Salon Talk

​One thing about black women: we do not pay about our hair! Because our hair is so versatile, we can, quite literally, achieve any style.

We spend hours upon hours in the hair salon getting our hair laid and slayed. During this time spent, we engage in conversation with our hairdresser and other women in the salon. These conversations may start as casual, but as time passes, they become deeper, more relatable, and more meaningful. Salons, like barbershops for black men, harbor power for the creation of memories and sistership. This is because they are spaces for fellowship, empowerment, and even gossip! There is power in having someone who looks like you enhance your look using your beautiful black hair, while enhancing and stimulating your beautiful black mind.

My little sister and I had perms in our hair at a young age. Therefore, we were exposed to this environment early on. I remember feeling the burn of the relaxer in my hair as my mother and hairdresser indulged in “grown up” conversation. I remember staying in the salon late at night, watching them laugh and cry as they spoke about the joys and despairs of life. My mom always enjoyed trips to the salon, but not for reasons I was aware of at the time. It was a time for her to learn from, vent to, and be a listening ear to her fellow black women. She left every visit with pressed hair and lifted spirits.
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Although I did not understand the significance at the time, I do now. As a 19-year-old college student, I take pride in looking my best. I surf social media looking for black hairdressers in my area and book my own appointments. In every encounter I had, I left feeling empowered and fulfilled. The conversation that we engage in involves life in general. There is no pressure or awkwardness due to some barrier between my hairdresser and I or those around me. It is simple. It is easy. But the impact it has on me and my place in the world is extremely powerful. Because of this power, salons are iconic in black culture and create atmospheres for black women to empower and be empowered.

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