Getting Into Prison

The cosmetology school I went to in Salem, Oregon, didn't teach its students how to do textured hair. But I wanted to learn, so after some asking around, I ended up training with the cosmetology teacher at the local men's prison. Years later, I heard that they needed an instructor, and I ended up getting a job there. I worked there for five years until it closed due to budget cuts. In 2002, I applied at Portland Community College, which is the contractor for vocational training at Coffee Creek, and I was hired to start the cosmetology program. There were a lot of programs for men at the time, but there weren't any for women. We started from scratch: Just a room and a chair.