Beyoncé’s charity BeyGood has already selected the first recipients of its new Secreto scholarship, with one student saying she “still can’t believe it” but is more excited than ever to make her dream come true.
In April, the singer’s foundation announced the first recipients of its $500,000 Cécred X BeyGood Fund. The recipients included 25 students from five different beauty schools and 25 qualified salon owners who demonstrated financial hardship. Each student will receive a $10,000 grant or scholarship so they can continue to make an impact in their community.
In June, the organization selected the second round of business grant recipients.
Jacola Smart, 29, is one of the first five recipients of the Secredo and Beygood Student Scholarship at Beaver Beauty Academy in Decatur, Georgia.
Ahead of the application opening, Beyoncé’s personal hairstylist, Neil Farina, and Secreto’s Director of Education, Dr. Kari Williams, visited Smart’s school to demonstrate products and speak to students.
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“They wanted to know about our financial needs, what community means to us in the beauty industry, and basically see how our values aligned with Secredo’s,” Smart says.
Other first-round winners from the Beaver Beauty Academy include Christina Chatman, Kartissa Bhatt, Marcus Boatwright and Sevaya Sayavong.
The Secre Scholarship “means everything to me”
“I also got to show a portfolio of what we’d done hair-wise. And I also threw in some of the makeup I’d done, because that was my first love. And then I just hit send and prayed it worked.”
And the odds certainly worked in her favor: “It means everything to me,” says Smart, whose favorite singer is Beyoncé.
Interestingly, she says it showed up at this exact moment. ““I was shocked, but at the same time, deep down I knew it was me,” she told the USA Today Network.
The scholarship will cover Smart’s tuition fees at the academy, and she said it was “definitely a weight off my shoulders knowing that everything will be taken care of once I leave school.”
Hair is “a big cornerstone of our culture”
Smart said she is already working to increase her clientele and is looking forward to taking the state exam to become a master cosmetologist after graduation.
“My ultimate goal is to create a beauty supply store like Sephora or Ulta that is focused on Black people’s knowledge and needs,” Smart says.
“For me, especially as a Black woman, it’s really important because hair is such a huge foundation of our culture.”
And it’s clear that her dreams are driven by passion and purpose.
“As black women, I’m really passionate about making sure our needs are met because our money means a lot to us,” she said. “I think black women, or black people in general, spend[billions of dollars]a year on hair care and cosmetics.”
Like Beyoncé’s Secret, Smart wants to leave a lasting mark.
Like the “Yaya” singer, Smart hopes to leave a lasting mark on the beauty industry.
“I wanted to make sure that we were highlighted and not overlooked, especially when it comes to going to the salon and addressing anti-Blackness in that way. Hair is something that is so intimate to me. My mom cut my hair and as I was growing up, she would take me to hairstylists. Hair has always been a source of comfort, but the world has tried to make it into a polemic. I wanted to highlight the love that is for us,” she says.
As fans know, the “Ya Ya” singer launched her own brand, Cécred, in February. She first teased the haircare line on Instagram last May, talking about the influence of growing up in her mother’s hair salon.
“I have seen firsthand how the way we care for and treasure our hair has a direct impact on our souls,” Beyoncé wrote. “I have watched her heal and help so many women. I have learned so much on my hair journey and have always dreamed of carrying on her legacy.”
Since its launch, the brand has garnered praise from fans of all hair types and textures, while Cécred has also won numerous awards from beauty brands such as Women’s Health and Self magazine.
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