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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 2013)
Page 8 Minority & Small Business Week October 2. 2013 Salon Owner an Expert in Natural Hair Styling Amber Starks builds community esteem with business ownership As a child, Amber Starks used to “beg” her mother to let her perm her long locks of hair. It proved to be a fruitless pursuit. By the time Starks was a fresh face on the campus of the University of Oregon, wearing her hair chemical-free was only, well, to be like “black power” but I want our people to believe in themselves. Huge victories like this are remind ers.” African American women like her Since the law went into effect, the tools to create economic oppor Starks says she’s had an increase in tunities within the community. customers who have heard her story. “This is just one thing to show us While she says those accolades are that we’re capable. Imagine how nice and appreciated, she’s more much more we can do for our own anxious for the moment when she selves if we open up our minds to hears about a woman opening up a sion; h elp in g c u sto m e rs w ith adopted children, and providing a service to women who are often times transitioning from chemically manipulated hair. “I’m getting something from my customers and I’m hoping to share something with them, that your hair is wonderful, it’s beautiful, let’s find how it works for you and let’s style it accordingly, but you get to be the one who chooses that, not me.” Her knack for political activism remains just as sure as her hair re mains un-permed. photo by D onovan M. S mith /T he P ortland O bserver Salon owner Amber Starks is an expert in natural hair styling. Her business, Conscious Coils is located in Vancouver. natural. Now, the 32-year-old Starks owns her own salon and is exclusively focused on natural hair styling. She first opened her Conscious Coils business to assist children with their hair after discovering the degree to which African-Americans and Na- tive-Americans were over-repre sented in the foster care system. “I was like this is unacceptable, that one, w e’re over-represented in the system and two, a lot of our kids don’t have assistance with haircare and cultural com petence. So I wanted to provide my hairbraiding skills,” says Starks. Located at, 100E. 19th, Suite 100, in Vancouver, the small salon has expanded beyond her original mis sion with plans to move to Portland by January of next year. “I think that in our community, and I would say a lot of communi ties, hair is important, but I think that hair has been a personification of how we feel about ourselves in so many ways,” adding, “I think kinky is great, I think nappy is great, I think frizzy is great, I think in all those words we get to decide what they mean for ourselves.” She’s also politically active to remain true to her beliefs. Earlierthis year a bill was signed into law sig nificantly easing restrictions on prac titioners of natural hair care in Or egon; Amber Starks led the charge on that bill. She said the legislation gives the possibilities,” she said. “We all have something we can do to sup- port our people, I’m the last person “There’s not enough recogni tion that people are doing stuff and they’re making change,” she says. “I hope my business can be a con duit for money in the community.” “I’m just really impressed by the people I’ve met that are doers, and that’s what I see about our genera tion, that we care, w e’re doing stuff, and that doesn’t get acknowledged, but I plan to make sure it does,” she says. For more information on Con scious C oils, visit the w ebsite counsciouscoils.com . ... to the health care you know and trust. new salon because of the new regu- lations. Much of her customer base re mains in-line with her original mis Adventist Health CareOregon Kaiser Permanente Legacy Health Oregon Health & Science University Providence Health & Services Tuality Healthcare Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties ... and a network of over 17,000 providers Together, we are delivering integrated health care for children, families and individuals on the Oregon Health Plan throughout the Portland Tri-County area. Together we are 503-416-8090 health www.healthshareoregon.org fe Health Share of Oregon
