The Ho‘oulu Youth Braiding Course is a hands-on educational experience designed to inspire and equip high school students with foundational braiding and natural hair styling skills. Rooted in the meaning of ho‘oulu—to grow and uplift—this program focuses on building confidence, creativity, and real-world opportunities through the art of hair.

Braids Bar Hawaii is led by owner and stylist-educator Emily Kijiana Davidson, who provides premium braiding and styling services across the Hawaiian Islands with a strong emphasis on craftsmanship, cultural respect, and island-style versatility. She offers in-person education on O‘ahu, Maui, and Moloka‘i, teaching professional techniques and practical skills for working with diverse hair types.

Emily’s journey is deeply woven into the heart of this program. Growing up adopted and navigating an unstable childhood and early adulthood surrounded by generational challenges, she experienced firsthand the limitations of living in survival mode. At the age of 12, she discovered her passion for hair braiding—a skill that would ultimately change the course of her life. Through dedication and perseverance, braiding became more than a craft; it became a pathway out of generational poverty and into a life of self-sufficiency and stability for herself and her children.

It is this lived experience and deep gratitude that fuels her mission today. The Ho‘oulu Youth Braiding Course was created to provide underprivileged teens with access to a skill that can open doors—whether as a creative outlet, a source of income, or a stepping stone toward a professional career in the beauty industry.

Students in the program will gain hands-on experience, learn foundational and professional braiding techniques, and receive mentorship rooted in empowerment and real-life application. By the end of the course, each student will walk away not only with a certificate of completion, but with confidence, purpose, and the understanding that their future is something they can shape.

At Braids Bar Hawaii, we believe that one skill can transform a life—and this course is designed to do exactly that.