Metro Atlanta hairstylist wins NAACP Image Award and shines spotlight on local talent

A hairstylist with deep roots in College Park is receiving national recognition, but she says the moment is about much more than her own success.

After more than three decades in the beauty industry, Deaundra Metzger is celebrating one of the biggest achievements of her career. She accepted an NAACP Image Award for her work on the Hulu series "Reasonable Doubt" in February.

"I was so shocked," Metzger said. "I was excited that my team and I were recognized for our hard work."

Metzger's journey began in a local salon, where she first discovered her passion for hairstyling, eventually attending the now-defunct Dimples Beauty College in College Park. She said many women in the community served as mentors and taught her a lot of what she knows about cosmetology.  

That passion eventually led her into television and film, where she found her niche, falling in love with character creation through hairstyling.

"I was invited to come on set to assist, and I have been hooked ever since," she explained.

Her work now involves collaborating with production teams and creating hairstyles that reflect each character's story from their background to their lifestyle.

Despite her success, Metzger says awards were never the goal.

"That's not the ultimate goal. We just want to do good work," she said.

Still, she said the recognition carries weight, especially given the competition, which included major productions like "Bel-Air" and "Sinners."

"Sometimes that's not enough," she said, referring to talent alone. "But if we are recognized for our work, then it's great."

Her colleague, stylist Jerome Demonte, said the win came as a complete surprise.

"We were really blown away. We had no idea," he said. "Everybody wants to be recognized for the work and for their creativity."

Metzger said the win also highlights a broader issue - the lack of recognition for hairstylists, especially in Atlanta.

"Atlanta is what is called Little Hollywood, and for a long time, people just didn't think that we had the talent here, and it wasn't true," she said.

That lack of visibility inspired her to take action. Four years ago, Metzger co-founded the Leading Beauty Industry Awards (LBI Awards), an event dedicated to honoring hairstylists, barbers, makeup artists, and other beauty professionals.

"We felt like the salon industry didn't have a place to be honored and recognized for their work," she said.

At this year's LBI Awards, held at the Westside Cultural Arts Center on March 21, stylist Tamela LeMieux took home two awards.

"Oh my God, it was amazing," LeMieux said. "To go against some of my peers that I look up to, it was absolutely amazing to win."

LeMieux emphasized how important recognition like this is within the industry and how grateful she is to LBI.

"For giving us a community that we can join in," she said. "A lot of people don't take us seriously."

For Metzger, winning the Image Award was a shared victory.

"It's always good to be recognized, but it does feel extra special that it's coming from my community," she said.

She shared that she's also using her platform to mentor others in local schools and encourage the next generation of stylists.

"Consistency, hard work, if you invest in your craft, it will pay off," she said.

Metzger says her journey has been long but worth it, and while the award marks a major milestone, she's focused on what comes next, and that's continuing to uplift others, reminding local beauticians that they are enough, and their reach can go far beyond the chair.