TEXTURE VS RACE

Keya Neal is a former stylist of 30 years turned color educator, speaker, and DEI consultant. This powerhouse is breaking the textural and racial boundaries segregating the pro hair industry. She is now the proud founder of the Kolour Kulture and Texture VS Race movement, both focused on teaching stylists how to identify and work with hair of all textures. She told us: “I am dedicated to empowering beauty professionals to meet the evolving needs of a diverse clientele. Our mission at Texture VS Race is to assist stylists in honing their textural skills and building cultural competence, ultimately creating an inclusive beauty industry that embraces and celebrates texture and race both behind the chair and behind the scenes.”

Additionally, Keya’s REPAIRations program partners with Texture VS Race Collab Coaches to provide Black stylists with equitable education, while championing diversity and inclusion behind the chair and behind the scenes of the salon industry. 2023 sees an elevation in the educational service offerings from the Texture VS Race movement, at the Texture VS Race Summit in Baltimore, MD, December 10th to December 12th.

Keya gave us some insight: “This year's Texture VS Race Summit is a full hair show experience where attendees can connect with partnered brands on the exhibit floor, participate in independent and branded education sessions, and attend a rotation of breakout sessions, classes, panels, and stage demonstrations.

“OUR MISSION IS TO ASSIST STYLISTS IN HONING THEIR TEXTURAL SKILLS AND BUILDING CULTURAL COMPETENCE, ULTIMATELY CREATING AN INCLUSIVE BEAUTY INDUSTRY THAT EMBRACES AND CELEBRATES TEXTURE AND RACE BOTH BEHIND THE CHAIR AND BEHIND THE SCENES.”

We are thrilled to invite you to join us for this firstof-its-kind event that celebrates diversity, creativity, and inclusion in the beauty industry!”

Attendee trainings include texturally-inclusive cut, color, wellness, and styling education alongside DEI coaching while forming connections with partnering sponsors. Attendees training includes stage demonstrations, breakout classes, hands-on education, and our trademark Hydro Discovery Curl Clinic™ session.

Keya told us why this year’s summit is different: “We are putting a bigger focus on the exhibitor floor, inviting brands to come and connect with different communities of people who desire to work on all textures of hair. These brand partners are focused on the performance of their products across all textures while networking and creating relationships – not sales.”

You can expect a constant cycle of education at the Texture VS Race Summit, from influencer education and brand education to independent education and valuable classes from the Texture VS Race team – Keya and her incredibly talented teams are providing it all. The especially unique offering this year is the hands-on Signature Curl Clinic from Keya. Here’s more: “This hands-on round-robin activation will be done with live models for a full spectrum of texture experiences.”

There’s also a winter social where stylists can have fun, let loose, and form comradery with fellow artists over food, drink, and music. YOU get to enjoy a holiday party for once, instead of styling someone else for their holiday celebrations! Keya added: “We also have what we call Mastermind Classes, which focus on education for the teachers and school owners and the directors. So it’s a real 360° approach!”

This year is especially special to Keya because: “Texture vs Race has evolved from being a movement to becoming an actual hub of education and resource. We’re calling on the industry to come together with the aligned message that hair is a fabric, not a race. That products are for performance, not people. If we can come together as a group of stylists, owners, schools, and brands, we can send a clear message that we all want the industry to be diverse and inclusive and show that we’re doing our part in ensuring that… I’ll see you there!”

The Vip Experience

This is what’s included in the Texture VS Race Summit experience.

• A rtist Exhibition Highlight

• E xhibition Floor Browse

• Round-Robin Hydro Discovery Curl Clinic

• Choice of Speciality Hands-On Classes

• Holiday Social Dress Up

• Breakout Sessions

• SWAG Bags

DIAMOND TICKET – MASTERMIND

This is what’s included:

• Everything included in VIP ticket

• Morning Mastermind session with Keya Neal: A deep dive into taking DEI to the next level and how business of diversity affects you. Sessions will cover how to create service menus, inclusive salon and front-desk practices, and creating a core value system and salon culture. Attendees will work through their own business questions and challenges with Keya during this intimate consultation session. Hosted on day one.

CREATING SPACE FOR A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE INDUSTRY THROUGH EDUCATION.

TEXTURE VS RACE IS A MOVEMENT TO CREATE A MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE BEAUTY INDUSTRY THROUGH TEXTURALLY-INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND ANTIRACISM COACHING. BY PROVIDING STYLISTS WITH A STANDARDIZED TEXTURE CURRICULUM AND CREATING SPACE TO LEARN ABOUT THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANTS OF NATURAL HAIR, TEXTURE VS RACE SEEKS TO MAKE THE INDUSTRY A SAFER SPACE. JOIN THE CONVERSATION.