Today we’d like to introduce you to Isis Brantley.
Hi Isis, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been in business as a self-employed social entrepreneur for over 40 years in Dallas. I began my business in what is known as South Dallas, where I was raised, the eldest child of a teen mother. After graduating from high school, I entered the University of North Texas as a drama major, as I believed theater was my calling. However, I soon found that my true calling was to be out in my community, educating people about Black history and promoting cultural awareness. At that time, I began to braid hair as a business and opened my first salon. Very soon, I realized my destiny in life was “healing through the hair.” Since those early days, my business, NaturallyIsis, has been in continuous operation, and in the late ’90’s I decided to begin formally offering classes in natural hair care, including braiding, twists, loc’ing, and my specialty Isis Braids. The Institute of Ancestral Braiding is the only school in Texas, and probably in the Nation offering certification.
The impetus for my school came about because, in 1995, I was cited for braiding without having a cosmetology license. I soon found that the cosmetology schools did not even have a curriculum in braiding and Black natural hair care, so I decided to open a school that specialized in that. Then in 1997, seven cops came into my shop and I was actually arrested for continuing to braid without a license. I was whisked off to Dallas County jail, strip-searched, and tossed behind bars for the “high-crime” of doing what my Ancestors had done for millennia! That began my legal battle with the State, which went on for 20 years. In 2015 I won my Federal lawsuit against the State on the grounds the cosmetology regime had violated my 14th Amendment rights. That summer the Governor signed legislation in response to my victory, House Bill 2717, which removed braiding and other natural hair styling from licensing requirements. This opened the way for hundreds of Black women to become entrepreneurs and be self-supporting.
For over a decade, I have produced several Black cultural awareness and natural hair appreciation events, marches and festivals annually. We are hosting the 6th Annual Braid Freedom CROWN March on June 12th. We march in support of a CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair) ACT for Texas! I can be reached at 214-329-3820 for more information.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey of over 40 years as a Black, single-parent, female entrepreneur has been anything but smooth. My legal battle with the State to win freedom for African braiders cost me a fortune in foregone revenue. During all those years of operating “illegally,” I lived in fear of being totally shut down, and of course, no bankers would even talk to me about financial assistance.
So I was really shackled all those years when I could have been rapidly growing my business, as I was known then (and still) as the Queen of Braids in Dallas. During those years, I also created a line of natural hair care products that I manufacture and sell online and at my salon. These products have been very well received by users over all these years, but due to my being held back, I was not able to attain a financial condition to facilitate expanding my product business. In spite of all this, I remain highly confident and optimistic about my future business outlook.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
NaturallyIsis is the oldest Black natural hair braiding salon in Texas and one of the oldest in America. I am recognized as a Black celebrity stylist, internationally, a “braider to the Stars,” such as my dear friend Erykah Badu, who first came into my shop when she was a child. My school, The Institute of Ancestral Braiding, is the only school in Texas offering certification in natural hair styling and care. I have taught hundreds from all over the USA.
Among those I have taught are a number of White foster mothers who are fostering Black or mixed-race children. Sadly, most of these moms do not have any understanding of spiraled hair textures or how to care for and style their children’s hair. Often these children are bullied and develop life-long self-esteem problems because of their hair not being kept properly. I teach them proper care and styling – especially my “no comb, no tears” method – so they can style their children’s hair beautifully. I am very proud of my Sisters of Isis and Balo natural hair care products, which are available for purchase at Naturallyisis.com.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I like best about Dallas is that it is home to me. I have invested in my community for decades and will continue to do so until Black people have attained their last civil right, which is to wear their God-given hair naturally where ever they choose. What I like least is that we still have a long way to go in our struggle.
Contact Info:
- Email: naturallyisis@yahoo.com
- Website: https://www.naturallyisis.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturallyisis/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000629091015
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3OYL24cJphuvftQSiilBLw
Image Credits
EJ McCartney
