We are in the midst of a historic moment. Today, social media feeds are strewn with black squares. Many are trying to support the movement in any way they possibly can, and #BlackOutDay is supposed to be a moment of solidarity where we take a break from posting our own content and lift up Black creators, artists, writers, business-owners, and more. I guess I’m technically breaking the rules by sharing an article from my own website, but I wanted to showcase a pair of women whom I admire for their incredible work and impact in the Black community and on the environment.

Picture from the Zell-Lurie Institute (@ZellLurie) on Twitter

Meet Jannice Newson and Nana Britwum. They are grad students at the University of Michigan, and they founded Lillian Augusta, a start-up that creates “hair without harm.” They serve the Black community by making plant-based braiding hair out of an invasive species called phragmites instead of plastic that is itchy, painful, harmful to health, and ends up in oceans as plastic waste.

I learned about their project through TEDxUofM when I was on the committee to choose an impact-driven project for our $1000 Award for Innovation grant. They came in and did their pitch for us, and I remember being mind-blown learning about their work. They told us about the customer discovery research they had done that revealed how so many Black women who use plastic braiding hair to protect their natural hair experience uncomfortable health issues, like itchy scalps, neck pain, and skin acne. Newson told us that she herself experienced these issues and it was what jump-started her and Britwum’s drive to create a better product. They also told us about how plastic braiding hair inevitably ends up in landfills and in the Oceans, contributing to the build-up of waste on our planet.

With Lillian Augusta, they had found a perfect solution – one that used an invasive species to create natural, healthier synthetic hair. Newson had worked with phragmites in some previous lab-work and knew about how devastating those common reeds could be in native ecosystems. Invasive species like phragmites are non-native plants or animals that are introduced inadvertently to ecosystems and end up destroying their delicate balance. The invasive species take up space and resources that otherwise would be used to maintain the ecosystem and ruin biodiversity of the land. Basically, they’re buggy little bastards.

But Lillian Augusta creates an incredible new purpose for them; natural braiding hair. They’re working on putting together viable prototypes, testing them, and getting ready to disrupt the synthetic hair industry with a product “that millions of black women across the world can use” (SecondWaveMedia.com).

While Lillian Augusta didn’t take home the TEDxUofM prize, they do have a life long fan in me and in many others, as their product and passion for making the world a better place is incredible. Run a Google search for “Lillian Augusta hair,” and you’ll see accolades and awards that highlight the work they’ve done so far:

Here is a video they put together that explains their product and that won them the 2019 Greenhouse Initiative, “a $4,000 grant to fund their triple bottom line projects or businesses teach them the ins and outs of sustainable business to help bring them to life.”
They also won the Delta Boost 2019 award from the Delta Institute, an Environmental Conservation Organization based in Chicago that works to solve complex environmental challenges across the Midwest.
They won several cash prizes at the 2019-2020 Michigan Business Challenge hosted by the Zell-Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurship, including this prize pictured below!

From the Michigan Business Challenge, they won:

First Place in the Seigle Impact Track ($15,000)

The Michigan Investment Challenge ($2,000)
and the OneMagnify Best in Business Award ($5,000)

These are just a few of Lillian Augusta’s achievements, and I’m sure that as the project progresses, these women will continue to rock the boat with their power, passion, and ridiculously sharp ideas. I’m grateful that I was ever able to cross paths with them and learn about their work, and I can’t wait to keep watching and cheering them on.

Lillian Augusta: Hair Without Harm