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There are several classes, social gatherings and other
events that are taking place year-round right here in Toledo
to engage the natural hair community.
The Kitchen Salon, whose motto has been “ A gathering place
for natural hair enthusiasts” established itself in 2007 to
be a natural hair care resource in northwest Ohio. The
practice of women gathering in their kitchens or parlors
(also called salons in European parlance) has been taking
place for generations. Hair care practices have also been
carried out in kitchens around the world while “the
kitchen” is also the household name for the kinkiest
hair located at the nape of the neck.
How can you tap into the local natural hair community? You
can visit Thekitchensalon.com, which is a website dedicated
to providing comprehensive information on natural hair and
locked hair care.
The website covers topics from how to deal with a sore scalp
to finding remedies for hair loss and even how to maintain
locs at home. On the site, you can also shop for handmade
natural hair products, created with natural and organic
ingredients from local vendors.
If you aren’t someone who goes online often, there are
classes being offered at The Kitchen Salon’s studio in South
Toledo. Classes held most recently include head wrapping, a
twistout workshop, and hair locking 101.
If you are a natural who is comfortable with your hair,
there is The Toledo Afro Club, which is a group for naturals
who attend classes and events beyond learning about natural
hair care. This summer, there was an introduction to yoga
class, an eyebrow clinic, and there is a monthly Curlfriends
Crochet Circle, where club members are being taught how to
read crochet patterns and create their own accessories.
Supporting causes is also a part of the TAC, where donations
were collected and presented to The Bethany House, Family
House Shelter, other individuals in need and the Self
Reliance Autism Center.
Because everyone is at a different stage in her natural hair
journey, there is also an annual Expo that is held to bring
everyone together. This year, the Fifth Annual Ohio Natural
Hair, Health & Beauty Expo will be held on Saturday, October
24, 2015 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Believe Center.
This one-day event offers Toledo the largest
African-American vendor marketplace, featuring local
artisans, authors, jewelry and apparel designers,
hairstylists, and other small business owners. Guests who
attend will have access to six classes this year that
include Meal Planning for Fitness with Kaisha Alexander who
lost 130 pounds; Living on Purpose with Marjory Curry, MPA
TedX speaker and author and the 1 Hour Wash Day with Gwen
Jimmere, the first African-American woman in the world to
obtain a patent for a natural hair care product.
Additional classes on beauty and hair care will fill the day
leading into the Natural Hair Honors, featuring recording
artist Tracy “The Rarebreed” Haynes. The Natural Hair Honors
is a part of the expo this year, to honor the volunteers and
presenters who have made it a success in the past four
years.
Even more, the Expo will feature the MFINITY Fashion Show
which will feature singer Carmen Miller and the wearable art
of the beautiful trio of artists, designers singers and
photographers Merce`, Marisa and Monika Culp. Their original
designs are bold, unique and are coupled with their
handcrafted accessories. The show will also feature local
models with DJ Miss T, also a model and poet, on the 1s and
2s.
This demonstrates that natural hair is so much more than a
cute style, a bold statement or a conversation piece.
Natural hair has created a new industry of entrepreneurs and
a large community of conscious consumers who are celebrating
the beauty, benefits and business of natural hair.
Megan Davis is the creator of The Kitchen Salon, a natural
hair care resource dedicated to providing education and
empowerment to the local/regional natural hair community.
She combines her 20 years of cosmetology and healthcare
experience with ancestral knowledge and techniques to teach
everyday Naturalistas the fundamentals of healthy hair care
and self acceptance. To learn more, please visit TheKitchenSalon.com or TheNaturalExpo.com,
send emails toinfo@thekitchensalon.com or
call 419-984-0395
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