2008 Woodie Awards
'New Growth' explores the Straight/Nappy divide
Jemma D. Hepburn
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: Entertainment
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A new appreciation of black hair was depicted last Thursday, as PV alumna and up-and-coming filmmaker Michelle Lewis presented her film appropriately titled, "New Growth-The Natural Progression."
Hosted by the Political Science Club and co-sponsored by the N.A.A.C.P. and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the innovative film shed light on the deep-rooted disregard for natural, otherwise known as "nappy," hair in the black community. The film encouraged its audience to celebrate, rather than ignore, the natural beauty of Black people and God-given "black" hair.
Comprised of real life "hair stories" of black women with natural and processed hair, the film/documentary dealt with the various joys and pains of "black" hair in everyday life. From the beauty and barbershops to the cubicles of corporate America, the subjects all shared their reasons for "going," and in some cases, "not going" natural.
The women-with their twists, dreadlocks, and Afros-gushed about what their hair meant to them, and how it has emotionally become a part of them. They also discussed the concept of "good hair" in the black community, and how they had unfortunately been "taught" as little girls that hair should be straight or "comb-thru."
More so, the subjects touched on the socio-economic, ethnic and political statement that natural hair makes in America; as well as the actual health of one's scalp that has been chemically processed.
Also, in humorous barbershop fashion, Black men cast their opinions on why they opposed fake hair, and their differing reasons for feeling so.
However, women with processed hair were not left out. They too gave their reasons as to why they chose to process their hair-saying that they either were afraid of how natural hair would look, or because they could not maintain dreadlocks or plaits.
Lewis-one with natural hair herself said, "New Growth does not condemn any hair style choice, but rather it embraces and celebrates those who have chosen to be natural."
Hosted by the Political Science Club and co-sponsored by the N.A.A.C.P. and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the innovative film shed light on the deep-rooted disregard for natural, otherwise known as "nappy," hair in the black community. The film encouraged its audience to celebrate, rather than ignore, the natural beauty of Black people and God-given "black" hair.
Comprised of real life "hair stories" of black women with natural and processed hair, the film/documentary dealt with the various joys and pains of "black" hair in everyday life. From the beauty and barbershops to the cubicles of corporate America, the subjects all shared their reasons for "going," and in some cases, "not going" natural.
The women-with their twists, dreadlocks, and Afros-gushed about what their hair meant to them, and how it has emotionally become a part of them. They also discussed the concept of "good hair" in the black community, and how they had unfortunately been "taught" as little girls that hair should be straight or "comb-thru."
More so, the subjects touched on the socio-economic, ethnic and political statement that natural hair makes in America; as well as the actual health of one's scalp that has been chemically processed.
Also, in humorous barbershop fashion, Black men cast their opinions on why they opposed fake hair, and their differing reasons for feeling so.
However, women with processed hair were not left out. They too gave their reasons as to why they chose to process their hair-saying that they either were afraid of how natural hair would look, or because they could not maintain dreadlocks or plaits.
Lewis-one with natural hair herself said, "New Growth does not condemn any hair style choice, but rather it embraces and celebrates those who have chosen to be natural."
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