Afro Puff Quotes

Princess Leia once said to Darth Vader, “The more you tighten your grip, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.” Now, that’s some serious wisdom between those Afro puffs hanging off the side of her head. Teenagers are like star systems. Your job is to maintain some order in the galaxy without becoming Darth Vader and losing them.

Hair has been a lightning rod for enforcement of White standards of beauty. And reactions to Black women’s natural hair help illustrate the broader disdain for Black appearance. While Black hair can have a variety of textures, most tends to be curly, coily, or nappy. It grows out and up and not down. It may not shine. It may be cottony or wiry. It is likely more easily styled in an Afro puff than a smooth chignon. For centuries, Black women have been told that these qualities make their hair unsightly, unprofessional, and uniquely difficult to manage.