Hair Diaries is a coming-of-age novel that follows Charisma, a young Black woman navigating the shifting landscapes of girlhood, college, and adulthood with her hair at the center of it all.
From Sunday press-and-curls to the sting of chemical relaxers, from braided extensions in college dorm rooms to the liberation of a big chop, Charisma’s hair chronicles her journey toward self-acceptance. Along the way, she encounters other Black women whose stories mirror, challenge, and expand her own—from classmates struggling with protective styles to younger girls learning to embrace their natural crowns.
Told through diary entries, and intimate reflections, Hair Diaries is both a personal story and a collective one, capturing the weight of beauty standards and the joy of reclaiming identity. It is a lyrical exploration of belonging, and the transformative power of embracing one’s whole self.