I've always loved big kinky, curly Afros. Each summer in college I'd attempt to go natural and then cave in after a few weeks. I just couldn't give up my relaxer. Especially not at Hampton University. I wanted to go natural my Senior year, but was told to keep my hair relaxed until I had finished my interviews for grad school. I was advised against coming across as the militant black woman initially. I complied and secretly vowed that this would be the last time that I would ever do anything like that.
After a major cut and about 2 more relaxers, I had had enough. I kept my hair in braids for a while during my 2nd semester of grad school in Miami with the intention of transitioning into natural hair.
February & March 2006
It would be smooth and painless, I thought. I had already consulted with my stylist and we both agreed that she would straw set my hair when I took out the braids sans relaxer.
In I walked for my appointment with a head full of nappy roots and straight ends... And my stylist freaked out! I sat in that packed salon for what felt like forever going back and forth with her about what she was going to do to it. Frustrated, I told her to just cut it all off. You should have seen the gawks and heard the gasps from all the other women in the salon who were in various stages of getting some type chemical process done. She cut off the straight ends, then looked at my face. "Keep going", I urged her. "It's just hair. It will grow back."
April - June 2006
I've been loving my naps ever since. I've worn my hair cropped close, in wild Afros, in weaves (*gasp* lol yea I have no shame), two strand twists and twist outs, cornrows, extensions (microbraids and kinky twists), bunny tails, and everything in between.
October - November 2006
March 2007
May - August 2007
November 2007
December 2007
February 2008
May 2008
June - August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
November - December 2008
Tired of de-tangling and re-twisting my hair (a 6 hour job because I like small twists and I'm really slow) every 3 weeks, I finally decided I would loc it up. Since I'm back in Brooklyn for the holidays, I had my old stylist, Lisa, color it (Clairol Textures & Tones Cherrywood).
December 19, 2008
Then I went into a braid shop near my Mom's house and had Amy put my hair in teeny tiny braids.
I'm so excited to watch my hair transform. I'm also looking forward to learning many a lesson through my locs like patience, flexibility, optimism, creativity, positivity, and pure unselfish love.
Stay tuned...
