Meet KayJay

Katrina Jenkins Moore, also known as “KayJay”, was born in Charlotte North Carolina but raised in Wilmington North Carolina. She attended and graduated from Laney High School and Mr. David’s Beauty School- both in Wilmington, NC. She is a licensed cosmetologist and has been in the hair industry for 24 years. Katrina has been operating the majority of her years in Wilmington, NC. She spent two years doing hair in New York but returned to her home with her family and friends and continued doing hair at her former salon G&K’s Hair Studio in historic downtown Wilmington. In 2018, Katrina took a leap of faith and relocated to Charlotte, NC after experiencing the loss of her salon and home due to damages during hurricane Florence. Despite the devastating loss, Katrina perseverses and continues operating in her gift. She has great love and passion for hair and she has clients locally and long distance traveling to get their hair “Slayed by KayJay”.

Katrina is the founder and CEO of the largest hair and fashion show in the southeastern region called the Southeastern Hair and Fashion Show. This show is normally a sell out event every year and has had over 2,ooo in attendance. Katrina also has her own hair line called Hair by KayJay, which specializes in custom wigs and bundles. Hair by KayJay can be purchased online in KayJay’s online Store.

Her parents, Joseph and Mary Jenkins, were married 55 years and had seven children- five girls and one boy. Katrina has a twin sister and they are the youngest of all siblings. She is from a close-nit family and her mom was the glue who kept the family energized and unified until she suddenly passed away on March 9, 2014. This is when her life changed forever.

Katrina is known to be a very strong-willed woman and a go-getter. She would have never thought she couldn’t make it after the death of her mother. She recalls how crazy it is that her parents taught her everything except how to live without them. Her parents were the best parents anyone could ask for and she believed she had more time with them both together as usual.

She went through a period where she wanted to stay in bed or just die. Just as she thought this, she heard God’s voice saying, “You shall live and not die”. She then started to repeat the scripture daily, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). After this, she made a decision to speak out and help other women who have lost loved ones, are hurting, and don’t think that they can make it. When her parents saw her heading down the wrong path, they always stepped in and helped to lead her in the right way so she could be successful- so she feels she can assist others in the same way.

Katrina is the mother of two children, Kiya and Kwanisha- who is a stylist as well. She also has two grandchildren, Kaitlynn & Kayleigh and a host of nieces and nephews – and they are all very close. Katrina prides herself in helping to instill in them the same principles her parents always taught her and that was to love everybody- no matter what they have done to you. Katrina believes that no matter what you may have going on in your life, just don’t give up the faith, and truly believe that God is able.

When you look at Katrina, she just doesn’t look like her story and she is thankful for that. She could put on the finest clothes but that could never cover up what she saw when she looked in the mirror. She used to look at herself and find all kinds of things wrong with her. After a bad marriage, bad break-ups, people calling her black and ugly, and telling her how she wouldn’t be anything. Well, it wasn’t until she looked in the mirror and told herself how much she loved herself and how she was one fine, black, beautiful woman. Katrina is dedicated to helping other women look good so they can feel good. She encourages other women who may have been in the same situation as she was and tells them that they are somebody and they can make it. She has strived to unite the local salons in her community for various reasons and loves her city. She believes that everyone has a purpose and needs encouragement and she is dedicated to helping to make it a reality to many throughout the world.

Katrina Jenkins Moore aka Kay Jay