Co-op News - February 2020

form a beauty co-operative in NYC
A group of trans Latina cosmetologists are forming
a beauty co-op in Queens, New York City, to
provide a safe working environment for themselves
and others facing discrimination due to their
gender identity.
The project started in 2014 when Lesly Herrera
Castillo and other transgender cosmetologists
decided they wanted to set up their own business
after years being bullied at work.
“I have been discriminated and harassed at work
because of my gender identity. I am one of many
other transgender, immigrant women of colour
who need a solution,” said Lesly, who left her
native Mexico in 1999. She started setting up the
co-op when was diagnosed with cancer and was
unable to time off work for her treatment.
Securing funds to get the project off the ground
was a huge hurdle and some of the original team
abandoned the project, but Lesly was determined to
continue, and found new allies in Jocelyn Mendoza
and Jonahi Rosa.
They chose the co-op model thinking it would
best suit their needs. Having worked in the
industry for many years, they had all experienced
discrimination from former employers and
colleagues. This meant bullying on a daily basis,
sometimes coupled with physical aggression,
which affected their mental health and made it
impossible to stay in their jobs.
“Mirror Beauty Co-op is a worker co-op which
aims to create a safe space to provide opportunities
for the transgender community to be worker owners
of their own business,” say the three women.
“We provide affordable, high-quality beauty
services for all communities across the city of New
York. As an enterprise set up by women from the
transgender community, Mirror aims to reflect
a vision of a world that is more equitable and
inclusive, in which all people have the freedom to
fully express all that which makes them beautiful
inside and out.
“We want a safe place to work happily and be
able to help our families out, make our contribution
to society and be economically sustainable.”
Setting up a co-operative was not without
challenges, and none of the trio had any previous
involvement with the co-op sector.
“We had to learn about new technologies,
marketing, PR, how to develop a business plan
to secure loans and the rules we needed to follow
to ensure all members worked in harmony. We
launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funding
and attract other transgender women who may
want to join us,” they say.
They have received support from local
co-operative development professional Daniel
Puerto and Saduf Syal, coordinating director
at the New York City Network of Worker
Co-operatives. Green Worker Academy gave
them five months worth of training while the
US Federation of Worker Co-operatives helped
them get better acquainted with the specificities
of co-operative model.
For now, the three members are working
collectively in homes or at events. They are
seeking a loan to set up their own salon, and
are taking on two new members through the
recruitment process. They hope to grow the venture
to a maximum of 10 members.
If they raise the US$150,000 needed, they plan
to secure a physical location – ideally, an existing
hair salon – for rent in Jackson Heights, a busy
neighbourhood of Queens known for its ethnic
diversity and large LGBTQ community. The funding
By Anca Voinea
We want a safe
place to work
happily and
be able to help
our families
out, make our
contribution to
society and be
economically
sustainable
36 | FEBRUARY 2020