Mom and daughters create their own hair wrap business

By Stephanie Muñiz

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — August is National Black-owned business month — and one Albuquerque business is set out to inspire.

When it comes to products to help protect hair, there are plenty. But for Juperi Johnson and her daughters, creating a hair wrap that worked for their hair type became their business.

“When we first started this, they were about 6 years old. and so I needed something that would work on braids, or if I wore my braid my hair natural or curly,” said Juperi Johnson, owner of Kena Wrap. “Something that would work on all three of our different hair types.”

Johnson is a mother of three. She’s also the creator of the Kena Wrap. The goal was to create something that worked for everyone.

“What started as a series of hand drawn sketches from one of my friends that’s an artist turned into about eight or nine different prototypes,” she said.

Johnson said it was important to be an example for her daughters.

“It’s invaluable to be able to inspire my daughters. You know, they go to school telling their teachers and their friends that they’re inventors,” she said.

She said her business is also about giving back and empowering others.

“If there’s any message I can give to young Black women in our community, it’s to utilize the tools that are around you,” Johnson said. “If I can get back in some sort of way with knowledge and education that’s worth it’s weight in gold.”

Johnson said in the future, she would love to create a nonprofit and teach kids about math, science and finances. Most importantly, show how to start a business.

The African American Chamber of Commerce encourages anyone interested in becoming a business owner to contact them.

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