LEMON GROVE, Calif. — A San Diego County beauty school is helping break barriers for Hispanic students.
The owners of Alva Beauty Collective in Lemon Grove says it’s the only licensed cosmetology salon in San Diego that teaches in Spanish and English.
Fatima Osornio says for the last three years she has wanted to be a nail tech. She commutes from Tijuana because she wants to get her cosmetology license in the U.S.
“It’s important to her, because she wants to have her license to be able to work in a salon over here and eventually move over here,” said Osornio via translator.
She doesn’t speak English but through a translator she shares that it was difficult to find a Spanish speaking school that was licensed.
“I was super surprised, because I was looking for a while, and I couldn’t find a single one until I found Alva,” said Osornio.
She is talking about Alva Beauty Collective located on Lemon Grove Avenue.
“Here in San Diego we’re the only bilingual state approved program for licensure in cosmo, barber, aesthetician and nails,” said Zachary Meyer.
He and his wife, Stephany, co-own the beauty school. Stephany was also the translator for the interview with Osornio.
The salon opened five months ago to give underserved students equal access to beauty school.
“Our goal has always been to empower so we empower the Spanish-speaking population as well as the English-speaking population,” said Meyer.
Meyer says they’ve gone beyond being a bilingual school and removed some the barriers that students face when trying to enter the cosmetology industry.
“We don’t require high school diploma or GED, and then we accept social security or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
The director says this helps break barriers for students like Fatima who are coming from Mexico. Meyer says validating a foreign high school diploma or a GED or something equivalent to a GED in the U.S. can be a lengthy process.
“This allows them to be creative and express themselves normally, they get kind of set back by having to start with school taking the general ed just so they could pursue their career, which is more creative and more hands on,” said Meyer.
He hopes a little brush of empowerment can have a big lesson in inclusive self-care.
“I’m actually understanding my class, and I can actually practice once I have my license in the best way,” said Osornio. “It’s helping to create a path for myself.”
To learn more about Alva Beauty Collective click here.