The World…As I See It: Loyalty Issues

With the wait times, costs and difficulty to find trained hairdressers, why further inconvenience yourself when it comes to getting your hair done?

Shades of Understanding: Blacknowledgement

Blacknowledgement exists and is prevalent.

I started “realizing” blacknowledgement a few years ago but it’s been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. When I am in public and see another black person across the room, across the street, at the boardroom or behind the counter, I acknowledge my recognition of their permanent tan. It’s generally subtle, typically eye contact and a nod will suffice. But it’s there.

Shades of Understanding: Finally a Black Disney Princess

Over the Christmas holidays, I took my mother and grandmother to go see Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog”. Three generations of black women sat in a movie theater in the middle of the day on a Wednesday to somewhat celebrate Disney’s first black Disney princess.

Shades of Understanding: Defining My Denial

I want to look good and feel good about the way I look. It’s just that simple. My aversion to going natural is largely vanity. Because I have no idea what my natural hair looks like anymore, I wouldn’t know what to expect until it was too late. I don’t think I’ll look good with an afro. And what if I don’t? My hair grows soooo slowly that not liking it is really not an option. It could easily take 10 years for my hair to get back to the short bob I have right now. I feel my reasoning must be equivalent to those people who refuse to go back to their natural hair color from blond (or whatever color). We all know it’s not real but they just KNOW they look better that way.

Shades of Understanding: Denying My Roots By Relaxing Them?

The struggles I remember with my hair during childhood are not necessarily what I’d endure now. For the most part, the issues arose because someone was trying to keep my hair straight and “manageable.” Rain, sweat, swimming, basically anything involving moisture turned 30 minutes worth of straightening into a dual-textured, frizzy mess. I’m not sure I’d experience the same battles now. If I were go natural, my hair (texture-willing) would be worn in such a way that water would not by my enemy. What a novel concept!

Shades of Understanding: Being “Just Black”

For most people that I know (that aren’t black), being “something”, whatever it is, is defined by a history, what your particular group has “gone through.” While you may be American, you’re also Greek, Spanish, German, Italian, Panamanian, Indian, Canadian, Nigerian, Irish, Brazilian, etc. Just being able to claim a country and culture outside of the U.S. seems to empower people to be something extra, justifying failed attempts to learn a second language, perfecting one “authentic” dish or a trip you can’t afford to the land of your forefathers. I’ve realized that over the years, I’ve grown almost bitter about this lack of extended identity. Yes, African-American culture is rich and thick. But it’s short. What’s 300 years in the grand scheme of things?