When society won’t make space for your hair, put it where it can’t be ignored.
Mizani had helped change the law against hair discrimination in Puerto Rico. Changing the law is one thing, but changing culture is harder. Textured hair was still being judged in the places where people study, work and lead. The next fight was cultural: moving braids, afros and curls from protection on paper to respect in real life.
We created Hair Held High, an outdoor campaign that placed textured hairstyles at full scale in the spaces where they are still too often marginalized: classrooms, offices and courtrooms. Each image centered the hair before the face, turning braids, curls and afros into symbols of ancestry, confidence and presence. Hair that was once expected to shrink now commanded the room.
1 in 3
Puerto Ricans reached daily
1.3M
Impressions across the island
+350%
Growth in social reactions