Same Roots Same Crown Different Shades of Brown Inspiration and Back Story

 Same Roots Same Crown Different Shades of Brown was inspired by my first experience with colorism as a mother. When I was pregnant with my eldest daughter, Charlie, I worked as a school psychologist in a prestigious private school within the elite outskirts of Philadelphia. Naturally, after a mother returns back to work from maternity leave many people want to see photos of the new baby. I've learned that when you work in an office or school setting, your colleagues witness your pregnancy journey starting from your pregnancy announcement to seeing you later wobble down the hallway every five minutes to use the restroom. Therefore, your baby may feel like their baby (but don’t worry, it’s not, it's totally your baby). As a first time mom, I did not mind sharing photos of this beautiful baby that I carried. Therefore, on my first day back to work, when a school secretary asked to see my newborn, I excitedly showed her the first picture in my "Baby Album" on my phone (I was prepared to share okay)! However, my excitement shifted within seconds. As soon as I shared the first picture (and what became to be the last with this person), I heard her say, "She's adorable. Is your husband white?" In that moment I did not see white. I did not see black. I just saw a rage of red. I thought to myself, "Why do I have to have a white husband to have an adorable baby with a lighter skin tone than me? Don't you know that black people come in all different shades of brown? If my husband was white, what would be your response be?” Honestly, I cannot remember exactly what I said, but I believe it was along the lines of “No, he's black like me.” Afterwards, I then gathered my test kits and made my way down the hall to evaluate my student. I had to instantly put on a neutral face, which means as a black woman you are expected to have a happy “approachable” demeanor at work at all times, despite what you’re going through. Black women tend to have a resting face which may come across as aggressive or “non-approachable”, but that’s an entire other post for another time.

To some, that question may not have been offensive. At the time, I could have blamed it on my hormones, or my reality of being a Black woman in America working at a predominantly white school. Till this day, I still choose being a Black woman in America. It was in that moment I realized that being a mother with a child who has a lighter skin tone than me was going to be "a thing" and I had to mentally prepare myself and my daughter for what we will encounter together as a mother and daughter with different shades of brown skin. A few years later,  after I had my second baby, Parker (who also happened to be a girl and who also happened to have a lighter skin tone than me) then came the hair texture comments. "Oh, they have good hair. They don’t have bad hair. They have mixed hair.” Yes, my daughters have a different hair texture than me. Yes, when their hair gets wet it turns into silky long curls. Yes, when my hair gets wet, it turns into a shrinkage of coils and then an Afro once it’s blown dry. However, that does not mean that they have “good hair.” I then ask people, “If my girls had hair like me, or even hair like you, does that mean that they have bad hair?” This is when it becomes a little awkward because ten times of out the ten, the people who have something to say have the same hair texture as me. Annoyed by the comments, I correct people all the time, mainly women, but surprisingly men too. You would be shocked about how many men have something to say about a woman’s hair texture. During those dreadful conversations I basically explain to them to focus on hair care, healthy hair and tell them that "All hair is good hair", just ask the ladies at Deeper Than Hair.

These comments made me begin to look for children's books about skin tones and embracing the beauty of little black girls and their unique and amazing hair. I was able to find hair love books, but I did not have much luck with skin tones. Therefore, I decided to create my own. One day I was sitting in the living room with my newborn and toddler. I was nursing, playing with toys and overall being a multitasking mom of two under two. I took a mental step back and thought to myself, "Wow, I really have two girls!" I reflected on how my mom passed away when I was just a young girl and in that very moment I wish she could have been there to love on her granddaughters and reassure me that everything was going to be okay. I then pulled out my phone, went to my notes and begin describing my family's skin tones from the perspective of Charlie. I started to write about what I wanted to read to my children and what I felt was missing in children’s books and literature. It was in that moment Same Roots Same Crown Different Shades of Brown was born. I hope you enjoy my debut book as much as I enjoyed writing it. I really want our children to understand their beauty and worth because there are some phenomenal human beings out there who will one day lead this country, better yet, the world! Therefore, we have to set them up for success and that starts within the mind, body and soul. The overall take away of Same Roots Same Crown Different Shades of Brown is to "Always remember, that Brown skin is beautiful skin, and so are you. Love the skin you're in no matter what color or hue."   

Lisa’s List: Embracing Black Hair Book Recommendations

Hair Love by Matthew Cheery

Don’t Touch My Hair by Sharee Milller

All Hair Is Good Hair by Annagid Kee Taylor