(Blooming Entrepreneurs) “I thought that it would be a phase that I would quickly get over, but now I realize that I wouldn’t choose to wear my hair any other way…”

Learn more about JohariMade jams and jellies by visiting here website. “I’ve been natural since I started my locs in 2008. I was very anti-locs for a long time, but my daughter was about eight years old when I let her start loc’ing her hair– she even did a book report about it. Initially, I couldn’t imagine loc’ing my hair because I could only think of Whoopi Goldberg’s loc style, but...

(Blooming Entrepreneurs) “I had to follow my heart when I decided to loc my hair. It’s my hair, on my head and I haven’t looked back since…”

I’ve been really fortunate to interact with quite a few entrepreneurs who I want to highlight on the blog. Shawna Kaye is a personal branding strategist and digital branding consultant who I met recently while out and about at an event. I had to share her experience as a blooming entrepreneur with natural hair on the blog! You can learn more about Shawna by visiting her website where she has...

“I recognized that I needed a change, so I started snipping my hair and combing it out..”

“I cut my locs because my birthday was a little over a week ago and I just turned 34. I’m going through a time of transition with a lot of different things, including my personal and professional life. I’m a clinical social worker and a therapist working primarily in healthcare with a network that focuses on undocumented  black immigrants. I had my locs for about two years. I recognized that...

“Going natural and cutting my hair was me saying ‘no, I’m taking my power back’…”

“I decided to take time off before pursuing my undergraduate education. At the time, going natural and cutting my hair was me saying ‘no, I’m taking my power back’ because I was always looking for answers outside of myself. Loc’ing my hair has helped be more patient. I can visually see how strong and healthy my hair is as it grows and I mature. I’m excited to attend Howard University...

“We’ve been hoodwinked to believe that wearing our hair in its natural state is not actually the natural thing to do…”

Tarica June is a DC native, Howard educated Lawyer and hip hop artist. I first learned about Tarica when her song ‘But Anyway,’ chronicling the changing DC landscape due to gentrification went viral online last year. I had the opportunity to meet her after she performed at the most recent Creative Mornings DC gathering and thank her for taking time to share a bit of her story with me.   “We’ve...

“I have a hard time wearing my hair like this at work…”

“I went natural in 2010 because I had headaches that I thought were related to chemical relaxers. At the time, I cut my hair super short. I have a hard time wearing my hair like this at work because I work in a relatively conservative environment. I only recently started receiving more support when another black woman was promoted into a senior position. I’ve applied for promotions, but have yet to receive one. One woman at work regularly asks me if I will cut a certain piece of my hair, but I always say no.

My boyfriend has locs that touch the ground, so he’s always been supportive of how I choose to wear my hair. I wish that he was here with me now, so that you could see us together.”

“I’m still the same person, my hair is just different….”

K (on the left): ” I didn’t get a relaxer until I was seven, but I’ve had a texturizer since I was five.  I’ve been natural for three years. I initially went natural because fibroids are common in my family. At the time, I was aware of a possible connection between fibroids and the chemical straightening process. I noticed that quite a few of the women in my family had thinning hair as well as some balding, so I wanted to do whatever possible to be more gentle with my own hair. In my family, my sister paved the way with natural hair because she had locs. In the workplace, my boss was supportive of my natural hair. Now I work in a more conservative building and I’m the only woman who has natural hair and I’ve noticed that (often times) older black women are the least supportive of my hair.”

N (on the right): “I’ve had locs for 15 years. When I initially went natural, my hair was super, super short. So short that my mother thought that I looked like a boy and I should get a relaxer. I loc’d my hair after five years in and never looked back! I’ve embraced my natural hair journey and oftentimes make my own hair products using olive, jojoba and tea tree essential oils. I do not understand when people refer to natural hair as not being professional. I’m still the same person, my hair is just different.”