April 9th 2024.
Beyoncé, the iconic singer and entrepreneur, has recently launched a new initiative called the Cécred x BeyGOOD Student Scholarship Fund, with the aim of investing in the next generation of barbers and hairstylists. This inspiring project involves a generous donation of $500,000 to five cosmetology schools across the United States. One of the lucky recipients is the Franklin Institute, a Black-owned haircare institute that Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, graduated from in the 1980s. The other four schools include Beaver Beauty Academy in Atlanta, Trenz Beauty Academy in Chicago, Universal College of Beauty in Los Angeles, and Janas Cosmetology Academy in New Jersey.
The chosen schools will not only receive a business grant from the Cécred x BeyGOOD Salon Business Grant, but also 25 students from each institute will be awarded $10,000 in financial aid scholarships, while another 25 salon owners will receive $10,000 in grants. These schools were carefully selected based on market research, with the goal of bridging the gap in an industry where the average investment required to get started is $14,000 in Texas and $20,000 nationally.
According to Ivy McGregor, executive director of BeyGOOD, this initiative aligns with one of the foundations of BeyGOOD, which is economic equity. She explains, "We believe that everybody has the right to thrive. And so the thing that we're excited about, while our tenets are education and entrepreneurship, both of them converge through this program."
For the Franklin Institute, this is a full-circle moment. The school helped Tina Knowles kickstart her career as a hairstylist and eventually open her own salon, Headliners. This salon served as Beyoncé's first performance stage during her childhood. Ron Jemison Jr., the fourth-generation owner of the Franklin Institute, shared, "She had a wonderful salon here in Houston. It wasn't that she just graduated from Franklin; she actually really impacted the Houston community with her salon."
The Franklin Institute was founded as a hair salon in San Antonio, Texas in 1915 by Madam Nobia Franklin, Jemison's great-grandmother. Since then, the school has relocated to Fort Worth, Houston, and Chicago before returning to its roots in Houston in 1934. It is now one of the oldest Black-owned businesses in the country, and in recent years, Jemison has transformed the school into the Franklin Institute, where they not only teach hair styling but also offer barbershop classes to a diverse group of students.
Jemison emphasizes the importance of education in the haircare industry, stating, "This is the foundation. You're talented, but you have to know the rules and regulations. You have to pass this test to move forward because you have people in your hands." He goes on to explain, "You're actually putting chemicals on their hair that could have a reverse effect, and all the hair falls out. So, that's why it's so important to go to school. We call them doctors; they're hair doctors."
This scholarship fund launch comes at a significant time, as Beyoncé has also recently launched her own haircare line, Cécred. This project reflects her passion for the haircare industry, which she shares with her mother, Tina Knowles. McGregor points out that by including the Franklin Institute, the Knowles family has the opportunity to give back to their hometown in a meaningful way.
McGregor enthusiastically remarks, "In her hometown of Houston, her commitment has never wavered, right? Every opportunity to give, first on her list is home. And so we're super excited to have this opportunity to really make an impact that will be sustainable." She adds, "And that's part of the goal; not just to create a ripple that is just for now, but to create something that for years and years and years to come, we can look back and say, 'We started the fire, but the fire is still burning, and the fire is still lit.'"
In conclusion, Beyoncé's generous donation to the Cécred x BeyGOOD Student Scholarship Fund is not only a way to support the next generation of hairstylists and barbers but also a way to promote economic equity and give back to her hometown in a meaningful and sustainable way.
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