04/10/2026
I CRIED. 😭❤️
And even now, sitting here in New York, I’m still trying to take it all in.
In a few hours , I’ll stand in a room with over 500 people and be recognized as one of the TOP 5 Honor the Teacher honorees for 2026 by Intercoiffure America Canada.
The judging process went from 100 → 50 → 25 → 10 → the final 5, reviewed by eight Intercoiffure members.
And somehow… I’m one of those five. 😭
But this is the part that makes me emotional:
Kulture is only FOUR years old.
Four years of building.
Four years of teaching.
Four years of creating curriculum.
Four years of believing that textured-hair education deserves its rightful place in professional beauty education.
Four years of pouring into students, sometimes wondering if anyone could truly see the work being done.
And now, I get to stand alongside incredible educators who have been doing this work for 20 and 30+ years.
That humbles me deeply. ❤️
Because behind this recognition are real people.
Students who changed careers.
Students who found confidence and purpose.
Students who learned a skill and began earning an income.
Families whose lives changed because someone decided to take a chance on themselves.
I’ve even had husbands and wives come back and even bought me purses 👛 🙇🏾♀️ just to say, “Thank you for what you’ve done for my wife.”
Those were my awards long before New York. ❤️
So when I walk onto that stage, I won’t be walking up there alone.
I’m carrying four years of Kulture.
Every student who trusted me.
Every person who nominated me.
Every late night, sacrifice, setback, prayer and moment when giving up would have been easier.
From a four-year-old school in Calgary… to a stage in New York. 🇨🇦🗽
We started by teaching skills.
Somehow, God allowed us to touch lives.
I’m proud.
I’m humbled.
And I am incredibly grateful. 😭🙏🏾❤️
