Let’s Talk About Hair

IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson

Higher Ground

Relationships, Society & Culture, Education, Self-improvement

4.4 • 9.1K Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2025

⏱️ 81 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

For many Black women, caring about their hair isn’t a choice – it’s a cultural inheritance, a political statement and a lifelong journey. Julee Wilson, Beauty Editor-at-Large of Cosmopolitan, joins the show to lead a candid discussion between Michelle Obama, her hairstylist Yene Damtew and Blackish actress Marsai Martin about their personal hair journeys, and how Michelle’s hair evolution both mirrored and inspired their own.

To read Julee Wilson's work, visit: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a69183226/black-hair-shows/

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Dude, this fashion is counting for at least one percentage approval waiting for you.
0:06.2	You know, this gown, you know, somebody is...
0:08.8	Put some respect on the fact that me coming out here slaying and looking this good is helping our situation, your situation, too.
0:17.5	It's only value at it, dude.
0:19.0	It's only value at it.
0:20.0	Yeah. It's only value at it, dude. It's only value at it.
0:28.5	This episode is brought to you by Rivin.
0:34.1	Welcome to The Look, a special series on IMO.
0:38.7	The Look is also the name of Michelle Obama's beautiful new book, which is available for purchase now. I'm Julie Wilson, award-winning journalist and beauty editor at large at
0:44.1	Cosmopolitan, and it's my pleasure to be here with Yenai Dim 2, renowned beauty expert,
0:50.9	founder, and owner of aesthetics salon in Arlington, Virginia, and long-time stylist
0:56.9	to Mrs. Obama.
0:58.7	And Marseille Martin, award-winning actor, producer, and founder of genius productions.
1:06.5	And of course, the one, the only, Michelle Obama.
1:10.2	Welcome everyone.
1:11.6	All right, I need to know what your hair journey was.
1:15.3	What was it like growing up in the south side of Chicago being a beautiful little black girl?
1:20.7	What were some of your earliest hair memories?
1:22.7	Oh, sadly, it was combative.
1:27.3	Okay.
1:28.2	You know, my mother admittedly grew up saying that she was not a hair mom.
1:34.6	Okay.
	...

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