(Re)storative (Re)membering: Exploring Black Women Educators, Black Hair, and Collective (Re)membering

• In Event: Black Women Teachers' Reflections and Resistance

Abstract

For Black women, hair is very intertwined with our identity. This paper explores the parallels journey between Black women educators (BWEs) and our hair. I argue that using Black hair as an avenue to better understand BWEs is critical. Through what I’ve termed (Re)storative (Re)membering, Black women educators work together in healing cirlces to share stories of the past, create art, and remember who we are. (Re)membering has present purpose and provides access to the most authentic parts of ourselves to reveal what we carry, how we cope, and why we resist as educators. (Re)membering is beyond temporal reach. It helps us shift the trajectory of our future selves. It helps us move toward transformative learning.

Author

• Eghosa Obaizamomwan-Hamilton, Stanford University