The Legacy Of CURLFEST: Empowering Women Of Color Through Beauty And Self-Expression
Every summer, the natural hair community pops out for CURLFEST, an annual event that started as a local meetup in New York City and has evolved into the world’s largest natural beauty festival. From intricate hairstyles to bold fashion choices, CURLFEST is a mecca of individuality. For Melody Henderson, Creative Director and one of five co-founders of CURLFEST and Curly Girl Collective, the festival is more than just an event; it’s a celebration of culture, creativity, and community.
Brooklyn native Melody Henderson has spent over a decade shaping the narrative around natural beauty and self-expression for women of color. We spoke with Melody as she was in the midst of preparing for the 10th anniversary of CURLFEST, which returns to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park on August 17th, 2024. In our conversation, Melody reflects on the festival’s journey and its impact on the broader movement for Black hair acceptance and identity.
This year’s festival marks a significant moment in its history amid the ongoing fight against hair discrimination in the United States. According to the Dove CROWN Research Study, Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair. The study also highlights that although 90% of Black girls believe their hair is beautiful, the microaggressions and discrimination they endure have an impact on how they see themselves.
In a world where Black women continue to face prejudice based on their appearance, CURLFEST stands as a sanctuary, a place where beauty is celebrated in all its forms, free from societal constraints and judgments.
Creativity and self-expression are at the heart of CURLFEST, and the festival has become a showcase for the diverse ways Black women and women of color express and fully embrace their identities— in all shades, shapes and textures.
Her Agenda spoke with Melody about the milestone 10-year anniversary of CURLFEST and the importance of creating safe spaces for women of color. Here’s what she had to say on what to expect and legacy ahead of the festival.
Her Agenda: CURLFEST is almost here! First and foremost, how are you feeling?
Melody Henderson: We’re excited. It’s our tent pole event, and a lot of familiar faces come back year after year, and then we also get an opportunity to meet some of the new members of our community.
Her Agenda: What have been some of the most memorable interactions you’ve had with attendees that allowed you to see the impact of CURLFEST?
Melody Henderson: One in particular stood out to me when we went to Atlanta in 2019, and that was a new market for us. [We were] not sure if we would be as welcomed as we were in New York, even though we’ve got a lot of people requesting for us to come to their region. There was this one moment when we were on stage, and I happened to lock eyes with this one individual that was in the crowd, and she mouthed something to me; she had on this beautiful fairy dress, like she was the perfect CURLFEST girl. She’s like, ‘I’m coming.’ You’re gonna see me, you know? And that’s why we create the space. She came up to the stage, and she said she was so thankful for what we were able to do and bring to the community. And so she starts crying. Its those things. When you see the sea of people, [whether] it’s small or large, you know that there’s individuals there that we’re touching. But when you have those moments where you can actually speak and have a moment with an individual, it just gives us fuel as to why we do what we do.
Her Agenda: The Crown Act has been a pivotal movement in the fight against hair discrimination. How has CURLFEST contributed to the visibility and awareness of this legislation, and what role do you see it playing in the broader conversation about Black hair and identity?
Melody Henderson: We are proud to have been at the forefront of paving the way for what we’ve seen come to fruition now. We were actually given an award by the Crown Act a few years back in the ‘sisterhood’ category, and it basically recognized Black women-led organizations who stood with the Crown Act from day one. And at that time, it felt as if it was something that we would never be able to actually attain, meaning we as a community. But it never fails. There’s a headline every year, whether it’s here or overseas [that showcases that] we are [still] fighting as a community to just be accepted the way God let our hair grow out of our heads. It starts with hair, but it really expands beyond that. We’re not a monolith. There’s always still work to be done. So we are elated to see how much progress our partners and the Crown Act have made.
Her Agenda: I’d love to hear more about the feedback and observations you and your co-founders have had regarding creativity, self-expression, and identity. What have you been seeing in the growth as the CURLFEST grows, which you’ve been noticing about the forms of self-expression and identity?
Melody Henderson: It’s a moment, right? It’s when we do our “get ready with me” or “the road to CURLFEST” [content], or like, people look forward to just showing up as a community, but they also look forward to it being a moment to shine. I’m super thankful for all of our media partners and crew who capture it because one thing about an event is that you know you have your personal feelings about how it lives on, but so much of how it lives on is the content captured, [like] the hairstyles and the outfits and the uniqueness that we see come through the lawn over the years. You’re excited to see what’s gonna be a trendsetter.
I think there’s something interesting about when you find the mainstream [media] coming and putting our people on the main stage in these publications and recaps. It doesn’t just show us that we’re here, but it shows the world that we’re here.
Her Agenda: Do you have any advice about shooting your shot?
Melody Henderson: Know your why. Knowing your why will unlock so much courage and strength you don’t even think you have because you’re being driven by something bigger than yourself. I always say, ‘Nothing beats a failure but a try,’ which I got from my mom. What is the worst thing that could happen if you try it and it doesn’t work? It’s worse to have wanted to do something and never tried it. Accept that you don’t have to have a perfect understanding and can learn from what can be deemed a failure.
Her Agenda: What legacy do you hope to have for CURLFEST, and where do you see the festival evolving in the coming years?
Melody Henderson: The legacy is really having the [ability] to see where it can go. We called it a festival before we knew it was going to be a festival. It’s leaving that space for it to be like the sky’s the limit. I think one of the core foundations, though, is creating a path in a world in which the generation now, the generations that are to come, really feel as if they belong here.
