In August, Caminos joined the ranks of 318,000 Black women<\/a> across the country who lost their jobs. She admitted she isn\u2019t ready to say goodbye to the corporate world and hopes to find a new footing within the tech sector.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI feel like that\u2019s where I made the most impact in my career,\u201d she told AFROTECH\u2122.<\/p>\n Curly Crown Collective<\/p>\n Caminos has picked up a freelance<\/a> role and is pouring her energy into Curly Crown Collective, a hub<\/a> she founded in 2023 to empower natural hair among people from diverse backgrounds and foster connections between entrepreneurs, professionals, influencers, creatives,<\/a> and brands.<\/p>\n Tracing back to her time as a child and leading up to her career, she recalled not fitting in with her dance team, classmates, and peers, because her hair was different. So, she wanted to build the community she never had.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a curly girl, I feel like it\u2019s been hard to navigate \u2014 especially in a corporate setting \u2014 being your authentic self, wearing your hair natural. I\u2019m a huge advocate for [the] Crown Act. I really want to end hair discrimination, and I just want to encourage other women to be their authentic, natural selves,\u201d Caminos shared with AFROTECH\u2122.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have to straighten your hair, you don\u2019t have to change your hair, you don\u2019t have to dress a certain way, talk a certain way just to be accepted or be considered professional,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s why I loved working in the DEI<\/a> space, because I felt empowered to lead by example, and it was my job to also empower others to be themselves at work. So with the Curly Crown Collective, my mission is just to make it a norm \u2026 just to be you, love yourself, and don\u2019t conform to whatever beauty standards or what\u2019s considered professional, especially when it comes to hair,\u201d Caminos added.<\/p>\n How The Collective Fosters Community<\/p>\n The Curly Crown Collective hosts networking events and activations throughout the year, with chapters in New Orleans and Houston. Caminos is currently seeking more ambassadors to expand the collective into additional cities. She hopes to partner with brands on hair education and has created a WhatsApp group to foster community.<\/a><\/p>\n As for what\u2019s on the horizon, she wants to develop a dedicated AI app for the collective.<\/p>\n \u201cThe goal is to do AI matching for curl friends in different cities and match them according to their curl type, hair porosity, and interests, as well as location,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Code, Curls & Cocktails<\/p>\n At this year\u2019s 2025 AFROTECH\u2122 Conference, The Curly Crown Collective will host the \u201cCode, Curls & Cocktails\u201d event for the second time.<\/p>\n Caminos told AFROTECH\u2122 she received positive feedback from her sold-out event last year at the conference, and that it was seen as a safe space for Black women and women of color in technology.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember we printed out Bingo networking cards, and we didn\u2019t even need them because everybody was talking to each other. We didn\u2019t have to help them start conversations, so I knew [the event] was needed,\u201d Caminos mentioned.<\/p>\n The event, branded as a cocktail happy hour powered by Grey Goose, will take place Tuesday, Oct. 28, between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. at\u00a0the Sunset Rooftop Lounge on the third floor of 2119 Dallas St.\u00a0There will also be live music from DJ Caribbeats, beauty activations by Firstline Brands and Rizos Curls, and gift bags valued at more than $150 from The Doux, Firstline Brands, FENTY Beauty, Sienna Naturals, MYAVANA,<\/a> tgin, RevAir, and more.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis year we\u2019re going bigger. We\u2019re going to double the ticket sales. And we have many beauty brands that are on board \u2014 like MYAVANA, Sienna Naturals, FENTY, RevAir \u2014 and we have so many community partners that want to work with us \u2026 I think our Beauty Tech is rising. And I think this is where Curly Crown Collective comes in. We can bridge that gap between tech and beauty and get really innovative with it and [offer] even more opportunities for women that want to get in that space,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Curly-Collective.jpg\")
PC: Kailye Nay Photography<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CurlyGirlsinTech2024-33.jpg\")
Photo Credit: TMH Creative<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-08-at-2.20.08-AM.png\")
Photo Credit: Instagram\/ Curly Crown Collective<\/p>\n