Kadi Lee

And Miss Lindsay took money that she had saved and she gave it to me for my train fare to go to New York City and enroll in beauty school.

And Miss Lindsay took money that she had saved and she gave it to me for my train fare to go to New York City and enroll in beauty school.

So I started a beauty school in New York and I was at Aveda. And the minute I started, I just knew I was where I should be. It felt like home. It felt completely natural. I could do it with my eyes closed.

So I started a beauty school in New York and I was at Aveda. And the minute I started, I just knew I was where I should be. It felt like home. It felt completely natural. I could do it with my eyes closed.

At that point, not entrepreneurial. There was a job fair and all the top salons came to recruit. And one of the salons was Frederick Fakai, which at the time in, you know, early 2000s was the salon. And I remember being like, oh, great. Amazing. I'll just be a colorist at Fakai. Yeah.

At that point, not entrepreneurial. There was a job fair and all the top salons came to recruit. And one of the salons was Frederick Fakai, which at the time in, you know, early 2000s was the salon. And I remember being like, oh, great. Amazing. I'll just be a colorist at Fakai. Yeah.

You know, not really realizing that they'll hire anyone to be an assistant or to shampoo, but like you're not a colorist right away. Like, you don't, I think about what I knew back then, which was absolutely nothing about color and like the gall that I had to like be like, yeah, I'm going to be a colorist. And the first day showing up and them handing me my shampoo apron. Yeah.

You know, not really realizing that they'll hire anyone to be an assistant or to shampoo, but like you're not a colorist right away. Like, you don't, I think about what I knew back then, which was absolutely nothing about color and like the gall that I had to like be like, yeah, I'm going to be a colorist. And the first day showing up and them handing me my shampoo apron. Yeah.

And like, you're making your like $4 an hour. But for color, it was, you know, I always painted. I love art. And it always felt like, okay, this is a canvas. And it felt really freeing to me. And I just, I loved every bit of it. And not ever thinking that there would be a roadblock because I was Black, because there weren't any Black colorists. But it never even crossed my mind.

And like, you're making your like $4 an hour. But for color, it was, you know, I always painted. I love art. And it always felt like, okay, this is a canvas. And it felt really freeing to me. And I just, I loved every bit of it. And not ever thinking that there would be a roadblock because I was Black, because there weren't any Black colorists. But it never even crossed my mind.

that it would be an issue. When did it start to cross your mind then? When I showed up at Frederick Fakai and saw that there were no Black people that were actually colorists there. There were a couple of Black assistants. And I was like, well, does anyone ever get promoted to be a colorist? And they were like, maybe.

that it would be an issue. When did it start to cross your mind then? When I showed up at Frederick Fakai and saw that there were no Black people that were actually colorists there. There were a couple of Black assistants. And I was like, well, does anyone ever get promoted to be a colorist? And they were like, maybe.

Then you start really doing some research in the industry and you're like, it actually just doesn't exist anymore. but I don't know if like I was going through life naively. I just never think until this day, I still think that anything is off limits for me. Like that's what I feel like doing. Great. I'm going to do it. And I knew obviously that I had the artistic ability.

Then you start really doing some research in the industry and you're like, it actually just doesn't exist anymore. but I don't know if like I was going through life naively. I just never think until this day, I still think that anything is off limits for me. Like that's what I feel like doing. Great. I'm going to do it. And I knew obviously that I had the artistic ability.

I knew that I had the intelligence, but when you realize and get into the real world that like, there is no one else that looks like you, you're like, huh? Did it ever create any anxiety for you, though? Yeah, that anxiety was there, but I had such wonderful mentors. You know, the color director, Constance Hartnett, her and I really... Yeah, we bonded and...

I knew that I had the intelligence, but when you realize and get into the real world that like, there is no one else that looks like you, you're like, huh? Did it ever create any anxiety for you, though? Yeah, that anxiety was there, but I had such wonderful mentors. You know, the color director, Constance Hartnett, her and I really... Yeah, we bonded and...

I think she never saw, you know, me as like a Black colorist. I was just like her amazing assistant, you know, who showed up every day, never missed a day of work and had the talent. So she was appalled when I told her I wanted to transfer to California. Because in her mind, New York was just it. Her clients were just the most sophisticated women on the planet.

I think she never saw, you know, me as like a Black colorist. I was just like her amazing assistant, you know, who showed up every day, never missed a day of work and had the talent. So she was appalled when I told her I wanted to transfer to California. Because in her mind, New York was just it. Her clients were just the most sophisticated women on the planet.

We're talking like Nan Kempner and Sigourney Weaver and Meryl and all these women that I'm learning literally how to do color corrections on. And I just one day was like, I'm cold. And I want to live in sunny California. And Frederica, I had like an outpost there. And I was like, to Cali I go. I love that you were just like, I'm cold.

We're talking like Nan Kempner and Sigourney Weaver and Meryl and all these women that I'm learning literally how to do color corrections on. And I just one day was like, I'm cold. And I want to live in sunny California. And Frederica, I had like an outpost there. And I was like, to Cali I go. I love that you were just like, I'm cold.