This Montreal girl has built a huge following showcasing natural Black hairstyles

CBC Quebec is highlighting people from the province's Black communities who are giving back, inspiring others and helping to shape our future. These are the 2023 Black Changemakers.

Shimmying her shoulders, Kyra Milan Brown shows off her natural hair tied and twisted 26 ways, into the letters A through Z.

The fast-paced, 10-second video, just one example of Kyra's many "hair inspo" reels, captured four hours of her mother's work on her crown.

A born performer and a natural at sales, at 10, Kyra is a leading hair influencer, thanks to viral memes and hair tutorials posted on her Instagram account @kyra_milan. That account, followed by more than 100,000 people, has earned Kyra five-figure marketing deals, says her mother, Shenika Paris.

Paris says her daughter wanted an online presence from the time she was little, taking a cue from young influencers who were getting free toys and posting their reviews on social media.

Paris steered Kyra towards the idea of teaching other Black girls about how to love their hair and she bit.

"I found out how fun it was and learning about my hair, different products and stuff, I decided that I thought we should give it a shot," Kyra said.

Kyra's videos, which she's been posting since mid-2020, showcase her knowledge of creative Black hairstyles, so viewers can appreciate that "you don't need to straighten your hair just to make it look beautiful."

Ditching relaxers

Her mother's passion for natural hair and distaste for chemicals is a reaction to her own childhood.

Paris says when she was 11, her mother applied products to straighten her "super thick hair" because she didn't know how to take care of it.

She has painful memories of what those chemicals did to her scalp especially right behind her ears.

"I'd always have a burn in the same spot, and it would take like a week or two to go away," Paris said. "It was just unbearable."

When Paris was pregnant with Kyra, she finally stopped using those hair products.

"I told myself that she's going to love her natural hair. Whatever state it comes in, I'm going to teach her how to love it."

Now, Paris says, she revels in the time she spends talking to Kyra while braiding her hair and learning new styles a bonding activity Paris says she missed out on with her own mother.

"As long as she lets me, I will do her hair," Paris said. "I want her to talk to me. Plus, I love the feeling after I've finished her style. She looks in the mirror and she's like, 'Wow, so pretty.' This makes me feel good inside."

The Crown Project

Kyra's social media account is run entirely by Paris, a self-described full-time "momager," who said she has made sure, despite being an internet sensation, that Kyra can "be a normal kid."

That includes thinking about thinking about ways to share her bounty.

In 2019, Kyra saw a YouTube video about a mother and daughter making care packages for homeless people, which inspired her to prepare gift bags of her own.

She and her family teamed up with the Crown Project an initiative launched by Montreal social entrepreneur Loreena Gabriel to collect school supplies and give away filled backpacks.

Whenever they leave the house, they have on hand a stash of bags stuffed with items like toiletries, gloves, scarves and snacks, in case they run into someone in need.

• Face of Koily Kurls says she wants a 'big factory' one day

Then there's her own merch: along with her mother and little sister Kali, Kyra runs an online store that carries an interactive book on Black hair and accessories such as satin bonnets, exclusively in pink and purple the sisters' favourite colours.

"My house is basically a factory right now with all the stuff that's here," Kyra said.

For her, the best part about being an entrepreneur has been holding pop-up shops and meeting clients in person, recommending products and hairstyles.

She also enjoys learning how to process orders, which she routinely does on Friday evenings and Saturdays after school and basketball practice.

The next logical step for her business is to move the hair accessories she sells out of her parents' basement and into her own factory, where she also hopes to manufacture products for large retailers, Kyra said.

"Once we get to those spots in our business, then I don't really think we need that much more," Kyra said. "I think it's just cool for people to know me."

The Black Changemakers is a special series recognizing individuals who, regardless of background or industry, are driven to create a positive impact in their community. From tackling problems to showing small gestures of kindness on a daily basis, these changemakers are making a difference and inspiring others.Meet all the changemakers here.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check outBeing Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.You can read more stories here.