From cell to salon
05/09/2006
At Shakopee women’s prison, felons learn cosmetology, hope for change in state law.
BY RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER
Pioneer Press
More than 30 years ago, Julie Miller knew she wanted to become a cosmetologist.
“In my high school book, it said I wanted to go to cosmetology school, and I never did,” said Miller, 52.
Instead, she got married, had children and became a nurse. She also became involved with illegal drugs, was arrested and was sent to prison a year ago.
Now she has a second chance to make her high school dream come true. Like 12 others at the state women’s prison in Shakopee, she is a student in the prison’s first class of would-be cosmetologists.
And, like the rest of her classmates, she’s a felon. A measure passed by the Minnesota House and Senate would make sure her criminal history won’t bar Miller from achieving her dream to do hair, skin care, toes or fingernails.
A felony conviction alone now could stop the Minnesota Board of Barber and Cosmetology Examiners from licensing an applicant. But lawmakers want to change that, so that, in the language of the bill, “an applicant who has a felony record shall not be denied a license if the applicant meets all of the licensing requirements established by the board.”
The measure was presented Monday to Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has three days to act on it.
Unlike cosmetologists, felons have been permitted to become barbers for years. In the past five years, at least 60 men have graduated from prison barber programs in St. Cloud and Moose Lake. Many of those barbers are working in the trade.
Miller knows how she may be judged as she’s looking for a job styling hair when she gets out about 16 months from now.
“I think for some people, there will be a pre-judgment there. That’s just going to go along with this whole thing, no matter what I go into,” Miller said. “I think if I present myself honestly and do the right thing, people will learn to have confidence in me. I don’t think there is going to be that much of a problem.”
That doesn’t mean she’ll go out of her way to tell people she was convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine.
“I am not going to wear a big sign that says that I’m a felon,” she said. “That would just be unproductive.”
Tina Hood, another student at Shakopee, hopes that her force of personality and competence will get her past potential employers’ initial hesitance.
“I anticipate being able to sell myself as a cosmetologist completely,” said Hood, 38.
Miller hopes someday to open her own salon. The name? The Mane Event. The logo? A lion with a flowing mane. The slogan? “We take pride in what we do.”
But Hood wants to work for someone else when she gets out of prison about a year from now.
“I do have some challenges in regard to money. I’m not going out there looking to get rich,” said Hood, who was convicted of embezzling $31,000 through forged checks. “I think for me it was an addiction to money.”
Cosmetology, she said, will help her deal with that addiction.
“I’ll be able to help others and take care of others and still be able to be satisfied myself,” said Hood.
Rachel E. Stassen-Berger can be reached at rstassen-berger@pioneerpress.com. WHAT’s NEXT
The bill allowing felons to become state-licensed cosmetologists has passed the Senate and House. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has three days to act on it.