For generations, students have done hair for other students on campus — in dorm rooms, lounges, staff offices or anywhere else they could set up.
The University of New Mexico African American Student Services, also known as AFRO, recently unveiled a new addition to their building: a hair shop that will serve as a designated safe space for students to get their hair done by fellow students who perform cosmetic services on campus.
The space adds a sense of security for both stylists and clients, said Kaelyn Moon, a Student Success Specialist at AASS.
The grand opening of the salon took place on Feb. 12 and was in the Student Union Building, though the salon is located in Mesa Vista hall.
“This isn’t the start of anything; this hair shop didn’t start students doing hair, it didn’t start the importance of hair on this campus, it’s been happening ever since students have expressed themselves doing hair and their identity through their hair,” Moon said. “This is just the continuation of a legacy, not the start of it.”
The AASS provides a salon that is prepped with chairs, mirrors and tables for students interested in braiding or other styles such as twisting or locking, which does not require cutting or dyeing.
In 2025, the New Mexico Legislature passed a bill that allows hair braiders to practice without a cosmetology license.
The salon provides a safe space for students who are either in the braiding business or are looking to get their hair done on campus. Pricing for services vary by each student, as the technicians set their own prices.
Moon said the shop is designed to help student entrepreneurship and encourage student belonging on campus.
Moon said the biggest goal for developing this space was to create something that felt right, special and captured the essence of the hair braiding and loctician tradition.
“We’ve heard feedback that some students might feel like their hair can sometimes be places where microaggressions may hit a little harder,” Moon said. “Students don’t feel comfortable with their ‘fro out, or they don’t feel comfortable with their braids out, so it’s to ultimately create, protect and empower an essential student belonging here on campus, but also in the state of New Mexico.”
Moon said that the shop is an ode to barbershops and hair shops across the nation because it serves as a space to make connections and have conversations. Students who are seeking something other than braiding, such as a space to plan their next student organization event, hangout or study are more than welcome to use that space as well, she said.
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People interested in booking an appointment for either end of the service can call the AASS office to reserve the space.
“The chair is really a symbol for more than just getting your hair done, its trust and confiding in somebody, and its learning lessons and building knowledge in a way that you might not receive in the classroom,” Moon said.
Lexis Lovato is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @lovatolexis
