Demystifying ‘Bad Hair’: Identities, Stereotypes, and Empowerment

Presentation: Linda D’Ambrosio

Date and Time: Saturday, Nov. 2, 7:00 PM

Venue: Cinemateca Pedro Zerolo

Tickets (type/price/link): Free Admission until full capacity is reached

Presentation: Linda D’Ambrosio

Type of Activity: Workshop

Participants:

• Elena García, Afro-feminist and anti-racist activist, with degrees in Philosophy and Social and Cultural Anthropology

"Bad Hair," directed by Mariana Rondón, is a powerful exploration of social and familial tensions around identity, gender roles, and the construction of difference. The film follows Junior, a young boy whose fixation on straightening his hair sparks conflict with his mother, highlighting the clash between conformity and self-expression. Set against the backdrop of social unrest and poverty in Venezuela, the film tackles issues of discrimination and normative expectations, challenging gender boundaries and provoking reflection on internal and external struggles that shape identity. Linda D’Ambrosio will introduce the screening, with Elena García, an Afro-feminist and anti-racist activist, joining the discussion.

Linda D’Ambrosio (Caracas, 1962) holds a degree in Education and a Master’s in Art, specializing in Aesthetics, with additional postgraduate studies in Cultural Management and Socio-educational Projects. A former graphic design professor in Caracas and coordinator of the Crisol Art Center, she has authored several books and contributed to the Cultural Supplement of Últimas Noticias. She currently collaborates with El Universal and, since 2017, has organized events in Spain to promote Venezuelan talent abroad. She is a member of Venezuelan Press.

Elena García is an Afro-feminist and anti-racist activist, with degrees in Philosophy and Social and Cultural Anthropology from the Complutense University of Madrid. She also holds a Master’s in Cooperation from Universidad Carlos III and a specialization in Gender in Cooperation from the University of Córdoba. Her work has taken her to Ghana, Colombia, Senegal, and Equatorial Guinea. Co-founder of the Madrid Institute of Anthropology (IMA), she contributes to El Salto, where she interviews prominent anti-racist figures and racialized individuals for the “In the Margins” section.