BB

Age: 18-29 years

Occupation: College Student

“I would never consider myself a woman without considering myself a Black woman, and I feel the same way about my hair,” BB said. “I could never think about my hair without it being attached to my identity as a Black woman.”

Because BB connects her hair to her identity (and she grew up in a household that celebrates Blackness), she was always able to see beauty in Black hair. However, at times, it was easier to see in other women’s hair than in her own.

“Sometimes it’s easy to love Black hair in the abstract but harder to love it in the day to day,” BB said.

BB never hated her hair, although sometimes she wished for the attributes that came with a different type of hair. These wishes came not from a dislike for her hair, but as a response to feedback received from others: worries that white people would make a ruckus about her hair, worries that Black people would comment if her edges were not done, worries that her ballet teacher would penalize her for a hairstyle other than a slicked-back bun.

BB attaches her hair to her identity as a Black woman. Growing up, she connected with other Black people, particularly family members, through moments like going to the braid shop, watching her mom get her hair done, and getting a Church hairdo.

“My hair is a symbol of me being Black, and it connects to everyone Black through shared experiences and growing pains,” BB said.