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Afro-Hair Nerd is a membership for the Black hair community and enthusiasts to gather, learn and grow together.

Why are most of the posts pay-walled?

Firstly, I truly value our free subscribers, and you’ll always have access to Frontline News, which keeps you in the loop about what’s happening in the Black hair industry. AHN values its members’ participation and support. But AHN is intended to be built on community, not just consumption. I desire for this space to be where members show up intentionally, not just subscribe and forget.

My lived experience through my PhD and research shows that people tend to value and engage more deeply with the things they invest in, whether it’s time, effort, or money. For example, the IKEA effect is when you put something of yourself into a space, you care more about it.

By pay-walling most posts, I’m not limiting access, but inviting deeper participation. Your membership supports this work and signals you want to be here, to build something together. In turn, you’ll get richer content, connection and community that keeps growing with your involvement.

I want to ensure that members who become Afro-Hair Nerds intentionally want to be here rather than subscribing and dumping. In the age of the internet, we value things less as everything is accessible to us, and AHN wants to ensure active participation and engagement.

What can I expect from being an Afro-Hair Nerd?

You will have access to posts beyond the Frontline news. This includes exclusive posts and resources, discounted AHN events like co-braiding sessions, the Debate Club, and more coming soon.

What is Afro-Hair Nerd Scholar?

This tier is ideal for those craving more intellectually stimulating experiences, including, but not limited to, academics, researchers, or anyone curious about the deeper layers of Black hair culture and study.

It also includes insights from my PhD journey, 1-to-1 sessions, writing advice, and access to special events, such as writing retreats. Higher membership reflects the extra time, access and mentorship offered to founding Schilars, which supports the broader AHN mission.

What if I want to participate, but affordability is an issue?

Community matters more than money. If finances are tight, AHN offers subsidised memberships for those who genuinely want to participate but can’t afford it right now. You can apply through the provided form, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Students can also get a 25% discount for a year. To apply for the discount, be sure to use your institution's email address.

How can I ensure that I am getting the most from AHN?

Be active. Read, comment, share ideas, and show up for events. The more you put in, the more meaningful it becomes (hello, again IKEA effect 🤙🏾).

As the AHN community grows, I want to ensure that you feel you are getting the most from this newsletter. Please fill out this anonymous form to share your thoughts so I can keep improving and shaping this community with you.

Are there any other ways to support AHN?

Whether you're a member or not, you can always show love by buying me a coffee-it will keep my student bones and brain powered for all this writing and organising. Every bit of support helps to sustain this space, and I deeply appreciate it.

Thank you for being here and building AHN with me.

Love,

Vimbai