A pair of freshmen are partnering with Having Appreciation in Realness (HAIR) and the Division of Volunteer Efforts (DOVE) for a drive to obtain resources and hair supplies for local communities.
Michelle Peterson, the director of DOVE, said that two students unaffiliated with the HAIR group, Fatima Palomino Ramos and Trina Beckwith, came up with the idea to fundraise for people of color, and “DOVE loved the mission.”
Peterson said the goal of the drive was to “work with students to raise awareness of the differing needs of people of color to look and feel their best.”
Trina Beckwith, a freshman in the 3+3 diplomacy program, said she wanted to partner with DOVE after seeing all the projects they have led on campus.
Beckwith said she decided she wanted DOVE to participate in the hair drive after she “I watched a video on YouTube of a woman in France who taught young girls how to take care of their hair for free.
After watching the video, Beckwith said that she felt “grateful that my white mother knew how to style my curly 3B hair. I felt more confident in myself.”
Beckwith said she contacted Fatima Palomino Ramos, a freshman criminal justice and English major, to help create the drive as Beckwith was now inspired to “collect hair products for people of color.”
Fatima Palomino Ramos said she was motivated to create the hair drive because she had never seen a hair care drive include the necessary products for different hair types. “Most hair care drives are not inclusive, and your hair is the way you present yourself,” Ramos said.
Peterson said after learning about the existence of the HAIR student club and its mission, she knew that it would be a great addition to the planning process.
Peterson said that HAIR helped DOVE make an impact in the drive by participating in promotional videos for public relations surrounding the campaign.
The organization of the drive took about two months, according to Ramos. She added that “it was group work for all of us involved.”
After the drive is complete, Beckwith said the supplies will be donated to Raphael’s Life House, a charity that provides assistance to homeless mothers.
Ramos said she hopes the drive will provide confidence to many.
“If you are not comfortable with the way that you are presenting yourself to society, then you are not being your authentic self,” Ramos said.
More information on how people can contribute to the drive can be found on DOVE’s website.
Colleen Dennis can be reached at colleen.dennis@student.shu.edu.
