Speaker | Researcher | Self-Perception Specialist
Ameenah Cheryl ShawFounder of Rich Roots Dialogue
Rich Roots was not created as a single business idea. It evolved — through almost two decades of lived experience inside the Black hair and beauty space, community work, education, experimentation and reflection.
The story
Connecting the dots.
Roughly 17 years of questions about Black hair, beauty, identity and self-perception — and what happened when they were finally placed side by side.
- 1
It began with hair: the salon chair, the questions women asked, the things they said about themselves while their hair was being done.
- 2
Then beauty: noticing how often confidence rose and fell with how closely we matched a standard none of us had chosen.
- 3
Then identity: seeing girls learn to shrink before they had learned to speak.
- 4
Then self-perception and regulation: understanding that the way we treat our hair often mirrors the way we have been taught to treat ourselves.
- 5
Then faith and community: discovering that inner transformation, accountability and intentional care already had a language — and that healing happens in the company of other women.
Faith & worldview
Why Islam?
My faith is not a layer added on top of this work. It is the lens through which the work made sense. Islam shaped how I understand self-accountability (muhasabah), our natural disposition (fitrah), the body as a trust (amanah), intentionality (niyyah), character and inner transformation.
One verse became an anchor during my own journey:
“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.”Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:11
It reminded me that external transformation cannot be separated from internal transformation. That is what Crown Work means. This framework reflects my worldview and approach; Rich Roots is not a religious authority and does not issue rulings. Women of every background are welcome here.
Concepts that shape the work
Fitrah
Natural disposition
Amanah
Trust
Muhasabah
Self-accountability
Niyyah
Intention
Sabr
Patience
Shukr
Gratitude
Tawakkul
Reliance
Ihsan
Excellence