About
Meet the Hair Culturist
Erin H. Maybin | Photography by Basim Horshaw
Who is Erin H. Maybin?
A Hair Culturist: One engaged in the culture of hair. My connection to hair goes back further than I can remember; it has been a central theme throughout my life. What I have observed along the way is how different hair types, styles, ethnicities, geographical locations, and cultures all influence how a person "uses" their hair. Hair is not only something we adorn or style to express ourselves; it is a raw material, a textile that has marked its intrepid place in global culture. It has been celebrated, honored, and exploited; in many instances, it has served as the entry point of harm to nations.
Animal fibers and brushes from the TextielMuseum Tilburg. Understanding hair as a raw textile is essential to the work of a Hair Culturist. (Photo: Joep Vogels/TextielMuseum, CC BY-SA 4.0)
The journey for me has not been linear, but consistent, with each step a new lesson, another table built, a new seat created, and another door knocked down. I am a licensed cosmetologist in three major states: New York, Pennsylvania, and California. I chose to be licensed in these power states because of their historical significance in hair culture, economic and financial attributes, and their legislative influence. I currently serve on the NYS Appearance Enhancement Advisory Committee, appointed by the Secretary of State, and am the Co-founder and Vice President of the Natural Hairstyle and Braid Coalition, Inc.; I am also the Co-author of Laid to the Side: Disrupting the Silence of Black Girls' Hair Stories in Schools.
Intricate Textile: Synthetic rope braid. In the global economy, hair, whether biological or synthetic,
is a raw material that drives policy and trade. (Photo: Denielle Dix / Erin H. Maybin CC BY 4.0)
This unique vantage has placed me in rooms where systems are created and updated; rooms where I advocate for the truth that hair and its keepers have been and are a foundational force in a multi-billion-dollar global economy. Hair influences everything from international trade to the grooming polices that govern our corporations and institutions. My work lives at the intersection of beauty policy, clinical health, and workforce development.
When I started down this path, I could see the destination. I trusted the process and fell in sync with its rhythm. Embarking on an alchemist-inspired journey—decoding downloads from the universe and attuning to articulate what my heart and spirit already knew. I stand in the lineage of Pioneers like Annie Turnbo Malone, Madam C.J. Walker, and other Hair Culturists of the early 20th century—visionaries who understood that hair was not just a trade, but a vehicle for economic autonomy and social dignity. What you are witnessing is the real-time work, processes, and efforts of my life’s calling. Hair has been studied for centuries before me and will be long after me—a continuous lineage of science, culture, and spirit that I am honored to carry—a conduit here to explore its impact, rooted in my personal experiences and inspired by the world around me—past, present, and future.
For me, hair is a living, breathing being, deeply personal and ever-so-sacred—it is a cultural artifact.
Hair Culturist & Advocate
A Note on the Craft:
The term "Hair Culturist" was popularized in the early 20th century by pioneers such as Annie Turnbo Malone (founder of Poro College) and Madam C.J. Walker. They established hair care as a sophisticated discipline of science, economics, and social advocacy—a standard I am honored to uphold today.
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| Erin H. Maybin | Photography by Basim Horshaw |
My connection to hair goes back further than I can remember; it has been a central theme throughout my life. What I have observed along the way is how different hair types, styles, ethnicities, geographical locations, and cultures all influence how a person "uses" their hair. Hair is not only something we adorn or style to express ourselves; it is a raw material, a textile that has marked its intrepid place in global culture. It has been celebrated, honored, and exploited; in many instances, it has served as the entry point of harm to nations.
 |
Animal fibers and brushes from the TextielMuseum Tilburg. Understanding hair as a raw textile is essential to the work of a Hair Culturist. (Photo: Joep Vogels/TextielMuseum, CC BY-SA 4.0) |
The journey for me has not been linear, but consistent, with each step a new lesson, another table built, a new seat created, and another door knocked down. I am a licensed cosmetologist in three major states: New York, Pennsylvania, and California. I chose to be licensed in these power states because of their historical significance in hair culture, economic and financial attributes, and their legislative influence. I currently serve on the NYS Appearance Enhancement Advisory Committee, appointed by the Secretary of State, and am the Co-founder and Vice President of the Natural Hairstyle and Braid Coalition, Inc.; I am also the Co-author of Laid to the Side: Disrupting the Silence of Black Girls' Hair Stories in Schools.
 |
| Intricate Textile: Synthetic rope braid. In the global economy, hair, whether biological or synthetic, is a raw material that drives policy and trade. (Photo: Denielle Dix / Erin H. Maybin CC BY 4.0) |
This unique vantage has placed me in rooms where systems are created and updated; rooms where I advocate for the truth that hair and its keepers have been and are a foundational force in a multi-billion-dollar global economy. Hair influences everything from international trade to the grooming polices that govern our corporations and institutions. My work lives at the intersection of beauty policy, clinical health, and workforce development.
When I started down this path, I could see the destination. I trusted the process and fell in sync with its rhythm. Embarking on an alchemist-inspired journey—decoding downloads from the universe and attuning to articulate what my heart and spirit already knew. I stand in the lineage of Pioneers like Annie Turnbo Malone, Madam C.J. Walker, and other Hair Culturists of the early 20th century—visionaries who understood that hair was not just a trade, but a vehicle for economic autonomy and social dignity. What you are witnessing is the real-time work, processes, and efforts of my life’s calling. Hair has been studied for centuries before me and will be long after me—a continuous lineage of science, culture, and spirit that I am honored to carry—a conduit here to explore its impact, rooted in my personal experiences and inspired by the world around me—past, present, and future.
For me, hair is a living, breathing being, deeply personal and ever-so-sacred—it is a cultural artifact.
Hair Culturist & Advocate
A Note on the Craft:
The term "Hair Culturist" was popularized in the early 20th century by pioneers such as Annie Turnbo Malone (founder of Poro College) and Madam C.J. Walker. They established hair care as a sophisticated discipline of science, economics, and social advocacy—a standard I am honored to uphold today.
2026/27 National Black Worker Center Fellow
NYS Appearance Enhancement Advisory Committee Member
Vice President | Cofounder, Natural Hairstyle & Braid Coalition, Inc.
Follow the Journey Instagram
2026/27 National Black Worker Center Fellow
NYS Appearance Enhancement Advisory Committee Member
Vice President | Cofounder, Natural Hairstyle & Braid Coalition, Inc.
Follow the Journey Instagram
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