Black hair care vending machines head to remote, rural colleges
When Rahya Kelley isn’t attending classes or practicing with her cheerleading squad at Olivet College, she styles the hair of Black students on campus.
When Rahya Kelley isn’t attending classes or practicing with her cheerleading squad at Olivet College, she styles the hair of Black students on campus. But it can be tough for Kelley to access Black hair care products.
Olivet, Michigan, Kelley said, is “in the middle of nowhere.”
There is a Walmart 12 miles from campus, but she said it doesn’t always carry a reliable selection of Black hair care products.
“The only time I was able to go to the beauty supply store was when I went home or if one of my friends were going to the beauty supply store and I would tag along with them,” said Kelley, a rising senior studying business administration.
Then Kelley learned about Beauty Genie — a new company providing vending machines that dispense products like edge control and deep conditioner — from the company’s CEO, Ebony Karim, who is best friends with Kelley’s mother. Kelley, 22, worked with other students in the Hiram Archer Student Success Academy, a mentorship program for students of color, to bring the vending machine to Olivet College, where 18.1% of students are Black.
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