A Natural Story-Zionderu

HI:

I’ve been browsing your site for the past 4 months and love what your are doing. Let me tell you about my natural journey.

I BC on December 13, 1993. My hair was perfectly healthy.  I’m currently 37 years old and have had a perm for 3 years of my life and a curl for 2 years. So, I guess one could say that I have been natural for 32 years, however I have only warn my hair in it’s natural state as follows. Birth to about 8 then my mother started pressing my hair every 2 weeks. After I BC(ed) I wore my hair in it’s natural state from 1993 until 2002. During that time I was in college and starting my professional career. Let me start with college. I attended Grambling State University and let me say I was the talk of the school since my hair was past my shoulders and thick and then I BC(ed) to about 2 inches.

The only compliments I got were from the Afro centric brother’s who Loved my boldness and my hair. My boyfriend at the time actually cut my hair. I woke up one morning gave him a call and asked him to finish what I had started. So he gave me a really nice curvy fro. From 1995 – 1996 I wore my hair in braided styles, which was all my own hair. At my graduation I wore my hair in a braided bun.

I graduated with a B.A. in Sociology. I interned at a Residential Treatment Facility. Much like my experience at Grambling I was the topic of conversation because of my hair. After graduating I worked as a Job Coach for Disabled adults, still rocking various versions of pulled back twist. I then worked as a Retirement Relationship manager in Corporate America wearing my hair in twist. Let me just say those were difficult times. The company I worked for moved to Minneapolis and me being a true Floridian could not even phantom living in a cold state.

I then started interviewing for positions as a Math teacher. I got interviews but no jobs. My husband recommended that I press my hair because; he knew how I felt about perms. Let me just say the first time I pressed my hair and interviewed I got the job. So from 2002 – 2009 my hair was pressed.

I would press my hair from late July until the first week of June the remained of the summer I would have my sister braid my hair. In 2007 I started interviewing for District Administrative positions after I obtained my Master’s in Educational Leadership, which meant since I could be called into an interview at the drop of a dime I felt as if I could no longer wear my hair in the natural state in the summer, because history had shown me the results if I did. Well in August 2008, I obtained a District level position that was 12 months and then obtained a District level Administrative position in December 2008.

Then I looked in the mirror. The differnce was I washed my hair in May because; I was playing with my 5 year old on Disney’s Private Island and got my pressed hair wet. So, I figured I would just wash it and twist it up. Yeah right!! my hair was 16 inches long and only 2 inches reverted back. Let me just say I did not enjoy the rest of my cruise. So I went online…paying the ridiculous fee to email at sea. I emailed my hairdresser about my hair and how upset I was about the condition of my hair. When I returned back to Florida, I called her and she said your hair is just trained. I didn’t have a clue about heat damage.

I then started doing my research and found your website. So June and July 2009, I tried to assist my hair in rehabilitating. So July 5, 2009. I grabbed a pair of scissors and just cut all hair that would not revert out. I tried braid out but didn’t like the results although my husband did. I wore braid outs from August to September 2009. In October I started getting my hair professionally coiled. I love the look and for the job I have it’s very professional, you know we naturals have to represent.

I plan on wearing my hair in Coils until the Spring. It’s my winter protective style. My daughter and I just watched your wet twist video. I tried in on my daughter and she loved it.

I’m still in the learning stages of wearing my hair natural. My hair is about 6 inches now. I’d like to do my own hair but haven’t had any success. Any suggestions?

I’m going to work on my hair during winter break. I want to be a natural who does her own hair.

Stretched styles like twists outs and braid outs can be pinned back into updos if you’re feeling that you need a more “conservative” look. Rollersets, bantu knot outs, banding, and more are all at your fingertips.

It may take sometime to get the technique down (there was many a bad hair day for me!) but it will come with time. Keep reading, keep experimenting! Bravo to you for trying!

Thanks again for sharing your story!