Women on U.S.-Mexico border weave their hair together in giant solidarity braid as Trump gets inaugurated

photo by Sasha von Oldershausen

"We wanted something that referenced women directly, but that also sends a message about our common heritage and common backgrounds in a broader context,” Nicholson said. “It’s a symbol of collective strength.”

For many women, hair is a deeply symbolic and intimate extension of our being. From the moment our hair is long enough, it gets braided—by our mothers, grandmothers, and friends. It is part of a physical and figurative bond among women. The braid itself, made up of equal parts that weave into one another like arms in an embrace, constitutes something greater than the sum of its parts.

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“It really marks this idea that, yes, we have our differences, but here are our similarities. And we’re binding those similarities in an act of solidarity.”

All the article here

#Politics #Symbolism #Femininity #Strength #Common #Protest

#Braid

#Press

#US

Hair Story: Back to Roots

When I was growing up in my hometown Guatemala, I was the only kid with black hair in my school and in my neighborhood. You see, my black hair comes from my father who is a black man. My mother a kind, smart and beautiful Guatemalan woman never knew how to manage it, usually the best she could come up with was a classical afro puff with a ribbon on the side.

My hair was the talk between my aunt, mom and cousins. They would gather around trying to figure it out how to make it nice and straight, more “Guatemalan” I would say. I remember feeling a little envy of my friends at school and their pretty pony tails. I felt like a little boy with my short hair not to mention the bullying from boys in my neighborhood shouting things at me like “you look like a microphone! Hey Ms. Microphone 1, 2, 3…check check.”

Then the teenage years came and went and the black hair continue to be more and more annoying. I dreamed

Hair Story by Teika: An African Queen

For most of my adult years I never know my strands, my natural strands of hair. What they felt like, how they curled when wet and how strong they were. In 2013 I stopped processing my hair for no other reason than it didn’t feel normal to me anymore. Now I feel like me. I wear my hair free. Curls in the shape of a crown on my head. An African Queen.

Teika

#Heritage

#NaturalHair #AfricaConnection

#AfricanQueen

Hair Story by Britania

I have 3b/3c natural hair. I use to want to relaxed/american hair but my sister always told me not. I believe that my hair represent how proud I am of my culture and heritage. I have always loved my hair but now I love it even more

Britania, 16, Female, Jamaica

#Culture #Heritage

#NaturalHair

Hair Story by Lexine

I always had natural hair, but there were times when I straightened it, during that period, when I had straight hair, I believe there was a more refined beauty. However because I am very dark skinned, black, Rastafarians especially would compliment my skin, my “Africanness” and all I seem to represent. Now I have gone back to my natural hair, but with a new perspective where I appreciate the beauty I was born with the kinky, unruly hair. I was created with it growing from each of my pores, it’s my peel and there is no imperfection in it.

Lexine, 19, Female, Jamaica

#HeritageAfrica

#NaturalHair #MyNaturalBeauty

Hair Story by Natalie: My hair says about my heritage & ethnicity

Before going to high school I always wanted to relax my hair at my mums disapproval. My mum eventually went on vacation and my aunt relaxed my hair without my mum’s approval but to my delight. After 2 years of relaxed hair & realising my hair wasn’t growing at the rate I expected, I decided to go back natural. I am no longer insecure about the texture & length of my hair. I am confident in what it says about my heritage & ethnicity.

Natalie, 22, Female, Jamaica

#Heritage #Ethnicity

#NaturalHair #Confidence

Hair Story by Jill: Living the BEST of both worlds

Half black, half white. Hair too curly to be straight, too straight to be curly. Mastering the in-betweens. Living the BEST of both worlds.

Jill, 60’, Female, Jamaica

#MixedHeritage

#Curly #Straight