Beauty is
the Beast
I’m trying something new. Short, live, and intimate. A way to move critical conversation beyond our social media timelines and into the virtual classroom.
Consider this the test drive—a preview of what’s to come.
pop-up mini course with dr. yaba blay
pop-up mini course with dr. yaba blay
Beauty isn’t neutral.
It’s political.
And for Black folks worldwide, especially Black women, it shapes how we're seen and how we see ourselves. How we’re valued and how we value ourselves.
This three-part mini course explores the politics of Black beauty. It draws explicit connections between anti-Blackness and the systems, standards, and symbols of beauty and privilege. We’ll explore how and why conventional beauty ideals and practices function as agents of White supremacy culture.
Topics will include White supremacy culture, anti-Blackness, Black hair and texturism, colorism and skin color politics, and such beauty practices as hair straightening and skin lightening.
A high-impact
series
Over the course of three weeks, we’ll meet for live sessions—part lecture, part open dialogue. Then, as a bonus gathering, I’ll host a screening of The Whites of Our Eyes, my short documentary that follows my return to Ghana to explore how beauty and Blackness intertwine with the ghosts of colonialism and the gods of whiteness.
This condensed, high-impact series includes three 2-hour sessions that draw from my many years of research, teaching, and storytelling.
Space is limited — registration will close once we reach capacity.
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3 Live Sessions + 1 Bonus Film Screening
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3 Weeks
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Virtual (link provided upon registration)
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Thursdays, November 6, 13 & 20
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6:30–8:00 p.m. ET
We’ll plan for 90 minutes, but we may go as long as two hours if the conversation calls for it.
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Tuesday, November 25 (so I don’t mess with your turkey day)
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Sessions will be recorded and shared privately with registered participants, so you can revisit the conversation or catch up if you miss one.
Investment
$199
($500 value)
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Can’t join us this time?
Every offering I create is a community effort. Your contribution helps me build what comes next, provide scholarships, and keep learning spaces accessible.