The theme for Worldwide WAAD Month this year is Donning Our Crowns. We kicked off the month with an exciting panel discussion about Black hair as it impacts our community – as alums and current students. Pictured above, left to right:
Panelists:
Adenike “Nike” Okediji ‘89
Founder, The Curated Curl
Deputy General Counsel, Legal & Business Affairs Dept.
GBH
Nadia La Mar ‘24
Major: Women and Gender Studies, Concentration on Public Health
Wellesley-Spelman Exchange Program Participant
Moderator:
Sherrie Green ‘98
Sr. Project Manager, PPMO, Harvard Business School
WAAD New England Regional Representative
Braids, curls, locs, wraps, twists, weaves, and more! Everyone seems to have something to say about how we wear our hair. Black peoples' hair has long been debated and even regulated.
Enter the CROWN Act - Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. 18 US states and territories have adopted the CROWN Act, which protects individuals from discrimination over natural and protective hairstyles in the workplace, schools and other institutions. And there are efforts to pass a federal version of the CROWN Act, thereby guaranteeing this protection for people across the United States.
If you missed this fascinating conversation, please login to watch here.
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Keeping along with the Black hair theme, check out this curated list of films:
- Nappily Ever After - starring Sanaa Lathan (Netflix)
- Good Hair - documentary starring & narrated by Chris Rock (Amazon Prime Video, Vudu)
- Lionheart – A WAAD at Nollywood selection starring Genevieve Nnaji (Netflix)
- The Hair Tales - starring Issa Rae, Marsai Martin, Chloe Bailey (Hulu)
- Self Made - a miniseries chronicling the life of Madame CJ Walker, starring Octavia Spencer (Netflix)
- Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Netflix)
To learn more about the CROWN Act, visit here.
A selection of Black-owned hair care products can be found here.
Nike's website: The Curated Curl: A Natural Hair Community
A Soufully Textured Festival (sponsored by The Curated Curl) is scheduled for August 12 on Martha’s Vineyard. Interested in planning a WAAD excursion? Contact VP Programs Azizah Yasin '94.