ARLINGTON, Va.—Today, the Institute for Justice (IJ) sent a letter to city officials in South Fulton, Georgia, calling on them to allow Awa Diagne to open her African hair braiding shop. Awa is trying to open an African hair braiding shop so she can work closer to her two children, but city officials may stop her from opening because they think Awa’s presence will create too much competition for neighboring businesses. That is both ridiculous and unconstitutional. 

Awa, a single mother to a set of twins, moved to South Fulton in 2021. Shortly after, her husband passed away from COVID-19. Following the sudden loss of her husband, Awa decided to close her hair braiding business in downtown Atlanta that she had for 30 years and open a shop closer to her children. Awa found a storefront in a shopping plaza near her children’s school, signed a lease, and began refurbishing the space. After being forced to go through a lengthy review process by the city and spending nearly $20,000 of her own money, South Fulton’s City Council held a hearing on July 9 to determine if they should allow her to open. Two of the city council members made statements that they were hesitant to allow Awa to open because her business was similar to a nearby hair salon and beauty supply store. The other five city council members remained silent during the hearing.  

Now Awa is on pins and needles as she waits for the city council to take a vote today at 7 p.m. about whether she can open. 

“I’m just a single mom who is trying to provide for my family by opening an African hair braiding business,” Awa said. “The city is trying to stop me from opening because they think my business is just like any other hair salon in town. That couldn’t be more wrong, but it doesn’t feel like city officials are willing to listen to me.” 

Denying Awa from opening her hair braiding business simply because it’s like other businesses would be completely irrational and would ignore the fact that African hair braiding shops are different from hair salons (African hair braiders don’t use heat, chemicals, or colors when styling people’s hair unlike hair salons and barber shops).  

Even though one nearby hair salon says it also offers braiding, it shouldn’t matter.   

The Georgia Supreme Court recently held in a case argued by IJ that it’s unconstitutional for the government to restrict a business simply to protect other businesses from competition.  

“The Georgia Supreme Court reinforced a straightforward principle: in America, it’s not the government’s place to decide which businesses can succeed and which ones can’t. That’s up to customers,” said Erica Smith Ewing, senior attorney at the Institute for Justice. “Awa wants to live the American Dream and support herself and her family with her hard work and talent.  She just needs the government to get out of the way.” 

IJ has a long history of fighting to protect Americans’ right to earn an honest living, including more than a dozen cases across the United States focused on helping hair braiders be able to earn a living. Moreover, IJ recently launched its Zoning Justice Project, which aims to protect Americans from irrational and arbitrary zoning rules, such as those in South Fulton, so that people can use their properties peacefully and productively, to benefit themselves or their communities.