by Zenda Walker | Jul 24, 2026 | Uncategorized
We’ve Been Defining STEM Too Narrowly
What Cosmetology Can Teach Us About the Future of Career and Technical Education
By Zenda M. Walker
Every generation of educators is asked to prepare students for a future we cannot fully predict.
Today, that future is being shaped by artificial intelligence, technological innovation, demographic shifts, and a rapidly evolving workforce. In response, schools across the country are expanding STEM education and investing in Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways that prepare students for high-demand careers.
This renewed focus is encouraging. It recognizes that students deserve multiple pathways to success and that technical expertise should be valued alongside traditional academic achievement.
Yet as I’ve watched these conversations unfold, I’ve noticed something that has stayed with me.
One licensed profession is almost always missing from the conversation.
Cosmetology.
Not because it lacks technical rigor.
But because we rarely think of it that way.
For more than two decades, I’ve worked as a licensed cosmetologist. Today, I also work alongside educators, school leaders, and families while pursuing graduate studies in education. Moving between these worlds has given me a unique vantage point. It has led me to ask a question that extends far beyond the beauty industry:
How do we decide what counts as rigorous learning?
When most people picture STEM, they imagine laboratories, robotics competitions, engineering firms, computer programming, or advanced manufacturing. Those images are familiar—and important.
But images also shape assumptions.
They influence funding decisions, career advising, public perception, and even the careers students believe are available to them.
What if we’ve confused our image of STEM with its actual definition?
Every licensed cosmetologist studies chemistry, anatomy, infection control, sanitation, state safety regulations, and applied mathematics. They analyze variables, solve problems in real time, communicate with diverse clients, manage inventory, build businesses, interpret digital analytics, and increasingly use technology to market and operate successful enterprises.
Those aren’t “soft skills.”
They are technical, scientific, entrepreneurial, and deeply human competencies.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 84,000 openings for barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists each year over the coming decade, reflecting both continued demand and workforce turnover. At the same time, education leaders continue to elevate Career and Technical Education as an essential strategy for workforce development and economic mobility.
These trends raise an important question.
If cosmetology requires technical knowledge, scientific understanding, business acumen, and professional licensure—and continues to represent a significant workforce sector—why is it so often absent from conversations about the future of work?
I don’t believe the answer is found in the profession itself.
I believe it’s found in our perception of it.
Throughout history, society has assigned different levels of prestige to different forms of knowledge. Some professions are immediately recognized as technical. Others, despite requiring equally sophisticated expertise, are viewed primarily through cultural stereotypes.
That perception matters.
Because when students don’t see certain careers respected within educational spaces, they may never recognize the full range of opportunities available to them.
This realization has become one of the foundational ideas behind what I call The Hairitage Framework™.
The Hairitage Framework begins with a simple premise:
Learning becomes more meaningful when educators use culturally rooted practices, traditions, and lived experiences as entry points to rigorous academic learning, identity development, belonging, and career-connected exploration.
Hair is not the lesson.
Hair is the bridge.
For one student, that bridge might be hair chemistry.
For another, it might be family recipes, quilting traditions, spoken word poetry, sneaker design, music production, or neighborhood entrepreneurship.
The bridge changes.
The destination does not.
The destination is deeper learning.
The Hairitage Framework challenges educators to begin with what students already know, value, and experience—not because culture replaces academic rigor, but because it creates authentic pathways into it.
This perspective aligns naturally with the goals of modern Career and Technical Education. High-quality CTE isn’t simply about preparing students for jobs. It develops critical thinking, collaboration, communication, problem solving, adaptability, and entrepreneurship alongside technical knowledge. These are precisely the kinds of durable human skills that remain essential in an economy increasingly shaped by automation and artificial intelligence.
Perhaps the question isn’t whether cosmetology belongs in STEM.
Perhaps the better question is whether our understanding of STEM has become too narrow to recognize all the places rigorous learning already exists.
Education has always evolved by expanding its understanding of intelligence, talent, and possibility.
Maybe it’s time to expand our understanding of where those qualities live.
If we truly believe every student deserves to see themselves in the future of learning, then we must also be willing to broaden our definition of what counts as valuable knowledge.
Because when we change what we recognize, we also change what students believe is possible.
About the Author
Zenda M. Walker is the founder of Know Your Hairitage LLC, an award-winning author, licensed cosmetologist, educational consultant, and graduate student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is the creator of The Hairitage Framework™, an educational framework that uses culturally rooted practices as pathways to rigorous learning, belonging, identity development, and career-connected education. Rethinking Learning is her ongoing essay series exploring the ideas shaping the future of education.
by Zenda Walker | Jun 28, 2024 | Business, Hairitage, Pop Culture & Hairitage, Textured Hair, Wash Day
The beauty industry is experiencing yet another revolution, with textured hair care evolving from the celebrity talent pool. Gone are the days of struggling to find products that meet the unique needs of Black and Brown hair. Today, we’re bombarded with an abundance of options, and that’s a cause for celebration, not competition.
This explosion of brands isn’t just a trend – it’s a reflection of the immense buying power of Black beauty consumers, which was a staggering $9.4 billion in 2023 with dollar, unit, and household growth outpacing growth for the United States according to a Nielson NIQ report. It’s no surprise that major retailers are taking notice and dedicating coveted shelf space to cater to this underserved market.
The arrival of celebrity brands like Beyoncé’s Cécred and Rihanna’s Fenty Hair has undoubtedly generated significant buzz. While some debate the launch strategies and product performance of these lines, others question if the celebrities themselves are “deserving” of success.
Here’s the truth: the beauty market is vast and diverse. Some consumers will gravitate towards premium, luxury brands like Cécred seeking high performance and a touch of exclusivity. Others will find loyalty in lines like Fenty Hair, offering reparative solution products for various curl patterns at a more accessible price point and distribution. And then there’s the value-conscious consumer who prioritizes budget over brand efficacy and loyalty.
Instead of getting caught up in celebrity endorsements, let’s focus on the bigger picture. Today, we’re no longer forced to settle for subpar options. We have the freedom to experiment, discover, and tailor a haircare regimen that celebrates our individuality.
This latest revolution didn’t happen overnight. We owe a debt of gratitude to the countless Black and Brown entrepreneurs who have been pushing boundaries for years. Pioneering brands like Kreyòl Essence by co-founders Yve-Car Momperousse and Stéphane Jean-Baptiste, Eden Bodyworks by Jasmine Lawrence, Taliah Waajid Brand by Taliah Waajid, TPH by Taraji P. Henson, Sienna Naturals by Issa Rae and Hannah Diop, 4U by Tia Lowry, Pattern Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross, Carol’s Daughter by Lisa Price, TGIN by Cris-Tia Donaldson, Camille Rose by Janell Stephens, and Mielle Organics by Monique Rodriguez, along with countless others, paved the way for today’s flourishing marketplace. And we can’t forget about our Latinx founders who are changing the haircare game like, Babba Rivera of Ceremonia, La La Anthony of Inala, Julissa Prado of Rizos Curls, Aisha Cebellos-Crump of Honey Baby Naturals and Botanika Beauty, and Lulu Cordero of Bomba Curls.
Ultimately, the true winners in this beauty revolution are us, the consumers. We have the power to choose, to experiment, and to embrace the beauty of our coils in a multitude of ways. So, let’s celebrate the options, honor the pioneers, and most importantly, celebrate ourselves. The future of textured hair care is bright, and it’s a future built by and for us.
Zenda M. Walker is the award-winning author of “Zara’s Wash Day” and “Zion’s Crown”-two books in the Know Your Hairitage series. She is represented by The Seymour Agency.
by Zenda Walker | Jun 23, 2024 | Culturally Responsive Content, Natural Hair, Pop Culture & Hairitage, Textured Hair, Wash Day
The “Inside Out” franchise is making it much easier for parents to navigate those tough conversations about emotions. The first movie brilliantly introduced us to the development of a young girl’s emotions. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear learned to work together to safeguard Riley’s well-being. “Inside Out 2” tackles Riley’s teenage years, where new emotions take center stage, and she grapples with solidifying her sense of self. Enter Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Boredom (Ennui).
Watching Riley navigate these overwhelming emotions became a powerful metaphor for why I started writing books that celebrate “hairitage.” Through my research and countless conversations with clients over the past two decades, I’ve witnessed firsthand how deeply our hair stories are tied to self-perception. Memories shape beliefs, and the messages we receive about our hair, from family and society alike, have a profound impact.
Some clients I’ve spoken with grew up hearing affirmations about their beautiful, textured hair. For others, the narrative was vastly different. Words like, “ugly,” “difficult,” “messy,” and “unprofessional,” become too often associated with curly, coily, Afro-coily textures. Some received both positive and negative feedback, leaving them conflicted and perpetually unsure of themselves.
Black women, in particular, face a unique burden when it comes to societal expectations surrounding hair. That’s why it’s crucial for guardians, parents, and hairstylists to be hyper-aware of how they communicate with young people, especially during wash day. Positive experiences, in the emotional and physical developmental stages, can significantly impact a child’s self-esteem.
“Inside Out 2” cleverly highlights how our own childhood anxieties and traumas can sometimes resurface and influence our adult decisions. So, how can an adult with insecurities about their own textured hair empower a child to embrace theirs? The movie, perhaps unintentionally, offers a solution: it reminds us that occasional fear, anxiety, disgust, and anger are normal parts of life’s journey. We don’t have to bottle up these “maladaptive” emotions. Instead, acknowledging and accepting them can be the first step towards rediscovering joy. Perhaps this is why many of Riley’s core memories end up including multiple emotions, not just a single emotion formed in isolation.
Our hair wash day memories can embody several emotions, and discovering the joy in the journey is key to trusting the process and embracing our hair in all its glory.
My daughter, Zara, and I confronted the root of our hair insecurities by experimenting with techniques and products, ultimately finding joy in learning about the cultural hairstyles passed down in my family – a connection to a rich ancestral legacy. The experiences of Zara and Zion in my books, “Zara’s Wash Day” and “Zion’s Crown,” mirror this journey as well. While moments of fear, doubt, and frustration may still arise, our heightened awareness and appreciation for our hairitage make it easier to bounce back and rediscover feelings of joy.
