Hair‐esteem toolkit for Black girls: The development of a self‐esteem toolkit for Black adolescent girls centering hair as a tool for empowerment

For Black adolescent girls, hair is a significant aspect of gender and ethnic identity, influencing both intrapersonal reflections and interpersonal interactions. Gendered racism and Eurocentric beauty standards marginalize Black girls and their hair, causing them to experience high rates of hair-related harassment and discrimination. These experiences negatively affect the self-esteem of Black girls, which has critical implications for various health behaviors. The purpose of this article is to describe the development of a culturally relevant digital toolkit aimed at promoting hair esteem and self-esteem. The development of the toolkit for Black girls was grounded in a youth participatory research approach and co-created with Black adolescent girls who were part of an existing youth advisory board (YAB). Existing literature and YAB discussions were used to create the "Hair-Esteem Toolkit for Black Girls." The toolkit includes hair empowerment strategies alongside activities and resources designed to enhance self-esteem among Black girls. This study emphasizes the development of the toolkit and the importance of centering Black girls in intervention development. The resulting toolkit marks a potential first step toward addressing hair discrimination and empowering Black girls.