Denise was a runner up for my latest giveaways. Here was her winning answer:
1. Lisa Nicole Carson
I did my BC at 17 right before I left home. I had no idea how to treat my hair. In the ’90s most naturals wore extensions (braids) or locks or TWAs. Lisa Nicole Carson was the first person who had hair I loved and coveted. She played second fiddle to Nia Long and Calista Flockhart, but she never stood in the background. Not with that hair.
It was bold, big, and sexy just like her personality. And she was funny! Who could forget that sex scene in Jason’s Lyric. Even with “Patra” braids she was served in that movie!
2. Shakara Ledard
After college, I started to press n curl regularly and soon tired of it. I remember cutting my hair into the Halle Berry “Swordfish” cut but grew it out and was left with layered heat damaged hair. I began to amass a collection of natural hair photos I would swipe from the Web. Shakara Ledard was a instant favorite. She was everywhere, videos, Sports Illustrated, catalogs, and Essence. I loved that she was Caribbean and I loved her free form hairstyles. She would do a fro, curls, straight. But it wa never “perfect.” At the time my hair was not behaving all I wanted was a big hair like Shakara. She embraced her naps and frizz. There are plenty of pics of her with defined wet curly hair, but I love ones like these:
Oh and her husband had a cool fro as well, I think they may be divorced. 
3.Ajuma Nasanyana
LOVE LOVE LOVE her…I came across her model profile on nymag. She is Kenyan and gorgeous. She has rocked a close crop, baldie, and a twa. I know the fashion world is not easy with the rejection, distance from family, and so-so pay. What I love about her is that she could easily grow some hair and glue in some tracks to get more work, but hasn’t.
And she wouldn’t be the first black model to do so. I am glad she has found a look that works for her and works for designers. I think her hair is simple and chic and brings out the best in her, and isn’t that what hair is supposed to do?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh cool! Thanks for highlighting my submission, and thanks again for the gift.
THANK YOU! I’ve been trying to figure out Ajuma’s name forever
very cool…Ajuma is so ‘exotic’. Its amazing how my mindset has changed now that I began to love and embrace my own natural hair- I can see the natural beauty is so man others….
these are great choices! Ajuma is now one of my favs