Volume Six: Chapter Sixteen - Our Conversation with Leslie Saint Julien

In Volume Six: Chapter Sixteen of The Program, we welcome Poet, Actor, Producer, Playwright, and Author of the new book Hair Me, Leslie Saint Julien. Making her third appearance on the podcast, Leslie returns to discuss the evolution of her personal and powerful stage project Hair Me: A Journey Through the Rich Tapestry of Black Hair and the book of the same name. In this wide-ranging and honest conversation, Leslie shares how 2025 became a transformative year after a period of burnout and creative exhaustion, and what she’s learned about rest, resilience, and intention. We explore her journey from writing an award-winning poem to developing it into a one-woman stage play, complete with a companion book, script, and educational study guide designed for classrooms. She opens up about the pressures Black women face when it comes to hair — not just in terms of aesthetics, but as a matter of survival, self-expression, and social perception. We dig into the emotional and cultural weight of “code-switching” one’s hairstyle, the complexity of navigating critique, and the behind-the-scenes work required to bring a theatrical vision to life. Leslie is also the author of Brooklyn Stew and three poetry collections. A graduate of the University of Maryland with a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice, she later studied acting at the New York Film Academy. Contact Leslie:Instagram: @lesliesainjulien        Website: lesliesaintjulien.com Recorded Spoken Word Performances Featured Include: Destiny Birdsong – Killing WhiteInstagram: @bird_songoftheyear          Website: destintbirdsong.com Destiny Birdsong – MythiconaInstagram: @bird_songoftheyear          Website: destinybirdsong.com Ray Jane – SpoilsInstagram: @itsrayjane          Website: itsrayjane.com Summer Durant: SameInstagram: @summeraen Ghetto Jedi the Poet: Strap Up Support the show