Quannah Chasinghorse is the latest face of John Paul Mitchell Systems. The 20-year-old model and activist has been named global ambassador of the hair care brand.  

“Paul Mitchell represents so many alternative things,” said Chasinghorse. “I believe one thing that I actually relate to is family and the reference to family. They’re a family-owned business and operate like a family.”

Run by chief executive officer Michaeline DeJoria, the corporate was cofounded in 1980 by DeJoria’s father, chairman of the board John Paul DeJoria, and the late Paul Mitchell. Headquartered in California and located globally in greater than 100 countries, it’s the biggest privately owned hair care company on the earth.

“I just loved her,” said DeJoria of first taking notice of Chasinghorse. “I loved that she is so values-driven, and he or she really is such a robust force. And he or she pushes her purpose, and he or she’s unapologetic. But she does it in a way that’s so grounded and respectful and inclusive and type. I admired what she was doing, especially within the modeling space, to have a purpose like that and be such a trailblazer and pioneer for her people. I just thought it was very cool, and he or she’s so beautiful. She just affected me.”

Chasinghorse, who’s Native American, has been working to guard and preserve the lands and cultures of Indigenous peoples. As a part of the partnership, JPMS will work with a nonprofit to assist further the cause, pledging a monetary donation and awareness initiatives all year long.

“We’re telling stories,” said Chasinghorse. It’s each to focus on the advocacy work and share her culture and relationship with beauty.

“Our people have such a robust connection to our body, mind and spirit, and our hair is a mirrored image of that,” she continued. “We now have such strong culture, and hair is a very big a part of that. And so, to have the opportunity to inform that story is actually vital. And that’s through the Indigenous viewpoint…I do know for a proven fact that plenty of young Native kids, especially Native boys, who grow their hair out get bullied at school. It discourages us from wanting to practice our culture and be proud. It discourages us to attach with our identity and our indigeneity. It’s so vital that we’re capable of carry this stuff on to the younger generation, because this stuff are grounding and they carry a lot clarity.”

She was picked on as a child, she said: “For the way long my hair was, or the bump on my nose, or how tall and thin I used to be…I used to be capable of find my beauty through my voice.”

By working with JPMS, debuting within the brand’s “Iconic Campaign” on Jan. 31, Chasinghorse hopes to achieve a distinct audience: “Our people have been invisibilized, have been going through and still are going through historical erasure, inaccuracies and stereotypes. So, to have the opportunity to work with a brand that’s real and desires to make it authentic to who we’re, it feels really good…Each time I’ve worked with them, I felt like family. They treated me so good, made sure I felt respected, seen, heard. They uplifted me, my voice in so many alternative ways.”

“We get to amplify one another’s message,” said DeJoria. “Our brand values are so similar, which is to be yourself, push boundaries, embrace your beauty, arise for stuff you consider in.”