Events

Participant Bios

Carla Joi Sorenson Jackson (Oscar-Nominated Hollywood Dept. Head Hairstylist)

Carla Joi Farmer-Jackson has been styling hair professionally in the television and film industry since 1998, creating timeless looks and breaking barriers as a department head. In 2022, she was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Makeup and Hair for her work on Coming 2 America.Carla has been involved in several productions that are regarded as iconic staples in Black culture, including King Richard, Dolemite Is My Name, Sylvie’s Love, and Jordan Peele’s award-winning film Nope.

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Master Barber Al Mayes (Mayes Barbering Atelier)

Al Mayes is an award winning, 3rd generation Master Barber with over 25 years of experience. He obtained his Virginia Barber and Virginia Instructor licenses in 1998 and 2012, respectively. Mayes has worked as an educator with Iconic Barbers for 4 years, traveling nationwide to teach haircutting at major industry events and beauty schools. He served as vice-chairman of the VA Board of Barbers and Cosmetology and is currently the 3rd vice president of the National Association of Barber Boards of American (NABBA). Mayes is recognized and respected for his knowledge of hair, precision, and dedication to his craft.

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Dr. Afiya Mbilishaka (Clinical Psychologist + Hairstylist. Founder & Principal Investigator of Psychohairapy Research Lab)

Afiya Mbilishaka is a therapist, consultant, speaker, hair historian, and hairstylist. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Howard University and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Mbilishaka innovated the practice and research of "PsychoHairapy," where she uses hair as an entry point for mental health services in beauty salons and barbershops. She is the owner of Ma'at Psychological Services, a private practice in Washington, DC. She is also the principal investigator of the PsychoHairapy Research Lab and has published over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, 7 book chapters, and 2 books. She has been identified as a subject matter expert by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, testifying nationally on the behalf of the CROWN Act.

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Thando Kafele (Mellon Artist in Residence Fall 2024)

Thando Kafele is the world’s most decorated loctician, with his work featured in ESPN, Sports Illustrated, ESSENCE, EBONY, ELLE, and more. For over 25 years, he has revolutionized natural hair care, transforming appointments into spiritual experiences rooted in West African spiritual practices. Kafele views the head and crown as divine, using his artistry to instill African magnificence and ethnic pride in his clients. His stylings, rich in wisdom, meaning, and power, are regal symbols from the African past, meant to be worn unapologetically with dignity. As a Fall 2024 Mellon Artist in Residence at the Hemispheric Institute, Kafele will explore ‘Black Beauty as Performance Art’ and ‘Community Healing’ through panels and interviews, and his work will be archived in the Hemispheric Institute Digital Video Library.

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Camille Lawrence (Hemispheric Institute Associate Research Archivist, Founder of Black Beauty Archive)

Camille Lawrence's work as an archivist focuses on the art history, innovations, and diversity of artistic expression across the African Diaspora. She is most interested in exploring and archiving identity formation throughout the African diaspora and culture through three foundational principles: Oral, Physical, and Ritual. Lawrence's background as an art historian, artist, and beauty practitioner informs her approach to archival work. On Juneteenth 2020, Camille founded Black Beauty Archive to document, preserve, and archive the history of Black Beauty culture. Her projects include the Black Beauty Archive and contributions to NYU Hemispheric Institute, Urban Bush Women, ChromaDiverse and BAM DanceAfrica.