Ever since I can remember, I have been defined by my hair. Walking in the hall and looking for me? Just look for the mountain dark brown locks sprinkled with blonde highlights. The most traumatizing part was limbs reaching out to grab a chunk of my coils and look at me and pinching my chubby little kid cheek with the other hand and saying “My! People pay so much money to get their hair looking like yours!” I understand that my hair is beautiful due to the thousands I have invested into this mane that requires an excessive amount of attention.

But now that the begging and pleading from other people and touching my hair has settled down, I am left to deal with the more serious and sad part about being a mixed girl with huge hair. In the workplace as I get ready to think about my future.

Although I would say about 95% of the conversation regarding my hair has had positive connotations, according to the NAACP and Michigan State University, they state “African American women face the highest instances of hair discrimination. They are more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair. The study also determined that 80 percent of African American women felt they needed to switch their hairstyle to align with more conservative standards in order to fit in at work.” The ability of African Americans to express one of the most important parts of themselves and their culture is being infringed upon in fear of being discriminated against in the workplace. The social norms make black natural hair feel dirty, unkempt, or ugly due to its amazingly wild and unique textures that deserve as much praise as damaging your locks for straight hair and ripping out your edges for slick back professional buns do.

When pondering the root of these issues, I can’t think of anything other than how corporate America is regressing into old American ideology in terms of accepting and understanding that there are other types of hair and ways of style other than straight, in a ponytail, or loose. Learning how to embrace these changes and learning to accept your “normal” might vary from others’ perspectives and past. Inviting change into one's values, speaking up for what you believe, especially if you are in a position of power, and most importantly, being empathetic, understanding, and kind, will allow for change and acceptance throughout the possible workplace. But while we wait for our hair to be accepted; do what makes you feel beautiful. Embrace your differences. Use your hair as a statement for change. 

Allowing African Americans to be free to explore their heritage and culture through box braids, picked out fros, or straightening their hair allows for a more diverse and successful workplace for the future generations such as myself entering the professional job pool in just 4 short years to come, where I hope to rock my hair and show kids like me that you should never hide behind your kinks, curls, and coils.

Work Cited

“Natural Hair Discrimination FAQ.” NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, naacpldf.org/natural-hair-discrimination/. Accessed 21 April 2022.