- Video shows La Familia Latina Beauty Salon that offer classes to obtain a cosmetology and barbering license.
- The salon opened 30 years ago and began offering this program three years ago.
- So far, five students have obtained their license and more are preparing to schedule their exam.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
This beauty salon gives makeovers during the day but at night it's preparing aspiring stylists in the community to obtain a cosmetology and barbering license.
La Familia Latina Beauty Salon opened 30 years ago. Current owner, Silvia Morales said the salon was started by her sister and she later took over when her sister retired.
Morales says she has been working in the beauty industry for approximately 17 years and became a certified instructor at the Castelos Beauty Academy 3 years ago.
"This program was made specifically for Spanish-speaking individuals who migrated here from a different country, so that they could pursue a career in this industry. It's an apprenticeship program, so our students are learning and working at the same time," said Morales.
Yesenia Navarro is one of the students in the program who recently scheduled her exam. Navarro says she studied cosmetology while living in Mexico, but had to stop practicing it when she moved to California.
"I never had the opportunity to work as a cosmetologist here because I didn't know to obtain a license, until I met someone that told me about this program," said Navarro.
She added that she is very grateful for this program because it opens the door to people who are undocumented and those who don't have a college degree.
Unlike Navarro who had a background in cosmetology, Erica Gambino is another student who joined the program with little knowledge of the beauty industry.
"I worked at a citrus pack-house and at the fields picking grapes. It had nothing to do with what I am doing right now," stated Gambino.
Gambino says her motivation to pursue a career in the beauty industry came from her kids. "I have kids and the jobs that I had—like the citrus packing required me to work long hours and I didn't have anyone to take care of them, so I had to leave them alone".
Both students say they are confident that the program is preparing with theoretical and hands-on methods so that they can obtain their licenses. They added that they are also looking forward to being able to work alongside their instructor after graduating from the program.
In addition to offering weekly classes, students are also given the opportunity to attend hair shows where they learn from experts in the industry.
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