For my Fulbright Community Engagement project in Senegal, I hope to nurture my scholarly interests in Body Politics, hair, beauty culture, race, and popular media as sites of creativity and politics. While interviewing Dr. Mamadou Bodian, excitedly, we discussed Dr. Mamadou's research on identity formation and religion in relation to my budding research interests on identity formation and Black hair. I found Dr. Mamadou's gentle encouragement to view concepts like "identity" and "individuality" as communal concepts rather than isolating thoughts, feelings and memories to be both complex and inspiring. I believe a conversation on Black hair creates a necessary entry-point to understand the intimate aspects of our lived experiences both together, and separately. 

Favorite Quote: "Knowing others is also a way of knowing yourself..." -Dr. MB

I hope you enjoy our first episode of season 4 for MCN!  Host & Founder: Lauren Stockmon Brown. Music: “Jealous,” Fireboy (Instrumental)