“Beauticians & Barbers for Harris” event, organized by Black Women for Kamala Harris, recently held a virtual fundraiser that successfully raised over $25,000 for Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. The Zoom call, titled “The Power of the Chair,” brought together an impressive lineup of beauty industry leaders, celebrities, and supporters, showcasing the influence and commitment of the beauty community in political engagement.
The event featured notable speakers including industry icons Kim Kimble, Tina Knowles, and Neal Farinah. Celebrity supporters such as Kelly Rowland (via recorded message), Maxwell and Octavia Spencer also made appearances, demonstrating the wide-reaching support for Harris’s campaign.
Tina Knowles, one of the event’s driving forces, opened the session by acknowledging the importance of the beauty industry’s role in community building. She shared how the idea for the event came to fruition, praising Kim Kimble’s initiative: “With her usual ‘let’s do it’ attitude, [Kim Kimble] said, ‘Let me call out and gather up…’. It was a demonstration of her love for the community and the collective power we hold.”
Throughout the event, speakers emphasized the unique position beauty professionals hold in shaping public opinion. “We are the light source of our community,” Knowles added, highlighting the influence that salons and barbershops have as venues for important conversations. Kaye Flewellen owner of the longest-standing African American salon in Dallas, echoed this sentiment, saying, “The salon chair is absolutely the most powerful space in the country.”
Representative Rhetta Bowers, a key organizer of the event, stressed the importance of the beauty industry in political engagement. “Use your chair to champion making sure that Vice President Harris becomes President Kamala Harris,” Bowers urged attendees. She also highlighted the significance of the upcoming election, reminding participants of crucial voting dates in Texas and encouraging early voting.
The event not only focused on fundraising but also on mobilizing the beauty community for political action. Kia Neal, founder of the Texture vs. Race movement, reminded attendees of the importance of collective action: “Every movement requires movement… We have to open minds, generate curiosity, and leverage the influence of our salons to change the course of this nation.”
Bowers also spoke about the recently passed CROWN Act in Texas, which she authored. The Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, aims to prevent discrimination based on hair texture and style. “We won’t be held from those board rooms and those classrooms getting the classroom instruction our children so deserve, but certainly that we won’t be held from promotion when it comes to getting a better job earning a better wage,” Bowers explained.
As the event concluded, attendees were urged to continue supporting the Harris campaign. Brandy Chené, a celebrity colorist, emphasized the influence beauty professionals have: “We have so much influence, more than we really know,” urging beauticians across the nation to rally their clients and communities to vote.
The success of the “Beauticians & Barbers for Harris” event demonstrates the power of grassroots organizing within the beauty industry and the commitment of Black women to support Vice President Harris’s presidential aspirations. The beauty community has shown that they are not just about style, but about substance—mobilizing voters, raising funds, and advocating for a brighter future.
