Episode 22 | Understanding the Culture of our Hair's Fabric with Yene Damtew; salon owner and hairstylist to the Obamas

THE BEAUTY EDITION

There has been a lot of talk in the hair industry as a result of the recent racial injustices here in the USA. Talk that has elevated how discriminatory, racist and segregated our industry still is today. In this episode, Yene Damtew, ethiopian-american salon owner of Aesthetics Salon in Arlington, Virginia, hair coach and one of Michelle Obama’s hairstylists and mentees, joins me the Lounge to educate all about the heritage (or should i say HAIR-itage) of our cultural hairstyles and the meanings associated with them.

SHOW NOTES

Yene Damtew on…

(04:19) - being an introvert, despite her require sometimes requiring her to exert extroverted energy

(06:16) - the advantages of quarantine and how she has found the good in it all. “Who are we at our core?”

(10:52) - the meaning and origination of her name, Yene Bicha. Meaning: Mine only. Named by her father

(14:00) - being a first generation ethiopian-american and how her heritage influences her daily American life

(17:51) - spending time in city/country where the majority looks like you

(19:38) - beauty traditions from the ethiopian culture

(21:00) - when she knew she would be a hairstylist. At 16 years young

(22:40) - having a BA in Business Administration and how it has helped her as a business owner

(22:55) - what she wished she knew before beginning her career as a hairstylist. “You don’t have to know everything”

(26:32) - her go to hairstyles for herself. Yene talks about style shifting and reinventing her look through multiple hairstyles

(28:20) - her journey from graduating from cosmetology school and moving from Orange County to the White House, as one of two hairstylists to the Obama family

(30:20) - what it was like working with the First Lady, Mrs Michelle Obama

(32:00) -the origination and signification of our Black cultural hairstyles and we touch upon cultural appropriation

(39:33) - the CROWN act. Creating a Respectful and Open World/Workplace for Natural hair

(44:15) - a key business building tip for all salon owners looking to build their business and careers in the hair industry

(45:00) - running as therapy. Her current self-care ritual

(47:15) - her beauty essentials. Yene names Mizani’s 25 Miracle Milk as a must-have for textured hair

(49:35) - her final message: "You have to know who you are…”

(51:31) - where to find Yene: @yenedamtew; her salon: @aesthetics.salon. For professional stylists, click here to find out how you can join her academy community for salon business tips