Prominent Black actresses, models and personalities have joined forces to encourage industry executives to provide more stylists on set who cater to the care of natural hair and textures. 

The movement began when model Olivia Anakwe shared her frustration via an Instagram post while preparing to walk the runway during Paris Fashion Week.

View this post on Instagram

This message is to spread awareness & hopefully reach anyone in the hair field to expand their range of skills. Black models are still asking for just one hairstylist on every team no matter where your team is from to care for afro hair. I was asked to get out of an empty chair followed by having hairstylists blatantly turning their backs to me when I would walk up to them, to get my hair done. If I am asked to wear my natural hair to a show, the team should prepare the style just as they practice the look and demo for non-afro hair. I arrived backstage where they planned to do cornrows, but not one person on the team knew how to do them without admitting so. After one lady attempted and pulled my edges relentlessly, I stood up to find a model who could possibly do it. After asking two models and then the lead/only nail stylist, she was then taken away from her job to do my hair. This is not okay. This will never be okay. This needs to change. No matter how small your team is, make sure you have one person that is competent at doing afro texture hair care OR just hire a black hairstylist! Black hairstylists are required to know how to do everyone’s hair, why does the same not apply to others? It does not matter if you don’t specialize in afro hair, as a continuous learner in your field you should be open to what you have yet to accomplish; take a class. I was ignored, I was forgotten, and I felt that. Unfortunately I’m not alone, black models with afro texture hair continuously face these similar unfair and disheartening circumstances. It’s 2019, it’s time to do better. || #NaturalHair #ModelsofColor #BlackHairCare #HairCare #Message #Hair #Hairstyling #Backstage #BTS #AfroTexturedHair #Afro #POC #Braids #Message #Spreadtheword #Speak #Awareness #Growth #WorkingTogether #BlackGirlMagic #Melanin

A post shared by Olivia Anakwe (@olivia_anakwe) on

According to Teen Vogue, Anakwe was told to arrive backstage for show preparation with her natural hair. When she arrived, she was informed she would be rocking cornrows during the program. However, several hairstylists refused to do Anakwe's hair because they were not trained on caring for and styling Black textures.

Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.

Eventually, a Black nail technician was pulled from her post to tend to the rising star's mane. 

Anakwe voiced her frustrations in a lengthy post saying, "This is not okay. This will never be okay. This needs to change. No matter how small your team is, make sure you have one person that is competent at doing afro texture hair care OR just hire a Black hairstylist!"

Her criticism was instantly seen by longtime Black thespians like Gabrielle Union and Yvette Nicole Brown, and they rightfully used their platforms to single out creative directors who fail to provide diverse stylists on set.

"One too many times seeing no shade that matches you will learn ya!" a portion of Brown's tweet read.

Timeless actor Malcolm Barrett also joined the conversation, noting that Black actors are often forced to arrive with their hair pre-coiffed on their dime.

The Real co-host Loni Love also chimed in, saying she began bringing her make-up to set after being "tired of looking grey." 

The growing concern revolving around self-expression through hair within the Black community has sparked conversation from Hollywood powerhouses to elementary schools. Blavity reported in January about a Texas mom who refused to cooperate with a school's demands that she cut her son's dreadlocks. 

More recently, a law banning discrimination against individuals based on their hairstyles was just passed in New York City. 

Now, check these out:

A New York Hair Salon Is Under Investigation For Allegedly Discriminating Against Workers With Black Hairstyles

Baltimore Children's Museum Dedicated To African History Is Believed To Be The First Of Its Kind

Michael Bennett Says He'll Continue #TakeAKnee Protests Despite The Pro-Trump Stance Of His New Team's Leadership

black hairstylistsGabrielle Union,Hair-DiscriminationMalcolm BennettNew-YorkOlivia AnakweYvette Nicole Brown