WATCH PART 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqlE8Ke9uK0&t=15s
LISTEN TO PART 1 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4hHyO6ZvKBsj8HicNPnBCQ?si=Xwr6cSQDQwS97fN_z-8dpw

WATCH PART 2 - https://youtu.be/bi9KHGvSyeY

Join me on this special BONUS crossover episode of Texture Talks and Mixed Up Podcast as I sit down with hosts Emma Slade Edmondson and Nicole Ocran, of The Mixed Up Podcast and multi-passionate creative Oneness Sankara to discuss and debate CANDIDLY the issues with the curl typing system, what 4C even means, ad whether we need to get rid of the system altogether to be able to not just better connect as a community but start seeing some REAL RESULTS on our natural hair care journeys!

Together, we unpack how we, as black and mixed-race women, can speak honestly to each other properly about our hair, knowing and acknowledging we all have differing challenges but that us individually talking about them openly doesn't take away from one another's experiences.

We also discuss some important topics, such as expectations around "who has it worse" and break down the myth of how "difficult" it is to have Black hair.

This episode is in collaboration with The Mixed Up Podcast, which is hosted by the amazing Emma Slade Edmondson and Nicole Ocran.

Head there to watch Part 1!

Texture Talks:
Website: https://www.texturetalks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/texturetalksuk/

Texture Talks Merch
Website: https://www.teamtexture.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/team.texture/

Oneness:
https://www.instagram.com/thepurposementor/

Mixed Up Podcast
https://www.instagram.com/mixedup.podcast
Website: https://www.mixedup.co.uk/
Substack: https://mixeduppod.substack.com
Pre-order Nicole and Emmas book The Half Of It: https://lnkfi.re/nf0upC

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I speak to professional Rugby Player, and Junior Doctor Simi Pam, who after realising the serious harm the sport was inflicting on her natural coils, was forced to make serious changes to protect her afro, leading her on a journey where everything from her femininity and sense of self to her understanding of what professional help was available was challenged.

Playing any sport will always have a natural impact on how you are able to care for and maintain your natural hair, especially when you have afro and curly hair, however when playing contact or collision sports such as Rugby at a professional level, the potential for damage only further increases, threatening over time to cause irreparable harm that can never be repaired.

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I speak to Lekia Lee Founder of Project Embrace about how we feel about our hair, the rituals and routines we practice, the terminologies we use, and our perceptions of beauty, start incredibly young.

As children we take in our surroundings in a very matter-of-fact way, often times internalising what we see, experience, or hear and carrying these themes long into adulthood, without necessarily even realising their impacts.

I talk to Lekia about her childhood journey with her hair, her self love and her culture whilst also taking a look into some of the insights extracted from a new report she curated this year, to understand black women's relationships with their hair.

This episode gives the community a painful but much needed insight into not only the importance of the environments we raise our black children in, but also the ramifications of neglecting to understand the significance of how these environments can impact the trauma they carry as adults.


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Teresa Richardson has spent over a decade building one of the few black, female led trichology clinics in the country that specialise in afro and curly hair, with her daughter Eleanore Richardson.

On this episode we will be talking about Teresa Richardsons journey from afro hairdresser to highly esteemed consultant Trichologist and worked tirelessly against all odds to create a clean, safe environment for our community to get the help they need and deserve.

We also unpack why trichology is still so new to the black community, and why science backed hair care assistance could be what we've all been missing!

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Having the freedom to explore new hairstyles is a huge part of a black womans creative self expression. However, when working in TV and Broadcast Media, creating content promoted to millions of viewers from both inside and outside of your own community, the question of how you want to be perceived and understood is one that will have to be asked.

During this interview I will unpack the experience of popular black British female TV Presenter, Scarlette Douglas, who much like many of us, wants to try new looks and hairstyles, showcasing the beauty of her natural hair one day and the variety of braids, bantu knots or extensions the next, whilst still protecting the health of her hair AND progressing and flourishing in her career.

We discuss the power of visibility and representation in the media for younger generations of talented people of colour that are looking for faces that are reminiscent of their own, and dig into what we feel needs to change in the landscape of TV to perpetuate an ongoing positive narrative for the black community who may themselves strive to one day also see themselves in the media.

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For many men they often feel unable to be as vulnerable and open with their thoughts and feelings as their female counterparts. This feeling of quiet isolation is only further exacerbated in the black community, but with mental health becoming more of a topic of conversation for black men than it's ever been before, more spaces for discussion and vulnerability are presenting themselves.

On this episode we will speak to Mark Maciver, to get his perspective as a barber and mental health advocate on why he feels many black men have such close knit relationships with their barbers, and really discussing how that trip for a shape up helps many manage their mental health and wellbeing.

Barber shop therapy is not a new concept, but one that is yet to truly be dissected and understood from the perspective of the 'therapist' himself.

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Black women spend much of our lives trying, testing and playing with different hairstyles, looks, lengths and colors. We have become masters at shapeshifting into different environments, oftentimes altering our appearances in order to fit into the spaces we find ourselves in.

Whether wearing a straight wig for a corporate workplace, or laying your baby hairs for an upcoming date, have we ever considered the real reasons behind why we make these choices, or thought about the long term impact to our sense of selves, mental health, and journey of self love and acceptance from frequently transitioning from one mask to another?

I speak to Anna-Theresa Jieman PhD candidate in Psychology at the Queen Mary University of London who is currently researching Black Women and their triggers for depression and anxiety, who joins me to discuss insights from her study and talk about how shapeshifting between hairstyles can impact our sense of self.


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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STUDY
BWID STUDY

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Fola Evans-Akingbola is both a critically acclaimed actor and activist for the rights of her community. As a curly haired woman of color working in film and TV Fola, has been forced to experience feelings of frustration and isolation simply due to having a curlier hair texture than her straighter haired colleagues on set.

From constantly having to guide and direct stylists on how to simply do their jobs due to their lack of experience with her curl pattern to have to go as far as to create her own ‘how to’ video to guide ‘professionals’ on set to avoid any mistakes or damage to her natural hair, Fola, much like many of her peers, has frequently had to invest time, energy and resources into making sure her hair is properly cared for when she should be focussing on the role she's been hired to play.

As a result, Fola created an incredible documentary, Untold Stories: Hair on Set, to highlight these issues, allowing a range of male and female creatives in her space to be able to speak their truths, helping raise awareness and bring this discrimination to an end.

I talk to Fola about her reasons for creating the documentary, some of the stand out moments for her on her hair care journey, and look forward to what needs to change in order for the incredible work she initiated with her documentary to continue.

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