hair and identity

Segment 1: Hair and Identity. An 11th circuit court of appeals recently ruled that banning employees for wearing their hair in "locs" does not qualify as racial discrimination. Looking back, it was the best decision I made and correlated with a bigger milestone in my life, a sense of confidence and acceptance of the person I was becoming. At a well-attended meeting on Dec. 4, Yakpo presented her findings from her project, titled “Kinks and Identity: Unravelling Francophone African Women’s Attitudes to and Perspectives on their hair” [“Cheveux crépus et identité: Démêler les attitudes des femmes d’origine africaine vis-à-vis de leurs cheveux”]. It seemed to her a coming-of-age rite. COVID-19 Research: We’ve stayed in tune with consumers for you. By virtue of being on a black body, any hair style is “black.”. As a Black woman, I've experienced my own struggles to embrace my hair in its natural state and, to this day, consider it a vital step in accepting and defining my own cultural identity. Niditch examines the meaning of the Nazirite identity held by Samuel as well as Samson arguing that long hair … Identity Salon Studio, a contemporary hair salon in Duston, Northampton. Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, Aviv Regev, Susan Solomon, and Feng Zhang are the recipients of distinguished awards for major contributions to science. By Flashpoint. She wanted to have the sleek, shiny, hair of the girl on the box for the “Beautiful Beginnings” hair products. We often see our hair as a reflection of our identity because it is both personal and public. In this case, the brand may have briefly lost sight of its roots, of its core audience, their values, struggles, and triumphs. Looking back, what I think my mom was trying to tell me was that my hair, and specifically I, was beautiful without being altered. As both a biological byproduct and cultural construction, hair is at once natural and contrived. But today many young Francophone African women want the option to play with their hair styles and to alternate between hair textures. NEEDHAM, Mass. Yakpo’s research on the ideals of beauty for black women, in relation to their hair particularly, Edoh said, thus speaks to a topic of both enduring concern and great political importance. Republished here with permission. And though much of Pereira de Almeida’s prose reads like lyrical stream of consciousness, her use of Mila’s hair as a metaphor, the perfect stand-in for all her questions of identity… May 28, 2012. Even today, in certain places, industries, or workplaces, traditionally Black hairstyles, such as dreadlocks, are restricted and can be a cause for termination. — Hair, it is part of our identity. When a brand disassociates itself from the attributes that have played such a major role in defining and establishing its identity, what exactly has the brand done wrong? What informs ideals of beauty? Flashpoint: Hair and identity, truancy or asbestos, and a compassionate food truck Photo credit Cherri Gregg/KYW Newsradio. Specifically, the ads seemed to gloss over the history and social hardships Black women have experienced in association with black hair stereotypes when compared to other cultural groups. How you wear your hair is part of your identity. Black culture embraces inclusiveness, but it also yearns to be heard and personally catered to. Chicago, IL 60601 Prior to coming to MIT, Yakpo was winner of the 2014 Math Olympiad in Ghana. Historically, the brand has prided itself on filling in the beauty gap, normalizing and bringing more awareness to Black beauty while providing Black women with products that otherwise could not be found in traditional retail channels. At a well-attended meeting on Dec. 4, Yakpo presented her findings from her project, titled “Kinks and Identity: Unravelling Francophone African Women’s Attitudes to and Perspectives on their hair… She narrates a personal anecdote to relate her experiences to broader conceptualizations of identity. As market researchers, it's our job to never lose sight of these core values, beliefs, and emotional connections that give brands life. https://www.mapquest.com/us/new-york/natural-identity-26172333 Indeed, the ways that Obama and her daughters wore their hair became a political issue during U.S. presidential elections, for instance. Shea Moisture is a brand that has always embraced these experiences and emotional connections in their products and ads. The historical and societal significant of hair have informed notions of beauty and are a testament to its connection with identity… And then I realized what changed was that I finally felt comfortable being "me" regardless of the opinions of others. Shea Moisture, a Black-owned hair company, has found itself in the middle of this debate after launching a new ad campaign. After continuing this vicious cycle into my junior year, I'd had enough of the damage/effects these chemicals had on my hair and looked to break free of my reliance on them by embarking on a journey to "go natural." It all came full circle when I took a trip back home after college with my natural curls in full force and someone said to me, "Wow you look beautiful, that hairstyle really fits you...Why didn't you wear your hair like that back in high school?" She told me my hair was beautiful, and it would never be the same. Yakpo concluded that meanings behind hair are flexible and reflect a mix of influences that change over time and geography. Hair completes an outfit, it dictates whether you are dressed up or down. Growing up in Ghana, Yakpo recalls going with her mother every Sunday to the salon to watch her mother have her hair done. // ]]>, 150 North Michigan Avenue She pointed to the media portrayal of U.S. former first lady, Michelle Obama, or in France, to that of the former Minister of Justice, Christiane Taubira, and the fact that both women’s physical appearance has been the focus of political attacks. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (312) 828-9200, The Connection Between Hair and Identity in Black Culture, YouthBeat’s Year In Review – 2020 Edition, View our live consumer panels and proprietary research studies. [CDATA[ 5 were here. Each woman has her own story or "hair journey" often marked by struggles stemming back to childhood. How you wear your hair is part of your identity. We explore a growing movement to recognize that fact. My mom was enraged and a bit heartbroken. Their recent digital ad campaign sparked outrage when the company looked to appeal to a more mainstream audience by including Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) while excluding any representation of their core Black audience. MIT senior Sefa Yakpo explores the politics of beauty among Francophone African women. The hair that assures Samson's strength is a common folktale motif, but is also important to his sacred status as a Nazirite. Fast forwarding to when Black women entered the industrial workforce, many felt forced to adopt a more anglicized practice when it came to hairstyles (straightened, processed, and altered from its natural curl pattern/state). The way we treat our hair has to do with aesthetics, social structure, religious identity, and a host of other aspects of culture. Ask any other Black women, and they will have their own personal stories, experiences, and journeys with their hair. Providing the space for not just Blacks, but all cultures, to feel accepted and celebrated for the things that make them unique is what it's all about! Looking to hair as an extension of the human body, Hair: Untangling Roots of Identity examines hair’s function as … MIT Task Force on the Work of the Future releases research brief "Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work.". She was also honored as a Burchard Scholar in 2017. January 25, 2020 01/25/2020 11:05 pm. However, it doesn't escape controversy. hbspt.cta.load(18355, '748399d4-c0c8-4e02-9875-5db064401e4e', {}); A form of self-expression. Hair plays an important role for women as a marker of their gender. We offer cutting-edge hair cuts and colors, barber services, make-up, special effects, and waxing by a team of experts. View our live consumer panels and proprietary research studies. One book in particular had a lot of impact on Yakpo’s thinking on her research subject: critical race and gender studies scholar Shirley Anne Tate’s book, "Black Beauty: Aesthetics, Stylization, Politics." … The expression of beauty through hairstyles has been a long-standing signature of Black culture. At the time, all I wanted was "manageable hair," and if I were brutally honest with myself, I simply wanted hair that would help me blend in with everyone else in my small Springfield, Illinois community. Yakpo’s other achievements during her undergraduate career at MIT include internships in France and Belgium, participating in the January Scholars in France IAP program, and winning second place in the 2017 Isabelle de Courtivron Writing Prize for creative or expository student writing about immigrant, diaspora, bicultural, bilingual and/or mixed-race experiences. Segment 1: Hair and Identity. Outstanding MIT students of French explore "Paris et la rue", Rona Wang, Selam Gano win 2018 De Courtivron Writing Prizes, More about MIT News at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, View all news coverage of MIT in the media, School of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences, Four MIT scientists honored with 2021 National Academy of Sciences awards, 3 Questions: Thomas Malone and Daniela Rus on how AI will change work, Fengdi Guo awarded first place in LTTP Data Analysis Student Contest. Join us as we continue to explore our own journeys in understanding our cultural history and how we define our cultural identities in a new series of blogs around culture and ancestry coming soon! I'll never forget one day when I came home from my aunt's house with a fresh relaxer (that my aunt applied without permission). What proceeded me was countless hours of styling, researching and trying new products, and many hours spent in the salon to finally find what worked best for my hair type. IDENTITY offers a full range of services including hair styling, color, nail care, eyelash extensions (tint and perming), full service day spa, and full service men's salon. », recent digital ad campaign sparked outrage, 11th circuit court of appeals recently ruled, the brand may have briefly lost sight of its roots, of its core audience, their values, struggles, and triumphs. The book suggests that there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” approach to understanding how individual women navigate these questions. Africa’s colonial past can't be ignored; certainly, for some women, straightening hair can be a conscious or unconscious rejection of their natural hair type. Yakpo begged her mother to let her have her hair straightened. Our hair makes us stick out form the crowd in most cases it is viewed as the ultimate expression of blackness. How does society's emphasis on hair affect those who have lost it due to an auto-immune disease called alopecia areata? We offer cutting-edge hair cuts and colors, barber services, facials,make-up, special effects, and waxing by a team of experts. From the book Hair Matters by Ingrid Banks. The Identity … Yakpo was struck by the author’s conclusion that a particular style of hair doesn’t imbue the wearer with any inherent meanings. However, it doesn't escape controversy. Beauty, and specifically hair, in Black culture has been a sensitive topic of discussion for decades with roots all the way back to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. To say that there is only one acceptable hair style for women who are proud and self-loving steals their autonomy, Yakpo argues in her thesis. 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