By Barbara Smith, Contributing Writer

As a client is leaving Jaja’s African Braiding Salon, newly coiffed after an extraordinary day of immersion into the complicated lives of the braiders, she sighs, “It feels like I moved in for the day.” And for us in the audience, it feels like we have moved in too. From the very first moment, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, which opened at the La Jolla Playhouse last week, opens a door to a front row seat in a world of challenges and resilience in the immigrant community. As each of the skilled West African braiders’ stories unfolds, while particular to their cultural milieu, we connect deeply on a human level.

Written by Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Whitney White, the Tony-nominated play enjoyed a twice-extended run on Broadway. Now on its national t

See Full Page