Cheyenne Cochrane: A celebration of natural hair
Cheyenne Cochrane: Celebremos el pelo natural
Cheyenne Cochrane is an ambassador for the natural hair movement. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
I had a best friend named Jenny
una mejor amiga llamada Jenny
Side of Chicago.
the segregated demographics of Chicago,
demográfica en Chicago,
not too many black people
after school and on the weekends.
durante la semana y los fines de semana.
hanging out in her living room,
was in the room with us,
estaba ahí con nosotras.
just kind of playing in my hair,
jugando con mi pelo
about what she was doing.
mucha atención a lo que hacía.
en la conversación,
was not too far away.
and she overheard the conversation,
la conversación por encima.
ask people questions like that."
preguntar esas cosas a la gente!".
and I know she was really embarrassed.
que le dio mucha vergüenza.
but actually I was not offended.
Pero lo cierto es que no me ofendí.
that in her 10 short years on this earth,
que en sus diez años en este planeta
what a black person looked like.
de una persona de color.
with Jenny and Rosie's family --
con familia de Rosie y Jenny,
físicamente con ellas,
put her hands in my hair
si yo era negra.
played in confirming my ethnicity,
de mi pelo en confirmar mi grupo étnico
in how I'm viewed by others in society.
en cómo sería percibida por la sociedad.
and Madame CJ Walker were pioneers
y cosmético para gente de color
industry in the early 1900s.
of chemically-based hair creams
lociones químicas para cabello,
or semipermanently,
permanente o temporalmente
about the history of blacks in America,
de los afroamericanos,
that we experienced as people of color
como personas de color
de la posguerra americana,
African-American male or female
como la característica
"telling feature" of Negro status,
hair-care industry,
para el cuidado del cabello,
de productos e instrumentos
and the pressing comb,
and advancement as a race
nuestra supervivencia y nuestro avance
we grew accustomed to this idea
nos acostumbramos a la idea
hair meant better and more beautiful.
era sinónimo de mejor y más atractivo.
what we like to call ...
lo que nos gusta llamar
la forma del rizo, mejor es el pelo.
the better the hair.
form a false sense of hierarchy
incorporadas en el sistema
what was considered a good grade of hair
un buen tipo de pelo, y lo que no.
we let these false ideologies
que estas ideologías falsas
percepción de quiénes éramos
to infect our cultural identity
nuestra identidad cultural
every six to eight weeks,
cada seis u ocho semanas,
a alisadores químicos nocivos
to harsh straightening chemicals
calvas y, a veces, hasta quemaduras.
of 450 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
de 230 °C o superiores
with wigs and weaves,
con pelucas o turbantes
respirasen solo en privado,
what's really going on under there.
de verdad ahí debajo.
in our own communities,
en nuestras comunidades
why today the typical ideal vision
de una profesional afroamericana
dictaminó que es legal
against hiring an employee
a la hora de contratar un empleado
la gerente de contrataciones
se vean desaliñadas, pero...
demasiado afrocéntricas
just a little too Afrocentric
con el afrocentrismo
it being a little too "urban"
su aspecto intimidante
in that they looked "scary"
the clients and their customer base.
con demasiada frecuencia
that are too often associated
a los peinados naturales.
attached to natural hairstyles.
for Leadership and Inclusion
Leadership Center for Inclusion,
en cargos de liderazgo ejecutivo
in executive leadership roles
of covering in the workplace
en el espacio de trabajo
advocacy, affiliation and association.
apoyo, afiliación y asociación.
según el aspecto físico
appearance-based covering,
of color cover in the workplace
se cubren en el espacio de trabajo
cubrirse por motivos de apariencia
admitted to appearance-based covering,
desde bastante a muy importante
somewhat to extremely important
for their professional advancement.
en ser CEO de una empresa del Fortune 500.
female CEO of a Fortune 500 company --
well-manicured Afro.
we like to call a "natural girl."
and showing what's possible
afroamericanas que desean escalar
seeking to climb the corporate ladder,
to wear natural hairstyles.
cortes de pelo naturales.
de mujeres afroamericanas
of African-American women
icons and role models,
iconos y modelos de conducta,
how they feel best --
que tenían que hacerlo
que han alcanzado hoy.
that they have attained today.
que está arrasando en el país
that is sweeping the country
lo que significa volver al pelo natural
it means to transition to natural hair,
de puntas secas y dañadas
years and years of dry, damaged ends
their natural curl pattern.
de su pelo natural.
y embajadora de este movimiento
and an ambassador for this movement
and harsh chemicals,
y químicos agresivos
serios signos de deterioro.
extreme signs of wear and tear.
that conventional image of beauty
esa imagen convencional de belleza
the "No Heat Challenge,"
el "Desafío Sin Calor",
from using heat styling tools on my hair
alisadores como planchas en mi pelo
de mi querido pelo.
to master these natural hairstyles,
estos estilos de pelo naturales,
slowly began to change.
empezaba a cambiar poco a poco.
the only woman going through this
que estaba pasando por esto
and thousands of other women
y miles de mujeres más
and they would say,
that natural hairstyle
ese peinado natural
has empezado a usar
for my hair texture
para la textura de mi pelo
of the natural hair routines
de las rutinas capilares
to slowly restore the health of my hair?"
para reparar la salud de mi pelo?".
a large number of women
un gran número de mujeres
to take that first step
with these natural hairstyles?
llevando un estilo de pelo natural?
with friends of mine
from around the world,
de todos los rincones del mundo
identify with their hair.
se identifican con su cabello.
en Mobile, Alabama
embrace their love for their natural hair,
aceptan su amor por su pelo natural,
generaciones de adoctrinamiento
is not beautiful,
en su estado natural no es bello
esconderse o cubrirse.
express their individuality
expresan su individualidad
hairstyles regularly.
con diferentes estilos de peinado.
to wear our natural hair in the workplace,
nuestro pelo natural en el trabajo
como individuos únicos.
and advance professionally.
y a avanzar profesionalmente.
the confines of the status quo.
sobre los límites del status quo.
or locks draping down her back,
o una cortina de rizos sobre su espalda,
straightening her hair to work,
el pelo para ir a trabajar,
if that's what you feel so inclined to do.
si es lo que les apetece hacer.
ante las expectativas de los demás.
of others' expectations.
the decision to stray from the norm
con la compasión de los demás.
on the compassion of others.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Cheyenne Cochrane - StorytellerCheyenne Cochrane is an ambassador for the natural hair movement.
Why you should listen
Cheyenne Cochrane is a storyteller who leverages digital and social media to share her ideas and experiences with her followers and subscribers, seasoned with a dash of humor. A Chicago native and Howard University Graduate, Cochrane lives to inspire, inform and connect with diverse audiences. She is currently the development manager for a national education non-profit. When she's not raising funds to support educational equity for underserved students around the country, she is the creator and visionary behind The Level Up blog, as well as her social media brand, @onmylevel_chey.
Cochrane began documenting her natural hair journey in 2014, while struggling to maintain the integrity of her hair after so many years of applying heat and harsh chemicals. She wanted to adopt a new routine, but like so many other women of color she'd been programmed to believe that straight, long hair was the most appealing, most professional and widely accepted look for a black woman. She knew that deciding to "go natural" would be a journey of self-exploration and would require her to let go of the conventional standards of beauty that she'd adhered to for so many years. What she did not know, however, was how many other women she'd inspire and empower along the way by sharing her journey.
Today, Cheyenne continues to share her natural hair story and lessons with women around the world via her social media platforms and YouTube channel. She also maintains a blog where she posts about all things natural hair and beauty, millennial culture and features young entrepreneurs of color.
Cheyenne Cochrane | Speaker | TED.com