A black hair memoir on loss and healing
Blending memoir and social commentary, Maya L. Johnson examines the intersection of race, identity, and embodiment. Her personal hair story becomes a powerful lens into how systemic racism and anti-Blackness shape self-perception, and how healing can become an act of resistance.
"raw and honest… at the intersection of Black women, Black hair, trauma, suffering, and possibility"
a powerful message about healing from racial trauma and reclaiming self-love.
If you’re a Black woman who has lived through hot combs, relaxers, natural-hair discrimination, unexpected hair loss, or even a CCCA diagnosis, Maya’s story may feel achingly familiar. And even if it isn’t your exact path, this book reveals the immense weight so many Black women carry around our hair—and how urgently we need liberation from the beauty standards that harm us.
Meet the author
Maya L. Johnson is a writer, entrepreneur, and advocate for Black women’s health whose personal journey with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) transformed the way she approaches beauty, self-worth, and healing.
After lifelong struggles with accepting her natural hair and later the shocking discovery of her own hair loss, Maya began exploring the deeper layers of identity, trauma, and resilience tied to Black hair.
Her memoir chronicles that transformation – from pain and fear to acceptance and empowerment – while amplifying the voices of millions of Black women navigating similar paths.
Through her online platform, CCCA Chronicles, she shares stories, insights, and resources to remind others that they are not alone on the journey toward self acceptance, healing, and wholeness.
For Black women living with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia:
