A group of teenagers in Hackney, East London, is working to fill a gap in emoji representation by creating new designs that reflect Black and mixed-race hairstyles. Their efforts, spearheaded by community organization Rise.365, have produced four emojis featuring hairstyles common in Black and mixed-race communities: afros, braids, cornrows, and locks.
This initiative stems from research conducted by Rise.365, which found that none of the nearly 4,000 emojis currently in use, depict Black or mixed-race hairstyles. According to the group, this lack of representation has left around one-third of Black and mixed-race youth feeling “overlooked and forgotten” in digital communications.
“Black and mixed-race people across the UK face texturism daily,” said Joyclen Brodie-Mends Buffong, founder of Rise.365. “We really want to start changing perceptions for future generations—starting where it matters most, with young people.”
The teens behind the emoji project hope to submit their designs to Unicode, the organization that oversees emoji approvals. They believe the addition of these emojis would not only improve representation but also encourage more Black and mixed-race individuals to embrace their natural hair.
This comes in response to a 2022 survey by Rise.365, which found that 41% of Black women and women of color straighten their hair to conform to Western beauty standards. The organization hopes the new emojis will challenge these beauty norms and inspire confidence in individuals with Afro-textured hair.
Reanna, a teenager involved in the project who designed the braids emoji, expressed the significance of the effort. “Having these emojis made is such a big deal and a massive step toward encouraging people to embrace and feel comfortable with their hair,” she said. “Being the representative of the braids emoji is such a huge honor, and I hope this empowers people to be comfortable in their hair textures and styles.”
The lack of representation for Black hairstyles in emojis is part of a larger issue known as texturism—a form of discrimination against Afro-textured or coarse hair types. This discrimination often manifests in the workplace and in social settings, where Afro-textured hair is sometimes deemed unprofessional or unattractive.
By introducing these new emojis, Rise.365 hopes to spark conversations about texturism and the broader issue of Afro hair discrimination. Brodie-Mends Buffong believes that changing perceptions about Black and mixed-race hair should begin with young people, and the visibility of these emojis could serve as a catalyst for that change.
“We need everyone to help us show Unicode why these emojis are needed,” she said. “Hopefully, next year we will see these emojis added to keyboards everywhere.”
Before Rise.365 can submit its emoji designs to Unicode in April, the group needs to demonstrate public support for the campaign. One of Unicode’s key criteria for accepting new emojis is the frequency of use for related search terms. As a result, Rise.365 is encouraging supporters to Google “afro hair” and related terms to boost the visibility of the proposal.
“We’re asking people to simply search online for ‘afro hair’ to help make our case to Unicode,” Brodie-Mends Buffong said. “This is a small step that can make a big difference in showing why these emojis are necessary.”
The process of getting emojis approved by Unicode is lengthy and competitive, but the teens and Rise.365 are optimistic about the campaign’s impact.
If accepted, the emojis will represent a significant milestone in the ongoing fight for representation and inclusion in digital spaces. For Black and mixed-race individuals, seeing themselves represented in everyday communication could serve as a powerful affirmation of their identity.
Beyond emojis, Rise.365 hopes that the visibility of these hairstyles will help combat harmful stereotypes about Afro-textured hair and inspire a greater cultural shift toward accepting and celebrating diverse hair types.
By creating these emojis, the teenagers behind the project are working to ensure that Black and mixed-race people feel seen and represented—not just in the digital world, but in society at large.
