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Okay I'm recording. Hello today is October 18th, 2021. My name is Renaldie Paul. Would you like to introduce yourself? Hi I'm Regina Ofori-Antwi ! I am a hairstylist in DC. I work at a salon that caters to people with natural hair, we just well, my salon caters to everybody, but a lot of the people are natural, are natural hair girls, or they have relaxers, and some sort. Awesome. Thank you for that. Just so we're all so clear. Do I have permission to record the session? (Interviewee gave non-verbal approval head nod)

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Awesome. Okay. So Regina, how would you describe your childhood? We're starting way back in the beginning. I feel like it is a typical African child up bringing. I yeah, I would be considered a first generation kid. I'm the first generation of my parents children should be born and raised here. So it was interesting, very interesting.

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Jarring parallel between my home life, and like me going to school only because at home all I spoke was my traditional language, not like a lick of English. (audio issues ) I was here. Sorry you cut out for a moment. Last I heard was you said you traditional language what language would that be? It was (audio issue) , it's called (audio issue) So okay.

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Yeah, I'm Ghanaian our traditional language in that part of the country is called Twi. It's spelled T-w-i. T-w-i. I really relate to that. I'm first generation Haitian-American and that home all we spoke was Creole. So I feel that difference in home versus school life. Did you When I first started school I use to get my words confused. My first language isn't English, so I use to get my words confused and I use to struggle, and people would just look at me like...shorty. Did you did you grow up in the DMV Area ?

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Yes, I was born. I was born. I was raised in PG. Ohh okay PG. PG being? I'm not local. What did you say? I'm sorry. Oh, no, it's fine. I said, PG PG, being like, where is PG?

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Ohh. PG is Prince George's County. I'm sorry. (laughs) No. No, you're fine. You're fine. Pretty girl County. Oh, yeah. (laughs) Oh is that? Is that the code? Is that like the pretty girl county is what people call it sometimes too. (head nod).(laughs) I like that.

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How do you feel like being raised in the DMV area has shaped you and your your upbringing? What unique, like, what unique experiences did that provide you with? It was like none other. That's all I can say because the ability to code switch. Being raised like being around black people. Like it was diverse, but a majority of the schools that I went to were like middle-income to high income black kids. Yeah, so like I've seen everything.

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Like I've seen I've seen a majority of the trends that happen in this DMV area. I remember the period of time where everybody was wearing the Muslim hat even though they weren't Muslim. From that period of time, period of time, everybody had locs. To the period of time where every female that I saw or knew was wearing Bright pink lipstick. Lips and the pants. So like yeah, so it's been interesting. So you're already like getting touching on hair a little bit. Do you remember your first experience or like first time getting your own hair done? And like how that felt or any memorable hair experiences you've had yourself from your childhood. Oh my God. Yes. Because I used to always go with my mom whenever she wants to go get her relaxer. And her hair stylist had her own Salon in the basement of her of her house with a fully decked out salon. Everything she needed a whole entire set up and she also sold Avon on the side. I just remember, I was just being there watching, my mom, get her hair done. I'm just like, One day that's going to be me. That's gonna be me one day. Oh my God. I can't wait because I don't like when my mom combs my hair.

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Because, I have thick-ass hair and my mom use to break combs, combing my hair. I was like , Oh, this woman does not know how I do my hair. Like, save me ! The first time I got my hair professionally done, that was really when I got a first relaxer too. I was like, what? Five or six? Maybe? Yeah, it was like five or six. Probably, more so leaning towards six because I knew I was in elementary. I was in kindergarten when it started. So man I just remember, sitting in this lady's chair and the perm is just a burning. I was just like "is it supposed to feel like this?" And she was just like "is it really bad?" and i'm "Yeah, like it's burning." Then she was just like, "All right. Come on. Let's go wash your hair out." And then My hair is straight and she was like "Yes!" I remember the Just For Me boxes, the little styles on it. I used to always point out to the front, "like, girl, I want the Flat twist. That's not a really a flat twist. I want a little Bobo. (laughs) And they never really came out like that. So yeah. Having my hair done by Mom, that was a whole nother experience because shorty was heavy-handed. She was heavy-handed. But it was, it was a bonding experience for us, like, I would go get all my things and sit down and wait for her, to come do my hair and then like she just be doing my hair and I would fall asleep with my head on her thigh or something. Or I would just be crying while watching "Bratz". [background conversation] So it's very interesting.

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Yeah, nothing humbled me. What did you say ? to say that? Nothing? Nothing. Humbled me as quickly as when a comb broken my hair. Once, when I was getting my hair done, when I was younger, like, I was, I had to have been, like seven in that just threw me for a loop. I was like, (gasp) Yeah I was like what is this privilege then my mom (audio issue) You sure, you know what you're doing.

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Yeah, let's see. Sorry. There was a knock at my door. So. Let's see. So, what like what are things that drive you? Like sorts of passions you have in your life that are important? Oh passion I have that drive me. I think caring for my community is one. I want to help people that look like me. I want to help girls, the women the ones that look like me. So they can feel empowered, so they don't feel burdened by what they have been given naturally by God, gifts, their parents. I don't ever want them or feel burdened by it.

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So that's one thing that motivates me. Another thing is just (Holding my own??), In terms of being a creative motivates me. Okay, I feel like the world is much better, a lot smoother, and a lot more enjoyable when creatives are allowed to create and create how they know. yeah. Yeah.

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When you describe yourself as a creative, what do you consider yourself a creative in the sense of the Artistry of when you're doing hair? Are you or you like also like an artist, like a painterly artist as well, on top of that? Well I kind off consider myself a creative. (audio issue) I artist. I artist. I also write. artist.

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I crochet I'm a artist. and knit. What else? I'm always doing something like it's always, I'm always doing something. Sometimes I play around with Photoshop. Like, it's always, something being done. So that's why I call myself a creative. Oh, that's so cool. What's your favorite type of things? What do you crochet the most often? Like I like sweaters. Or are you more like an intense crocheter or that you're making like couch duvets or something?

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I wish I could focus for that long. I'm more so of a hat, scarf type of person. I love making hats (audio issue). Why spend $13 on a hat when I can just make it. So yeah. (laughter) I like that, I like that, I can do it myself attitude. That's very first gen. There is nothing I hate more than walking in to H&M and see [audio issue] for $10. Like why? I can just make this.

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Okay, so when we first met initially, you touched on how you've been licensed for two years. Do you think you can walk me through the process of getting your license and what got. Wait, let me rephrase that. So what is what drove you to get your license in the first place? That's one question and then we can circle back to the other question afterwards. So what drove license me to getting my license , I said enough is enough. I did things everybody else was doing. And they way they thought I should go about it. It wasn't making me happy and I'm being left with a lot of debt and wondering, how am I gonna pay that back? So I was just like, I'm just gonna go [audio issue]. And know that no matter what I'm gonna be good.

00:13:10.700 - 00:16:06.400

Why I went to cosmetology school, well I've always been the person that did my friends' hair. I did my friends', my Mom's hair. I was the girl my friend's called to be like, Hey girl gimme some yarn braids (playful sigh) Sure. How about my relaxer can you put my relaxer in? Sure why not, I can figure it out. So, yeah. (started with ??) [audio issue] My doll's head when I was a kid, I felt like (it was uphill from there ??) [audio issue] hair school. It was very interesting, issue] The program that I was in was for (a year of 10 weeks??). I was there longer than a year, because I just had a lot of things going on. [audio issue] to say the least. [audio It was very intense. I would go Thursday to Friday, 9 am to about 11 on the weekdays. [audio issue] like, So about 6 also. and of my. Near the end of my time there I was working overnight. So, it was really difficult. [audio issue] Where can I go? Just to be like Bebe. Without and one more night before, I'm like, for this. It was interesting experience. yeah, so was it interesting in interesting in the. (interviewee had an expression that indicated there was more)You can be candid as you can be as candid as you want.

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I'm not going put those name out there. Teachers would leave in the middle of the 10 weeks. Like in the most crucial parts of one of the most crucial parts of my training. And we weren't able to be there physically and we didn't have a teacher. There wasn't enough staff to teach, that's one thing There was a lot of drama, not with me, but like between students and staff. I would say impaired student. Microaggressions. The majority of the administrator were white, but the students were not. [audio issue] [audio issue] yourself. [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] I [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] I think we [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] just [audio issue] [audio issue] But, despite all of that, that didn't do you feel like having that level of chaos, well not chaos, but disjunction and those microaggressions during your education into hair. How do you feel that affected your path? Oh, sorry did my question cut out? there I just the cause was covert racism [audio issue] impaired [audio issue] But, despite all of that, that didn't do you feel like having that level of chaos, well not chaos, but disjunction and those microaggressions during your education into hair. How do you feel that affected your path? Oh, sorry did my question cut out? [audio issue] It was very, it made like leaving easy. Once I left, it was just (interviewee showing visible containment, large smile ) all that I went through. What I do now is such a walk in the park. A simple stroll. It was a relief. until you go there yourself. [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] I [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] just [audio issue] , [audio issue]

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I just ya. I just impaired [audio issue] [audio issue] yourself. [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] I [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] just [audio issue] [audio issue] Wow, so. Okay. Yeah, you did. So is the current salon you are at the first salon you've been at, or were you at previous salons before you got here? I just

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Did you have another question? I just No, I aside from the one that the one that I just asked about, whether your current Salon is your the first Salon you've ever been at officially. Or if this is like, you know, like you finally found the right one type of thing. I just I just It's so amazing. I'm glad this wasn't Cinderella [I meant Goldilocks] where as many tries as it takes, instead one try and it fit. just

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just That's good. So in your time there you've obviously had lots of clients. I think we're. All right sorry, I think we lagged for a moment. But I think we're good now. So in your time at the salon. just just impaired were not. [audio issue] [audio issue] yourself. [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] I [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] I think we [audio issue] [audio issue] [audio issue] just [audio issue] [audio issue]

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just Yeah, can you hear me? just Okay. You said and your time at the salon. just Yeah, I was so yeah. In your time at your salon, you've had lots of clients. So I'm wondering if you could maybe put yourself in your clients shoes and describe what you think being in your chairs is like. Like what what do you think they see when they're getting their hair done by you? What do they feel? just

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just I don't know if you can hear me, but unfortunately, I couldn't hear you and it looked like a very animated moment, and I was so excited to hear it. just I'm just Am I? Ballast. People's lives. I just how you like, I didn't. UB. I feel like, I'm just glad to see you guys. Station. And Very recent. My class, at least, tell me that. It came in. Weasley with. Hmm, that house lines. I guess that's nice. I feel like sitting in my chair people are thinking, she's just pulling on my hair. because I'm very quiet. Okay. We medicate. The saddles. because, Three. Okay. Is awesome. My clients always tell me that Like it's a I can take theirs. Sleep. Why? Mom. So would you say that the relaxation of your client feeling at ease is like part of your hair philosophy or your philosophy, in terms of your relationship with your clients?

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I think my audio has cut out again, unfortunately, so I'm missing all your wonderful answer. Can you hear me? If I turn off my camera, will be able to hear. It's just me now. End of Part 1.