NEW YORK (US) – Wakati Hair – an emerging haircare brand catering to African American hair textures – will unveil its social-facing Crowned Series campaign on August 4, 2021. The Crowned Series – hosted by media maven, Kéla Walker, and featuring a dynamic panel including activist and host of Undistracted Podcast, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, writer/image activist/producer, Michaela Angela Davis, Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan, Julee Wilson, and media personality, Scottie Beam – provides an opportunity for open and honest conversations delving into the beautiful complexities of Black hair.
The Wakati three-episode Crowned Series gathers these influential women dominating in a multitude of spaces ranging from activism, beauty, philanthropy and entertainment, facilitating respectful, meaningful and transparent dialogues about the beauty of and journey to loving their Black hair.
This series encompasses meaningful conversations around using Black hair as an expression of agency and advocacy to personal experiences of workplace discrimination, bedtime rituals, and the strength, versatility, range, and uniqueness of Black hair.
During episode one Michaela Angela Davis acknowledges that, “Only Black girls have the distinction “protective styles”. That’s a metaphor for how we have had to move through the world. There’s this need for protection, but at the same time, (there’s) this ability to shape shift, communicate, create, (and) to defy all through the lens of our hair.”
When discussing workplace discrimination in episode two, Scottie Beam stated, “The AHA moment is realizing that the focus was ON your head because they fear what’s IN your head.” And in episode three, Brittany Packnett Cunningham reiterates that, “when we show up as our full selves, we give others permission to do the same. That’s what we owe one another.” As the first Black Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan Magazine, Julee Wilson expressed, “I celebrated the dopeness of Black women every single day for four years (at Essence Magazine), and now I’m bringing that energy and that fullness to this publication, and it’s exciting.”
As a brand that celebrates and respects the timelessness of natural hair textures, it was important for Wakati to provide a forum for powerful, beautiful and game-changing Black women to be open and have brave conversations around their Black hair experiences and celebrate Black beauty. “Hair is so much more than hair to the Black community,” says Kenya Foy, Brand Marketing, Wakati. “The crown we wear each day tells many stories about who we are as individuals, women, as a community, our history and more. Our hope is these conversations inspire Black women of all generations to wear their Crowns proudly and share their stories with others.”
Wakati® is a NEWKao-owned, hair care brand. Wakati, meaning “time” in Swahili, represents a respect for where your hair has been and an optimism for all the places you want it to go. After an 8-year long journey and research, and a collaboration with the Historically Black College University (HBCU) Florida Agricultural Mechanical University, (FAMU), the four product line debuted in January 2021 in Target, Walgreens and Walmart, and at Rite-Aid in May 2021. Kao USA, known for the iconic Jergens®, Bioré® and John Frieda® brands, is revolutionizing the natural hair industry with its newest, patented hair innovation, and Wakati is the first product Kao has produced for consumers with highly textured hair. With Wakati, natural hair is overall more manageable, so naturalistas can spend less time styling and more time enjoying their kinks, curls and coils.
Wakati’s Crowned Series boasts Black girl camaraderie and candid conversations that will resonate with generations of girls and women to come. To watch full episodes of the Crowned Series please visit Wakati Hair on Youtube, www.wakatihair.com and stay connected by following@WakatiHair on Instagram.
ABOUT KAO USA INC.
Kao USA Inc. is a leading manufacturer of premium beauty care brands that are recognized around the world for their innovation and quality. The Kao USA Inc. Consumer Products portfolio includes Ban® antiperspirants; Jergens® and Curél® hand and body lotions; Bioré® facial care; John Frieda® Frizz-Ease®, Luxurious Volume®, Sheer Blonde®, Brilliant Brunette®, Radiant Red®, Precision Foam Colour and Luminous Color Glaze® hair care. Founded in 1882, Kao USA Inc. is a member of the Kao Group of companies.
Press Contact: Noire MGMT
Nikki Osei-Barrett
nikki@noire-mgmt.com
SOURCE Noire MGMT
