In all that I create my intention is to inspire, empower, and uplift women. For this particular documentary project I am working to change negative perspectives of natural Black hair. The media has a vast history of portraying natural Black hair as unruly and unprofessional. Images of white women with silky straight hair and Black women with well defined shiny curls have caused women with thick kinky coils to believe that their hair was unacceptable and unmanageable. As a little girl I always wanted my hair to be long, straight and silky. I wished for hair that blew in the wind even when there was no wind because that’s what I saw on commercials for hair products. But instead I had hair that defied gravity and could barely be combed through. I thought it was required for me to use dangerous chemicals that burned my scalp in order for my hair to be manageable. Now as an adult I appreciate my hair as it is and I have learned how to manage it better but there’s still a love/hate relationship between us. I believe most Black women have a hair story. Whether we grew up loving our hair or hating it, we all have a very strong connection to the strands that grow from our scalps. In 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic I created a 14-minute documentary titled Defending our Crowns. The short film was about natural hair discrimination in Hollywood and I interviewed three Black women who experienced hair discrimination in the entertainment industry (view the Doc here: www.stephbproductions.com/defendingourcrowns). I am eager to expand on the issues of natural hair discrimination and the Black hair experience through this documentary series.
In my first installment of Defending our Crown I had to conduct all of my interviews remotely. I am eager to meet with women in person to capture the true essence of their story and their hair. I intend to shoot short “hair profiles” in a Peerspace location that will highlight individual women and their relationships with their hair from childhood to adulthood. The hair profiles would be 3-5 minutes long. I would like to interview a diverse age group of women in order to compare their experiences. For example I may interview a 16-year-old girl, a 25-year-old woman, a 40-year-old woman and a 70-year-old woman. I would also love to give one or two women a hair makeover by providing braiding or hairstyling services to them. I would like to rent out a salon space for this project as it would make a great backdrop for my interviews as well as a great space to photograph the women and their hair.
Peerspace is on a mission to bring people together. We believe it is impossible to achieve that goal unless we also fight for equality and access to resources in the communities we serve.
Having a space to gather, create, and exchange ideas is an important part of any movement. In order to magnify voices that are often quieted, Peerspace will sponsor venues for people who challenge prejudice and fight for social justice and equality.
Each quarter, we will sponsor space for three projects that are relevant to our community. These projects can range from fundraisers and educational initiatives to art exhibits and photo series.
