June 23rd 2023.
Akilah Davis, a news anchor at WTVD in Raleigh, North Carolina, made a powerful statement on Juneteenth by showing her natural hair on live television. Growing up, Akilah's hair texture was often misunderstood - leading her mother, Debra Davis, to use various hair-straightening techniques to make it more manageable.
Unfortunately, Akilah adopted the belief that straight hair was the only standard of beauty, perpetuated by societal messages from TV and magazines. Dr. Jasmine Cobb, professor of African American studies at Duke University and author of the book "New Growth, The Art and Texture of Black Hair," said the message stayed with a generation of Black women who had to work hard to overcome the idea that something about their hair was inadequate.
However, in 2020, a quiet movement began among Black women to reclaim their identity through their hair. Maya Anderson, a loctician at Locs, Naturals, & More, said the trend of Black women starting locs was growing rapidly.
In December 2021, Akilah had micro locs installed by Anderson, but she had been covering them up with a wig for over a year. On Juneteenth, she decided to take off the wig on live TV and share her journey to hair freedom, in order to inspire other women and young girls struggling to embrace their roots. Her mother said she was proud of her bravery in presenting herself how she wanted.
Akilah Davis' story was first reported on blacknews.com, and it serves as a reminder that we can all make powerful statements by embracing our natural beauty and identity.
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