The Community EditionTHE COIL CARE PROJECT: HIGHLIGHTING REST AS RESILIENCE
WORDS BY AANUOLUWA ADU, NAJMA MOHAMED, AISHA MOHAMED AND ROFIAT SHOWUNMI
As part of Black History Month, the Coil Care Project launched its very first quarter by bringing the Kitchener-Waterloo region together for two special events. Sponsored by the Children Youth Planning Table (CYPT) and Canadian Service Corps, the initiative featured a community dinner on Feb. 20, 2026, and a workshop on Feb. 27, both grounded in the theme of rest as resilience and designed to create space for joy, restoration and cultural pride among Black people across the diaspora.
Rest as resilience, inspired by the book Rest as Resistance by Tracy Hersey, is the act of choosing to pause, to fully exist and to be celebrated.
Black men and women in Canada and across the Western world have experienced systemic pressure to conform to beauty standards that were never designed with them in mind. The project expresses resilience through hair and all that it encompasses. Having Black hair means carrying a curly and growing part of your identity every single day. Its diversity of textures, coils, kinks, locs and lengths is extraordinary, and honouring it requires intentional knowledge and care.
Through the Coil Care Project, our team recognized that Kitchener’s Black community deserved a local space to address hair care aesthetically and holistically. Tackling health concerns, dispelling misinformation and offering free consultations, these events were designed to be that place.
The dinner provided an opportunity to present a statement: haircare is healthcare. The connection between scalp health and the somatic experience of oil making at the workshop carried the essence of what was discussed during the dinner.
Hair care is not only about appearance, but also about maintenance, stress regulation and intentionality. To care for Black hair is to also care for more than what’s seen. It tends to one’s health, physically, spiritually and culturally.
Walking into The Catalyst building, the atmosphere was immediately welcoming. Guests arrived dressed to the nines. Delicious Nigerian cuisine served by Yembol Catering and local mouth-watering ice cream donated by Four All Ice Cream had attendees raving for days after the dinner.
Beyond the dining tables, coil stations with Joyce Achayo, founder of Studio 86, Venessa Lewis, founder of Niya’s Coily World, and Vanessa Corner allowed attendees to engage directly with Black expression. At the photo booth and throughout the event, photographer Taijasa Jordan captured the night’s spirit and essence behind the lens.
Aisha Mohamed, the night’s host, enthusiastically guided us through the agenda. Toffumi Akinlalu, a Nigerian-Canadian poet, started the night off with an original spoken word, followed by a reflection on her connection to hair and self-expression.
One of the most celebrated highlights was the joyful, affirming showcase of Black hair in all its glory and diversity. The hair was styled and braided by Rofiat Showumi, Creative Director of Esar Studios.
The braiding day took place at Studio 86, graciously provided by founder Joyce Achayo. Achayo had no hesitation in her support of hosting the braiding day.
“Creating a space where Black hair is celebrated and where people feel safe and seen is exactly the vision,” Achayo said.
Regional Councillor Colleen James spoke on her personal experiences of being a black woman in politics. She lent her leadership to appreciate and recognize the entire team.
Green Party MPP Aislinn Clancy expressed the importance of community gathering. She also presented a Certificate of Recognition to Najma and Aisha Mohamed, affirming the Coil Care Project’s contribution to the Kitchener-Waterloo community.
The workshop hosted at the Family and Children Services (FACS) Youth Room carried on the dinner’s message by diving into the dimensions of overall health, scalp care and rest.
Benedicta Efua Akinsowon, founder of Benola Organic, certified Hair Care formulator and Type 4 expert, facilitated discussions on diseases and conditions linked to hair and scalp health, including conditions such as scalp conditions like Malassezia.
“I truly enjoyed the workshop and had a wonderful time meeting everyone,” she said.
In a world filled with so much information, attendees had the grounds to bring forward concerns, insights, and questions about their hair. Not only did they walk away with personalized advice, they got to take home curated hair oils, care kits and essentials.
It’s been truly an honour to host and work alongside our core team, volunteers and the EmpowerHer on bringing our community together for moments filled with care and presence. We truly appreciate all the hard work and dedication each person brought to support this quarter. It is because of you that this was possible.
In the spirit of giving back, Joyce Achayo of Studio 86 is collaborating with the Coil Care Project for all attendees who showed up and showed out in quarter one to enjoy 20 per cent off on cuts and silk presses, and 15 per cent off all braided hairstyles until May 30, 2026, using code #Coily86.
This article was created as a collaboration between The Community Edition and the Coil Care Project.
#AanuoluwaAdu #AishaMohamed #AislinnClancy #blackHair #Coily86 #HairCare #joyceAchayo #NajmaMohamed #resilience #rest #RofiatShowunmi #studio86 #TaijasaJordan #TheCatalyst #theCoilCareProject
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