Northwest Credible Messenger Uplift Community at Upcoming Reign of Style Event

VIDEO: Khalia Williams-O'Neal, Operations Manager at Northwest Credible Messenger

Northwest Credible Messenger is making waves in community support, and their efforts are coming to a head at the upcoming Reign of Style Hair Show and Competition on March 2nd at the Seattle Center. In her interview with Trae Holiday on The Day With Trae, Khalia Williams-O'Neal, Operations Manager at Northwest Credible Messenger, shared insights into the organization's work and its connection to the beauty industry.

Northwest Credible Messenger is an organization that builds capacity for Black and Brown leaders in communities that lack resources. They provide support to uplift businesses and community leaders. According to Khalia, the organization was contacted by the Washington State Department of Commerce, who recognized the work they were doing and wanted to collaborate on a project. This led to the development of a Barber and Beautician Behavioral Health Project.

Khalia explains, "These people are doing the work already. Let's get them training. Let's get them to be healing center practitioners. Let's have them be certified peer counselors and get them a state certification so that the state can see, oh, you're certified in this."

This project aims to recognize and empower the work already being done within the community by barbers and beauticians. As Khalia states, "They're already unlicensed therapists already doing so much work. So let's get the state to recognize what is already in our community, and let's empower that part of our community."

This initiative is about more than just hair care; it's about creating safe spaces within the community. These spaces provide an opportunity for people to "unload" and receive support, mentorship, and guidance.

Aisha Ellis, a participant in the Northwest Credible Messenger program and the organizer of the 11th annual Reign of Style competition, exemplifies the impact of this work. The organization is supporting and funding part of the Reign of Style event, further amplifying the positive impact on the community. "It's already there. It's already great. Let's make it even bigger," Khalia says.

For those interested in learning more or getting involved, Khalia recommends visiting the Northwest Credible Messenger website and contacting them through their contact page, specifically mentioning interest in the barber and beauty project. While the program is currently undergoing some changes to align with state certification updates, they are committed to finding ways to involve community members.

Northwest Credible Messenger's work highlights the importance of community-led initiatives and the power of supporting existing resources. Their collaboration with the Reign of Style event symbolizes the uplifting and empowering of community.