Sigh. I've been in a paralyzing position. For my sisters of color, it's a decision that has put you in pause as well. No, it's not about the clothes. Nor about what playlist you're probably building on Apple Music, either. It's about whether to tackle the crowning glory on your head. For those that don't know, I am part of the 'team natural' revolution. To go even deeper, I refuse to put any chemicals (perms) in my precious locks. My hair story has been a roller coaster of a story.
I first experimented of having natural hair on a really sad day in my life-my mother's funeral. I was pretty upset at the stylist I was going to at the time because I was going for the 'curls on fleek' look and it failed. After crying my eyes out and having some alone time looking at pictures of my mom back in the 70's, she took pride of sporting her Afro. I was also getting fed up of the constant pain of my scalp burning each time a new perm was put in each month.
After that hair snafu, and wearing some braids to get me through prom and graduation, I was going into college with a new do. And it was pretty simple, go to the salon every so often, get a wash and press out. My hair was finally liberated from the dreaded creamy crack...
...or so I thought. I was beginning to do internships in my career as a broadcast journalist and one thing you didn't really see a lot of was Afros and pride of curls and freedom from LYE chemicals. Many female African-American journalists either had their hair permed out or wore weaves, wigs, etc. (This made for rainy outdoor shots pretty interesting...) So, for a time throughout 2008-09, it was back to the creamy crack (perm flow)
It was by that time when Chris Rock's daughter asked him, 'what was good hair?' Was it constant damage by doing perms, wearing weaves or sporting micro braids? Or was it to embrace the natural hair God has blessed you with since the time of your arrival? I really wasn't treating my hair with dignity after putting it through perms, braid wearing, then another perm and eventually wearing sew-ins. It was saying enough. My wallet was saying enough. (Seriously, it was) It was time for me to say enough.
Fast forward to 2011. I have been natural ever since then. I love how that I'm able to rock my hair like my mom 40 years later and embrace the real me by wearing my 'Fro. Or I could endure 3 hours of washing, conditioning and getting a press out. I kinda in a way dread a press out because you wanna see how long your length is.
So, back to today. Back at looking in the mirror. Do I rock the curls or do I call my wonderful stylist (MIRACLE WORKER!!!) to come in and get it handled (had to with the Olivia Pope sneak)? Whatever I decide, I am glad that I AM NOT MY HAIR!
My natural hair when pressed out.
My hair when its in its natural state. Looking like my mom back in the 70s.
