To all the curly girls, young and old, edgy and cool, sexy and cute. This one’s for you.

To all the ladies who were different, but didn’t like it. The ladies who sat next to their classmates with locks as smooth as angel hair. To the fantasies of one day running your fingers through your own slick tresses.

To the girls who got up an hour early every day for school to straighten the waves of frizz and twirls that littered their heads. To all the burns on their fingers, ears, and foreheads from the smoky hot metal which melted away the curls.

To all the girls who tied their ringlets in buns, pony tails and braids, hiding each unique coil and wreathe just to be like everyone else.

To the teasing and laughing, the pointing and poking from all the other straight haired kids. Oh, and let’s not forget, the staring and scrutiny from the grown-ups.

To all the “home remedies” for curly hair, which included holding your curls down for long periods of time hoping they would never spring back up. Or the idea where you tied your hair back so tight your head began to spin.

To all time spent sitting in the glistening chairs at the cool salons. To the women who sat with tinfoil in their polished even hair. To the hair dresser who promised they would put all their effort into making your hair just like everyone else's.

To the disappointment when after hours of plastering industrial strength hairspray and gel to your head, a hint of a curl would spring just as you stepped outside.

To all the time staring in the mirror hoping if you wished hard enough your curls would fade away.

To the day you decided you were done. To the day you decided these curls are what make you, you.

To the hours spent researching the maintenance and special care each ringlet and dip requires.

To the realization that only 11 percent of women are blessed with luscious curls on their head, and you are one of the lucky ones.

To the experimentation of haircuts and hair- do's, and the triumph when the perfect cut and do was found.

To the bouncing, laughing and glistening of your soul and your curls. To the head turning and stares of envy, the compliments and admiration from everyone and anyone.

To the confidence every curly girl should have had from the start.

To all you curly girls that might not even know it yet, your curls are you, don’t ever change that.

We defy every norm and standard, and we are proud.

This my darlings, this is for the curly girls.

This is for us.