The Curl Code

How ableism and hairism are connected, and what it’s like experiencing--and resisting--both

Luby Ismail came up in the same Egypt as Wafaya; longing for straight, silky hair, and taking hot irons and chemical relaxers to it to try and meet the beauty “ideal.” As an adult, Luby is an intercultural educator and public speaker, and realized one day that she couldn’t be authentic in her teaching if she wasn’t authentic in herself. Her journey includes living with multiple sclerosis, and in this episode, she educates us on ways even people with the best intentions can fail to see the fullness of lives that differ from their own.
 
From founding Connecting Cultures, which fights Islamophobia, to her husband’s documentary filmmaking, and her son’s environmental activism, Luby’s whole family is committed to using education to build bridges, making the "foreign," "familiar," and working for the betterment of humanity.  
 
More:
Meet Luby’s husband, Alex Kronemer and his film company: https://www.upf.tv/ 
 

Learning how not to ”fix” your hair

Scott Musgrave started Curly Hair Artistry as an online education forum back when Facebook was in its prime, and Wafaya Abdallah was what you might call an early adopter. His philosophy of embracing natural hair texture and cultivating curls, instead of "dealing with" dry, frizzy hair, was still cutting edge a decade ago (no pun intended). Since then, they've teamed up to take the learning into real life in curl cutting workshops, and in their personal and professional friendship, sharing philosophies of wellness and the deeper meaning of "work."
On this episode, Scott and Wafaya talk about learning to identify the values that drive fulfillment in work and life, and how abandoning external measures like comparing yourself to others and letting go of outcomes has helped Scott improve his health, energy level, and elevated his mindset. From being trolled online to being teased as a curly guy growing up, Scott talks about how important it is to overcome the demons in your head, even if by just having the courage to step into a cold plunge to get in touch with yourself and your innate capabilities. 
 
In this episode: 
The benefits of a cold plunge:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/20/well/mind/cold-water-plunge-mental-health.html 
https://mentalhealthcenter.com/cold-exposure-ice-plunge/#:~:text=Cold%20exposure%20increases%20the%20production,such%20as%20depression%20and%20anxiety. 
Wim Hof https://www.wimhofmethod.com/ 
How cortisol affects the body https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22187-cortisol
Joe Dispenza https://drjoedispenza.com/ 
 

People over profit is a better business model

Michael Yost has been a hairdresser for 25 years, and a business owner for 16 of those years. Much like the rest of the industry, he didn't think much about styling curls or natural texture until the last seven years or so, even though he's a curly man himself. Around that time, he also sold his business, and now, Michael is the president of Strategies, which teaches salon and spa owners how to create, run, and grow a team-based business around a co-elevating culture that builds up profits by building up people. Like Wafaya, Michael and his organization believe that good numbers are a reflection of a healthy and happy staff, thriving in a culture of safety and growth, with a clear sense of purpose. Michael joins The Curl Code to talk about growing up curly in Pennsylvania, raising curly sons, and how much he's seen himself and his industry grow and change over the last few decades.
 
Strategies and Oasis Curl Salon have partnered on a technical and business training course called Crosswalk, bringing the culture of curl and team elevation to salon owners from all over the country. Michael visited Rockville for an on-site with the team, and to kick off the classes. Learn more about topics like leading with empathy, avoiding owner burnout, and becoming an eco-friendly salon on the Beauty Business Strategies podcast.

You don’t get to be bossy for free

Kelly Swann started out as an apprentice Oasis Curl Salon. Originally she knew nothing about the art of hair styling. She was a great student and went on to have her own salon in Denver, Colorado. 
Shortly after taking ownership of her own salon, Let Em Have It, in Denver, Colorado, Kelly and her team experienced a terrible tragedy. She reflects on how they coped–and didn’t, maybe–and what absorbing such a heartbreak means for a salon that is deeply interwoven in their community, including the clients as well as the stylists. On this episode, Kelly and Wafaya reflect on the deep commitment stylists like them feel to their clients and each other, the preciousness of students who challenge you, and what “swavy” girl Kelly has learned about the difference between, and caring for, curls and waves alike. Kelly and Wafaya explore the rewards of leading with love for clients and coworkers alike, the magic of seeing someone fall in love with themselves, tips for other young and ambitious business owners, and how the more we learn, the less we know.

A generational shift in curl culture philosophy

Curl Stylist Sydnei Cave grew up with a lot of the same "curl wisdom" as many women of color. Oil your scalp, braid your hair, use relaxers. But, as she became educated in hair science and curl styling, Syd increasingly understood that those approaches were based in a philosophy of beauty generations before her had adopted as a legacy of slavery. First, absorbing society's attempts to keep women of African descent as "tame" as possible, to control them and then, as Black women in the United States fought for civil rights, to present themselves as close to whiteness as possible to be taken seriously, and be heard. While she understands and respects the experiences of her elders, Syd is part of a generation which sees--and is starting to do--things differently. 
On this episode of the Curl Code, Oasis Curl Salon's youngest stylist educates Wafaya on how far her vision of natural hair has come since her childhood, and how she thinks her generation, and hopefully one day, the world, will see things differently.
 
MORE from this episode: 
Ubuntu: an African philosophical concept of oneness popularized to English-speakers by Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Sometimes translated as “I am because you are,” it is part of a Zulu phrase, “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”, meaning that a person’s personhood only exists through other people.  
The CROWN Act: The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” is currently being adopted on a state by state basis to ban hair-based discrimination at schools and workplaces. Braided twists or locs, “as long as style is neat in appearance” are allowed for women–but not men–in the military.   
 
Relaxer lawsuits
Hair Relaxer Cancer Lawsuit | Potential Settlement Amounts
https://www.consumersafety.org/product-lawsuits/hair-relaxers/
 
Dozens of lawsuits claim hair relaxers cause cancer and other health problems | US news | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/06/loreal-hair-relaxer-lawsuit-cancer
 
US woman files lawsuit against L'Oréal, claiming chemical hair straightening products are linked to her cancer | CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/24/health/hair-straightening-products-lawsuit/index.html

Showing up for your curls for the very first time

For some people, walking into a curl salon is the first time someone looks at their hair, often worn out, bedraggled or caked in product, and says "OMG what beautiful curls! I can't wait to see them!" That was certainly Hannah Gaber's experience when she first went to Curly Oasis, recommended by a friend who knows the struggle. The journey of learning and self acceptance--and finding an unexpected community of curlies--is what inspired this podcast. That moment of acceptance and having your potential reflected back to you can be a game-changer, and that's what drives Wafaya Abdallah and her team at Oasis. This episode is a bit about their origin story and the philosophy that underlies their work: from healing curls and people to implementing a co-elevating business model. 
Oasis is more than a curl salon, it's a curl sanctuary, and Wafaya and her team of curl specialists consider themselves teachers as much as anything else. Over the years of serving curly customers, they've seen stories of transformation and revelation that inspire them in what they do, and to evangelize for embracing the natural qualities we all have that make us beautiful to shine as our most authentic, brightest selves. This show was started to share those stories, build a community, share experiences and education, the science and spirituality of curly hair care and empowering our crowns. 

Welcome to the Curl Code!

On the Curl Code, we hear stories and struggles of learning to care for unique curly crowns, and how that so often leads to a larger discovery of authenticity, and making the decision to show up in our full light.
Each episode tells a story of learning to care for curls, led by Curly Oasis salon owner and curl educator Wafaya Abdallah, with people of all backgrounds--curly or not!
Tune in to get some practical advice on hair care and self care, learn about a co-elevating team-based business model, and see how embracing our most authentic selves allows us to vibrate at our highest frequencies.