Black Woman's hair tells a story. From adolescence to adulthood, every Black woman has her own unique hair journey that reflects much more than the latest cultural trend or fad . Our hair is interconnected to who we are, and what we've been through. It’s no secret that in the United States we have struggled with concepts, conversations, and interactions regarding race since the signing of The Declaration of Independence; and included in the array of confusion has been race-based hair discrimination. Despite the sense of pride that Black Women have developed over the recent years, it has not prevented the discrimination that they face at work, school, and in many other public places

because of their hair.

For too long, people outside of the Black community have viewed what is simply cultural expression and heritage in relation to Black hair, through a skewed lens because they

are looking at it through a conservative,power structure. Black hair in its natural state has been regarded as “unkempt” or “disheveled” because it does not represent conformity with the powers that be and many do not understand it. This is the dilemma that many Black Women are confronted with when attempting to stay true to themselves, while still acknowledging that doing so could potentially affect their quality of life or success. Although many Black Women have went on to be successful, esteemed, and accomplished in their own right without changing their non-conforming appearance, the harsh reality is that plenty of Black Women have yet to strike that healthy balance.

Economic stability is at the heart of any thriving community. When all of the members of the community have the ability to have basic needs met and resources to care for themselves and their families, the sustainability and quality of life for everyone increases. Unfortunately, not every member of our Country has the same access to the same degree of financial security and therefore, we are not socially and emotionally secure. Specifically, at the intersection of racism and sexism is the devaluation of Black Women and their labor.

Some states fall well below the national average on the payscale; for example, Black Women working full time, year-round in Louisiana make 48 cents to every dollar that white men make. Additionally, in the 25 states with the largest numbers of Black Women working, the wage gap begins at 48 cents but it does not even surpass 68 cents on the dollar.

Not only are Black Women not being compensated fairly, but they are under an extreme amount of pressure in trying to provide for their families. In America, 80% of Black

mothers are breadwinners for their families and 56% of them are raising families on their own. Of all the households headed by single mothers, 25% of them are below the

poverty line. As a result, Black Women are faced with the burden of being the primary financial support on a limited salary.

Recently, we have seen an uptick in primary and secondary schools implementing facially neutral, and sometimes even facially discriminatory, policies in an attempt to prevent Black children from wearing their hair in a manner they resonate with and feel most comfortable in. In 2018, a Louisiana school removed an 11-year old student from her classroom after it claimed she violated its’ “no-extensions” policy by wearing short, neat braids. The policy only permitted students to wear their natural hair, but in

instituting this policy, the school created a barrier for Black students who were simply trying to get an education.

Black hair is often coarse, thick and requires a lot of effort to maintain; protective styles, like braids, are more manageable because the time that goes into styling it is little to

none. Wearing protective hairstyles is especially important for young Black girls who are active in sports and recreational activities who do not have the time or knowledge

needed to style their own hair.

In addition to clear-cut discriminatory policies in school settings, we have seen some of the more covert attempts to discriminate against Black children. Teenage students were also repeatedly reprimanded and eventually suspended for wearing dreadlocks, a style that was culturally significant to one of the student’s families. In arguing against its position against the students’ racial and gender discrimination lawsuit, the school alleged that its’ policy had nothing to do with barring a particular hairstyle, but it was intended to limit the length of a student’s hair. Whether or not this explanation is true does not matter - what matters is that schools must be sensitive to and acknowledge the cultural background of all students in order to prevent the disruption of their education and not affect their self-esteem and emotional health in the process.

When Black Women suffer from race-based hair discrimination, it’s never insulated to the space where the discrimination occurred - it affects their overall quality of life. Not only does it limit their ability to style their hair in the manner in which they feel most beautiful, but feeling the need to adhere to societal expectations regarding their appearance causes them to suffer from anxiety, depression, and loss of confidence and self-esteem.

Despite the internal struggles that some Black Women have had to overcome in order to fully embrace the beauty of their natural hair, race-based hair discrimination in public accommondations, housing, real estate sales, and in work and educational environments is still a common practice. No person should be met with this reality while patronizing a business, securing a home, working, or enjoying their rights to an equal education, however this reality holds true. Many Black Women and girls wake up each

morning and instead of studying their vocabulary words one last time or prepping for a presentation, grappled with an emotionally taxing decision on how to wear their hair so they won’t get asked to leave school or fired from their job while simultaneously ignoring that their choice may have severe health consequences.

In all communities, there are real economic and social advantages when students are able to focus on learning and employees are able to concentrate on doing their tasks well and not around how they may be harmed because of a hairstyle choice rooted in the desire to just be who God created them to be. What we should be aiming for is a reality where we are not a product of the most difficult pieces of our history, but we are the solution to ensuring that we don’t just say we see each other and say we believe in each. other, but where our action steps reflect the true nature of what we say is in our hearts.