Isis Brantley fought a fight that few in Dallas even know existed. A leader in the underground hair-braiding movement, Brantely was arrested in '95 for practicing her craft without a cosmetology license. Known throughout the international hair community as Naturally Isis, she refused to accept the charge, arguing that cosmetology courses required 1,500 hours of training for an unrelated field. Natural hair is a method that embraces the existing texture of hair and works with it, rather than altering it through heat treatment or other services that might make the scalp and locs vulnerable to damage. It's also a movement about reclamation, teaching good nutrition and pride in heritage.
It took nine years until Naturally Isis' case was overturned. She used the time to define and change the course curriculum for future stylists within her field. Now, rather than 1,500 hours of coursework, only 35 are required and they focus directly on braiding and other fundamentals of natural hair. Isis was even grandfathered in as a licensed educator.
On September 1, she's organizing the World Natural Hair Parade, and she's wrangled in celebrity client Erykah Badu to be Grand Marshal.Read more at dallasobserver.com
Do you think natural hair stylists should be required to take as many hours (hundreds) of coursework as other cosmetologists?
Let me know in a comment below!
I don't think they should have to do the entire cosmetology course but some training does need to be had on the histology of the skin and hair.
ReplyDeleteI myself have witnessed people with braids so tight that the scalp is blistered and covered with puss. I remember one client coming into a salon where I was getting my hair done and complaining about her scalp and the stylist that had done her hair stating that the braids couldn't do that because there were no chemicals involved.
"and the stylist that had done her hair stating that the braids couldn't do that because there were no chemicals involved"
DeleteI can't. I'm sure she knew she provided a BS excuse; she probably didn't want to be held accountable. People need to stop underestimating the harm braids can cause to our scalps.
Thanks for commenting!
I agree that some coursework should be done. I'm a natural hairstylist myself, and many techniques and considerations with natural hair have to be taught, or like myself, learned (from over 15 years experience). Some just braid for the money, and don't care about the finished product, nor their customers well being... it sad and because of this fact, I agree with a educational training program for natural hair care. A different license offered...etc
ReplyDelete"Some just braid for the money, and don't care about the finished product, nor their customers well being"
DeleteYou're definitely right about that.
Thanks for your input.
I live in NC and as of 7/1/12 you have to have a license to be a natural stylist. The program is 300 hours long but I think it's incomplete because cutting/trimming is not included in instruction. Do they think naturals don't cut their hair or are they just confused as to how to do it without straightening first? Smh...
ReplyDeleteCutting/trimming definitely needs to be included...can't be walking around with raggedy ends, lol.
DeleteThanks for commenting!
Honestly I think they should be required as well because you can't just do hair and be called a cosmetologist. Its almost an insult to those who have gone through all of the training. Learn the background, ethics, common sense! We hold them to the same standards with doing our hair as well as we get pissed if something goes wrong with out hair or skin. If they're not licensed and something goes wrong, there may not be any recourse for the customer because Tracy decided to call herself a cosmetologist and be allowed to work in a shop without being licensed in some kind of way.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree.
DeleteOK, I am so confused. Is that supposed to say "350"? Or did they really reduce the hours from 150 to 35? If so, then no, I don't agree.
ReplyDeleteYou mean to tell me you can be licensed to do natural hair in one daggone weekend? And what exactly are these "fundamentals"? To me, they should include things like how to wash natural hair, how to properly comb it, etc and not just styling options.
"You mean to tell me you can be licensed to do natural hair in one daggone weekend?"
DeleteLOL. You're right. If anything, natural hair might require more training than that of dealing with relaxed hair.
I kinda do think that there should be as much training as any other cosmetologist. It is so easy to fall into thinking that "if I can do A after 35 hours of training, then I can surely do B with minimal more training." There really is much more to cosmetology school than just learning about the chemical processes that take place with color and relaxers and such, and caring for natural hair is about more that just keeping it spritzed with water and loaded up with conditioner. There is proper sanitation, shop management, trichology, skina nd nail care and more. Also, why wouldn't someone want to be able to display in their shop that they are fully trained and qualified to put their hands in your precious hair?
ReplyDeleteHair braiding doesn't just belong to black people and it isn't just black people who braid hair. Nor is it knowledge that is instinctively known to black people. The idea that it is culturally insensitive to expect people to get training to braid hair is bunk! LOL
I also think that we naturals should stand up and demand that cosmetology schools start including education on how to care for our hair. If it wasn't out and out excluded in the education process as it is (aside from teaching how to straighten it), I really don't think this would even be the issue that it is.
Well said!
Delete