Book Talk with Dr. Nadia Brown

On April 6, 2022, Dr. Nadia E. Brown, a Howard University Alum, joined the Howard University Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership for a dialogue about her book “Sister Style: The Politics of Appearance for Black Women Political Elites.” Dr. Nadia Brown is a professor of Government, chair of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, and an affiliate in the African American Studies program at Georgetown University.

In “Sister Style: The Politics of Appearance for Black Women Political Elites,” Dr. Nadia Brown discusses the topics of appearance, class, and how these factors intersect to inform the politics of appearance for Black women in particular social spaces. This informative conversation brings awareness to both conscious and unconscious discrimination that Black women face in the political arena based solely on the way they look. The consequences of how Black women choose to wear their hair or clothes are monumental when it comes to elections and the political space in the United States. Following the discussion, the audience had the opportunity to ask Dr. Nadia Brown questions regarding the book and her work. The questions prompted the opportunity for Dr. Brown to discuss how there were no responses to the negative stereotypes Black women face in connection to how they wear their hair. Due to a lack of acknowledgment from the status quo, there is a lack of research regarding this phenomenon. Therefore, addressing this topic is fundamental to making change.

The Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership was honored to host Dr. Brown for a discussion on a timely and important book, and for sharing her thoughts and research to facilitate this meaningful conversation.

You can find a recording of the event on the Center's YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/lO0dctkt-4A