Student organization Authentically Me held a headwrap seminar Monday in the Traditions Lounge. 

Authentically Me is an organization for anyone at USI who is interested in learning about their natural hair. “Rock the Wrap” included live demonstrations of how to style a headwrap as well as presentations on the history and culture behind headwraps. 

Members of the club started the event learning about the history of headwraps from Kenecia Hawly, president of Authentically Me.

Hawley said before slavery was abolished, Black women who were slaves would use headwraps as a sign of coding to each other so their slave masters would not know what they were saying. 

Following the history presentation, members of the Authentically Me who wear headwraps demonstrated how they wore theirs. 

“This is who you are,” Hawley said. “It’s unique. It’s beautiful. You should wear it. Be passionate about it, love it.”

Walker Banks, junior health administration major, said she started her hair journey when she was about 10 years old. She said she began learning how to use different products, headwraps and durags.  

“Durags are a type of headwrap,” said Clyde Tsianguebeni, senior health services major. “I use YouTube as a resource to teach me different ways to wrap my head”

Banks said the seminar was one of the events held on campus during Black History Month.

“Black History Month is about of course learning your history but as well as coming together because if we don’t come together, no progress can happen,” Banks said.

Jada Hogg, outreach coordinator and student mentor in the Multicultural Center, is the faculty advisor of Authentically Me.

“Hair type is kind of like snowflakes, when you talk about hair type, my hair type will not be the same as my brothers or sisters even though we have the same genetics,” Hogg said. “Finding the right products that might work sometimes takes years and months.”

“Rock the Wrap” on Monday was the second time this event has been held on campus. 

“February 2020 they had the same headwrap event for Black History Month and a month later the pandemic happened,” Hogg said. “We’re so excited that it’s back a part of not only USI’s campus and Black history month.”

Students view Authentically Me as an organization to not only talk about their hair, but also the culture of their hair. 

“It’s just about learning about Black culture as far as the top of the head is concerned, not even just Black culture but minorities in general,” Banks said.

Mariam Kenu, sophomore computer information systems major, said Authentically Me is “an avenue for Black girls to have confidence in your hair and everything related too.”  

Kenu said, “It gives Black girls being a minority on campus and a community to have people like them have hairstyles like them to have conversations about their hair and be more confident about their hair.”