Lydia Owusu doesn't know of any other hairstylists in St. Thomas, Ont., who specialize in Black hair. • The longtime stylist and makeup artist moved to the city from Brampton two years ago with her family, where she opened a home studio. • Owusu now serves clients from around southwestern Ontario. "I don't discriminate. I even do white hair. This is what I do for a living,” she said. • In 2013, Owusu decided to do hair full time and attended Emery Collegiate Institute in Toronto, but was disappointed by the program. Other than learning about chemical treatments and relaxers, she said "they don't do Black hair. No braids." • Luckily, she already had some training from a few years earlier, when returning to her native Ghana. "I actually hired somebody to give me a lesson to teach me how to do braids, and corn rows, plaits, locks — everything I need to know.” • "It takes a long time to get my hair done. It's curly, it's kinky, it gets dry and it needs a lot of steps," she said. • Today, Owusu also spends her time teaching parents how to braid. • "Sometimes a parent doesn't know how to do their child's hair," she said. "Sometimes it's a little bit difficult to style a child's hair at my shop, so I would be willing and open to teach them how to do it." • Saidat Vandenberg, an Ont.-based children's entertainer, has been a client of Owusu for years. "It is not always easy to find a beautician that not only understands the importance of knowing how to work with Black hair, but one who takes time to listen as she creates a style and look that celebrates our identity," she said. • Owusu said she's also noticed a shift in her clients in recent years. • "Back in the day, people were not accepting natural curly, kinky hair and they preferred your hair being straight," she said. "Nobody wants to do that anymore." • • • 📄: Rebecca Zandbergen Photos: Submitted by Lydia Owusu, Submitted by Saidat Vandenberg @cbclondonont #beingblackincanada #black #canada #bbic #blackexcellence #hair #braids