The Resource January 2014 Volume 1 Issue 001 | Page 7

W

ash, cut, perm, style and go, this
is one of the many routines of a
salon with ample laughs, stories and
small talk thrown in. Ruthie W. Cole
proudly and diligently has been working for many years to provide various
types of hair services to the community of Window Rock, Arizona. Ruthie has been working at her dream job
for some time now, but it can hardly
be considered work when you’re doing
what you love. Ruthie is the sole owner
of The Family Hair Shop located in St.
Michaels, Arizona.

With the reality that many
small business owners have struggles
to maintain a business on the Navajo Reservation—and Ruthie has had
hers—her journey to owning her own
hair salon has always been her passion
and dream. And struggles are part of
keeping her dream alive.

Born and raised in Fort Defiance, Ruthie’s life took a change
soon after high school when she was
sent off to school in Atlanta, Georgia
by a job placement program, and was
placed at The Communicable Disease
Center (CDC). While working at the
CDC in the film library department,
her main duties were inspecting and
repairing the film during the day, but
she also went to cosmetology school in
the evenings. Ruthie had a passion for
hairstyling. Ruthie said, “I kept myself
busy so I wouldn’t miss being away
from my family in Arizona.” While in
Georgia, she not only gained valuable
knowledge on film quality control and
how to style hair, Ruthie also learned
skills to become more independent.
Most importantly, while living in Atlanta, she met her husband, Burley
Cole, Sr.

In 1969, the Cole’s moved
back to the Navajo Reservation. This is
when Ruthie’s long career in the hair
industry began. Ruthie stated, “My
first business experience was working
for a wig shop in Tse Bonito where I

“Being in business on the reservation is hard,
but I love my Navajo people and