Black women have a unique relationship with their hair that can sometimes be an emotional roller coaster.
Cultural critic Michaela Angela Davis is highlighting black women and their hair stories with her new series on Refinery29 called, "The Hair Tales."
In the premiere video for the series below, actress Tasha Smith talks about how she found what worked for her hair after being "traumatized" from the breakage and heat damage her hair experienced from getting her hair pressed. She said she learned how to braid her hair with extensions and turned it into a neighborhood business. She also shared how she was able to find strength in her natural tresses and was able to ultimately feel empowered by it.
"One thing about black girl hair that I don't think we always appreciate is that it is strong," Smith said in the video. "I used to think that coarse hair was a negative thing like, 'It's nappy. My hair's nappy.' But no, I've grown to really love my hair and the strength within what I used to think was nappy hair when really, it's just strong hair that can endure anything."
This weekly hair series will explore the hair journeys of influencers like Kim Coles, Regina King, Patrisse Cullors, Mara Brock Akil and more.
Davis told Refinery29 that she hopes this project will shine a positive light on black women's hair and bring a better understanding of the culture of black hair to the forefront.
"I've been obsessed with hair my whole life, partly because people were obsessed with my hair my whole life -- the 'otherness' of it. It was kinky, yet it was blond; it caused both admiration and confusion," she said. "Doing 'The Hair Tales' was mostly about love. I love black hair, and I love our stories."
Amen to that!
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