Hispanic Heritage Month: Washington Heights salon embraces natural curls to empower customers

“I feel as Black folks and Black girls, we’re taught since we’re little or no that we got here damaged and so we acquired to repair it,” stated Carolina Contreras, founder and proprietor of Miss Rizos Salon. “However why do it’s important to repair one thing that was by no means actually damaged?”

The enterprise began 10 years in the past within the Dominican Republic after Contreras determined to chop off all her relaxed hair.

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“It is scorching, humid, and most significantly, as a result of I needed to embrace my identification and embrace what naturally got here out of my scalp,” Contreras stated. “Quite a lot of girls would cease me within the streets to ask me how I did it? The place did I get the braveness to chop it? What merchandise was I utilizing?’ And folks have been touring from throughout the nation for 5, six hours to my little condo to do their hair.”

Visitors will inform you Miss Rizos Salon is not nearly styling your hair.

The stylists present clients with the instruments to have the ability to do their very own curls at residence, together with solutions on what merchandise to make use of.

It is about empowering clients, and Contreras believes the curly hair motion has prompted a racial shift on the subject of acceptance.

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“I’m a Dominican, Black girl, an immigrant, who’s creating an area of employment for others and this lovely secure haven for girls, little ladies, little boys and everybody to come back in and really feel like they belong,” she stated.

CLICK HERE for extra on Miss Rizos Salon.

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