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In the NoCo

The compassion of first-person narratives with author and activist St. Clair Detrick-Jules

St. Clair Detrick-Jules said she noticed interesting duality and nuance during the dozens of interviews she conducted with Black women about the power and meaning of their natural hair. "There is definitely, for some people, this association of natural hair and afros with different politics and different social groups. On the other hand, some women who I talked to said that for them, wearing their natural hair shouldn't be a radical act because it's just the way their hair grows out of their scalp."
Courtesy Photo
St. Clair Detrick-Jules said she noticed interesting duality and nuance during the dozens of interviews she conducted with Black women about the power and meaning of their natural hair. "There is definitely, for some people, this association of natural hair and afros with different politics and different social groups. On the other hand, some women who I talked to said that for them, wearing their natural hair shouldn't be a radical act because it's just the way their hair grows out of their scalp."

Author and activist St. Clair Detrick-Jules uses words and images to capture personal stories that celebrate and center Black liberation, the immigrant experience, and women's rights.

“Historically in this country, Black people haven't been able to really control the narrative of our own stories, of our own lives and experiences,” she said. “And so I think that for us being able to share our first-person experiences and actually have a platform to be heard and to have our stories valued and appreciated is really empowering.”

On Thursday at CU Boulder’s art museum, Detrick-Jules discusses her book My Beautiful Black Hair: 101 Natural Hair Stories.

Ahead of her talk, Detrick-Jules sat down with In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole. She began by discussing a moment that inspired the book, when her 4-year-old sister, Khloe, was in tears after her white classmates bullied her about her afro.

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.
As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
I wear many hats in KUNC's newsroom as an executive producer, editor and reporter. My work focuses on inequality, the systems of power that entrench it, and the people who are disproportionately affected. I help reporters in my newsroom to also uncover these angles and elevate unheard voices in the process.