On May 19, 2026, the Black Bruin Resource Center, Afrikan Womxn’s Collective, and UCLA Alphas came together for the first “Shop Talk” event. This event brought the Black UCLA community together and engaged in meaningful conversations centered around the Black student experience.
The shop stems from the Barbershop Talk series that is hosted every quarter by the Black Bruin Resource Center and the Alpha Phi Alpha chapter at UCLA. During these events, Black men at UCLA get together to build community, discuss the realities of being a Black man on campus, and get free haircuts.
The Black women on UCLA’s campus also sought the need to build community in a similar way. Inspired by the Alpha’s Barbershop Talk series, the Black Bruin Resource Center Afrikan Womxn’s Collective, and Afrikan Student Union came together to hold the first Beauty Shop Talk in March. The Beauty Shop Talk provided Black women on campus the space to come together and talk about challenges within the community, how Black women are treated on campus, and how Black women could support and uplift each other.
Amariah Scott, BBRC student staff, on the importance of events like Beauty Shop Talk:
Cultivating spaces for Black women is so important because many of us often navigate environments where we do not always feel seen, heard, or fully supported. I wanted to start Beauty Shop Talk to create a sense of community and a safe space where Black women could come together, be themselves, and feel valued. This event was intentionally held at the end of Black History Month and the beginning of Women’s History Month to celebrate and appreciate the Black women on our campus. Seeing that Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. had been hosting Barbershop Talk as a space for Black men to connect inspired me to create a similar experience for Black women. I reached out to the Afrikan Womxn’s Collective and Dr. Tunstall to help bring this vision to life. At this PWI, there are very few spaces dedicated specifically to Black women, despite the challenges we often face, including racism, colorism, sexism, and discrimination. Because of this, we need to build community, uplift one another, and have spaces where we can openly discuss our experiences and concerns. Beauty Shop Talk helped create that space by bringing nearly 50 Black women together to engage in meaningful conversations about beauty standards, our hair, support, and sisterhood.
During the Beauty Shop event, the attendees discussed how urgent a community discussion event was between the Black women and men on campus. That’s when the BBRC, Afrikan Womxn’s Collective, and UCLA Alphas came together to host the first-ever Shop Talk Event. Shop Talk was a much-needed conversation for the Black Bruins on campus. Some of the major themes explored were mentorship, building community, and upholding tradition.
Nommo talked more with Amariah Scott to gain more insight on the event, what could be approved, and goals for the Black community moving forward:
Question 1. What did you think about the Shop Talk? How important did you think the conversation was?
Amariah: Cultivating spaces for Black women and men to come together and discuss issues within the community is important because it creates opportunities for understanding, accountability, and unity. After hosting both Beauty Shop Talk and Barbershop Talk, there were many conversations about how we could bring these spaces together. We decided to host The Shop Talk event so Black men and women could openly discuss ways to better support one another and strengthen our community. When creating the discussion questions, we wanted to be intentional and ensure the conversations were honest, productive, and solution-oriented. While Black men and women may experience different struggles, it is important to acknowledge that we are all impacted by issues affecting the Black community. Having open conversations about where gaps in support exist helps us become more united.
Question 2. How could the event be improved?
Amariah: Although I was very happy with the turnout, with nearly 80 RSVPs, I think one area where the event could be improved is encouraging participants to feel more comfortable being honest and open about the issues discussed. During the separate Beauty Shop Talk and Barbershop Talk events, people seemed more comfortable speaking within their respective spaces. However, during the first half of the Shop Talk event, there was some hesitation when it came to openly engaging with one another across genders. It took time and breakout groups to help break down some of those walls and create a more open environment for discussion. Once participants became more comfortable, the conversations became much more meaningful and productive. Although the discussions we had were impactful, I believe future events could go even deeper into the challenges our community faces.
Question 3. After this event, what do you hope for the Black Bruin community moving forward? What steps do we need to take to address the gap between mentorship, building community, and upholding traditions?
Amariah Scott, 3rd year: After this event, I hope the Black Bruin community continues creating more open, honest, and supportive spaces for one another. I hope students leave knowing they have a community they can rely on and that people continue reaching out to their accountability groups to check in, build relationships, and support one another beyond the event itself. This event was only the beginning. Real change happens when people continue these conversations in their everyday lives and make intentional efforts to connect with their peers one-on-one. I also hope people felt seen, heard, and encouraged through these discussions. I hope upperclassmen recognize the importance of reaching out to underclassmen to mentor and guide them, especially at a PWI where community and support systems are so important. I also hope Black men and women continue stepping up to support one another and work toward strengthening unity within the community. Traditions and community-building events are important because they create opportunities for connection across different class years and experiences. For example, after discussions about preserving the tradition of spicy uno, students organized a game night event where seniors would teach underclassmen how to play. Moments like that are important because they turn conversations and concerns into action. While Beauty Shop Talk, Barbershop Talk, and The Shop Talk will continue, what matters most is that these conversations, relationships, and acts of support continue year-round on a personal level throughout the Black Bruin community.
Moving forward, Nommo hopes Black Bruins can continue to come together and have meaningful conversations about our experiences on campus and support one another with open arms. It is critical to recognize the strength within the Black community at UCLA. As a small minority on campus, it is important that we stick together in any way we can. This looks like giving a smile and nod to every Black person you see on campus. It looks like attending community events for the sake of building community rather than grabbing a free plate of food. It also looks like having conversations with peers that push beyond simply asking “how are you?”
If you are interested in learning more about the Barbershop Talk, Beauty Shop Talk, or Shop Talk events, please visit @uclaalphas, @uclabbrc, and @awcatucla on Instagram.