Mon Vie en Parie

Eiffel Tower Portrait

I knew good and damn well I didn't know any dope hairstylist in France, yet there I was on a plane to Paris for ten months with a sew-in. I got a sew-in in February and kept it until April when I finally found a quant hairshop in a town called Torcy. In the meantime I felt like doing something bold. I was the only African-American in my cast dancing for Disney, and I wanted to aim for Afro-centric.Many of the other black girls that lived in France were straight from the continent of Africa. It bothered me that they didn't see the richness of our people. I was offended by their obstreperous, abrasive behavior and lack of attention towards their physical appearance. I wish I could describe to you the way they wore their hair, but on't know any befitting vocabulary for suchfoolishness. I decided that until I could find someone who could take care of my natural hair without chemicals I would rock a huge afro wig. The other African girls made me feel like I had something to prove. " No I don't have to be subservient to your culture. I'm an African-American Queen. I'm not uncouth. I have class and I'm beautiful." That was my statement. The afro was a huge hit wherever I went especially with my cast members. People adored it so much that I actually grew tired of the adoration. Instead of responding from a place of insecurity I chose to be empowered. I liked the idea that I was being the personification of the idea that other cultures, mainly white people, thought black people were more beautiful than black people thought themselves. It was for this very reason much of our oppression came from. Misguided admiration creates fear. Fear creates chaos. I liked the idea that as a black woman I was proving how completely fascinated they were with every aspect from our skin,hair, and bodies. African-Americans succumb to the pressure to sell out to other cultures, but I didn't want to ignore the power within to make them see the light of mine. I felt like many of the Black people there were already doing that and unknowingly so. This story is simply an experience Ive had at a time, but the message is for everyone. Be bold. Be brave. Be daring. Be you. Stand up for who or whatever you represent with class and grace.