let’s begin by becoming fully aware of ourselves I’d like us all to acknowledge
ourselves I’d like us all to acknowledge
ourselves I’d like us all to acknowledge a component of our being if you could
a component of our being if you could
a component of our being if you could change one thing about your hair what
change one thing about your hair what
change one thing about your hair what would it be would you make it shorter or
would it be would you make it shorter or
would it be would you make it shorter or longer would you I it free or high up in
longer would you I it free or high up in
longer would you I it free or high up in a big afro would you have it dreadlocks
a big afro would you have it dreadlocks
a big afro would you have it dreadlocks its presence on our heads alone mix up a
its presence on our heads alone mix up a
its presence on our heads alone mix up a multibillion-dollar industry here comes
multibillion-dollar industry here comes
multibillion-dollar industry here comes a large portion of identities and tells
a large portion of identities and tells
a large portion of identities and tells us many stories about our ethnicity our
us many stories about our ethnicity our
us many stories about our ethnicity our economic status and so on it’s been used
economic status and so on it’s been used
economic status and so on it’s been used in the entertainment industry for
in the entertainment industry for
in the entertainment industry for example in this show to transform
example in this show to transform
example in this show to transform characters into different beings with
characters into different beings with
characters into different beings with just one aspect hair has anyone ever
just one aspect hair has anyone ever
just one aspect hair has anyone ever asked you hey can I touch your hair or
asked you hey can I touch your hair or
asked you hey can I touch your hair or hey do you wash your hair or my personal
hey do you wash your hair or my personal
hey do you wash your hair or my personal favorite do you use a comb these are a
favorite do you use a comb these are a
favorite do you use a comb these are a few questions that I have encountered as
few questions that I have encountered as
few questions that I have encountered as an African girl with natural hair and
an African girl with natural hair and
an African girl with natural hair and specifically with dreadlocks my major
specifically with dreadlocks my major
specifically with dreadlocks my major inspiration for taking this wild turn
inspiration for taking this wild turn
inspiration for taking this wild turn was actually my family and specifically
was actually my family and specifically
was actually my family and specifically my mom my mom was like the hugest kind
my mom my mom was like the hugest kind
my mom my mom was like the hugest kind of inspiration for me she swapped her
of inspiration for me she swapped her
of inspiration for me she swapped her synthetic braids and extensions for
synthetic braids and extensions for
synthetic braids and extensions for natural hair and she decided to get
natural hair and she decided to get
natural hair and she decided to get dreadlocks
dreadlocks
dreadlocks see at the time it was about 2005 and as
see at the time it was about 2005 and as
see at the time it was about 2005 and as a young child I really wanted to be just
a young child I really wanted to be just
a young child I really wanted to be just like her I remember I was all like mom
like her I remember I was all like mom
like her I remember I was all like mom when I grow up I want to be just like
when I grow up I want to be just like
when I grow up I want to be just like you
you
you and have my own dreadlocks and sure
and have my own dreadlocks and sure
and have my own dreadlocks and sure enough that didn’t happen until recently
as I grew up ice to go to the salon and
as I grew up ice to go to the salon and the thing is I hated salons
the thing is I hated salons
the thing is I hated salons what can I tell you about salons except
what can I tell you about salons except
what can I tell you about salons except for the long hours the smell of singed
for the long hours the smell of singed
for the long hours the smell of singed hair or crisply roasted by that blow-dry
hair or crisply roasted by that blow-dry
hair or crisply roasted by that blow-dry the excessive heat and were pain oh my
the excessive heat and were pain oh my
the excessive heat and were pain oh my gosh like I can’t even I can’t that was
gosh like I can’t even I can’t that was
gosh like I can’t even I can’t that was my experience and I wanted a way out of
my experience and I wanted a way out of
my experience and I wanted a way out of the torture so I cut my hair into an
the torture so I cut my hair into an
the torture so I cut my hair into an afro and that’s how I rocked myself for
afro and that’s how I rocked myself for
afro and that’s how I rocked myself for a few years however at the time I wasn’t
a few years however at the time I wasn’t
a few years however at the time I wasn’t able to get my dreadlocks because of
able to get my dreadlocks because of
able to get my dreadlocks because of school regulations you know it for poor
school regulations you know it for poor
school regulations you know it for poor system well what is going natural going
system well what is going natural going
system well what is going natural going natural is all about embracing your
natural is all about embracing your
natural is all about embracing your hairs natural texture without chemical
hairs natural texture without chemical
hairs natural texture without chemical modifications that is like chemical
modifications that is like chemical
modifications that is like chemical relaxers excessive heat and just letting
relaxers excessive heat and just letting
relaxers excessive heat and just letting your hair grow the way it was supposed
your hair grow the way it was supposed
your hair grow the way it was supposed to be this can be done in several forms
to be this can be done in several forms
to be this can be done in several forms you can wear your hair curly you can
you can wear your hair curly you can
you can wear your hair curly you can have an afro you can have protective
have an afro you can have protective
have an afro you can have protective styles like brains or just like me
styles like brains or just like me
styles like brains or just like me you could have dreadlocks having natural
you could have dreadlocks having natural
you could have dreadlocks having natural hair actually enabled me to embrace my
hair actually enabled me to embrace my
hair actually enabled me to embrace my hair in new and exciting ways I was able
hair in new and exciting ways I was able
hair in new and exciting ways I was able to take control of all the processes
to take control of all the processes
to take control of all the processes that guaranteed its growth I was using
that guaranteed its growth I was using
that guaranteed its growth I was using natural products such as coconut oil
natural products such as coconut oil
natural products such as coconut oil almond and shea butter and this assisted
almond and shea butter and this assisted
almond and shea butter and this assisted me in the process of self-love
so the very interesting thing about
so the very interesting thing about natural here is that you actually get to
natural here is that you actually get to
natural here is that you actually get to feel your hair I know it sounds a bit
feel your hair I know it sounds a bit
feel your hair I know it sounds a bit silly but the whole concept is a bit
silly but the whole concept is a bit
silly but the whole concept is a bit alien to some people who have never
alien to some people who have never
alien to some people who have never really gotten to know that one aspect
really gotten to know that one aspect
really gotten to know that one aspect that makes them who they are because
that makes them who they are because
that makes them who they are because they were told of a different standard a
they were told of a different standard a
they were told of a different standard a standard that always encouraged straight
standard that always encouraged straight
standard that always encouraged straight flawless hair however when you begin the
flawless hair however when you begin the
flawless hair however when you begin the natural hair process your hair begins to
natural hair process your hair begins to
natural hair process your hair begins to grow slowly at first like a tiny potted
grow slowly at first like a tiny potted
grow slowly at first like a tiny potted plant and then slowly by slowly it
plant and then slowly by slowly it
plant and then slowly by slowly it begins to flourish and you have this big
begins to flourish and you have this big
begins to flourish and you have this big huge thing on your head and you begin to
huge thing on your head and you begin to
huge thing on your head and you begin to celebrate its success so social media
celebrate its success so social media
celebrate its success so social media has actually been the root of spreading
has actually been the root of spreading
has actually been the root of spreading awareness and social media platforms are
awareness and social media platforms are
awareness and social media platforms are able to connect individuals with each
able to connect individuals with each
able to connect individuals with each other who and the NGO the same
other who and the NGO the same
other who and the NGO the same experiences who are now starting to
experiences who are now starting to
experiences who are now starting to realize they are natural hair textures
realize they are natural hair textures
realize they are natural hair textures and also beginning to explore the ethnic
and also beginning to explore the ethnic
and also beginning to explore the ethnic heritage and ancestry the most beautiful
heritage and ancestry the most beautiful
heritage and ancestry the most beautiful aspect of it as I see is that you get to
aspect of it as I see is that you get to
aspect of it as I see is that you get to see your ancestry that it still lives in
see your ancestry that it still lives in
see your ancestry that it still lives in you and no matter what happens in spite
you and no matter what happens in spite
you and no matter what happens in spite of the influence of westernization this
of the influence of westernization this
of the influence of westernization this ancestry persists and is never really
ancestry persists and is never really
ancestry persists and is never really gone so with every movement there are
gone so with every movement there are
gone so with every movement there are issues for the natural hair movement
issues for the natural hair movement
issues for the natural hair movement this is cultural appropriation cultural
this is cultural appropriation cultural
this is cultural appropriation cultural appropriation involves a dominant group
appropriation involves a dominant group
appropriation involves a dominant group exploiting a culture which is less
exploiting a culture which is less
exploiting a culture which is less privileged without having that drive to
privileged without having that drive to
privileged without having that drive to really understand the particular culture
really understand the particular culture
really understand the particular culture without understanding the cultures
without understanding the cultures
without understanding the cultures history the tradition as well as the
history the tradition as well as the
history the tradition as well as the experiences I have actually witnessed a
experiences I have actually witnessed a
experiences I have actually witnessed a lot of backlash to those who emulate and
lot of backlash to those who emulate and
lot of backlash to those who emulate and imitate hairstyles that are normally
imitate hairstyles that are normally
imitate hairstyles that are normally associated with a certain ethnic
associated with a certain ethnic
associated with a certain ethnic for example the issue of braids
for example the issue of braids
for example the issue of braids extensions and Caucasians there is
extensions and Caucasians there is
extensions and Caucasians there is actually the feeling that there’s such a
actually the feeling that there’s such a
actually the feeling that there’s such a big problem people try to pursue the
big problem people try to pursue the
big problem people try to pursue the versatility of their hair but the main
versatility of their hair but the main
versatility of their hair but the main problem is the ignorant that comes from
problem is the ignorant that comes from
problem is the ignorant that comes from both ends of the spectrum let me tell
both ends of the spectrum let me tell
both ends of the spectrum let me tell you something about dreadlocks
you something about dreadlocks
you something about dreadlocks dreadlocks are an outlier to this issue
dreadlocks are an outlier to this issue
dreadlocks are an outlier to this issue of cultural appropriation did you know
of cultural appropriation did you know
of cultural appropriation did you know that dreadlocks are not for those with
that dreadlocks are not for those with
that dreadlocks are not for those with African ethnic roots alone they are
African ethnic roots alone they are
African ethnic roots alone they are actually found with on people from
actually found with on people from
actually found with on people from different parts of the world here’s an
different parts of the world here’s an
different parts of the world here’s an example over Sabu the saddles and sub
example over Sabu the saddles and sub
example over Sabu the saddles and sub knees are known for their long and
knees are known for their long and
knees are known for their long and sacred hair and they are worn as an
sacred hair and they are worn as an
sacred hair and they are worn as an outward symbol of devotion to the
outward symbol of devotion to the
outward symbol of devotion to the deadlocked Lord Shiva anthropological
deadlocked Lord Shiva anthropological
deadlocked Lord Shiva anthropological discoveries in places like Tibet the
discoveries in places like Tibet the
discoveries in places like Tibet the Middle East Nepal and Indonesia the list
Middle East Nepal and Indonesia the list
Middle East Nepal and Indonesia the list goes on and on they keep on finding that
goes on and on they keep on finding that
goes on and on they keep on finding that we have so many similarities with each
we have so many similarities with each
we have so many similarities with each other so what’s the point I’m trying to
other so what’s the point I’m trying to
other so what’s the point I’m trying to get across our similarities are stronger
get across our similarities are stronger
get across our similarities are stronger than our differences we should all take
than our differences we should all take
than our differences we should all take part in advocating for the beauty and
part in advocating for the beauty and
part in advocating for the beauty and versatility of hair let’s acknowledge
versatility of hair let’s acknowledge
versatility of hair let’s acknowledge the process of embracing within the
the process of embracing within the
the process of embracing within the process of embracing there is actually
process of embracing there is actually
process of embracing there is actually little room for negativity or hatred
little room for negativity or hatred
little room for negativity or hatred through learning about different
through learning about different
through learning about different cultures gaining respect for the
cultures gaining respect for the
cultures gaining respect for the diversity of people and realizing that
diversity of people and realizing that
diversity of people and realizing that we are all connected one day we will
we are all connected one day we will
we are all connected one day we will really acknowledge that we are
really acknowledge that we are
really acknowledge that we are inherently drawn towards harmony with
inherently drawn towards harmony with
inherently drawn towards harmony with each other thank you
”
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