WASHINGTON — Matter Plaza to protest, Barber Steffany Mckee was inspired to do her part after watching thousands of demonstrators throng to the newly renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza.
Last week, she took her tool kit to the plaza and cut the Black power symbol into her client's hair right on the yellow painted letters.
“I just wanted to be part of the historical movement," McKee said. "It’s exciting.”
Saturday, 15-year-old Tyson Wilson agreed to a free cut with the same symbol. To McKee, the iconic fist represents so much more than Black power.
“It means justice. That we are united. That we all are one," she said.
McKee hasn't always felt united with her communities — she's had to fight her own battles of acceptance.
“Being a female barber was tough when I first started in this industry," she said. "I was looked over, people didn’t want to give me a try ... I actually love being a female barber, because it sets the tone for us women to be strong.”
As a strong woman, she hopes to uplift her Black brothers and sisters.
“It’s a rough time for us right now, but I just feel like a change is going to come soon if we all stick together and keep protesting and you know expressing ourselves and showing the movement," McKee said.
After less than an hour in the chair, Tyson Wilson became a walking symbol of the movement.
“It’s cool. It’s a part of history," Wilson said. "I’m just happy to support my people. People think it’s going to be dumb because I put it on my head, but I just want to represent black people and black power, because we are strong, and we aren’t represented equally, and we should be.”
For McKee, the entire experience of cutting hair is cathartic.
“Doing designs in people’s heads, it just gives me life," she said. "I ain’t gonna lie. It makes my soul crawl.”
That same feeling came over her seeing her work — the Black power symbol — raised in front of the most powerful office in the country.
To connect with McKee for a cut, you can contact her here.
RELATED: 'The work is just starting' | Here's Freedom Fighters DC's plan for action beyond the protests