Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Brown Skin, pt. 1

So, it's been a while since I've updated this blog, and it didn't really have anything on it in the first place actually lol. But since this is technically the first post, I guess I should sort of introduce what this is all about. I titled it "Brown Skin" after the India.Arie song because it's all about loving brown skin (*wink*wink* lol) and this blog is basically themed with the same idea. It's all about my adventures with Natural hair, vegetables, and all around Naturalista fabulousness! And fyi: I am famous for run-on sentences, a trait I inherited from my mother heehee, but hopefully this will all make sense!=)
My Natural hair journey:
After BEGGING my mom to get a relaxer to tame my wild hair whose texture had been changed to a matted mess after a bout with a nearly life-threatening advanced double sinus infection being treated with the steroid Prednisone at age 10 (and to in my mind fit in more with the white kids I grew up around as well as buying in to the whole wanting long, straight hair mentality), she finally gave in at age 12. I can be a pretty darn convincing woman when I want something-ask anyone who knows me! But anyhoo, after years of relaxing, dying, frying, and doing everything else bad you can think of to my hair, I got pregnant with my son Nathaniel at age 20. Growing up in a home where living a natural lifestyle was the norm (we are the original black dirty hippies lol), it was time to "get back to my roots" so to speak. I was concerned about the chemicals from the relaxer affecting my unborn baby, so I only had one relaxer sometime towards the end of my pregnancy.
My beautiful baby boy Nathaniel was born on June 21st of 2006. In October, just before my 21st birthday, I decided to do the Big Chop! (I liked parting it on the side and using gel to hold down the sides for some variety to my curly TWA [teeny weeny afro]) I had never felt so liberated and happy with a hair choice in my life! I've been Natural ever since and have never looked back! Curly fro's, double strand twists, braids...I had no idea there were so many versatile options to being Natural! YouTube became my best friend as I discovered this not-so-hidden society of beautiful Natural sistahs who are happy to be nappy. I'm proud to be a member of this society and this blog is basically celebrating this fact as well as showing some of the things that work for me in doing my hair. It won't just be all about hair, I'm a vegetarian and a mom and and a business owner and I love fashion and design and upcycling so of course there will be some of that too. And hopefully somewhere along the way I can inspire that little girl who is struggling to embrace her beautiful kinky curly hair the same way I was to love her hair and her self! Much love!