What We Do

Born from a petition on Color of Change created by Jennifer Lord and Jamie Amadio, TEN is a committee created to acknowledge, elevate, and promote diversity in hair, especially as it relates to current cosmetology school education.

 

Our Mission

Textured Education Now (TEN) is committed to upholding the art, science, and overall equality of natural hair through comprehensive education. We aim to empower the next generation of beauty professionals with the fundamental knowledge of natural hair types and the inherent value of hair diversity.

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If you look up “cosmetology kit unboxing” on YouTube, you’ll find a multitude of videos showing practice mannequins that have straight or wavy hair textures. That is because one is only required to know how to work with those textures as both the written and the practical exam for all cosmetology state board exams only require knowledge for those textures alone. It is possible to receive a license without ever having to touch or know how to work with highly textured and multi-textured hair. That is unacceptable. To continue to leave out an entire portion of the population is racist and constitutes texture discrimination.

When it comes to Black hair textures, cosmetology students are learning only how to destroy it, not how to maintain, style, and uphold the texture in its natural state. Only one chapter in the Milady Standard Textbook is dedicated to natural hair, Chapter 18. Sadly, this chapter is often skipped due to educators not being able to properly teach it and schools not requiring that it be taught. We want to remove the myth that Black hair is unmanageable and instead showcase its beauty and versatility by introducing cosmetology school students to the basics of how to properly detangle, wash, blow out, style, and work with highly textured and multi-textured hair. The same as is required to know of the straight and wavy textures that are currently being taught.

We hope to bring dignity, respect, and humanity back to Black hair textures and to help empower the next generation of hair stylists.

 

What We’ve Achieved

  • Over 41,000 signatures collected since creating our petition in July 2020

  • Countless testimonies from stylists and clients about the need for textured hair education in cosmetology schools

  • Partnership with Color of Change to amplify our message

  • Initiated correspondence with the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology