The DC | Spring 2023 Issue
Black Hair on a White Campus Bringing ASL to A Black senior’s perspective on her hair experience at SMU SMU campus By Jordyn Harrell | Engagement Editor
I finally freed my hair from its three-month sentence in the protective jail of knotless braids, a style where I weave in extensions. I stretched my arms as I waited in line to pick up my package. My muscles were still tender from the restless night I spent unraveling mid-back length braids, detangling my ends and deep conditioning my roots. As I swat away a loose strand from my face, my name is called. “You cut your hair,” Marc Smith, the manager of the on-campus mail center known for his rusty colored hair and matching mustache, short stature and even shorter temper, said as he slid my Amazon package over the counter. “It looks nice.” My hair hadn’t been cut at all. It hovered right above my shoulders in its natural state: a thick mass of tight coils and curls. A soft thank you slips through my tight-lipped smile. As I left the counter, I kept my eyes trained on the dingy, dented cardboard box awkwardly resting in my palms instead of making eye contact with the line of students behind me. Each step weighed heavy with annoyance. I didn’t look up until I made it outside. A simple ‘your hair is different, it looks nice’ would’ve worked. No comment would’ve worked even better. I wanted to disappear. Or, at least, go home to DeSoto—a place where a person wasn’t instantly deemed scissor-happy because of natural-hair shrinkage.
Jordyn Harrrell does her hair in front of a mirror. Photo Credit: Emma McRae
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By Ellis Rold | News Editor
I should’ve grown used to hearing Smith’s compliment American Sign Photo Credit: considering the number of times I changed my hair during Language professor Arden Eiland the two years I worked at the mail center. Tiffany McCray is But that’s why it bugged me. I worked for him for two working to better years; yet he remains ignorant of the idea that his comconnect her students ments weren’t flattering. I can only say his heart is in the with the local Dallas right place so many times before his intentions become Deaf community invalid by his execution. It takes courage for Black through a potential women to proudly be and express themselves in a society new minor, campus where acceptance, beauty standards and laws glorifies clubs and activities. whiteness. McCray began Dove’s CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open teaching at SMU in Professor McCray teaching World for Natural Hair) Research Studies say 2017. Prior to being ASL to her class. discrimination based on hairstyles can start as early as 5 a professor, she was Born to a deaf dad and an interpreter and teacher for years old. Race-based hair discrimination could be blahearing mom, Lilly underdeaf students at Woodrow tant—like almost disqualifying a high school powerlifter stands the challenges the from the Mississippi state championship because she wore Wilson High School and J.L Deaf community faces. beads in her hair—or they could be an assumption hidden Long Middle School in Dallas. “I feel like deaf people In 2020, she began to within a genuine compliment. are a very excluded minoridevelop a curriculum for a I struggled being my full self at Southern Methodist ty in America, and a lot of sign language minor in hopes University, a concentrated space of whiteness. I found people can’t really commuthat she could connect more myself going out of my way to not be seen as an anomnicate with them,” he said. students with the language. aly, especially when it came to my hair. Someone Lilly said his exposure to “I just typed up a proposal. would’ve thought I was smuggling contraband the ASL community at SMU I typed up the classes I thought with how I picked up hair supplies from my helped him to appreciate the uncle early Saturday mornings of my junior they should offer in the minor language more. and I created class descriptions year. I would peek out the main entrance “I’m super proud of for all of the classes and door of my dorm, with my plaited hair having a deaf dad, and of prerequisites,” McCray said. tucked under a black beanie further knowing sign language. I The minor will focus on a shielded by the hood of my sweatshirt, didn’t really realize how variety of topics that will allow and I carefully scanned the parking lot unique of a skill set I have students to better connect for his car. The ducking and dodging until coming to college.” with the Deaf community, she only reinforced the feeling that a curly McCray intends to said. Possible courses include headed Black girl didn’t belong on a submit the minor for apfingerspelling and Deaf culture. white campus. proval next year. The minor Several ASL courses that So, I stopped hiding. must be approved by I detangled myself from years’ would be in the new minor Dedman College of Huare currently offered at SMU. worth of matted insecurities, manities and Sciences, the Interaction with the Deaf and I feel so much lighter. Of provost’s office and SMU’s community is a required part of course, there are days when board of trustees. classes, McCray said. those knots reappear. In those Lilly encouraged Students attend ‘deaf coffee moments, I remember the students to get involved encouragement my mom texted chats’ at coffee shops where with the local Deaf comthey meet deaf individuals to me my first seme ster at SMU munity and sign language practice their signing. after a bad hair day. “Walk in programs on campus. “They’re just out in the it...Hair is hair,” she said. “You “The ASL courses here community. They meet these are beautiful in braids. In a are difficult but worth it,” he students and teach them some ponytail. With a perm. In the said. “Whenever someone natural. With a sew-in. Or with new signs. So my students are knows sign language, it getting to know them and get a cap. You are beautiful. Green really means a lot. It means to practice and improve their eggs and ham.” Her words more to the deaf person than skills,” McCray said. possess just as much truth now you think.” Students are also able to join as they did then. McCray said she hopes On a Friday night, I part my SMU’s ASL club, which allows the various programs will damp hair into sections. I begin students to get together and encourage her students to be to shape my hair – I’m inspired improve their signing. an advocate for deaf people Junior Chad Lilly was by another natural hair content whenever possible. creator. Half-way done, I smile at encouraged to join the club and “They just can’t hear. myself in the mirror. began tutoring sign language They can do everything else My comfort starts with me, at the ALEC after taking we can,” McCray said. not you or your compliments. McCray’s classes.