By: Erin Moore, Metanoia Foundation Board Member—
MUNCIE, Ind.—Last month, Muncie entrepreneur Krista Sides welcomed the first class of students at the Chameleon College of Beauty Culture, a venture designed to help under-resourced individuals access a structured path out of poverty by acquiring skills in beauty culture.
On October 22, the college will host the Shear Diversity Hair Show at Muncie Civic Theatre to raise funds for scholarships for high-need students. The high-energy celebration will feature the talents of multiple stylists and inspiring stories of personal and professional transformation. Tickets are $25 and all proceeds directly fund scholarships to cover costs like tuition, technology, and tools.
Sides started her cosmetology business in 2008 as a single mother with $6000 and a strong vision. Beyond establishing a successful salon, Sides has served as a cosmetology instructor and mentor at the Muncie Area Career Center and recently remodeled her salon to provide space for apprentice stylists. She serves on the board of Women in Business Unlimited and volunteers extensively across the Muncie community.
“Over the years, I have developed relationships with many non-profit leaders and the individuals they serve,” said Sides. “I’ve learned about the cycle of generational poverty, homelessness, and addiction.
“I also have experienced and seen first-hand how the right mix of skills, gained in the context of community, can transform a person’s life. I believe that cosmetology has great potential to help individuals find their power, creativity, voice, and self-sufficiency.”
A look inside the entry of Chameleon College. Photo provided.
Sides and her husband purchased and renovated a long-vacant building on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. to create the home for the Chameleon College of Beauty Culture, where students will learn cosmetology, barbering, manicuring, business management, and life skills while pursuing a skilled trade license. The school admits paying students as well as those who need a helping hand.
Sides also has formed her own non-profit organization, Metanoia Foundation, to serve as the fundraising arm of the new venture. The foundation seeks to remove barriers like tuition, technology and tool costs, transportation, childcare, and job placement to provide equitable access to all. She has forged partnerships with local leaders and non-profits like the Boys and Girls Club, YWCA, Second Harvest Food Bank, and The Family Alliance, to connect with potential students and additional support.
Jason Newman, Executive Director of the Muncie Boys and Girls Club, serves on the board of the Metanoia Foundation. “It may come as no surprise that I know nothing about hair shows, but I do know about the needs in our community and the power of education and self-development to transform lives. I am proud to serve as a Metanoia Foundation board member and I am inspired by Krista’s vision, creativity, and commitment.”
The Shear Diversity Hair Show starts at 7 p.m. on October 22 at the Muncie Civic Theatre. A special thank you to our Platinum Level Sponsors Pizza King and the Royal Group.
To purchase tickets and learn more about the Chameleon College of Beauty Culture, visit chameleoncollegeofbeautyculture.org.
