Minority hair stylists start relief fund to help business owners during pandemic shutdown

FOX 2 - A hair dryer - and no hair to style - empty chairs in a once busy salon.

Sonya Molette owns salon hype hair on Seven Mile in Redford - and the shutdown means she's struggling and so are her employees.

Small businesses need help

Plenty of small businesses are seeing tough times during the pandemic.

"With the pandemic going on and we're not able to service the community, we’re receiving - at this point - we're receiving no income at all," said Sonya Molette.

Molette is one of thousands of beauticians and barbers in metro Detroit and Myra Lee is with Abea LLC - a family owned beauty platform and business accelerator dedicated to promoting black and brown businesses - but now they're trying to help them survive.

"These small businesses as well as professionals are easily your family and friends and have created a safe space for communities of color to gather and really be close to their neighbors," said Lee.

So Abea has started the Beauty Professionals of Color Relief fund - a fundraiser with the #givetheusual - encouraging people to donate what they would normally pay for a cut, color, trim or treatment and tip.

How many people they're able to help depends on how many donations they get.

They've raised more than a thousand dollars in just a few days but hope to raise more than $10,000 - to distribute grants of up to a thousand dollars to barbers and beauticians who apply for funding.

Minority businesses with fewer than 10 employees are encouraged to apply.

For people like Sonya Molette - who is one of the many applicants expected - every little bit will help - after six years in business here, she wants to be able to say - I'm still here - when the COVID-19 crisis is over.

"I'm praying that I am one of the ones that can get help to keep my business thriving and going after the pandemic," she said.

For more information, go to https://www.abeabeauty.com/abea-foundation