“I was in a gospel choir in college and one of the singers had big, pretty natural hair. I remember thinking, ‘man, I wish that my hair could look like hers…”

“I was in a gospel choir in college and one of the singers had big, pretty natural hair. I remember thinking, ‘man, I wish that my hair could look like hers, but that just must be how her hair is’ not  realizing that the natural roots I kept perming was my natural hair growing. At that point, I decided to let it grow out. It really changed my life. It made me feel better about who I am as a black woman embracing the growth and beautifulness that God has given me.

I’ve been natural for five and a half years. I just cut it again a few months ago, so now I have this big mohawk. At first, I had a side cut but then I decided to let it grow out for a mohawk because it fits my face better. The mohawk is edgier and I recently celebrated another birthday, so I wanted something different. I think that being natural is so versatile. You can do anything and everything. I just absolutely love that women are embracing themselves and what God gave them.”

“One day it was red then it was black. After the black, I forgot that I dyed it red and bleached it, so it went pink…”

“I cut my hair a few months ago, but I haven’t permed it in a year. I had to cut it because it was breaking off really bad. I dyed it different colors nonstop. One day it was red then it was black. After the black, I forgot that I dyed it red and bleached it, so it went pink. It’s a long story, but I had to start loving my natural hair and cutting it gave me a new beginning.

When I started wearing my natural hair, I realized that I really like this — that this is me. At first it was weird because everyone was used to seeing me with long weave, nearly 40 inches down to my calf. The Brazilian hair was always the big thing, but after awhile you get tired of hair. As a makeup artist for Accessmatized, everyone loves my natural hair. I really began to like keeping it simple when I started working with Takia because she keeps it mellow, so it makes you feel as though you can tone it down a bit.”

(Blooming Entrepreneurs) “I truly believe that when a woman cuts her hair off, she’s about to change the world…

Takia Ross is a passionate and charismatic entrepreneur who I had the opportunity to meet during the Black Girl Ventures Bossed Up Pitch Competition in Washington, DC. To learn more about the makeup artistry that Takia provides through her business, Accessimatized visit her website here.   “I started my business in my kitchen. I’m a mother of three. At that time, I had an infant son who was one or two years...