Moore's new anthology

I was excited to receive a copy of the third volume in Nicole Moore’s series of anthologies by women of black and  mixed race heritage in the post recently. Part of that was seeing the piece I’d written for Moore’s hair blog in October 2009 actually in print. But beyond this was the chance to browse the poems and essays, which on the whole speak of each writer’s  journey to self-acceptance.

Much is made of the movement from chemically treated to natural. Straight tresses to kinky waves. It’s a familiar journey for many women and thus many of the contributions touch on similar ground – mine included. So those that approach the subject matter with a slightly different take stand apart.

I loved Elayne Ogbeta’s culturally amended take on a fairy tale  in Rapunzel, Rapunzel. Ellen Aaku’s To Bleach or Not to Bleach is a brutally honest (and saddening) confession to an addiction to skin lightening  she has yet to cold turkey from. Dorothea Smart’s Hairdresser triptych is lyrically powerful.

We will always have something to say about those aspects of ourselves that define us as women. Hair Power, Skin Revolution gives ample voice to these opinions.