As you look on top of my head, you see an abundance of curls. To most, my curls are just that: curls. I perceive my curls to be much more than that.

The curls on top of my head characterize my ancestors. My curls exemplify my ancestors who were brought here involuntarily, only to be a bondservant that is restricted from their freedoms. These curls embody the 3/5 Compromise. They are the blueprint for the escape routes used to help my ancestors abscond from slavery.

The curls on top of my head epitomize the segregation that my ancestors had to undergo. They encapsulate Jim Crow which was allowed for legal segregation. They represent redlining which allowed for discriminatory mortgage-lending practices thus making it difficult for my ancestors to obtain real estate in suburban neighborhoods. They illustrate the War on Drugs which targeted low-income communities thus rapidly increasing incarceration rates.

The curls on top of my head are the social segregation that takes place today. These curls are modern day slavery. These curls signify the strength of my ancestors and all of my brothers and sisters around the world. These curls are historical.

The curls on top of my head are a history of my past and a symbol of my present, which deserves to be heard. They refuse to be silenced by the European ideologies that society forces upon me.

To many, these curls are ordinary. But to me, these curls are extraordinary.