El Rito Media News Services

ALBUQUERQUE — Starting July 1, hair braiders will be exempt from the requirement of a cosmetology license to practice hair braiding due to the recently signed “Exempting Hair Braiding from Provisions of the Barbers and Cosmetologists Act.”

Four State House Representatives — Rep. Janelle Anyanonu (D-Albuquerque), Rep. Harold Pope (D-Albuquerque), Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Albuquerque) and Rep. Pamelya Herndon (D-Albuquerque) — sponsored the bill.

The bill would open up the opportunity for many black people to start small businesses in New Mexico, stimulating the local economy, Herndon said.

Many braiders learn how to braid from their communities or family members, Herndon said.

According to MiLady, the average total cost of attending a cosmetology school in New Mexico is $15,874.

“Why would you pay thousands of dollars for a license when you learned the craft outside of school?” Herndon said.

Eyebrow threading, despite also being exempt from licensure, must occur in a licensed establishment, according to the bill.

Nwamaka Tutman, a University of New Mexico student who braids hair herself, worked alongside Herndon during her time as part of the New Mexico Legislative Internship and became the face the bill would represent, she said.

“I think that legislators were able to sympathize with me because they saw me frequently while I was shadowing Rep. Herndon, and because I was wearing braids I did myself,” Tutman said.

Herndon felt “very proud” that Tutman adopted this role, she said.

“There are many people in college that rely on braiding hair to eat. We rely on it to pay bills, pay groceries, to do other things, and it’s really important that we are able to do that without legal implications,” Tutman said.

The bill will enable hair braiders to start businesses with the skills they have learned through their communities, Tutman said.

“It provides greater economic freedom by allowing people to practice their skills and removes unnecessary barriers to doing so,” Tutman said.

Outside the African American community, there are ways that other communities may benefit from this bill, Tutman said.

“Some of the people sitting in the committee have Native ancestry, and they have said that they can see themselves benefiting from the bill too, because they also wear their hair in braids. Braids are attached to the cultural identity.” Tutman said.

The Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists expressed a strong opposition to the bill, citing concerns that lowering professional standards increases the risk of harm to clients due to misuse of chemical hair products that could cause scalp burns, allergic reactions and other serious health concerns, according to a document from the New Mexico State Legislature.

Carcinogenic ingredients were found in 10 of the most popular synthetic hair braiding products, according to a Consumer Reports study that was published Feb. 27.

Products and techniques used in braiding are unlikely to seriously harm clients, Herndon said.

“I’d never heard of anyone dying because they got their hair braided,” Herndon said.

Prior to the passage of this bill, it was difficult to get your hair braided as a Black person in New Mexico, Tutman said.

New Mexico is the 37th state to exempt hair braiders from licensure, according to the Institute for Justice.

Herndon felt happy that New Mexico recognizes “a culture and a business that can exist,” she said.

“We can sit in a salon like our counterparts in other states and have that experience of self-care we deserve,” Tutman said.