Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Iye Bayoh, owner of Iye's Beauty Salon, at Mayor Gaskins' Back To School Salon (Staff photo by Ryan Belmore)

Original Article posted here on ALXnow.com by Ryan Belmore

Mayor Alyia Gaskins hosted her third annual back-to-school salon event on Tuesday, Aug. 12, providing free professional hairstyling, backpacks, and food to girls living in Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority properties across the city.

The event, held at Iye’s Beauty Salon, located at 4600 Duke Street, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., served between 15 and 20 girls, ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade, as well as one young man.

“Three years ago, I attended a local backpack drive, and there were haircuts being offered for the young men, but there was nothing for the young girls,” Gaskins said. “And I started thinking about what could we do to make sure that every girl feels confident and ready for her first day of school.”

The initiative stems from Gaskins’ experience serving on a gang prevention task force, where she learned that girls as young as nine were engaging in gang activity primarily due to low self-esteem.

“I think this is an opportunity to help remind every young woman she’s beautiful, she’s intelligent, and she’s prepared to have her best year yet,” she said.

Among the participants was 6-year-old Zyi’Mani, an upcoming first-grader attending for the second time. When asked what the day meant to her, she gave a thumbs-up.

Councilwoman Jacinta Greene, who attended the event, emphasized the therapeutic value of the service for participants.

“I think there’s always a need to provide this service,” Greene said. “And especially I feel like as a woman, getting your hair done is also a therapeutic time. Feeling pampered. And it’s something — it’s a basic need, you know, but it’s also a little pampering. It’s time to relax and have somebody love on you.”

The event created an emotional moment when a sixth-grader received her first professional hairstyle, bringing tears to several attendees who have known her since she was young.

Iye Bayoh, the salon owner, moved to Alexandria from West Africa and has operated the braiding parlor for three years. She previously worked at Angel Salon for 12 years before opening her own business.

“I like when people feel good and I enjoy meeting different people. My favorite part is working with kids because they’re very interesting. They make my day,” Bayoh said.

Popular hairstyles this year include boho knotless braids, jumbo braids, and Fulani braids, according to stylist Shanika Morgan, who has participated in the event for all three years. For the young man receiving services, zigzag cornrows inspired by basketball players are trending.

“Instagram and TikTok play a big part in that,” Morgan said about style influences.

The event expanded this year to include catered breakfast boxes provided by Cassandra Lewis of A Touch of Elegance Catering. Each box also contained inspirational quotes created by Cathy Driver, who operates Uniquely Shawnta.

The Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, founded by Alexandria resident Andrea Walton, sponsored the event for the first time this year. Walton, who overcame challenges as a teen mother on welfare to become an executive, established the foundation during the pandemic to provide scholarships for underrepresented girls.

“It’s important because it provides not only confidence, allows them to have access to education, and make sure that they have what they need to start the year off strong,” Walton said.

The event faced capacity constraints this year, with five girls from a nearby apartment building whose parents live in Section 8 housing unable to be accommodated due to full booking.

Greene said organizers hope to expand the program by recruiting additional stylists and braiders.

“I think the goal is to continue to expand to work with other stylists,” Gaskins said. “We have two seats for next year. So continuing to find ways to make sure we can serve more young women in the community.”

ARHA is establishing a nonprofit structure to accept donations that would help compensate stylists who volunteer their time.

Gaynelle Diaz, senior director of resident services for ARHA, said the event addresses a real need in the community where families often prioritize basic necessities over services like professional hairstyling.

“It would be amazing,” Diaz said about the impact. “And I mean, when you see each girl finish and the smiles they have on their face when they grab their backpack and are ready to go, that’s what it’s all about.”

“It would be great to just give more resources so that we can have more stylists come,” Diaz said. “And even though they don’t charge like full price, we like to give them something for their time because they’re literally taking a day off from paying clients to get these services for our girls.”

“Sometimes, you know, if mom’s trying to put food on the table and you got utilities and rent and other things, unfortunately, that’s something that sometimes might fall by the wayside because it might not be like a first priority,” Diaz said.

Greene praised the community impact of the mayor’s initiative.

“When you work with people who never get to experience something like this and to have a mayor who wants to do things like this in the community, it just means so much to us and to them,” Greene said. “They wouldn’t have the opportunity in any other setting. So that’s what Alexandria is about — making sure that we take care of our own, no matter what the circumstances are.”

The event was supported by multiple community sponsors at different levels. “Valedictorian” sponsors included Mind the Mat, Tracie Bryant, and The Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation. “Honor Roll” sponsors were Dalmyra’s, Kevin and Cassandra Lewis, while Lauren Fisher served as a “Teacher’s Pet” sponsor. Alexandria City Public Schools provided the backpacks distributed to participants, ensuring each girl left with essential school supplies along with their new hairstyle and breakfast box.

The event takes place less than a week before Alexandria City Public Schools begins its new academic year on Monday, Aug. 18.