Anaiyah Carter

Universal Banker | Pensacola, FL

At a young age, I used drawing and cosmetology as my main creative outlets. My father encouraged me to explore and take it seriously when he noticed I loved to draw. In high school, I began to take art classes and was fortunate to have a teacher who inspired and encouraged me. Through her critique and tips, I learned skills that really helped my talent shine, especially when it came to pottery. As a result of that encouragement and hard work, I had a couple of pieces showcased at local art shows for high school students. The experience was something that cemented my love of creating.

Art interested me because it was a way to express myself, and I was good at it. As I got older, I shifted my focus to cosmetology because I didn’t like sitting for hours getting my hair done. I decided to try doing my own hair and since then, family and friends wanted me to do theirs and my client base expanded quickly.

I have put my art into action as a hair stylist. I particularly enjoy doing the hair of younger Black girls from my community. To help show my work, I’ve built a website, and, thanks to social media, I share my hair art with others and book appointments directly.

One of my favorite client memories was with a 9-year-old girl. Her mom reached out to me after being referred to me for braids and shared that her daughter wasn’t used to extensions or sitting for a long time. At first, the young girl was shy and fidgeted a lot, but I kept trying to talk to her, make jokes and make her feel comfortable. When I finally saw her little smile, I knew it would be smooth from there. When she looked in the mirror and saw her hair, you couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.

For inspiration, I look to meaningful paintings or drawings of Black women wearing their natural hair. It reminds me of my creative outlet and how my talent might bring women of color back to their roots and make them feel natural and free. Madame C.J. Walker has also inspired me because she was said to be the first Black self-made female millionaire using the hair products she created.

I love supporting other Black artists, especially on social media, by sharing, commenting and following their accounts and liking their posts. One of the main reasons I’ve made it this far with my talents is because of my great support system who wouldn’t let me give up and pushed me to do better. I’m grateful they never let me quit on my gift and I try to be the same for others.