From a young age, Charifa Labarang has had a fascination with hair. Long before she mastered her craft, the Gatineau stylist and designer spent hours experimenting, using her hair as a canvas for creativity and self-expression.
As she taught herself to cornrow, braid and twist, she discovered hair could be a medium for innovation and identity.
“The great thing about being Black and having hair like ours is that you can do anything — you can be someone in the morning and a different person in the evening,” she said.
That sentiment captures the essence of Crépu: Our DNA, Ottawa’s largest celebration of Afro-textured hair. “Crépu” often refers to tight curls or 4C hair.
Now in its third year, the event expanded into a two-day experience at the Canada Science and Technology Museum on Feb. 1 and 2, following the sold-out success of previous editions. The event showcased the diversity of Black hair through creative expression, highlighting its intersection with art, technology, and history.
Presented by Hors Pair Social and The Moving Art Gallery in partnership with Ingenium Canada, the 2025 edition reintroduced a visual art component featuring works by local artists. Attendees engaged with hair care demonstrations, complimentary haircuts and styling, along with live music, film screenings, an artisan vendor market and a hair art runway.
Returning for her second year, Labarang’s contribution was a thought-provoking piece exploring duality within the Black experience and its connection to hair.
Her collection featured two models. One was in white, with bold, thick, flowing extensions intricately woven into her outfit, representing freedom, joy and innocence. The other wore dark, restrictive clothing, with structured, thick, conservative hair standing independently, symbolizing social pressure to conform to beauty and professional standards. Through her work, Labarang visually expressed the tension between self-expression and expectation, a reality many Black women navigate daily.
Some of the most striking creations at Crépu: Our DNA included intricate hairstyles extending up to 10 inches from the scalp, with designs resembling umbrellas and even solar systems crafted entirely from hair. For attendee Christie Charles, a fourth-year Carleton University student of Haitian descent, witnessing such artistic interpretations of Black hair was a moving experience.
“Most Black women, including myself, have such a challenging, complicated, but beautiful relationship with their hair,” she said. “In society, Black hair is often talked about negatively, so attending an event where it’s celebrated, embraced, and uplifted was truly empowering.”
Black women have long faced discrimination because of their hair. A 2019 Dove study found Black women are 30 per cent more likely to be subjected to formal grooming policies in the workplace. Styles like braids, afros, twists, locs and waves are frequently deemed “unprofessional,” reinforcing bias against natural Black hair. The Good Hair Study reported a rise in cases where Black women were pressured by employers to alter their hairstyles to conform to Eurocentric standards. This societal stigma has even seeped into Black communities, leading to internalized expectations around hair presentation.
“If you think you need to straighten your hair just to fit in, people are going to struggle to understand who you are,” said Labarang. “But if you show up as yourself every single time, people will accept you wherever you go.”
Events like Crépu: Our DNA are working to shift this narrative by reclaiming Black hair as a source of pride and self-expression. The event is the brainchild of Sandra Ngenge Dusabe and Sharlène Clarke.
Ngenge Dusabe, an Ottawa-based curator and painter, founded The Moving Art Gallery in 2020 to increase Black female representation in the city’s visual arts scene. Since earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Ottawa in 2023, she has prioritized creating platforms for Black creatives.
Clarke, co-founder of Hors Pair Social—Ottawa’s first Black social club—has been curating entertainment and networking events for Black communities since 2022. Her organization has hosted day parties, open mic nights, singles’ mixers and activity-based events throughout Ottawa-Gatineau.
This year, the duo expanded Crépu: Our DNA, securing a larger venue, adding an extra day, and reintroducing visual art exhibits. The event was co-hosted by Yanaminah Thullah, a Scarborough native who has been part of Crépu since its inception. Known for curating exhibitions, moderating panels, and facilitating workshops, Thullah proudly calls herself an “honorary Ottawan,” crediting the city for shaping her creative journey.
“Ottawa is where I grew into my creativity,” she said. “I feel like I owe it to the city to empower local creatives and highlight the talent within the Black community here.”
While some view Ottawa as a boring city with limited creative spaces, Thullah sees opportunity.
“People leave and say, ‘there’s nothing here,’ and they never look back. Meanwhile, there’s so much space for growth—so many chances to be the first to do something,” she added. “You can make a name for yourself here and take it even further.”
The expanded event saw a large turnout, with standing-room crowds during film screenings and haircare demonstrations. Thullah hopes Crépu will inspire more Black creatives to showcase their work.
“If more people start creating in this city, it encourages us to keep making events like this—to give them a platform.”
Ngenge Dusabe confirmed Crépu: Our DNA will return for a fourth edition next February. In the meantime, attendees can redeem their event tickets for free entry to the Canada Science and Technology Museum until the end of the month, covering up to two adults and four children.
