The walls of Kinaya’s workplace are lined with bright bold nail polishes. There are electric tangerines, flamingo pinks and baby blues in perfect order. These colors act as her palette, as she paints and sculpts intricate acrylic nails.
Sophia Kinaya Haug, or just Kinaya as she prefers, captures University of Oregon Duck football stars, anime characters and family favorites like Winnie-the-Pooh, but what keeps her clients coming back is more than her irreplaceable nail art; it’s her dedication to creating a safe space for everyone to feel welcomed.
Kinaya is a Eugene native, licensed cosmetologist, Black business owner, mother and activist. Kinaya recalls being one of the few Black people growing up in her town, making her activism less of a choice and more of an inevitability. The Eugene African American population is 1.3 percent according to the 2010 census.