Not to be Left Behind

Re-examining the Needs of the Massachusetts Nail Salon Industry

We are excited to officially announce the launch of our 2026 Nail Salon report, Not to Be Left Behind: Re-Examining the Needs of the Massachusetts Nail Salon Industry, proudly co-authored by VietAID, Greater Boston Legal Services’ Asian Outreach Center (AOC), Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW), Asian Pacific Islander’s Civic Action Network (APIs CAN), and the Boston College Law School Legal Services LAB Civil Rights Clinic (BC Law Civil Rights Clinic).

It draws on surveys of 95 workers and nearly 50 owners—plus focus groups across the state. The study was conducted from March through October 2025. It builds on the 2021 report from VietAID and GBLS AOC, From Our Own Voices. In this report, we identify the challenges facing nail salon owners and workers, and recommend ways to improve their health, income security, collective power, and overall wellbeing.