Black Hair Stylist Naeemah LaFond: ‘Even If My Voice Was Shaking, I’ve Said What I’ve Had to Say’

NL: We have to start from that very first step: teaching. Hiring Black educators, whether that’s for beauty schools or to work for brands. I think that’s important because if we want to truly be inclusive and work with all kinds of models and people, the educators teaching need to be able to do all kinds of hair.

KCM: You’ve said that Black hair stylists are often only hired to style Black women and men’s hair. What kind of impact does that have on the career of a Black stylist?

NL: Don’t just hire us to do Black hair. That is a huge thing we struggle with. When we go to school, we learn to do white hair because that’s mandatory. At the end of the day, if anyone knows how to do all hair, it’s definitely Black stylists. For so long, we’ve been pigeonholed into only being able to work with Black celebrities, and only do covers for Black hair magazines. Very few of us have made it through the cracks and landed jobs that don’t have a race or color attached to them. A huge job is a great gig, a great opportunity, period. Not, ‘You did Black hair for a Black artist for a Black magazine.’

KCM: What are other ways to support Black hair stylists?

NL: Support means several things. Literally give credit, like, ‘Your work is amazing. We acknowledge you.’ We’ve had the conversation about cultural appropriation before, but also there’s a conversation about when we create hairstyles or techniques, that we as Black hair stylists get credit for them. We need more exposure, for sure. And also, we need to be paid equally.

KCM: What motivated you to speak out publicly about your feelings and insights?

NL: After George Floyd’s murder, I broke my silence. I had just watched a speech given by activist Tamika Mallory. I saw how brave and strong she was; she inspired me to be the same. … I felt like if we want to do better, we have to start out with honesty and tough conversations. I wanted to take the emotion out of it and deal with facts, with clear action steps. That’s what the article was all about.

KCM: Are there any brands out there, whether in hair care or not, that you feel are doing it right?

NL: Amika for sure, I’m proud to be with a brand that was inclusive before inclusivity was trending. I’m also excited to see brands like Sephora participating in [business owner] Aurora James’ 15% Pledge, where retailers promise 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. That’s real tangible work; that’s the right thing to do.

KCM: What is a moment you said to yourself, “I’ve really made it”?

NL: I don’t know that I’ve made it, but I do know I’m exactly where I need to be. I’ve had moments when there’s blood rushing through my veins and fairy tales in my head playing out in real life. At one recent New York Fashion Week, I was the key hair [creative director] for four shows on the official calendar. I just couldn’t believe my life.