MARTIN, TN – La’Sonna Cobb, a certified braider, has joined the hairstylists at Styles on Broadway in Martin, Tennessee, offering new haircare options for those with textured hair.
A La’Sonna Cobb
Although A La’Sonna has only been at the salon for three weeks, she said she has been busy and has had a client every workday since she started.
She started braiding at the age of 11 and practiced braiding her family’s hair. Taniah Wilson, her best friend, is one of her regular clients and is happy to see her becoming so successful.
“When you see her coming home from working as a hairdresser, it becomes a passion for her. And when you see her here, she’s in her element. It’s just great to watch her blossom and become great,” Wilson said.
Before A La’Sonna started working at the salon, there was no one at Styles on Broadway who could braid textured hair.
Wilson said she is happy that the salon offers its services to more hair types.
“There’s not just one type of person in the salon. Everyone has a different background. They really blend together. It’s like a melting pot,” Wilson said.
Tania Wilson
Styles on Broadway gives his clients a head and hand massage and does their hair. Wilson was surprised by the experience.
“No one has ever given me a massage or treated my scalp like that when I get my hair braided. So to be able to experience that is – that’s what I mean by diversity – anyone can experience that luxury of treatment when it comes to their hair,” Wilson said.
This experience is one of the reasons why A La’Sonna worked at the salon.
“We often deny ourselves this because we think we don’t deserve it or there’s nowhere to go. But first of all, my clients have welcomed me very warmly and secondly, it was a joy to see their faces light up after a hand massage,” said A La’Sonna.
A La’Sonna said she feels like she is a sort of “door opener” for clients with textured hair to get serviced at the salon.
“Coming here and being different but also being accepted has been – oh god – a wonderful experience. Little black girls don’t always feel like they’re accepted in white spaces and when they come here, they accept not only me but my clients,” A La’Sonna said. “There was no difference and that’s what we need. There shouldn’t be – we don’t live in segregation, it shouldn’t be, ‘Oh, I go to this black – black salon, I go to a white salon.’ Everyone should be able to come here and be served,” A La’Sonna said.
