TEDxBrandeisUniversity
"Loc'd and Coded: The Politics of Dreadlocks"
At the time of this 2019 talk, R had been growing his dreadlocks for a little over a year and a half. For him, they were a connection to his Jamaican heritage and to his mother — yet he had also been told, including by his own parents, that he should cut his hair if he ever wanted a serious job in corporate America. “Loc’d and Coded: The Politics of Dreadlocks” sits with that question — “my hair or a job?” — and asks why it has to be a choice at all, examining how dreadlocks are perceived and the respectability politics behind that perception.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Atlanta by two Jamaican immigrants, R came to Brandeis as a Posse Scholar and graduated with degrees in both Computer Science and African & African-American Studies. On campus he served as an academic peer advisor, tour guide, and mentor to other students of color. Outside of work he loves to DJ, dance, edit videos, and spend time with friends. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more here.
Media
The Justice: "Students speak at annual TEDxBrandeisUniversity event" (2019)The Hoot: "TEDx presenters reflect on the past to look toward the future" (2019)
The Justice: "Behind the scenes" (2019)