Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1339654
N ot a m e m b e r ? J o i n at a s so c iate d h a i rp rofe s sio n a ls .c o m 29 for different skin and scalp conditions—from normal skin types to extreme psoriasis and dermatitis—that prevent many women and men from leading a healthy hair journey and limits them to certain hairstyles. In 2017, I created Moth Locs, a loc brand that includes handmade human and synthetic locs (permanent and/or temporary) that appear natural. I found that in protective styling for women, both faux and natural loc styles are generally very time consuming (taking five or more hours) and tedious. I wanted to create a unique, less time-consuming way to install them, with more long-term usage benefits. Time is very precious, and adding time to a client's life—while also achieving the look they desire—is a pretty dope achievement. TELL ME ABOUT THE BOOK GLORY. Glory: Magical Visions of Black Beauty is a visual compilation of cultural and historical greatness that shows the power of children and what they have to offer this world—especially when adults listen to them. The authors and creators of Creative Soul, Kahran and Regis Bethencourt, are a married duo who work with children all over the world to create "out of the box" images with their photography. I began working with Creative Soul in 2018, where I was called to style hair for a photo shoot, and that was the beginning of a flourishing creative relationship that is shown throughout the book. Since then, I have become their lead hairstylist in Atlanta, Georgia, and began traveling with them in 2019. Being a part of the team and having their trust as the lead hairstylist for their vision is one of my greatest accomplishments. It is such an honor to have my hair creation on the cover of this book. YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR WORKING WITH WOMEN AND GIRLS. WHAT MOTIVATES YOUR WORK IN THIS AREA? I believe my passion for working with young girls and women stems from my own childhood experiences and my first child, my daughter Xihir. I was a single mother at the age of 21 and was still in college about to graduate while working multiple jobs in my craft to build my career. By society's standards, I was just another statistic, but I knew I was going to be great and my daughter would grow to be even greater. In high school, the final paper I submitted to graduate was titled "Mass Media Effects on Teenage Girls." This topic intrigued me and was based on my own personal growth—from my experience in relationships with my mother, instructors, friends, and other associates. On my journey to maturity, these experiences helped me understand the power we hold as women. By my senior year at Howard University, I worked as an assistant creative director for Hands on the Future, a youth program geared toward introducing inner-city children (ages 13–18) to different departments within the arts. I mentored young teens on the arts of dance, theater, technical production, sound engineering, broadcasting, journalism, and more to broaden the artistic development in children and preteens that might not otherwise have had the financial means to be involved in activities within the entertainment industry. I believe all these experiences helped me understand that women have a huge responsibility in how our youth develops. Women are nurturers, and hair artistry is a vessel for more than compliments that come from enhancing someone's natural beauty. WHAT INSPIRES YOU IN HAIR DESIGN? My hair design inspiration comes from wanting to create wearable hair art that looks realistic but is artistically different. I get inspired by colors, shapes, eras in history, different cultures, and the beauty of the model I'm working with. I have developed my own signature styling that many recognize, and I am inspired to capture these creations on my own terms—not what the world sees as a template to follow. My designs are forever evolving. HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY AWARDS/ RECOGNITION FOR YOUR WORK? I have been blessed to be recognized as a hair artist who is creatively unique, and I have had my work published in several magazines in the US, Africa, London, and "Stay out the Damn Box" is a lifestyle choice of taking risks, stepping out of your comfort zone to achieve growth and not being confined to the normalcy of society. —Shanna Anise