Curls for Queens: Empowering Black girls to embrace natural hair
For many young Black girls, embracing their natural hair can be a real challenge.
It’s more than just how they feel about their hair. It’s about how to care for it, how to style it and how to feel confident in it.
That’s where Curls for Queens steps in to help.
Curls for Queens, a non-profit organization based in Tallahassee, transforms lives by teaching young Black girls to love and care for their hair.
At the organization’s makeover events, participants get new hairstyles and the skills to care for their curls.
Makayla Fedd, the founder of Curls for Queens, started the organization with a simple yet powerful idea. She wanted to create a supportive community for young girls to embrace their natural hair.
Fedd wanted them to not just accept their curls but to love them.
“When we built Curls for Queens, it was with the idea of the community coming around and surrounding these girls, saying, ‘Hey, we’re here for you, and this is important to us as well,’” Fedd said.
Z NEWS PHOTO/ TATYANA PURIFOY
This year, Curls for Queens had a special sponsor, Chernique Williams, who provided her own line of hair care products, including shampoo, conditioner, edge control and scalp oil.
Williams’s goal was to ensure girls left the event not just with new hairstyles but also with the tools to maintain them.
“I know the importance of wanting to feel good, look good and have a strong sense of self-esteem. I’ve always wanted to be a part of something like this—to give back and make young girls feel good about themselves,” Williams said.
Z NEWS PHOTO/ TATYANA PURIFOY
After the events, young girls leave with a renewed sense of self-love and empowerment.
For them, it’s more than just a makeover — it’s a chance to see themselves in a whole new light.
Credits:
Anchor: Luana Martins and Tatyana Purifoy
Reporters: Tatyana Purifoy
Web Editor: Clara Rokita Garcia
Audio: Gracie Campbell
Tech Director: Clara Rokita Garcia
Producer: Sam Poulin
Assistant Producer: Ricardo Cuomo
Social Media: Karli Kibbee
Teleprompter: Abigail Saxe
Camera: Debora Gruenberg
Editor: Paula Sanchez Ruiz
Graduate Assistant: Grace Ficara
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Stephanie Anderson