About the Creator of HairMath

Irene Smalls, MBA, a licensed hairdresser, was one of the first Black natural hair models in the 1960s. She is also a former beauty queen, crowned Miss Black New York in 1967, and a print hair model.
Smalls’ passionate interest in HairMath stems from her lifelong fear of mathematics. Throughout high school and college, she avoided math at all costs. Research shows that the stereotype “girls are not good at math” can begin influencing girls as early as second grade. This phenomenon is known as math anxiety. For Smalls, the fear of math had unexpected consequences—her natural love of science was stifled by the belief that she couldn’t handle the math required in scientific fields.

HairMath is Smalls’ gift to young Black girls, designed to help them overcome math anxiety and unlock their full talents and abilities. Black girls not only struggle with math anxiety but also face the intersection of race and gender, contending with racial stereotypes that suggest, “Blacks are not good at math.”

About the Creator of HairMath

Irene Smalls,MBA HairMath’s creator has a unique background that includes experience as a licensed beautician, a former Black Beauty queen, one of the first Afro models in the 1960s, and a published author of 15 books for Black children. She has a long history of empowering Black women through various initiatives. She founded the first official Black women’s residence on an Ivy League college campus at Cornell University, Wari House and She sold ‘Love’ to the US military with a line of “ I Love you Black Woman, Man and Child T shirts. HairMath” is not just an educational tool; it’s a movement to inspire and uplift Black women and girls, reinforcing their inherent value in both cultural and professional spaces. HairMath is a concept totally in sync with the push for the Crown Act. Black Women’s Hair Matters!
The CROWN Act, or Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act, is a law that prohibits discrimination based on hair texture or style. It applies to a variety of settings, including: federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment. The CROWN Act was created in 2019 by Dove and the CROWN Coalition, in partnership with California State Senator Holly J. Mitchell. The CROWN Coalition is an alliance of organizations that works to advance anti-discrimination legislation.
The CROWN Act protects protective hairstyles like braids, locs, twists, and knots. It also clarifies that students have the right to self-express through their hairstyles.
This is the link to Dr. Gloria Gilmer’s Article: https://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/special/gilmer-gloria_HAIRSTYLES.html
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