Hey guys, Daneen here.
I’ve had the pleasure of working in an all black environment for over 10 years. I’ve also worked in other environments and.. they were cool too. Not the same AT ALL but I loved both.
Working in an all BLACK environment is so bomb y’all! It’s like you never have to really turn off who you are.
Wait. Pause. Picture that.
You don't have to worry about being politically correct. You don't have to explain why something is racially insensitive or inappropriate. You can say things without saying them because IT'S UNDERSTOOD!
We have a lot of the same common interest and goals. And is it just me or did every black household know that there were 13 hours on the clock, not 12 ("before the street lights go off" is an accepted currency of time LOL).
We want to see one another win and it’s pretty empowering to see so many different BLACK WOMEN achieving goals, making power moves, raising their babies and just being dope. Working in an exclusively black environment has made all of these experiences possible.
On the other hand, working in mixed or predominately white environments, I think has made me open minded to other cultures. When it comes to my own hair, I remember going from relaxed, a low cut Caesar, to a TWA, to locs- and with every step there was a lot of questions and curiosity from my coworkers of other races. I was always open to any questions (just don’t touch my hair) I’ve heard of some pretty bad horror stories with black women and their hair in the workplace and thankfully that was never my experience. Again, I did enjoy these environments but there's just no place like home. And that's what an all black work environment feels like to me.
Seeing and servicing people that have things in common with me on a daily basis is something I find to be quite rewarding.
What about you guys? Do you feel free and accepted when you enter a black salon space? OR is there no difference to you as long as the people are cool? Share your experiences and perspectives with us because we'd love to know! Text 301-747-0387 with the hashtag #HomeFeelsLike and let us know what makes a salon environment a comfortable space for you!
Thanks for reading.