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Vice Versa

Source: Kaylah Waite / Kaylah Waite

A group of gifted Black creatives unified, dedicating the first day of Women’s History Month to a special project, which explores the beautiful relationship Black women have with their hair. The visual montage, Vice Versa, stems from Creative Director Rachel Brown’s inspiration drawn from an old story of enslaved Africans once using their cornrows as guided maps to freedom.

Art 7 Productions assembled a team of talented Black filmmakers to create the visual. The video features a clip from professor of law, Kathleen Cleaver, who is best known for her involvement with the Black Panther Party and Black Power Movement. The selected clip is from a conversation of Cleaver discussing the reason she chose to wear her natural hair more than 50 years ago before sporting your natural curls were trendy and acceptable in a Westernized society.

The video continues with singer/songwriter, Sunrhe, who narrates a poem about the love she shares with her hair.

“What are you looking at,” we hear her voice over the visual, “Why do you stare? Is it because you do not understand the complexity of my hair?”

Sunrhe continues begging the question to those individuals who are perplexed by Black women’s variation of natural hair patterns, styles and looks.

She continues, “I wear my hair natural. It is my birthright.”

Vice Versa featured three Black women modeling in nude tones surrounded by a beautifully designed set with floral arrangements and a mini runway. The visual feels light and soft with the pinks and pastel tones throughout. The models’ hair all styled differently with a contrast of braided styles and bantu knots that would make any protective style-lover swoon.

Despite imitation and criticism, today Black people all over the world are using their hair as a means of self-expression. The video concludes with a chant of Black women singing, “Black is beautiful,” and we could not agree more.

Be sure to check out all of the brilliant creators involved and Art 7 Productions’ Vice Versa short visual concept below.

Cast and Crew:

Models: @khadijahfeliz, @aluelmalaak, @takariaracquel

Narration: @sunrhe

Director: @kaylah.waite

Creative Director: @rayzstylist

Director of Photography: @jamalsimmons

Producer: @Rachel.lauren___

Production Assistants: @blackrubyllc @stephenrope @vanessaafox

Watch: ‘Vice Versa’ Short Visual Project Explores Black Women’s Relationship With Their Hair  was originally published on globalgrind.com