Look at my hair,
My hair requires admiration. My hair requires a standing ovation.
My hair is beauty. My hair is grace.
Look at my hair,
My hair has waves. My hair has curls.
Each strand provides a list of history. Each strand provides a homage.
Look at my hair,
My hair has knots. My hair has naps.
Combing through it requires the strength of Hercules. Combing through it requires the strength of God.
Look at my hair,
My hair can be straight. My hair can be curled.
My hair can be natural. My hair can be permed.
My hair can be locked. My hair can be braided.
This mane can change colors like my mood.
This mane can swish and sway in direct correlation with the powerful wind.
Yet, why is my hair found so unappealing? Why is my hair mocked?
Is it because it is different? Is it because it can do so much?
No. It’s because my hair is strong. It’s because my hair is thick.
My hair is a mockery to what the standards are supposed to be. My hair destroys the natural way of order.
Black hair brings society to its knees. Black hair has white hair trying to copy each style yet fail.
Black hair is thick with the knowledge of the past. Black hair is thick with the knowledge of the present.
This hair has different patterns. This hair has different styles. This hair is unique. This hair is defined.
We must continue to shine. Continue to thrive. Continue to allow our hair to be our personalized statement.
Our hair is beauty because our hair is unique.
Our hair is envied; our hair is poorly copied.
But why a quick mention of our hair? It is to let whomever is reading this to not feel alone. Whatever the color, texture or style, your hair is beautiful because black is beautiful. This is for the people who were made fun of in kindergarten because their hair was too coarse. This is for the people who were teased in middle school because their hair was too short. This is for the people who were questioned in high school if their hair was theirs. This is for the people whose race gets questioned because of their length, the people whose hair becomes a fad for white people to mimic, the people whose hair is used as a costume topper.
Continue to shine. Continue to thrive. Continue to allow your hair to be your personalized statement.
Our hair is beauty because our hair is unique.
Our hair is envied; our hair is poorly copied.
This was written to encourage us to ignore those like Kylie, those like Vanessa.
This was written to encourage us to ignore those like Miley, those like Rachel.
To the magazines who thought white people created baby hairs, popularized dreadlocks and could naturally achieve “afrotastic” hair like “everyone else”, the fashion trends targeted for whites are the trends that we were made fun of. These trends have been our culture. These trends have been OUR fashion. These trends are not for you. These trends will never be for you.
