I’m the Youngest Female Barber

Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? I figured it out last year, when I was 7. I wanted to be a barber—a person who cuts and styles hair (mostly men’s hair).

It all started when my brother went to check out a junior barbering class near my home in Philadelphia. He decided not to take the class, but it sounded cool to me. I thought maybe I’d want to own a barbershop one day.

So I signed up for the six-week course. My mom warned me that I might be the only girl in the class, but I didn’t care.

Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? I decided last year. I was 7 years old. I decided that I want to be a barber. A barber is a person who cuts and styles hair (mostly men’s hair).

It all started when my brother told me about a barbering class near my home in Philadelphia. It sounded cool to me. I thought: Maybe I want to own a barbershop one day.

So I signed up for the course. My mom warned me that I might be the only girl in the class. But I didn’t care.

My mom was right—the other kids in the class were all boys. I was also the youngest kid. The other students towered over me. Some of them were as old as 17!

In the class, I learned how to use clippers to trim hair. We would practice the techniques we learned on real people.

My first haircut was for a kid my age named Race. I was so nervous, my hands shook the whole time. But my instructor guided me through it. It turned out okay! Now I’m more confident and can keep my hands steady. I’ve also learned how to use the special sharp scissors for hair called shears.

My instructor taught me that to be an excellent barber you need to be patient and serious. If I don’t focus, I might cut someone with those sharp tools.

My mom was right. The other kids in the class were all boys. I was also the youngest. The other students towered over me. Some of them were as old as 17!

I learned how to use clippers to cut hair. We practiced the techniques we learned on real people.

My first haircut was for a kid named Race. I was so nervous. My hands shook the whole time. But my instructor helped me through it. It turned out okay! Now I’m more confident. And I can keep my hands steady. I’ve also learned how to use special sharp scissors for hair. They’re called shears.

My instructor taught me that a great barber needs to be patient and serious. If I don’t focus, I might cut someone with those sharp tools.

I graduated from my class when I was 7. People say that made me the youngest female barber in the world! Sometimes my clients are surprised by how young I am. But I tell them that just because I’m young doesn’t mean I shouldn’t start learning skills for my future. That makes them silent.

Since graduating, I’ve given more than 50 haircuts. An instructor is always with me in case I need help. I’ve given free haircuts to people who are homeless. Having a good haircut makes people feel better about themselves. I like using my talents to help people feel good.

I get extra practice by cutting the hair of mannequins. I cut my family’s hair too. One of my most memorable haircuts was for my grandpa. He has thick hair with a nice, wavy texture. He seemed nervous at first. But after I finished, he said, “You did a great job.” I’d like to give my brother a haircut, but he doesn’t want me to. Convincing him is my next big goal! 

I graduated from the class when I was 7. People say that made me the youngest female barber in the world! Sometimes my clients are surprised by how young I am. But I tell them that I’m learning skills for my future. That makes them quiet.

Since graduating, I’ve given more than 50 haircuts. A teacher is always with me in case I need help. I’ve given free haircuts to people who are homeless. Having a good haircut makes people feel better about themselves. I like using my talents to help people feel good.

I get extra practice by cutting the hair of mannequins. I cut my family’s hair too. One of the haircuts I remember best was for my grandpa. He has thick hair with a nice, wavy texture. He seemed nervous at first. After the haircut, he said, “You did a great job.” I’d like to give my brother a haircut, but he doesn’t want me to. Convincing him is my next big goal!