Shellee Mendes honored at MA Conference for Women

Braintree resident Shellee Mendes, founder, owner and stylist at the award-winning Salon Monet on Newbury Street, was honored with the TARGET Storyteller Award at the Massachusetts Conference for Women on Dec. 12. She received the award for her tireless work to give back to her community and lift women up throughout her life and career

Mendes also led a conference round table on the topic “Race, Hair & Working Women.” During conference planning sessions, focus groups with women of color called for content focusing on issues surrounding “race and hair” in the workplace.

Mendes, whose salon serves a diverse, multicultural clientele, said the topic of race, hair and the workplace is frequently raised at her salons, where women of color often note the emotional and physical challenges they face regarding hair and their careers and every day working environment.

“They wonder if they should straighten their hair before a selective corporate interview. They report that that people at work want to touch their hair,” she said. “This is definitely an issue that needs to be explored.”

Mendes’s program looked at the questions: “Are you judged for embracing styles that reflect your natural hair textures and your ethnic/racial heritage – even before you speak? Is your hair keeping you from moving up the corporate ladder?” Participants spoke out with many stories from the front lines of hair issues in corporate settings and several called for an education campaign to educate managers on ethnic hair. One woman suggested calling the campaign: “Take your cornrows to work day!”

Mendes is Newbury Street’s only female African-American hair salon owner and now owns two salons on the venerable Back Bay street.