The push for emojis in Black women’s styles: ‘We need to normalise that our hair is acceptable’

Hackney group Rise.365 is trying to tackle poor representation and spark discussions about discrimination with new designs

In her first year of culinary school, Reanna Bryan, 18, was told her braided hairstyle was not suitable for the kitchen. “I was like, ‘What do you mean, you can’t have braids or dreads?’ because this is what I wear. My hair is in braids the majority of the time,” she says.

When she shared her experience with the young woman’s circle she is a member of at Rise.365, a community support group based in Hackney, similar stories were echoed back.