I was raised in a small town in Indiana where the most successful Black person I had ever seen was a preacher, my grandfather. Due to the lack of resources, careers that required a higher education were not occupied by Black people. When I graduated college as a first-generation college student, it was a huge feat. I had never seen a lawyer or judge, in real life or fictionalized, that looked like me. This in turn internalized to mean, it was not something I could ever become. Graduating from law school broke the glass ceiling for me and my entire community. However, even after several years of practicing law, becoming a judge was still a profession where I did not feel I belonged. I did not see myself big enough. It wasn’t until a predominate black lawyer in the Dallas area told me I needed to dream bigger and “stop shrinking,” that my mindset changed. When I saw myself through his lens, my aspirations of becoming a judge grew. It was only then that becoming a judge became my goal.
Being that you are currently one of 26 Black Woman Judges who lead the nation in Dallas, do you feel as if you’ve reached your desired goal in law?
In the Black community, our ancestors cautioned us to not be greedy by expecting too much and not appreciating the blessings we currently have. These sentiments turn into guilt when you have reached the “I made it” status and still long for more. For many, becoming a Black female judge is the ultimate goal, however, my lifelong goal is to stand on a platform where I can inspire and motivate others across the world; becoming a judge is merely just the beginning.
Can you tell us about your journey to go from judge to entrepreneur?
Being a Black woman in a profession dominated by white counterparts comes with judgment, ridicule, and stigma. To survive in this climate, I have always presented my best from the inside out, but my outward appearance is a priority. Like most Black women, I spent thousands of dollars on hair care, adding to the billion-dollar industry. I was guilty of buying an excessive amount of expensive hair extensions only to later toss them in the trash due to improper care. Hearing the wise words of my granny, “Don’t be wasteful,” I searched for a way to extend the life of my hair extensions, hoping to increase their longevity and reuse them. Unable to find a solution, I created it myself, thereby birthing the Hair Shield; a satin-lined protective storage unit that protects, stores, and renews the luster of your hair weave and wigs. They say every invention is created out of the needs of necessity and that rings true as to how I became an entrepreneur.
Can you tell us more about your company The Hair Shield and its product line?
Created in 2018, the Hair Shield is a patent-pending product designed to save customers money by providing a space to safely store and protect their hair extensions and units, so they receive more longevity and use. When women can reuse their hair over a longer period, they spend less on hair care and save money.
What are the benefits of using, The Hair Shield?
The Hair Shield is a satin-lined protective unit that stores, transports, and restores the beauty of your hair extensions. Its satin lining, just like a hair bonnet, provides ultimate quality preservation by maintaining moisture to reduce frizz and dryness. The Hair Shield also has a locking feature which lays the hair flat to prevent tangles and shedding. The Hair Shield not only properly stores extensions and expensive units but also protects them from bacteria and mildew. The compact and discrete size allows for easy vacation travel or quick trips to the hair salon. You can also easily organize multiple hair units with the identification card which tucks into the side pocket. With these benefits, your hair will last for years saving you thousands of dollars.
Healthy and protected hair seems to be a major focus for this line, can you provide some tips for maintaining healthy hair?
Although I am not a licensed beauty professional, I have learned a few things which help keep my natural hair healthy while wearing hair extensions. If you regularly wear hair extensions or units, make sure to properly moisturize your natural hair, keep your ends trimmed, and deep condition your hair in between installs. I also recommend giving your natural hair a vacation from wearing extensions every three months. Finally, because I have fine hair, I do not allow my stylist to apply tension during the installation.
Where would you like to see The Hair Shield in 3 to 5 years?
I would like to see the Hair Shield become a hair extension necessity, not an option. Women are accustomed to wasting tons of money to maintain our crowns, but I want the Hair Shield to disrupt that mindset. Our focus is on helping women get a bigger bang for their buck when dealing with hair upkeep and we hope to expand to more products that help to reach the need of that target audience.
What would you like our views to gain from this interview?
Foremost, I hope your viewers leave with the realization that life is multi-dimensional and there is nothing stopping you from going after multiple goals even if you are presently living within your dream. Secondly, I hope those who currently wear hair extensions or wigs join my mission to serve flawlessly while saving financially.
How can people connect with you?
IG: @officialhairshield
FB: @shequittakelly
Website: www.thehairshield.com
Photo Credits: Marrica Evans and LMG Imagery
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