And Still We Rise!
This year, our theme is “And Still We Rise!” We asked our honorees to reflect on how they have risen above challenges—both professionally and personally. Their responses honor the obstacles they faced, the strength they discovered, and the determination that carried them forward.
“In the midst of personal and business challenges, I rise by constantly pivoting with purpose. For over 23 years, I’ve built businesses rooted in community, service, and empowerment. Whether through Dreamz Hair Salon, Café Asé, or the programs under the Dreamz Foundation, my commitment has always been to create spaces that make people look good, feel good, and believe in themselves. That alone is a direct way to uplift many individuals at once. I rise by pouring into people. Throughout the years, I’ve provided jobs for more than 250 individuals—students, stylists, barbers, and young creatives—many of whom have gone on to open their own salons and businesses. Watching former stylists and barbers evolve into owners is proof that when I rise, I pull others up with me. I rise through reinvention. When challenges hit, I don’t fold—I pivot. From transforming a front desk counter into a full café experience to shifting services to meet the demands and needs of the community, I keep moving, keep creating, and keep elevating the standards. Every pivot represents resilience. Every adjustment reflects my commitment to excellence and to giving our customers a luxury, affirming experience. I rise because my work is bigger than me. It’s about community, culture, opportunity, and legacy. The more I pour into others, the more God gives me strength to keep going! And still, I rise. However, I am blessed to create space where WE RISE!”
Tenel Dorsey
Owner Dreamz Hair Salon/Cafe Asè
Tenel Dorsey is a visionary entrepreneur, master stylist, and internationally recognized wig designer whose work lives at the intersection of beauty, wellness, and artistry. In 2003, she founded Dreamz Hair Salon in Homestead, Pennsylvania—not simply as a salon, but a sanctuary for transformation, confidence, and community connection.
With more than two decades of experience, Tenel has become a trailblazer in hair restoration and wig artistry. She is one of the few salon owners with an NPI, allowing her to accept health insurance for women experiencing medical-related hair loss. Through this specialized service, she restores more than crowns—she restores dignity, confidence, and a sense of self for women navigating alopecia, chemotherapy, and other conditions. Her artistry extends into the world of theatre, where she has designed wigs for acclaimed productions such as The Color Purple, Ragtime, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Harlem, among others, within Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. Her expertise has also taken her beyond Pennsylvania, including to Connecticut, where she contributed her craft to stage productions there.
Each design showcases her ability to blend technical mastery with creativity, cultural depth, and character-driven storytelling. Tenel’s passion for empowerment shines through her nonprofit, H.E.R. (Heal, Evolve, Restore), which offers holistic support to women through retreats, mentorship, and wellness-based programming.
Through the Dreamz Foundation and Café Asè, she continues to expand her impact, creating spaces for mentorship, workforce development, artistic expression, and personal healing. At the core of her journey is a mission: to heal, evolve, and restore—on repeat. Tenel Dorsey doesn’t just style hair—she transforms lives.
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