Hello Meltingpot Community,
Today is Friday, which means it’s the perfect time to see what’s been going on in the past week or so in the world of Black hair. You know, it just wouldn’t be America without some new Black hair stories splashed across your news feed. Lucky for you, I’m keeping track of all the latest Black hair stories you need to know about, or maybe you don’t need to know about, but at the very least will find entertaining if not mildly infuriating.
So, here are the latest Black hair headlines.
The Huffington Post is Serious about Black Hair
I don’t know if this was a Black History Month thing, that then turned into a Women’s History month thing, either way, the Huffington Post is featuring some really great multimedia content about Black hair these days. The latest is an inspiring mini-documentary featuring four different Black hairstylists explaining why they love what they do. FYI, I had the opportunity to meet one of the featured stylists last year on a movie set. I watched her style hair and she was absolutely amazing. If you live in the New York City area and are looking for a stylist who specializes in natural hair with a truly spiritual connection to her work, check out Tamara Albertini at Ancestral Strands salon.
“Black Hair Care Day” is not a Thing
Apparently in an effort to promote greater understanding of the Black experience, a Colorado high school decided to have a Black Hair Care Day during Black History Month, where they encouraged students (note, this not a majority Black school) to come to school wearing their “scarves, bonnets and durags!” I’m not even sure how to start to unpack this bizarre example of “absolutely not.” Read the “Black Hair Care Day” story for yourselves and draw your own conclusions. I have none at this moment in time. *smh*
Coronavirus Doesn’t Care About Your Weave
To say that the Coronavirus is wreaking havoc all over the world is an understatement. The travel industry, stock market and schools are all feeling the effects. Well guess what, so is the Black hair business. Because China is one of the largest suppliers of human hair used for popular Black hair styles, including braids, weaves and wigs, many salons, store owners and stylists are feeling the impact in their businesses because their supply of human hair is limited and slow to arrive, if it all, from China . What’s more, there are (unfounded) fears that the hair from China might be contaminated with the virus. The Grio.com has the story.
The Real Life Family who Inspired “Hair Love”
Saving the best for last. Did you know that Matthew Cherry’s Oscar-award-winning animated short film, Hair Love was inspired by a real family? I didn’t either. Even better – for me anyway – is that the real family is from my hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. So, just when you think this Black hair story couldn’t get any sweeter, it does, because the family behind the story is just as cute as the one on the screen.
Don’t you just love Black hair stories? I do.
Peace!
