My 4C x BB
Welcome to the day that The Blak Brush was born.
It’s true when they say that the best creations occur organically. No fuss. No fight. Everything falls seamlessly into place because you are guided by the energies from the universe that stop at nothing to see your vision come to life.
On the heels of COVID-19, I received a random text message from Kwame inquiring about my availability to shoot a video for a concept that he came up with. The elements for this shoot were clear: hair, art, culture and community.
Kwame, is a barber, hairstylist and artist of over 30 years who has an insatiable creative appetite and aptitude for afro textured hair, and I’m a passionate social worker, writer and creative who is committed to centering Black voices. We found alignment in our purpose and joined forces in a way that satisfied both our creative pursuits.
How?
Well, it was simple.
I used this opportunity to share one of my critical reflections, in the form of a poem about my identity as a Black woman and the complexities regarding my natural 4C hair type. I had been wrestling with the idea of embracing my natural hair for a while. I wanted to redefine myself. I wanted to see myself—my real self. And in my mind, the only way I could achieve that, unapologetically, is if I let go of the colonial ideologies imposed on me, by getting reacquainted and falling in love with my natural hair. The negative perceptions surrounding this highly textured, delicate and historically undesirable hair type—due to its shrinkage and wool like appearance—birthed the central theme for this poem. Centuries of historical trauma committed against the Black community as a result of the transatlantic slave trade and subsequent colonization, still continues to plague Black people – and in this context, Black women. My poem rejects the colonial standards of beauty by rewriting the narrative: Black women are exquisite even with their kinky 4C textured hair.
And as for Kwame? Well, he used this opportunity to showcase his extraordinary talents, not only as a barber and hairstylist, but as a classically trained painter. For him, creating or designing on a head of afro-textured hair was no different than painting a beautiful masterpiece on a canvas. Hair is art, and as such, both the paintbrush and the hairbrush served as mediums for his creative expression. He had always imagined the convergence of these two artforms, to such a degree, that he had produced countless sketches, illustrations and paintings that spoke exclusively to his adoration for afro-textured hair. As a result, oftentimes, his clients became his muse. Overtime, many became vulnerable and shared some of their challenging natural hair experiences with him. It was then that he started to understand just how empowering his talents were, because he finally reconciled that his purpose went beyond hairstyling. He realized that he played an integral part in helping to boost the self-confidence, self-expression and reclamation of identity for many Black women. He wanted to find a way to bring this revelation to life in a manner that would resonate with the Black community, and Black women in particular—powerfully.
And so, “My 4C” was born.
It was perfect. It was cathartic. It was necessary.
This moment solidified the one thing that we shared in common – storytelling. And this story, amongst countless others, are exactly the kind of experiences that we want to reclaim, redefine, amplify and disseminate – proudly and unapologetically.
We are The Blak Brush.
— Claudia Appiateng
Chaos with Claudz
A scatterbrained Gemini; welcome to my whirlwind.
For this whirlwind, I wanted to share this poem I wrote entitled: “Unpretty”. While “My 4C” spoke about my transition into and acceptance of my natural hair texture, this piece takes a deeper dive into my insecurities growing up as a dark skinned African woman. In full transparency, this is still something that I have challenges navigating at times. I’ve always believed that the way I’ve felt about my hair texture was also exacerbated by colourism. As we are not a monolith, experiences with Black hair and complexions vary depending on a multitude of other intersections. For me in particular, being a woman who not only had 4c hair, but was dark skinned and also possessed my fabulous (at least, this is what I think about myself now, not so much in my adolescence) Afrocentric features, it certainly changed the way I perceived myself in relation to others. It felt like I didn’t belong or fit the ideal, albeit Eurocentric standards of beauty. This piece offers my perspective on the intersection of beauty and colourism and its impact on one’s sense of sense.
Unpretty
You know, I use to think that I was unpretty.
I longed to be more attractive just like the Serengeti.
It’s sad cuz the confidence, self esteem and self worth were so low.
I yearned for the day that I would glow but trust and believe, I never let it show.
What was considered pretty back then, was measured based on its proximity to whiteness.
Dark skin, broad noses and big lips, were incomparable to the complete opposite of that – exacerbated,
with a touch of lightness.
It’s funny cuz what you see now is everything they once hated
And if you’re not careful the negativity from your past can leave you feeling jaded
I’m grateful for growth and enlightenment, because I can see and process things much clearer than before.
I was young, impressionable and creating a narrative about myself that was rooted in racially pervasive systems that…I abhor.
I now understand that the phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is kinda like a false positive. Because there’s context missing.
The beholder’s perspective being entrenched in racist ideology, is a fact and it’s quite depressing.
As a 13 year old, and rightfully so, I saw much of life through rose coloured glasses.
And the transition to this point has been painfully slow – just like January molasses.
Connecting to your innermost self is paramount the moment you start understanding the way the world works.
Because at the end of the day – its really the only way to preserve your self worth.
Being pretty on the outside while being ugly on the inside is counterproductive
Because the validation you seek you shall never find and it becomes pretty self destructive
As you mature and your physical starts to stray,
The only thing that will get people to stay,
is that prettiness that radiates from within
But if you’re not there yet, don’t worry. Because it’s never too late to begin.
