Beyond The Surface

Mae Jemison and her suit tech Sharon Caples-McDougle after an egress training.

Yes, as soon as I saw her name on the flight. We had a board out in the lab here, and they would list all the astronauts. I had already heard the first “sista,” as I say, was going to space so right when my lead put the names up, I placed my name by Mae’s; she’s my crew member. Everyone already knew the first black woman would be assigned to me.

I was proud to be the only black woman in my department. Like I said, I wanted to make sure she was taken care of, she was comfortable, and I wanted to be the one to do that. I didn’t want anybody else assigned to her. I’m sure they would have done a fabulous job too, not saying nobody else wasn’t good enough to take care of her. I just wanted to be the one. You know that kinship, that family feeling. Bottom line, I just wanted to make sure she was taken care of. I knew my stuff, and I’m really good at what I do.

Let white people that want to rock black hairstyles do whatever they want right?

I should share my culture with white people right?

Black women are just being assholes about whites with locs and dreads right? 

Let white folks in the natural hair movement right? 

Let white people that want to rock black hairstyles do whatever they want right?

I should share my culture with white people right?

Black women are just being assholes about whites with locs and dreads right? 

Let white folks in the natural hair movement right? 

This book teaches black, Afro-descendent, Afro-Latina, and/or Garifuna girls how to positively describe different hair types instead of using the term “bad hair”. Fun illustrations were created to help describe different types of hair and hairstyles. This book was created to empower little girls so they can embrace and love their beautiful natural hair. This book calls for all of us to work as equal partners to encourage our girls by using proper terminology to describe their hair which is directly linked to their essence and self-esteem.