Part of a larger series of portraits in which Devan Shimoyama celebrates different hairstyles using his own body as a point of reference, this image memorializes a recent decision to give himself braids for the first time. Shimoyama speaks about the relatively recent shift in society towards broader acceptance of natural Black hairstyles, to the point that major corporate store chains are offering nurturing, healthy Black hair care products on their shelves. This cultural change has caused many people, including Shimoyama, to radically rethink their relationship to their hair. Recalling the moment he sought out a hairstylist to do his braids, Shimoyama says, “It was just a way for me to feel new. It’s this kind of thrill of a substantial change that might not be registered by other people. Getting my hair braided by a Black woman in her home while watching BET, it was a throwback to my youth. There was a tenderness to the entire experience, getting it done, taking care of the braids, and building out my community in that process.” This portrait, he explains, grew out of his desire to commemorate that change.