Back to Natural and a Path Towards Healing with Gillian Scott-Ward, PhD
SPEAKER
Gillian Scott-Ward, PhD is an internationally-recognized clinical psychologist, award-winning filmmaker and advocate to end natural hair discrimination. Her work sheds light on the powerful relationships Black people have with their hair. Uniquely entangled with identity, survival, resistance, and community she uses this to inspire, uplift and unite people from diverse backgrounds. She supports participants in exploring their authenticity, connecting with strengths, and refining their connection to the power of the mind-body connection and cultural resilience. Her film, Back to Natural, healing workshops and trainings have been featured in over 50 global film-festivals, universities, schools and organizations. Her advocacy with New York City's Commission on Human Rights has been highlighted in the development of the first guidelines, worldwide, to protect Black people's right to wear their hair naturally in school and the workplace. Her film has had international broadcast on RevoltTV and has been the recipient of many awards. Her advocacy has been recognized by NPR, PBS, Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien, USA Today, Blavity, The Washington Post, Lansing State Journal, Shadow and Act, PoliticsNY and other programs and news outlets.