A Note from the artist.

It’s Personal: Understand first that this is all a work in progress and this project has taken me on journey and path that is still paving its way. I’m learning so much about my community, culture, people and myself.

When I first came up with the idea for this project, How the shutdown of barbershops and beauty salons during the global pandemic impacted the mental health of communities of color, it was just that, an idea, a theory, written down of paper. I spoke about it to a few friends and each response was always in agreeance of how needed this is. I grew up in salons. It’s the place where I could find familiar faces in my community. Whether you were a judge, mailman, store clerk or just someone from around the way. The shop was a place I could go to recreate myself time and time again. The stylist helped me see me and all the things I was hiding from myself. The shop taught me about culture, community and fellowship. This topic is important to me not only because I understand what these spaces mean to my community but because it was one of the first places where I shaved all my hair off and was challenged to confront my own ideologies of beauty beyond what I see in the mirror. My stylist would say affirmations as she snipped away, ask my how I was doing really and reminded me that we were all here to help one another share the load. The shop is a lifeline to so many.

“We were told we weren’t essential..to be told you’re not essential, that does something to a person” - Barber, Ms. Lavender.

Discoveries: I discovered that some of the people in these spaces recognized their routines, way of life, the way they saw themselves, were all impacted from the shutdown but they didn’t necessarily give a thought or realize just how much these spaces impacted them mentally until the question was asked. Others associated the question about the mental health aspect with needing to be put in a straight jacket, so they couldn’t connect; because of that, they door has been opened to have more conversations around the stigmas about mental health and how the everyday person experiences mental health struggles. I’ve realized that aspect of this project is a underlining factor but overall people felt more comfortable and connected to the subject more when they could simply express what these spaces mean to them. Barbers and Stylist spoke about what their clients meant to them and vice versa. The relationships built in these spaces aren’t transactional they’re long-term relationships. Whenever the community is in need , the shop would be the place to go to find resources. The shutdown exposed existing issues already plaguing communities of color, like gentrification, feeling of abonnement, lack of resources and lack of respect for the profession.

Themes: In my preview exhibit you’ll notice there are different themes but just like a single braid, each theme represents a strand that interconnects to the overall story. With the use of exterior imagery, textures, objects and portraits my hope is that you see can see how they all play their part in a bigger story.

F&M Stories & the Lancaster Community: To engage the F&M community with this project I had the opportunity to interview former and current students at Franklin and Marshall. They shared with me what their hair meant to them and how they navigated their haircare and self care; all while coping with the effects of the pandemic. One of the most common themes I learned from them is that they either cared for their own hair, waited to go back home to their communities for hair care or utilized the services of a campus stylist and barber.

A word: I am not a mental health expert nor a beautician, just a storyteller, so as you read and look through my findings of this project, remember that we are all learning as we go together. This project has been a journey of self discovery within myself along with those who have shared their stories with me. Thanks for joining me for the ride. I’d truly appreciate your feedback and thoughts from what I’ve gathered so far.

Be well.

-Shelby