Hello world!

It's been over two weeks since my last post and for that, I apologize dearly.

My life just got crazy and busy all at once, and I couldn't find the energy to make a post even though I had so, so much to say! I was journaling like crazy, just trying to get things off the brain and breathe some life into them. I see and experience so much everyday that I'd like to share, and most things never come off of my journal pages or my mind.  I'm trying to transition into a daily-blogger and please expect more content than you can handle in 2017. 

IN RECENT NEWS...

Last week, I took down my box braids, and I was immediately faced with a dilemma, "How do I wear my natural hair to work?"

As an African woman, with kinky-coily 4c hair, it's been difficult for me to embrace my natural locks and really show them off in social settings, especially at the workplace. I've always felt hypersensitive of myself with my natural hair at the workplace, because a big part of my job is presenting a classy, courteous and professional image to my colleagues, managers and clients alike. Therefore, I try to the best of my ability to be aware of my personal appearance. However, being conscientious of my personal appearance isn't and will never be synonymous to conforming and appeasing to eurocentric ideals of beauty and neglecting my natural Nigerian roots.

Part of embracing my Nigerian roots, also means embracing the hair bestowed upon me because of it. In my last post about my hair, I discussed how I learned it's properties and my routine for managing and caring for it. In this post, I'll be showcasing how I've been wearing my hair and the observations I've made since then. 

Lately I've been wearing my hair like this,

For those that need a little bit of motion, I made a video showcasing my look™. Don't judge my video too harshly, this is the first video I've made and edited on my own lol. This is the video I used as a tutorial.

On to the nitty gritty...

The image of the Black woman and the workplace can be quite a dilemma because at times, it feels like our natural state has been deemed as not classy, unprofessional or not worthy of respect. Natural hair is deemed unruly, our bodies are deemed too shapely, personas are deemed too loud and robust. Therefore, to be a black woman in a professional space, for me at least, means to put yourself in a position of control, which allows you to take back the power from others and command respect.

An easy way to do that is to conform; fall into line and fall into the eurocentric ideals placed before us by this society. In doing so, you abandon whatever natural instincts you had in order to fit in to the society at hand. Some people choose that route and while I don't blame them for doing so, I also don't agree with it. With hair, I see conforming as wearing a wig/weave/straightened hair at all times and basically never actually showing your natural hair/texture. Many black women wear weave/wigs/straightened hair and love their natural hair; those things are not mutually exclusive. However, while I can't personally judge how any black women chooses to wear their hair, I wonder if women that wear their hair in wigs/weaves/straightened at all times embrace their natural hair/texture. 

With the disdain shown for the natural hair by society coupled with the added pressure of the workplace, it's no surprise that some black women would opt for more eurocentric hairstyles in order to fit into the workforce. Therefore, women like that are not to be judged because their presence shines a light into one of the deepest issues affecting black people in the United States; our need for acceptance by a society that is built on ideals that directly contrast out humanity. 

I've learned through my observations of the workplace and life in general that "Representation Matters".

Seeing other black women, in my workplace, as few as there were, wear their hair naturally gave me the courage to do so  as well. Despite not knowing some of these women, that was something that we shared in common and a look of approval, a small smile and just seeing them and acknowledging their confidence in themselves and who they naturally are made all the difference in my decision to wear my hair in its natural state to work. 

To anyone reading this, that my be fearful or doubtful of their decision to go natural, stay natural or wear their natural hair in public, please understand this and repeat it until you believe it; Natural is beautiful on every person and there is nothing unprofessional about hair that is properly cared for. Black is beautiful.

Til tomorrow, folks.

Stay healthy, stay happy and stay true.

Happy Boxing Day.

Love, 

Rachel.