Why This?!

Nappy?

Growing up, this was all I heard, Nappy. Nappy head. Your hair is nappy. Not that I had too much

of it. But it was there and always needed taming. It was not allowed to be loose unless I was be

hind closed doors. No one else could see my hair. It was ugly.

No disrespect to those who wear wigs, weave, or extensions of any kind. It's your choice and your journey. For me, it was never my thing. O, I have tried them believe me, and I couldn't make it too far or long without taking them off or cutting them out.

Tresses

It wasn't until about a couple of months after I cut my locks that I realized the word nappy was not how I should describe my hair. Although I have a favorite book, Happy to be Nappy, nappy is not the word I want to carry on to describe my hair. It seems to be so negative and demining. When saying the word, my face squints as though something is dirty or nasty. It's with an attitude of strong dislike. I know when I wore my hair in a small afro (TWA), I asked my mom how did my hair look. She shrugged her shoulders and said.

I'm not going out with my hair nappy, as if she was disgusted by my appearance. I stopped asking her how I looked. I knew she did not approve of the natural look.

I was ashamed of my hair after my bug chop. One, I had patches everywhere along and on top of my head. And to make matters worse, I stopped covering it up with a wig, I wore it as an afro. I needed to boost my confidence to be naturally loose, so I did positive talk and found pictures and videos that helped me to change my perception of myself. I

found a cosmetologist who gives up her time and knowledge to help young girls grow in awareness of their tresses. It took this video for me to say oh, ok.

I, too, needed education and awareness of my hair and what it represents. I encourage you to watch the YouTube video: Natural hair struggles? Not anymore for these young girls | Nancy's Workshop educates young girls on their natural hair and to be respectful of other girls' hair. It was inspiring and educational for me. See the link and let me know what you think after watching it. I find it important that Nancy took the time to teach and empower

the girls to learn about their hair and learn to love it, and respect those around them and their differences. She is making a difference that will have lasting results.

As I go through my hair journey, I am coming to an awareness of my beauty. My hair is not nappy. It is coiled and spiral. Some strands are straight. I have a mixture of this and that, and it is alright to embrace. My hair is beautiful. It is

me. I am grateful that I went through Holistic Loctician classes which further encouraged me to embrace my roots and loc process. Through the classes, I learned the proper products and regimens to use on my hair. The holistic process helped me to focus on the deeper roots of hair nutrients and the growing process. It matters if I drink enough water. It matters if I exercise. It matters if I am stressed out. The environment where I matter. I have to take care of myself from the inside out and encourage my clients to do the same. The difference is that what works for them is tailored to what they need specifically.

Now, I look at my hair and don't say that it's nappy. I say it's coiled. Finding its beauty is an everyday journey. Sticky with images and verbiage that speaks to that beauty is important to me as I continue this journey. I am always searching for more studies and encouraging information that speaks to wellness and the education of others to better their hair journey and life.

How do you describe your hair? Have you had any ah-ha moment about it during your journey?