Black History Month: St. Stephen CSS students take part in unique haircare workshop
Hair Therapy: Our Hair is Our Crown focuses on the history of hair in the Black community
For the second year in a row, students across the Board participated in the Hair Therapy: Our Hair is Our Crown workshop, where members of the Black, African, and the Caribbean community, along with allied groups, were invited to discuss the history of hair in the Black community. Previously, students had the opportunity to hear from a certified hair stylist who demonstrated best practices for hair care and hair love. This year, the workshop was student-led, with the St. Stephen Catholic Secondary School community leading their own on Feb. 9 with entrepreneurs Jayante Anderson and Makayla Donald, both of whom work as black hair stylists within their community.
“This was a great experience that made me feel empowered and comfortable with my heritage,” reflected Anderson. “It made me feel happy to see other students interested in learning about our culture.”
In total, Anderson and Donald demonstrated various hair care and styling techniques in front of a group of 20 classmates across all grade levels. The session was led with a slide show summarizing the history of black hair care and stylings created by students Shalom Gale and Naomi Moses.
“As an educator, I feel proud and excited to be part of an event that celebrates culture and diversity within our school,” said teacher Maria Tassielli. “It’s a wonderful feeling to see students participating and even leading activities that highlight their talents and skills. Students feel like they are represented and recognized in the school community.”
Tassielli said the session encouraged students to learn new techniques and knowledge with diverse hair care, something she could even integrate into her own Hairstyling and Aesthetics classroom moving forward.
“Hair is a centerpiece of black culture. It’s a symbol of identity, of resistance, creative expression and freedom. Through traditional styles, afros, locs and braids, we are communicating so much of who our ancestors were and who we are,” said Benjamin, the Board’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer, adding that facilitators have received overwhelmingly positive responses from the students who participated and their parents.