For the Black community, our hair and its ties to our heritage are deeply rooted.
It lives as a tool for self-expression, a cultural phenomenon that has always informed popular trends both present and past.
It fosters meaningful bonds within our families, with many of our first memories being centered around our relatives caring for our hair at home or in a salon.
It acts as an identifier of the individual, a means of silently or loudly telling the world about who we know ourselves to be.
It encourages meaningful connections, showcasing our tenacity and persistence in keeping the stories of generations before us alive.
It serves as a powerful means of spiritual connectivity, given its proximity to the heavens alongside its ability to defy gravity and the many limitations set before us.
It cultivates joy amongst its’ bearers, referred to often as our crown — a glorious, beautiful representation of our spirits growing out of our bodies.
It nurtured revolution amidst our communities, becoming a powerful figure for our battle against inequality, with the afro’s rise as a major symbol of our agitation.
And at its core, it remains a symbol of survival.
A meaningful reminder of the oppression that our community has and continues to endure but alongside that, a tangible, beautiful means of celebrating all that we’ve overcome and all that we continue to be.
To celebrate Black History Month this year, Eva NYC wanted to give our community the opportunity to share what their hair-itage really means to them.