Hair Politik was founded to educate and empower black people, particularly black women, to question conventional standards of beauty as it relates to their hair and to help them redefine it for themselves. To achieve this mission, our team strives to foster dialogue surrounding the politics of hair in the Black Community and to attest to the FIERCENESS of black hair in general. This site also features interviews, articles, and educational resources that promote the latest and greatest info about maintaining hairstyles while exercising, natural hair care tips, and hair extension tutorials.

I was inspired to launch HairPolitik.com after I triumphed over what was once an unhealthy relationship with my hair. Rooted in self-hatred and inferiority, my feelings about my kinky strands caused me to question my worth as a person and doubt my potential to snag a suitable partner. Over the years, my obsession with “good hair” grew and caused me to make unhealthy hair care and exercise choices in an effort to be “pretty”.  When I began to experience minor hair loss, I knew that it was time to untangle the kinks in my consciousness and leave the kinks on my head alone.

I’ve also learned that self-love, like beauty, comes in several different forms. Although I believe natural hair care is the healthiest option, I happily acknowledge that those (like me) who wear extensions and others who straighten their hair have much to add to this debate. I urge those of  all hair textures and styles to join me in my campaign to change attitudes about Black hair, one head at a time, by subscribing to this site! I hope that it will lead you to a healthier, happier and more enlightened way of life.

In addition to being the founder and editor of this site, I work with social justice advocates in Washington D.C. who fight for the rights of low-income workers across the nation. My writing has been featured on Racialicious.com, CurlyNikki.com, ForHarriet.com, and Coco & Creme Magazine, which are collectively read by more than 1,000,000 subscribers. I’m a recent Howard University graduate with a B.A. in Sociology. If you have questions or comments, please email me at [email protected].

Submit to Hair Politik!

Want to be a part of the movement? Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Guest Stylists (Bloggers and Vloggers)- We would love to feature your hair-raising and thought provoking articles, reviews, and videos.
• Hair Razors- Send us leads about the latest hair controversies cutting up the blogosphere.
• History. Herstory. Hair Story!- No matter what the texture of your hair, tell us about your hair journey and your experiences with the politics of black hair! We’re especially interested in narratives from both sides of the “good hair/bad hair” phenomenon, stories chronicling transitions, from relaxed to natural  and vice versa, and other dramatic hair changes, as well as parenting techniques from black women or women with mixed children that are successfully teaching their kids to love their hair as it is. We’re not just interested in your story, but also the unique ways in which you tell it; poems, diary entries, interpretive dance selections, songs, and any other dramatic interpretations your genius minds can think of are all welcome here. We love to celebrate the creativity and diversity that exists in the black community!
• Shear Determination- Are you a black or mixed woman, with any hairstyle or texture, that is determined to not let your do interfere with your exercise routine? Do you have a great hair routine that you use before, during and after working out? Have you heard of a great resource that shows black women how to maintain their style while exercising? Send them to us now!
• Highlights and Low-lights- Here’s your chance to spotlight companies that use positive images of black hair in their ads, and the naughty ones that don’t; that means the companies notorious for using white-washed ads and the ones that only show black hair as the antithesis of beauty. We want to hear about it all!

Re-postings are encouraged (along with permission from the original publishing source if necessary). Send your submissions to [email protected] today!