The Dots... June 2016 BOBSA

At the end of January 2012 the Korean retailers and major human hair importers in the United States came together for their annual convention to set pricing, show off new products and dictate procedures of the commercial hair industry for the year (this includes the strictly observed practice of not selling hair wholesale to members of the black race).

This yearly congress has been going on for well over twenty years. News regarding the location, etc. concerning this event is distributed to all of the Korean beauty suppliers in the country by a magazine that is printed mainly in the Korean language. The attendance is almost exclusively Korean. Being such organized people that they are and in obedient discipline to the mandates set down by their leaders, the event is generally one that insures tremendous profits for the ensuing year for their group, who divide amongst themselves many billions of dollars which are generated by the sale of hair products virtually only to members of the black race.

However, this year there was a unique and unexpected twist in the attendance that caused an unbelievable series of incidents, resulting in a closure of the show before the usual five days that were scheduled. After only one and a half days, many of the most prominent companies dismantled their displays and left the premises. During the drastically shortened period there were numerous incidents of highly disruptive conduct that necessitated the intervention of hotel security and hotel authorities, as well as reports to the Las Vegas police department.

The major cause of disagreement came as a result of the Chinese hair manufacturers (from whom the Koreans purchase practically every strand of human and synthetic hair that they sell). They, the Chinese, stated that in the future they would sell hair wholesale directly to the black peoples of the United States, the West Indies, Africa and Canada, who are virtually the exclusive buyers of this product. As a result of this action the Koreans are threatened with losing the massive tens of billions of dollars over which they have exercised an exclusive dominion for practically the last sixty years.

It is indeed easy to understand that no matter how cultured and dignified you may have conducted your meetings where this vast amount of riches were distributed amongst your own people in the past, a loss of this magnitude would naturally send you off. You will lose all control after hearing a payday like that is over.

The Chinese hair exporters are now extending an opportunity to the BLACK people of the world to control an industry of which they are the sole consumers. Imagine the boost that our people would realize if such wealth were to enter into our economy. Every single family could ensure a dramatically improved existence overnight. All of our children could go to private school when young and then Harvard when they grow up. Naturally, it would take a great deal of money to bring this source of commerce to the black race immediately.

If we do not move on this, then the Chinese will be forced to open up hair stores run by their own people and we would simply be traded from one slave master to another. There is a simple and very inexpensive means by which we can accomplish this. Unfortunately, we will need to work together and this is not something that we are known for. However, there is a way by which each of us can act in our own interest and get the benefits of our individual input.

Michelle Carter

Editor

Return to the top

Marrio Fowler Offers Mobile

Services to Customers

Some people may laugh, but if he cuts 20 heads a day for $20 dollars, that's $400 a day. Nothing to laugh about and probably more than what most people make at their j.o.b. #hustlersmentality #winning.

Marrio Fowler provides roadside services to a customer.

Michelle Carter

Editor

Return to the top

New BOBSA Member in China

The Black Dragon Mandarin,
Zhu Ge Liang

Paul was raised on the mean streets of Brooklyn New York. back in the 70's China had always captivated he imagination for as long as he could remember. Maybe it started with the documentaries he saw as a child about the Great Wall. Or, perhaps it was his desire to understand his recently immigrated Chinese classmates at Abraham Lincoln High School in Coney Island. Or, maybe it was just those kung fu movies at 3 pm on Saturdays on channel 5. He religiously watched Jackie Chan flying through the air performing Drunken Monkey style and Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon on his family's beat up old black and white TV with the hanger that subbed for the broken antenna.

Whatever the cause, ten years ago it finally propelled Mr. Cabo,

now 41, from a job as a Starbucks manager to an English teacher in China, then to being the first African-American to successfully open and manage not one, but two English training centers in Northern Beijing, then on to currently owning one of the very few black-owned import/export companies in China, Eastern Amberxchange Trading & Consulting, Ltd. Eastern Amberxchange presently imports rare blue amber from the Dominican Republic and Sumatra to make jewelry for the Chinese market. His company's import products also include cigars, and coffee beans. Export products include electronics and clothing.

Paul originally came to China as a foreign exchange student and studied Chinese at the renowned Peking University in China's capital Beijing. Although he had no formal training in Asian languages, he now speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and a smattering of the Cantonese Chinese dialect as well. After moving to China, Paul chose the unique and rarely used Chinese name, Zhu Ge Liang (a.k.a. the Black Dragon), named after the most renowned and brilliant military strategist in Chinese history. Zhu Ge Liang was famously known for wearing Taoist robes, and was always seen carrying a handmade goose-feathered fan. Click here to read about his journey from

Brooklyn to Beijing, and into a Caldron.

Paul has literally already spent a quarter of his natural life living in the Far East and even sometimes speaks his native English with a slight Chinese accent. According to him, it was his greatest childhood dream to come to China. At present, he just returned from the human hair capital of China. In a successful attempt to document the Chinese human hair trade market here in China for an upcoming documentary in collaboration with BOBSA, and with exclusive film footage, he will be explaining how Koreans still manage to maintain a monopoly on the human hair industry all the way from China! Zhu Ge Liang will also discuss in the upcoming documentary how this Korean monopoly continues to economically impact the Black-owned beauty and hair care business around the globe.

Michelle Carter

Editor
Article and photo courtesy of New York Times

Return to the top

International Trade Project Hair - Part I

by Torain Mingo

Like Gold, Tobacco, Sugar, Silver, Wheat and Uranium, Human hair is a viable commodity that has monetary value worldwide. It has always been an item of value from early recorded history and has soared dramatically over the last half of the 20th century as never before. It value has increased more consistently than any other period prior to the present date.

The fashion of wearing human hair is so prevalent that it is practiced throughout the world. The colors that were formerly unacceptable are now perfectly normal for black people. Blonde hair on black women are common place. This includes the light complexioned ladies and the darkest skin tones imaginable. Wearing of the many colors, color combinations and textures of the commercial hair produced in Asia and India are thought of as quite natural.

Just about all television personalities, programs like the Atlanta Housewives, all of the many black sitcoms, black female news casters, movie stars and just about any female in every variety of entertainment, utilize commercial hair. This is true for career women, homemakers, entertainers and many women of the black race.

There are a variety of reasons for the dramatic increase in hair extension wear. Namely, that every color is commonplace and totally acceptable. This means that all of the myriad shades of color that can be seen in the black race can be dramatically enhanced by the endless fashion looks produced by the numerous manufacturers of the human hair trade. It is an absolute fact that although the color blonde is certainly not a natural shade to most people of African descent, it is never the less quite flattering in an exotic way to just about any of those who are bold enough to wear it. Another big factor is that many of the latest looks include the exciting and luxurious addition of longer hair.

Naturally, this represents a tremendous leap in the cost of hair and greater spending on the part of the consumer. Consequently, this provides larger profits for everyone involved in the trade. There is also a whole new permissiveness in fantasy colors that include the most exotic, vibrant color combinations ever seen in the history of the commercial hair industry. The elaborate hair designs of today compares with the well-known era defined by the extravagance of Queen Marie Antoinette of France.

Michelle Carter

Editor

Return to the top

Featured Article

Meet Dave Diggs

Barber, Stylist, Producer and Author

Dave Diggs, Owner of

Dave Diggs Barber Academy

Dave Diggs is a barber on the International Education and Style Team for Andis Clipper Company and the owner of Dave Diggs Barber Academy. His multi-racial background has made it natural for him to understand, relate to and execute styles and hair trends for all ethnicities. Based out of the San Francisco Bay Area (San Jose, CA), Diggs hair industry endeavors have taken him internationally.

Originally an engineering student at San Jose State University, Diggs changed career goals three years into earning his bachelor degree. Graduating from San Francisco Barber College in 2010, Dave has quickly earned respect and praise from industry leaders worldwide. He is the author of Social Media Strategies For Barbers And Stylists, producer of the award winning documentary "The Barbershop Diaries", producer of the 4 part barbering educational DVD series "#Faded Barbering Instructional Series" and creator of the iPhone and Android app "Dave Diggs Barber Academy". His current clientele includes major actors, musicians and professional athletes, elevating him to "Celebrity Barber" status. Click here to learn more about this remarkable young entrepreneur and how to register for the Dave Diggs Barber Acedemy.

Michelle Carter

Editor

Return to the top