Today we’d like to introduce you to Walter Gainer II.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Walter. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
This whole thing started because I was trying to prove to white hiring managers, who looked nothing like me, that I wasn’t something to fear. Not only was I a young college graduate with little experience, but I was a young black man with locs applying to businesses with “dress codes” that described things like locs as dirty and unprofessional.
Growing up in the south, I was already aware of the negative perception of people with locs. We were looked at as unprofessional, dirty, and intimidating.
But even though I knew of the world’s stance against locs in professional environments, I knew I could make it in corporate environments without having to conform to the traditional sense of professionalism.
I just didn’t know-how. I remember Googling things like “CEOs with Dreadlocks” and “Job Interviews for people with locs” but the only search results I got back were from 2012 and they all pointed to a Black Enterprise article about Brian Terrell, a black man who got an internship at the White House even though he had locs.
The evidence was all around me. I knew that the idea that black people with natural hair don’t exist in professional environments was not true. But I just didn’t know how I could get into an organization if the world viewed my hair as unprofessional.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey has been long, confusing, uncomfortable, and discouraging and I’m grateful because of it. But as J. Cole, once said, “It’s beauty in the struggle, ugliness in the success”.
There are plenty of things I wish had happened earlier, but every rejection, mistake, missed opportunity, or suggestions to quit, has allowed me to reevaluate what it is I’m doing, why I’m doing it, and learn how to do it better.
I think there are factors we can’t control but I’m blessed to be able to do what I do and being who I am without having to.
BossLocks – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
BossLocks is a media company that I created to redefine professionalism. We’re doing this by creating content around racial equity, especially for those with natural hair. We’re proving that natural hair and professionalism coexist.
I think the most exciting thing about BossLocks is what it will become over the next three years. Starting with an Instagram account and a website, I’m shining a light on people with natural hair in professional environments.
The next phase in BossLocks is a podcast I’m launching. Throughout this podcast, you will hear from black leaders with natural hair in professional environments. We’re speaking to CEO’s, lawyers, chefs, entertainers, doctors, authors, and anyone battling natural hair discrimination about how they got to where they are today and how they are redefining professionalism.
After that, we’re partnering with other companies to create opportunities for others to thrive and new ventures to promote hair/self-love.
Our biggest goal is to get a federal law in place that bans hair discrimination in hiring practice and work environments.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
This is a good question because I know that there is more to come. I’d have to say that I’m very grateful for the people I’ve met who’ve offered to partner with me before I even brought it up.
I’m incredibly grateful for my team of creatives working with me day and night to build BossLocks.
I’m grateful for everyone who follows BossLocks on social media and reads the articles on our site. It’s a sign that I’m not the only one experiencing hair discrimination and it reinforces what BossLocks stands for.
I’m excited to share the stories on our upcoming podcast and work with my team to get our work seen around the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bosslocks.org
- Email: info@bosslocks.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bosslocks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bosslocks/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bosslocks_
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bosslocks
Image Credit:
Walter Gainer II @BossLocks on Instagram
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