Textured Treasures launches a summer camp for Black kids

What started as a weekly hair workshop during Black History Month is now being offered as a summer camp for the first time.

Textured Treasures gives Black children aged five to 15 a chance to engage in educational activities reflecting their African or Caribbean heritage, arts, crafts and more in downtown London, Ont., this summer.

According to Lauri Morrison, board chair of the London Artisan Connection and co-founder of Textured Treasures, the camp's purpose is to lift kids up while teaching them about their Black history.

"We wanted to build on that for the summer to not just do hair, but also just an empowerment thing for the kids," said Morrison. "To have fun, learn crafts, learn stuff that they may not necessarily learn going to a regular camp, but things that are more culturally related to us and our heritage."

Campers will learn about the importance of leadership and entrepreneurship through mentorship and workshops hosted by different community members. Morrison said educating young kids about these subjects creates an understanding of what they'll need down the line, and that the camp is needed in London because some Black children need additional positive support systems.

"We aren't taught this, nobody teaches us this. Our kids, they have to work twice, three, four times as hard as the other kids to get it even started," she said.

"Sometimes it's even just a case of them not having anybody to believe in them. They have nobody to teach them or show them what to do, and we want to be available to them."

As a professional hair braider and co-founder of Textured Treasures, Nancy Komi said she's eager to teach any child with very textured hair, such as kinky and coily, how to properly take care of their hair along with the importance of protective hairstyles like single braids or cornrows.

"It's important for children to know how to care for their hair, love their hair, [and] build that confidence in them," said Komi.

She emphasizes the importance of young Black children understanding the act of self-love and confidence when it comes to their hair since many of them continue to experience hair discrimination, she said.

According to an American study examining hair experiences among Black girls, a majority of the girls experienced or witnessed hair-related bullying or teasing, which can lead to low self-esteem and psychological distress.

"As a hair braider myself, as a mother and also as an educator, I see it each and every day in the school," said Komi.

"It is very important to teach these basics now because they are young. So by providing this camp and this workshop for them, it would give them that flexibility and build that confidence in them."

The founders are both looking forward to seeing the kids grow and having fun.

Textured Treasures is offering five weeks of camp from June 30 to August 1.