or implied it wasn't natural because it was chemically altered. To me, that would not be professional. To me, that would be stereotyping.

For the record, a wig or weave in any fashion is the only hair that is not natural. It is sewn onto some sort of netting, weft or is attached to the natural fibers growing from your scalp in many ways from gluing, to sewing, to clipping them in, fusing and the likes.  Seriously, not much of hair styling can take place without some hair. Except In the many cases of people who can not grow hair, is on medication that causes them to lose their hair or for those who simply shave it off because they don't want any hair; then no hair it is. They may opt for a wig in the many ways they can be made. 

Natural hair! 

Natural hair is hair that grows from the scalp in the varying textures of curly, kinky, wavy, straight and Afro. Everybody of the same race or within the same family does not have the same hair. Natural hair is not a black thing. Textured hair is most certainly not a black thing. Natural hair that is chemically altered via straighteners, texturizers or hair color REMAINS natural. Just because it is altered does not mean that it is not natural. It means your hair is altered. Promoting altered hair as anything but natural is like saying, "If you wear makeup, earrings or put clothes on; you are not natural." 

For the record, hair is a pliable resilient fiber that you can safely do many things to alter it. Hair's chief purpose is adornment because adorning yourself is innate. The unknown desire to be cute or alter your appearance (hair included) is natural as scratching an itch! To be exact, they still have not found any scientific or biological reason why we have hair. Aside from the obvious theory of protection, research has not yielded anything profound about why we have hair.

If it grows from your scalp, it's natural.

Rather a person wants to braid, twist, loc, color, relax, perm, wave or weave their hair; it is still natural. Texture and race have nothing to do with determining whose hair is natural. Again, if it grows from the scalp or skin; it is natural. 

The deliberate act of excluding others who do not look like you is along the lines of discrimination, racism, classism, sexism. When you clump people together and assume they are all the same and share your sentiments is stereotyping. I professionally and deliberately do not do business with any hair company, styling tool manufacturer and hair stylists who overtly or indirectly incorporate stereotyping in their scope of service for financial gain. When it is at the expense of uninformed people, it makes my skin cringe. 

Natural Hair

As much as I am a fan of social networking, I do not like it when I see people stereotyping the phrase, "natural hair." Then they have the audacity to take it to another level by indirectly cyberbullying and using overt racism by promoting that "natural hair" is a black thing. That type of behavior is exclusive. Natural hair is inclusive. Most humans are designed to grow natural hair. Therefore, promoting it as exclusive to one race or textured hair group of people is not true. Exclusion is mean spirited. It scares people and it confuses people. 

This "natural hair" movement in some ways is not moving.  The "natural hair" movement has an element of rhetoric that misinforms, divides and hurts. It is rhetoric that takes advantage of people who want to belong. It misleads those who are looking for solutions to hair styling challenges. It is also rhetoric that has an element of a clique that only a certain photo filtered shades of brown with made up faces and innuendos of being "black enough" is natural. That is wrong on every level and you know it. 

If you cut us open, humans are
pretty much wired the same!

Stereotyping happens to me often. I once participated in a "natural hair" event and was questioned the "naturalness" of my race and hair because my hair was artificially colored blonde. My hair is still blonde. Regardless if my hair is artificially colored or not; I am a woman of color and my hair is still natural. Challenging a person's authenticity of naturalness based on the color of their skin or if their hair is chemically altered or artificially enhanced is preposterous.  Suggesting that girls and women must somehow be validated as "natural" by images that rarely looks like them when they wake up and get on with their day is uberly unrealistic. That challenge and suggestion give way to a belief that "natural" is carefree and automatic. Natural is never carefree and automatic. Natural requires time, creativity, care, attention, and patience. 

In conclusion, as a licensed hair stylist, I know for certain that "natural hair" really does grow from the scalp of all who can grow hair. I know that "natural hair" is not a black thing. It is a biological thing.