(Chicago, USA) - After watching Aron Ranen's 2006 "Black Hair" documentary I noticed how excited one of the Korean store owners was to show local consumers autographed pictures of black celebrities who have patronized their business. I immediately understood the sub-conscience value of creating a false image that blacks and Koreans have a trustworthy and respectful relationship despite the fact that in 2008 the Washington Post found South Korea to be one of the least racially tolerant countries in the world.  It found that "more than 1 in 3 South Koreans said they do not want a neighbor of a different race." In 2009, The New York Times reported that "42 percent of (Korean) respondents in a 2008 survey said they had never once spoken with a foreigner."
This led me to the conclusion that blacks would never be able to sell products in a Korean community. So why is it so easy for African Americans to purchase from them? And the answer was right in front of my face. It was all the beautiful black women on the boxes of all these products owned by non-blacks. Most young women easily identify with the woman on the box as well as the style she's wearing. Also none of the brand names have an Asian influence except when it comes to distribution. Most of the Korean distributor publications are written in Korean but filled with images of black women.

Now do black models have a choice in what they promote? The answer is unequivocally yes. In a 2015 article by the Huffington Post titled "How the Fashion Industry Is Failing Black Models" it was reported that getting cast in runway shows isn't the only challenge black models deal with during Fashion Week. If they do become one of the few brown faces booked, they may encounter hairstylists and makeup artists who aren't trained to work with kinkier hair textures or darker skin tones. This lack of expertise isn't unusual in an industry rife with racial ignorance, yet there are individuals who won't let it be overlooked. Unfortunately, same way underprivileged young black youth are ridiculed for promoting violence and drugs in rap music is the same as models promoting foreign products by people who do not have our financial or health interests in mind.

Most models can earn anywhere from $100 per hour or $1,500 per day for catalogues and for advertising agencies. But for this small fee Koreans can sell products to blacks in their communities with no problem.

Enterprise of Black Hair Alliance (EBHA) is dedicated to a shared effort to create and develop a beauty industry that bridges with the black community. Our vision embraces the belief that our alliance will provide meaningful opportunities for all parties to generate revenues and manifest premium products and brands. Our joint venture will enable the black community to fully realize the potential opportunities in committing to the creation of industry brands that will bring pride and recognition to everyone involved in this joint venture.
 
Vision Statement:
Collectively, where there is no vision, a people will perish. The time is now to boldly go "outside the box" to realize and embrace a set of principles that will insure a strong business future for the black community. Yes, we can do it!

BOBSA/China Trip
During the 10-day stay, we got to visit Beijing, Taihe (the hair factory hub), and Shanghai.  We experienced the greatest welcome and hospitality on behalf of BOBSA; however, it is not the nice hotels and fancy meal everyday that impressed me.  It was their determination that really moved me. The Beijing and Shanghai part of the trip was mostly the factories. They wanted us to see that China is not all like the small town where the factories are, but my main focus today is about our stay in Taihe where the hair factories are located.

On Oct 25th, after a 3 days' stay in Beijing, I was really excited to finally go to the factories and see how everything is done.  We left at 7:30 a.m. in the morning to catch a bullet train, which runs at the speed between 180 - 200 m/h, I knew that the ride would be more than 3 hours, but when we arrived at the train station, and my interpreter told me that there will be another 2 hours' drive.  Here is what I have learned in China, the distance might have only been 60 miles, but the crazy traffic and the speed limit itself made the ride so much longer.  By the time we got to the town, it was already 3:30 p.m.

Now imagine someone who does not speak any Chinese, who has to ride on public transportation to get to wherever the factories are, and then try to communicate with a major factory to take his/her order in English. I have been told many times by African American store owners that they buy directly from the factories. After being there myself, I realize the logistics are not possible, which is also why our black beauty supply stores are not competitive in this market.

Click here to be directed to BOBSA's website and read more about the trip to Beijing, China.

Michelle Carter