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

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.