Hair Matters

As the straight-haired, white mother of 2 beautiful Ethiopian daughters, I have prioritized learning about my children's hair - haircare, styling, and about historical and current perspectives of hair inside the African American community and outside that community as well. I felt compelled to learn for them, but I also just generally love to learn. Much like learning foreign languages, I've embraced this particular educational process. I am not "fluent" yet, but I'm at least fully conversational at this point and my confidence is growing. As in foreign language study, until you can converse, you really cannot truly grow. So it is the same with our (the girls and my) hair journey. I, by no means, know or more importantly understand everything, but the fundamentals are now in place. Information like that included in this woman's final journalism project (see video below), expand exponentially my understanding of and appreciation for my daughters and their beautiful hair. The video is nearly 45 minutes long, but so packed full of factual information, insight, and vocabulary that I highly recommend it for anyone on their own hair journey and/or who generally loves to learn.

Hair Journey from UI-7 on Vimeo.