In November 2021, Louisiana made history as the first state to mandate a new rule in its cosmetology schools: Students must know how to cut textured hair in order to receive their license. Chairman of the Louisiana Board of Cosmetology (BOC), Edwin Neill, who also serves as the current president of Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute, led the charge for the ruling in an effort to close the education gap and create a more welcoming salon environment for customers.
"There are still sometimes disparities in the salon experience between people with textured hair and those with naturally straight hair,” Neill shared in a 2021 statement, reported by ABC News. “We want to ensure that licensed cosmetologists in Louisiana are able to do all types of hair."
