[Applause] why coloring curls why not choose a
why coloring curls why not choose a
why coloring curls why not choose a coloring book theme of kittens and dogs
coloring book theme of kittens and dogs
coloring book theme of kittens and dogs or butterflies and flowers like so many
or butterflies and flowers like so many
or butterflies and flowers like so many other artists have done why did I choose
other artists have done why did I choose
other artists have done why did I choose such a specific theme of natural hair
such a specific theme of natural hair
such a specific theme of natural hair particularly of african-american people
particularly of african-american people
particularly of african-american people last year a young lady was sent home
last year a young lady was sent home
last year a young lady was sent home from her serving job at a Toronto
from her serving job at a Toronto
from her serving job at a Toronto restaurant for wearing her natural hair
restaurant for wearing her natural hair
restaurant for wearing her natural hair in a bun all those she demonstrated to
in a bun all those she demonstrated to
in a bun all those she demonstrated to her employer that her hair wouldn’t
her employer that her hair wouldn’t
her employer that her hair wouldn’t loose doesn’t lay flat in the style that
loose doesn’t lay flat in the style that
loose doesn’t lay flat in the style that they requested she was still sent home
they requested she was still sent home
they requested she was still sent home this year another woman was told by her
this year another woman was told by her
this year another woman was told by her manager that she couldn’t wear braids at
manager that she couldn’t wear braids at
manager that she couldn’t wear braids at the front desk of a hotel in Manhattan
the front desk of a hotel in Manhattan
the front desk of a hotel in Manhattan the woman who had locs and not brace was
the woman who had locs and not brace was
the woman who had locs and not brace was allegedly fired until she was not a good
allegedly fired until she was not a good
allegedly fired until she was not a good fit for the culture of the establishment
fit for the culture of the establishment
fit for the culture of the establishment and right here in Richmond Carla Redick
and right here in Richmond Carla Redick
and right here in Richmond Carla Redick an anchor and reporter for NBC 12
an anchor and reporter for NBC 12
an anchor and reporter for NBC 12 received hateful comments from viewers
received hateful comments from viewers
received hateful comments from viewers about her natural hair which she had
about her natural hair which she had
about her natural hair which she had previously concealed under wigs and
previously concealed under wigs and
previously concealed under wigs and weaves there are hundreds of stories
weaves there are hundreds of stories
weaves there are hundreds of stories like these of women being discriminated
like these of women being discriminated
like these of women being discriminated against and so hateful and negative
against and so hateful and negative
against and so hateful and negative comments for choosing to wear their
comments for choosing to wear their
comments for choosing to wear their natural hair I was one of these stories
natural hair I was one of these stories
natural hair I was one of these stories in high school in 1995 we were told by
in high school in 1995 we were told by
in high school in 1995 we were told by our senior advisor that we couldn’t wear
our senior advisor that we couldn’t wear
our senior advisor that we couldn’t wear braids at graduation since I had micro
braids at graduation since I had micro
braids at graduation since I had micro braided extensions I informed the
braided extensions I informed the
braided extensions I informed the administration that my hair was natural
administration that my hair was natural
administration that my hair was natural underneath the brazen if I took them out
underneath the brazen if I took them out
underneath the brazen if I took them out I would have any afro underneath my cap
I would have any afro underneath my cap
I would have any afro underneath my cap so I was then told to straighten my hair
so I was then told to straighten my hair
so I was then told to straighten my hair or I couldn’t participate in the
or I couldn’t participate in the
or I couldn’t participate in the ceremony after my parents complained the
ceremony after my parents complained the
ceremony after my parents complained the solution agreed upon was to tuck all of
solution agreed upon was to tuck all of
solution agreed upon was to tuck all of my hair underneath my cap and hide it
my hair underneath my cap and hide it
my hair underneath my cap and hide it with bobby pins so four years of hard
with bobby pins so four years of hard
with bobby pins so four years of hard work dedication and being the
work dedication and being the
work dedication and being the valedictorian of my class
valedictorian of my class
valedictorian of my class boiled down to the state of my hair
boiled down to the state of my hair
boiled down to the state of my hair needless to say going natural at age 14
needless to say going natural at age 14
needless to say going natural at age 14 in 1993 was a bit of a struggle but I
in 1993 was a bit of a struggle but I
in 1993 was a bit of a struggle but I realized that people had become
realized that people had become
realized that people had become desensitized not only to other people’s
desensitized not only to other people’s
desensitized not only to other people’s cultures but to their own natural
cultures but to their own natural
cultures but to their own natural physical characteristics the black
physical characteristics the black
physical characteristics the black community in the 90s associated African
community in the 90s associated African
community in the 90s associated African American natural hair with that of
American natural hair with that of
American natural hair with that of either little children or the very poor
either little children or the very poor
either little children or the very poor or even non-professional hairstyles what
or even non-professional hairstyles what
or even non-professional hairstyles what happened to the afros and I’m black and
happened to the afros and I’m black and
happened to the afros and I’m black and I’m proud move near the seventies that
I’m proud move near the seventies that
I’m proud move near the seventies that was just a couple of decades before by
was just a couple of decades before by
was just a couple of decades before by the time I graduated college was my
the time I graduated college was my
the time I graduated college was my Master of Arts degree in 2001 I decided
Master of Arts degree in 2001 I decided
Master of Arts degree in 2001 I decided I would use my art to show the beauty of
I would use my art to show the beauty of
I would use my art to show the beauty of natural hair I compared our hair texture
natural hair I compared our hair texture
natural hair I compared our hair texture and shape with things that we saw is
and shape with things that we saw is
and shape with things that we saw is beautiful like flowers clouds the mane
beautiful like flowers clouds the mane
beautiful like flowers clouds the mane of a lion bamboo snow and even sheep’s
of a lion bamboo snow and even sheep’s
of a lion bamboo snow and even sheep’s wool I wanted to show how beautiful
wool I wanted to show how beautiful
wool I wanted to show how beautiful natural hair could be our hair is not
natural hair could be our hair is not
natural hair could be our hair is not just a political statement it is a
just a political statement it is a
just a political statement it is a personal one that tells the world this
personal one that tells the world this
personal one that tells the world this is who we are and we make no apologies
is who we are and we make no apologies
is who we are and we make no apologies for it in 2015 I came across Scala Day
for it in 2015 I came across Scala Day
for it in 2015 I came across Scala Day by Noah scale and where he created a
by Noah scale and where he created a
by Noah scale and where he created a skull every day for a year
skull every day for a year
skull every day for a year inspired by this I did I froze 365 where
inspired by this I did I froze 365 where
inspired by this I did I froze 365 where I created an afro every single day for
I created an afro every single day for
I created an afro every single day for 365 days during that year I drew a
365 days during that year I drew a
365 days during that year I drew a couple of line drawings that a co-worker
couple of line drawings that a co-worker
couple of line drawings that a co-worker told me we’ll make a nice coloring page
told me we’ll make a nice coloring page
told me we’ll make a nice coloring page but I thought surely something like this
but I thought surely something like this
but I thought surely something like this already exists especially today when so
already exists especially today when so
already exists especially today when so many african-american women were
many african-american women were
many african-american women were choosing to go natural at the visiting
choosing to go natural at the visiting
choosing to go natural at the visiting Walmart and Kmart a Seymour Michaels
Walmart and Kmart a Seymour Michaels
Walmart and Kmart a Seymour Michaels Target yeah I was proving myself wrong
Target yeah I was proving myself wrong
Target yeah I was proving myself wrong most of the coloring books didn’t
most of the coloring books didn’t
most of the coloring books didn’t feature people however the ones that did
feature people however the ones that did
feature people however the ones that did featured straight long hair slender
featured straight long hair slender
featured straight long hair slender noses thin lips and other
noses thin lips and other
noses thin lips and other characteristics we associate with white
characteristics we associate with white
characteristics we associate with white people so I shared my frustration with
people so I shared my frustration with
people so I shared my frustration with the white co-worker and she said to me
the white co-worker and she said to me
the white co-worker and she said to me well it’s just a coloring book you can
well it’s just a coloring book you can
well it’s just a coloring book you can color the faces any color you want that
color the faces any color you want that
color the faces any color you want that comic gave me the motivation to create
comic gave me the motivation to create
comic gave me the motivation to create the book not only to prove a point but
the book not only to prove a point but
the book not only to prove a point but to celebrate our diverse culture and to
to celebrate our diverse culture and to
to celebrate our diverse culture and to take this new hobby of adult coloring
take this new hobby of adult coloring
take this new hobby of adult coloring and make it more inclusive today there
and make it more inclusive today there
and make it more inclusive today there are plenty of culturally diverse
are plenty of culturally diverse
are plenty of culturally diverse coloring books however most are not
coloring books however most are not
coloring books however most are not picked up at major publishers or
picked up at major publishers or
picked up at major publishers or distributors making them only available
distributors making them only available
distributors making them only available online so the question shouldn’t be why
online so the question shouldn’t be why
online so the question shouldn’t be why coloring curls the question should be
coloring curls the question should be
coloring curls the question should be why aren’t there more like them because
why aren’t there more like them because
why aren’t there more like them because Beauty has no limits thank you
”
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