Source: Michael Tran / Getty
When the word “dreadlocks” was trending on Twitter the other day, it wasn’t a celebration of the beauty of this natural hairstyle that many Black folks around the world love to rock.
Sadly, it was trending because of the same ol’ racist propaganda that this hairstyle deters African-Americans’ success, is somehow unprofessional, and is a symbol not taking one’s future seriously.
See, it all started with a pic that went viral showing Sally Hardgrove, some deranged looking white woman, cutting off a Black boy’s dreads so he can have “a better life.” To add insult to injury, Hardgrove’s Chicago-based organization, Crusher Club, will receive a portion of the $400,000 Jay-Z, Roc Nation, and the NFL vowed to donate to Windy City youth organizations in the name of their “Inspire Change” program.
This is the chess y’all said Hova was playing?
Well, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay took to Twitter to not only take back the narrative but shift it to reflect our reality: Assimilation and respectability politics won’t save black folks. That, and our natural hair is beautiful.
“Let’s replace those images of a Trump supporter gleefully cutting a young black man’s locs to give him a “better life”… with the beauty and majesty of life with locs. If you adorn yourself with natural locs, share your pictures with the hashtag #loclife. I’ll start. xo,” the When They See Us creator tweeted, showing an array of photos of her proudly rocking her dreads.
DuVernay’s call to action worked, with thousands replying to her to post showcasing pics of their own dreadlocks. Just take a look at all this Black beauty…you can literally get lost in it.
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#loclife pic.twitter.com/dueOaBR5mk
— Sista Dee Barnes👑✊🏾🔥 (@sistadbarnes) September 6, 2019
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#Loclife pic.twitter.com/C0CIPtxRLM
— Golding (@GoldingGirl617) September 6, 2019
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A family day #loclife pic.twitter.com/Dv0B7daLM4
— Openly Black Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) September 6, 2019
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I just started my journey, but #loclife ✊🏾
— 🙂 (@TheHadnot) September 6, 2019
I love my hair. Won’t work with or for anyone who demands that I cut it. pic.twitter.com/knmEq23FcP
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I've experienced hair discrimination at work, so waited to loc my hair until I had positions with some autonomy. Currently I'm an Executive Director of an HIV/AIDS non-profit and a doctoral student. My hair is both an aesthetic choice and spiritually meaningful to me. #loclife pic.twitter.com/4wUAh65KOA
— Ruth Cameron 🏳️🌈🇯🇲💃🏾 (@pruthcameron) September 6, 2019
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#LocLife Living the beauty and majesty of life with locs. Oh and your future doctor in a few months 👩🏾⚕️ #Blackdoctors pic.twitter.com/tulKQeGXlb
— A. Adejare-Smith, MD (@DrAdejareSmith) September 6, 2019
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I’m new to the game but I love my loc babies #loclife pic.twitter.com/c9MJxOsJW8
— Nakea Hayes (@NakeaSH) September 6, 2019
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A year into my journey. #loclife pic.twitter.com/kvpXWGGOsd
— Lisa Baylis (@Lmjbaylis) September 6, 2019
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My locs are a tribute to my brother, Nick McCray, who was murdered in 2016. My brother believed in living life as his authentic self, no matter what environment he was in. And I'll be damned if I ever let anyone cut my locs as a "pathway to a better life." #loclife @ava pic.twitter.com/dKfS3oPNYl
— Cedric F. Brown (@abrothanamedCed) September 6, 2019
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#loclife for life ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/bTQ3FRWgN5
— Ok Colonizer (@viceraruss) September 6, 2019
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Meeting my Forever First Lady @MichelleObama #loclife pic.twitter.com/IPO0gtWZM4
— Winifred Burton (@winnaburto) September 6, 2019
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oh, we can do this all day. leggo. #loclife pic.twitter.com/Lk5oZS5DLQ
— DEL (@danielleeliska) September 6, 2019
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14 months into my 2nd loc journey after 14 years the first go around...2 of the best decisions I ever made...never felt more like "me."...btw, senior scientist in large pharma...#loclife pic.twitter.com/MToeNRwiva
— CoolBlackNerd (@tightgenes) September 6, 2019
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On lunch break a few weeks back reppin the #LocLife, haircut not necessary 👩🏽🦱 pic.twitter.com/9F46pCkesH
— white cloth drip 🕊 (@RebelGal79) September 6, 2019
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Let's get this money. #blackgirlmagic #loclife #selfie #ganggang pic.twitter.com/DLIPjpNV7x
— Maple Summers (@MapleBSummers) September 5, 2019
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Wearing them since 1999. ❤️#loclife pic.twitter.com/ZlX7zHJJbm
— SAmusicgurl (@SAmusicgurl) September 6, 2019
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7 years this month #loclife pic.twitter.com/5DxgXz6Zxz
— Tee Ess the Preaching Geek (@PreachnGeek) September 6, 2019
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Just gonna squeeze myself and my baby locks in this thread
— TYRION IS A TERRORIST (@Ba_hottie) September 6, 2019
☺❤#loclife pic.twitter.com/SqFGMAaBHZ
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Mama and daughter #loclife pic.twitter.com/EobJod5xYU
— Erika F. Washington "Lady Quarantine" (@VegasJournalist) September 6, 2019
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#loclife because locs are BEAUTIFUL and nobody can tell me differently! They always try to find a way to undermine our beauty. @ava is one of my loc inspirations! pic.twitter.com/AhkcRZKCBx
— Whitney G. (@whitneyygee) September 6, 2019
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A lot of love for this #LocLife 💜
— Erika Totten (@ToLiveUnchained) September 6, 2019
Thank you @Ava 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/L4GqPDHgTN
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#loclife <3 I LOVE my locs! I have always struggled with self esteem and my locs helped me find myself. Anyone who thinks that I'd be better without them isn't for me. ✌️🏽 pic.twitter.com/vresFo5qao
— Poet Jillian Hanesworth (@SocJustice_poet) September 6, 2019
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Had locs then twists but my heart is the #loclife pic.twitter.com/tVYTYFN64Z
— Randiga (@Randiga) September 6, 2019
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#loclife pic.twitter.com/zQ5EHml7RB
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) September 6, 2019
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#loclife pic.twitter.com/H4vRFR38OP
— Tee (@umideera) September 6, 2019
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#loclife pic.twitter.com/0qGesKSAwS
— MsTx2 (@tialynelle) September 6, 2019
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My gorgeous friend Z! #loclife pic.twitter.com/aCU6c41blO
— Heather Juergensen (@TheStrngMind) September 6, 2019
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#loclife https://t.co/juEBbe8D3s pic.twitter.com/ZxQ06173S0
— Monica Roberts (@monicaromana) September 6, 2019