Portrait Series

This series, for me, is about identity. The social structure that we live in, has its standards of beauty and worth.

Here, I am discussing how the standard of beauty and worth is in hair: its color and texture. The media is filled with several examples for successful and beautiful women. They are blond.  The desire in wanting to be and look like these models, causes African-American women to change their appearance and negate their natural beauty and unique gifts.

Even though African-American women try to disguise their true nature, it still comes through. The cornrows, symbolize the beauty of natural texture of African-American hair and are roots of a deep and complicated history. They symbolize a path, one that each of us has to make in determining our identity.