Activist, Zulaikha Patel has penned her first book called My Coily Crowny Hair which aims to empower young girls to celebrate their natural Afro hair.
Kaya Breakfast spoke to her about her activism, the book, and the events that unfolded when she and her classmates stood up against discrimination at Pretoria Girls High.
Patel first gained attention at age 13, when she led a protest for the decolonization of hair policies in schools, which was followed by several protests across South African schools including Lawson Brown High School.
Her fight against her school’s discriminatory hair policies has gained her global fame, making her a symbol for the struggle against systemic racism in South Africa’s schools.
Her story has also been immortalised in a mural in Johannesburg.
View this post on Instagram
My Coily Crowny Hair
Patel’s book is inspired by her love for reading and how she wanted to see more of herself from a young age. She approaches Afro hair woes from the perspective of a 7-year-old girl who draws courage from her mother, grandmother and the African queen to celebrate her hair.
“I began publishing this book in 2019 with my publishers, what motivated me to write this book was that I always wanted to be an author, as a child growing up, I loved reading, till this day I still adore reading. You could find me in a bookstore reading. I started reading at the age of 4, as a child I remember realizing that there was a gap in representation.” She said.
When she announced the book’s release, she penned a heartfelt message to her reader about the importance of this book, and how it will have an impact on future generations of confident girls.
View this post on Instagram
Why did I write ‘ My Coily Crowny Hair’ ? @mycoilycrownyhair I stand on a mountain built by the women who have come before me to ensure that I see far and I want to ensure that the generation of girls younger than me stand on a higher mountain to see further than what I see and see their powerful abilities whilst standing confident in their identities. Let’s build an upcoming generation of powerful confident girls – This book is for them.??
If you have a little one, this is one book you should look out for. Pre-orders are available.
