A Midwest organization that uplifts beauty professionals came together for a competition to highlight a certain type of barber.
La Jefa presents “Barberess Battle Royale” took place at Half Baked Bar in Rockford this past Sunday. Music blared as stylists carefully crafted their creations. Judges stood nearby as others looked on, waiting for the final reveal.
This competition put the spotlight on female barbers. The number of male barbers across the country outweigh the number of females. In 2022 the barber industry included about seventy-nine thousand artists of which 78% were male compared to 22% female, according to Data USA.
Rebecca Minjarez is the owner of La Jefa’s Multicultural Barbershop. She hosted the battle. Minjarez has practiced her craft for over 34 years.
She said the event includes two lady barber competitions, a hairstylist competition, and a make-up artists competition.
“And at the very end we have a tag team competition,” she said. “And so, the tag team consists of a barber, one of them has to be a female. So, it can be male, female, [or] female, female, but one of them has to be a female.”
Minjarez is a part of a group called Midwest Legends. This organization was started by barbers Marquez Tatum and DJ Mersee_Music. It is comprised of about 137 stylists.
Tatum is the owner of Quez Creations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Minjarez also calls him her partner. Tatum said he and DJ Mersee_Music created a poster that captures the faces of many Midwest stylists.
“And so, once we created that poster," he said, "then we came up with the ‘Certified Fresh Mixtape Cut Tour,’ and we started the tour with some of those individuals that were on the poster.”
Brandi Brown is the owner of Virtuosity Professional Hair Care Products. She is also a stylist and teacher. She said she received her barber license years ago, but she set it on the shelf and focused on cosmetology. Brown said things changed when she learned about Midwest Legends.
“I think now women barbers are more respected,” she explained. "Women barbers are able to have a clientele without a male sitting in a chair saying, ‘can you cut?’ so now you know we're getting the respect that we deserve because we are just as talented just as skilled and just as educated as the male barbers.”
Brown is now putting her barber license to use as well as teaching others how to cut hair.
Jarquell Parker received his barber license last year, but he’s been cutting hair for about two years. He said women were his inspiration. His first barber was his aunt, and his barber instructor was also a woman.
“And just working next to them you do get a different feel,” he said, “like you can see that they do have a different touch with clients as well, so you get to, you know, pick up on a soft, such, skills.”
Parker said this event is important because it exposes the professionals to things that they would not have seen standing in a shop.
“We have the people doing their makeup. We have vendors that are selling barber gear, barber apparel,” he added. “You have the chance to learn from other barbers what they're doing and their techniques and everything. So, it’s just a chance to network.”
An Indianapolis barber who goes by Tiah took part in the competition. She said she has competed before and has six trophies. She said the experience is different from servicing her clients in the shop.
“On a new model you have never seen before in a stressful situation where it's time[-limited]," she said. "You are figuring this out as you go along. You don't have room for error.”
Taurice Harris said this is his first time attending an event like this. He said the barbers’ creativity was amazing.
“After this entire show there were a few barbers, I took the time to actually you know, really appreciate their skill,” he said. “One was Tae, her fading skills were amazing -- enough to make me want to grow hair and I'm bald.”
Tatum said this event gives barbers a bigger platform.
“And make our voices louder out here," he said, "and let barbers know, women barbers are here, let the world know they’re here, they exist.”
And for the men asking the ladies, “can you cut?” this competition showed the answer is, “yes, they can.”
Information for upcoming events can be found on the Certified Fresh Mixtape Cut Tour Facebook page.
