The Black Student Union is putting on a natural hair care event which would provide information on as well as services pertaining to the care and treatment of black hair. This includes free services offered to students in need or want of styling, washes, cuts, trims or treatments while effectively raising awareness of the difficulties and expense it takes to get the proper hair styling and care services in the state of Maine.

The Black Student Union had a few setbacks in regards to reaching their funding goals but students of all backgrounds banded together to support the Black Student Union with some going so far as approaching other clubs and associations on campus to see how much they can give to the cause.

The event is stated to be a way to build an understanding and supportive community for the 27% of students on campus who could benefit from these services and the 100% of students on campus who could benefit from the education involved.

It may seem like, “it's just hair, it doesn’t do much…” when actually, your hair says a lot about you. For me, you can tell what I am doing in a day based on my hair, how I am feeling, and the last time I washed it. My hair doesn’t vary much in style but when I think it looks good, or I spend the time to make it look good, there are immediate side effects.

Days, where I take time to do my hair up, are days I am more likely to dress up all the way, to go out and be social, or even to speak up more in class because I am more confident.

The picture below is titled "Confident Eye Contact" and I feel as though it encapsulates the idea and spirit behind this event. Her hair is healthy, styled, and absolutely beautiful. When you look at her eyes it's obvious she knows she looks good and has self-confidence, which is also obvious by her smile.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to feel and exude confidence in her.

It's easier for me because my hair is short, relatively straight, and not coarse. It doesn’t normally require hours of sitting in a chair to change my hairstyle, it doesn’t take much to find a stylist, nor do the products I use greatly affect the texture of my hair; however, the students on campus who specifically would benefit from the services offered at this event struggle with these exact issues.

Funding this event is investing in the building of a supportive and understanding community at University of Maine including students from all groups, as everyone can benefit from education. Furthermore, students who have difficulties accessing the hair care services they need will have the opportunity for free hair care besides the feeling of empowerment which comes after getting a new hairstyle or cut which embodies who they are.

We should all continue to support the Black Student Union in their fundraising goals and hopefully in the upcoming years events such as this can be held every semester or even every few months.

By raising awareness and creating a means to access hair care services our campus community has a chance to grow and develop into a more positive and inclusive place.