When Nadra Smiley opened the email, she knew something wasn’t right. A former student had forwarded her a bill—HB3356—with a simple question: “Did you know about this?” The bill proposed to remove the hair braiding license in Illinois, a license that Nadra, her late mother, Amazon Smiley, and countless others had spent years fighting to establish. “We have to do something,” Nadra remembers saying. She went into action immediately.

Let me tell you a story that should shake every natural hair professional, client, and parent to their roots. A man named Damon Landor, who practices the Rastafarian faith, was sitting in prison in Louisiana. As part of his religion, he had grown his dreadlocks — not for fashion, not for fun, but as a sacred vow to God. Rastafarians don’t cut their hair because they believe it’s part of their spiritual journey. It’s a connection to their Creator. Their locks are their crow

“Be careful what you wish for.” You’ve heard the saying, right? Well, it’s true. For anyone looking to step from behind the chair, understand this - you’re not signing up for less work, you’re signing up for a lifetime commitment. Moving from behind the chair means stepping fully into a leadership role, and leadership is a job that never ends. Some leaders are born, but most of us are made. We’re shaped by our experiences, our wins, our losses, and who w

Is this a representation of a divide or a time to unite? HB-3356 Hair Braiding Reform Act Bill has sparked some serious motion in the Illinois area. This bill is looking to remove hair braiding from the licensing department and it has sparked the age old question:  Should braiders and natural hair stylists be licensed? The answer is not a simple yes or no. This two sided coin has highly intelligent and highly invested people on both sides.