#TBT Afros the book on Natural Hair

#tbt This photo was taken by artist Michael July and is a shining moment for me to be featured in a book that celebrates Black Hair in all its beauty. Please check out the book and support that. Its a great gift and a great piece of her/history featuring youth and elders with fro’s that are black, red, and grey. He took this shot of me while painting with the “Trust Your Struggle” Collective in 2008 at the Afro Punk Fest in Brooklyn. 

When I was a teen I had long dreadlocks and my grandfather (a black man) would always half jokingly say “when you gonna let me cut that hair?”. In his day growing your hair out was met with dirty looks, insults, and denial of basic rights because of how you look. Somehow that same prejudice is still passed down through families and media portrayal of African Americans. This we know all too well can lead to jokes, disapproval, hate, denial of employment, harassment, and even death. I’m serious! I loved my grandpa, and I wish racism had not been passed down through judgement of brown skin our nappy hair. But i’m excited to see this book and blogs where Black men and women celebrate and grow their hair as it was naturally meant to be. punto.

AFROS the book