My mother loved my hair. She always said to me that I had the beautiful hair that was so versatile. But, growing up with a “light skinned” mother & sister that both had “good hair”, I would look in the mirror and only see ugly, puffy hair. I remember hating the way my it would wave up when I tried to brush it flat in a ponytail.

At the age of 15 I got my first relaxer and I felt like the world had finally smiled at me. My hair was long, straight & healthy. That lasted like two months. I noticed I didn’t get the same results when it was time for my touch up. I relaxed my hair for 7 years & in the end I was left with hair that was very weak & dry. And it always smelled like relaxer. I HATED THAT.

When I was 21, a friend who always wore her long hair straight decided to cut it very short & stop blow drying it for the summer. I was so in love with her curly fro. I decided to skip my touch up appointment to see what my natural hair looked like. I liked it. I started to transition that summer in July & Big Chopped in December 2003.

All my life I wanted the sort of hair that was wash & go. That I didn’t have to wrestle with & that gave me freedom to just be. I always thought I could only achieve that with straight hair. I was so wrong, my natural curls are sooooo freeing. I no longer have to worry about getting my hair messed up. The bigger the hair, the more I like it. It’s a perfect compliment to my personality & I thank God everyday for giving it to me.