By MADISON KORMANCapital News ServiceBOWIE, Md.–Inside a local braiding shop, Black women sit patiently for hours getting their hair styled, focused not only on their braids but also the upcoming election.A Cameroonian immigrant works with two other braiders on a head of knotless braids, her skilled hands pulling them tight to the scalp and adding hair between plaits. “I have just one fear regarding the proposals on the right,” braider Justine Tebo tells a visitor. “They are saying people are coming in and they don’t like that. (That’s) the way he speaks about immigration.” She feeds another piece of hair into the braid, pulling it tighter.Here at Nadine’s Hair Braiding, Cameroonian Nadine Djuiko has created a new business model that uses multiple braiders per customer to drastically cut the time it takes to perform the service. Her 12-year-old African braiding shop hires immigrants looking to make it in a new country, and hosts a summer program to teach young local girls how to braid. The business is catching on quickly via social media and empowering Black women – a modern version of the Black barbershop so often a place of political conversation in a presidential election year. Nadine’s is coming of age at a strip mall in Bowie just as the country considers putting the first Black woman in the White House.People from all over come to Nadine’s not only to get their hair braided but to connect with other Black women in the community. Nay Andrus, a 35-year-old phlebotomist and North Carolina resident, wound up at Nadine’s this week while visiting her hometown of Baltimore. Andrus says she will be voting in this election, with her biggest concern being the economy.“I just feel like if I don’t vote, I can’t give my two cents about the problems,” Andrus says.While some people are considering whether or not they should vote, many wish they had an opportunity to engage in the election process.Francis Nganou, a 41-year-old Cameroonian immigrant who has worked at Nadine’s for one year, said she will not be voting in this election due to her immigration status. But that does not keep her from having opinions on the presidential candidates.Nganou says if she could vote she would choose Vice President Kamala Harris as the next president because she respects the constitution and basic human rights. She says Harris’ respectful stance on immigration is another reason.  “She doesn’t only have respect for Americans,” says Nganou, but “even non-Americans.”Nganou says Harris’ immigration policies would help protect immigrants and give them an opportunity to become Americans and vote, which is Nganou’s dream.“I just dream that I will be eligible to give my own point of view, for the American Dream,” she says.Other braiders in the shop express similar sentiments about immigration. Justine Tebo says she believes Harris is better for the country than former President Donald Trump because he uses hateful and xenophobic rhetoric about immigrants. Despite the swarm of people and constant hum of music and chatter, Tebo stays focused on doing the braids and talking about the election.“She feels America is for everyone,” Tebo says of Harris.The atmosphere is hopeful at Nadine’s on this sunny morning. The business started in just one unit of the West Bowie Village Shopping Center, but has now expanded into four. They’re open 24 hours a day, according to manager Bright Bernadit, trying to accommodate more people.They have big plans for the near future, he said. They expect to expand in the coming months to open a larger location on Mitchellville Road – this one called Nadine’s Kingdom.