A Black Memphis, Tennessee entrepreneur has opened the first natural hair school in the Volunteer State to teach women how to style hair in natural and healthy ways.
According to a June 8 profile by Memphis’ WREG, Tamika Turner opened the Institute of Beauty this month in Bartlett, Tennessee with the intention of adding a much-needed jolt to the area’s sluggish economy.
“Our goal was to have 20 students. Now we have 24 students and we have 15 students on the waiting list,” Turner said.
The school has benefited from the national embrace for the natural hair movement. As a result, Black women are ditching perms and starting to wear their hair in more healthy styles.
Students can work as they learn. Turner schedules classes at night to fit around the schedules of her busy students. The students will spend seven-and-a-half weeks learning and another seven-and -a-half weeks working at a salon where they can earn cash.
