Zahira Zahir

infobox person
birth_date=
birth_place=
other_names=Z
occupation=Barber, cosmetologist

Zahira Zahir is a Washington barber and cosmetologist.cite news
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9804E2DB1331F933A15750C0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
title= Kabul Journal; The Afghan Elvis 'Lives' 24 Years After His Death
publisher=New York Times
author=Amy Waldman
date=March 20, 2003
accessdate=2008-02-03] cite news
url=http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/thomson200509200821.asp
title=Above & Beyond: Profiles of Afghan commitment
publisher=National Review
author=John R. Thomson
date=September 20, 2005
accessdate=2008-02-03] cite news
url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/02/sm.04.html
title=The Life of the President's Barber
publisher=CNN
date=December 2, 2001
accessdate=2008-02-03] Zahira's salon is in the Watergate hotel. She is known for cutting the hair of
United States President
George W. Bush. The President's nickname for her is Z.

Early life

Zahira is the daughter of
Abdul Zahir, Afghan Prime Minister in 1972.Zahira is also the older sister of Ahmad Zahir, called the "Afghan Elvis".Zahira is a graduate of, and later a teacher at, Zarghoona, reported to have been the leading school for girls in Kabul.

American life

Zahira moved to the USA in 1975, when her husband was Afghanistan's envoy to the United Nations.cite news
url=http://www.despardes.com/newsmakers/2003/sep4-afghan-hairstylist.htm
title=Hairstylist has the ears of politicians
publisher=Seattle Post Intelligencer
author=
date=September 4 2003
accessdate=2008-02-03]

After the Communist coup in 1979 her brother was murdered, her father put under house arrest, and all her family's assets were seized.

Around the time of the Communist coup in Afghanistan she and her husband separated. [cite news
url=http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=2145
title=Making the World Better
publisher=Washington Times
author=Richard Rahn
date=July 29, 2004
accessdate=2008-02-01]

Zahira described working for Milton Pitts, President Ronald Reagan's barber, accompanying him to the White House to give the President a manicure while he got his hair cut, and being asked whether Reagan should authorize giving the Afghan resistance stinger missiles.

Zahira also started cutting George H. W. Bush's hair, and that of Barbara Bush. She described feeling hurt by the number of customers she lost following al Qaeda's attacks on September 11, 2001, and being brought to tears by George H.W. Bush's thoughtfulness. He contacted her personally, following the attacks, telling her:

When he learned of the prejudice she was experiencing he sent her an autographed photo, and organized autographed photos from several other Presidents who knew her.

Humanitarian efforts

Zahira has raised over $300,000 to restore schools for girls in Kabul.

References

External links

* [http://www.zahiraschools.org www.zahiraschools.org]