Fatima Traroe

Fatima Traroe founded Braids & Weaves, where she works as a braider with more than twenty years of practice. The State of Illinois Department of Professional and Regulation Services has recognized her as a braiding teacher since 2010. Since 2009 she has served as president of the Illinois Association of Hair Braiders.

Her community involvement includes volunteering at the United African Organisation since 2008 and sitting on the APAC African Political Action Community board from 2009 to 2010. She has worked with children at Art on Sedgwick in Chicago and has been a storyteller for the One Chicago project and for Night Out in the Parks through the Chicago Park District. 3 Arts Chicago funded her Therapeutic Braids work, and she received the Crossing Boundaries Prize from Arts + Public Life. She has been a Peace Ambassador nominee since 2010.

She has presented braiding at museums, galleries, art centers and universities in the United States and Europe. Her work has been shown at the University of Chicago, MCA Chicago, South Side Community Art Center and Silent Funny.