Louisiana Hair Braiders Say Regulatory Overreach Is Destroying Their Business
Natural hair braider Ashley N’Dakpri knows her knots. She practiced as a child on friends and family, attended beauty school in the Ivory Coast, and has 20 years of professional experience in the United States. Yet that’s not enough in Louisiana. The Louisiana Board of Cosmetology requires braiders to spend a year or more in a state-licensed school, whether they need the training or not.