Biography
Early Life
Amber Starks was born in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in Portland, Oregon. She is an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She is of Shawnee, Yuchi, Quapaw, and Cherokee descent. She is also African American.
Starks graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor’s Degree in General Science in 2003. She is an activist and supports justice causes. She owns the Conscious Coils Natural Hair Salon in Portland. Her goal is to provide natural hair styling for foster and adoptive children. She wishes to educate children and their families on how to take care of all types of natural hair. She expanded her salon services to support the natural hair care needs of all Black Oregonians and visitors.
Before opening her Salon in 2012, Starks learned it was not legal to style hair in Oregon without a full cosmetology license. Natural hair care was barely taught in cosmetology schools in Oregon. Starks believed it was unfair to require cosmetology school for a cultural practice. She led the call for a new law. It would allow African Americans (and anyone interested) to practice and uplift the cultural hair styling traditions. These included braiding, twisting, locking, and other hairstyles worn by Africans and African Americans.
Stark gained a lot of media attention in 2013. She brought her case to the Oregon legislature and won. She worked hand-in-hand with the Urban League of Portland. The Urban League is a national Black civil rights organization. She also worked with other grassroots organizations. They helped support her legislative campaign. The Natural Hair Care Act was passed in 2013. She was finally able to open her salon in 2014. It was the first all-natural hair salon in Oregon.
Religion & Identity
Starks is an Afro-Indigenous activist and budding abolitionist. Afro-Indigenous means someone who is both African American or Black and Native American. She is also someone who studies colonialism to undo its impact on society. As a cultural critic and commentator, she uses dialogue and direct action to make change. Her purpose is to normalize, affirm, and support intersectional identities in Black and Native communities. She is committed to Afro-Indigeneity. She supports partnerships between Black, Indigenous Peoples, and all people of color. She believes that together they will help dismantle settler colonialism and white supremacy globally. Starks enjoys activism. She also enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, roller skating, and practicing her Native American traditions.
Starks partnered with the University of Oregon Common Reading program in 2021. It is a part of the school’s Savage Endowment for International Relations and Peace. Starks took a leadership role. She worked with different groups interested in the success of the program to explore and uplift connections between Black and Indigenous issues. The program has two chosen readings. These are Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer and This Is My America by Kimberly Johnson.
Starks uses social media such as Instagram and X. She also uses community talks (including a TedTalk) and workshops. Her purpose is to speak on topics she is passionate about. These topics include taking down White supremacy, promoting Indigenous Sovereignty, and teaching about Black Liberation. Starks hopes that Indigenous tribes, nations, countries, communities, and individuals will no longer be erased in the future. She works so they will not be subjected to the genocidal violence of white supremacy and settler colonialism. Her desire is for African and Afro-descended peoples to live and see themselves apart from white supremacy and anti-Blackness. She hopes they will lead full, self-actualized lives. Rootedness in theories and practices of the Black radical tradition and Black futurism holds promise for these hopes to come true.
Amber Starks believes in the importance of the future she imagines. She sees it as the responsibility of Black and Indigenous people to continue to do the work of those who came before them. She speaks out about her beliefs. Starks does not shy away from topics that are difficult. Starks believes it is important to have tough conversations to reach goals and find purpose in life.
