Our Hair-Itage - A Natural Hair Documentary (Pbs Version)
- Posted on 28 June, 2016
- Fusion Hair Extensions
- By Anonymous
This was my first documentary and was done for my senior project my last semester at Virginia Commonwealth University. I was honored to be the first female to ever produce/create a documentary SOLO from the Mass Communications program, especially since it was a topic I'm so passionate about.
This features a collection of stories from women in the African-American community who inspire others by sharing some of their experiences with their natural hair journey.
I hope you enjoy!
This brother, here myself, all of us, were born without hair like this, and we just wear like this, because it's natural, because the reason for you might say is like a new awareness among black people that their own natural appearance is physical appearance is beautiful. It'S pleasing to them, because black people are aware white people aware of the two because white people now they want wigs like this diggit, isn't it beautiful? Alright, I think it's long overdue. I think it's very long overdue. I think that it never should have taken a step back from the seventies. It should have just continued to boom and just the fact that we even have a natural movement. Now it shouldn't be called a movement. It should just it should just take place. It should have never stopped taking place from the 70. I can't imagine what our culture would be like. If you know everything had been the same from that that point on it. I think that there would be a lot more positivity going on in our culture, so I thought hope. I hope that is just the start of something great to where one's hair naturally is to avoid the chemical process of changing your hair's natural texture. The reasons why women choose to go natural varies from one person to the next. Whatever the reason, one thing remains, the same: most people have a choice in the matter, while others do not. Sharon Ruffin started her natural hair journey after conquering her first bout with cancer. During that time, the chemo treatments caused her to lose her hair, but when it grew back, she decided to embrace it in its natural state, a natural hair journey started. It really started in 2009 2010, because when I was growing up, I had a very short hair. Wasn'T even long enough to put in the ponytail, but it wasn't until my husband, I passed in 2009, my two daughters started wearing their heads and red and dreads, and so I decided to come to her because I didn't like taking care of my hair, even though Metallics and I've been doing it for years. What really got me natural is my mother and whole my sister, my two months. They all were in swim classes, they started swimming, they all went natural and I was basically jealous that they got to get in the water and swim in Occident. Because then I have the blow-dry condition. You know every day, and sometimes they would go two and three times a week. It says one black. I actually went natural by default, my mom went natural first, she just decided off, I'm not gon na do any more perms and the message decided all me too and then before I knew it had been like nine months and I was like, haven't gotten a perm Like a year what's going on, but I just left it alone, because it's just dark hard, I'm not available this, isn't so bad. My systems like I'll just put some water in it. It'Ll just do its own thing, you just let it be, I'm like. Let it be okay, well, let it be, and then it just did what it did and now here we are and then I went and chopped off like most of it. So I undercut now, but I love it. I stopped getting relaxers I'd, say the summer of 2009 and really what sparked it. I had a little bit of hair loss in the crown of my hair and when I saw that breakage I was like. Ah, okay, I can't do this and plus I had been. You know, looking at some of the women on television and in magazines and things like that, and I always wanted to try that natural look, but I just wasn't sure how it would look on me. My decision to to go to go national and stop priming, my hair. It was a decision about health. I felt like when I went to grad school. I just became healthier. I made better choices in my diet and exercise and I simply did not want chemicals in my food and I didn't want chemicals, my hair either right. So that was a health turn. It wasn't that I read you know some radical piece and I was like oh man I'm about to go. You know I'm about to go natural and I'm going to cut my hair off and I'm going to do this. You know, I definitely did not have that kind of a moment. It was just a choice of I want to be healthier, and I think that this will make me just overall healthier person I felt like I was wasting so much of my time in these beauty. Shops, I remember once I went to the salon that I've been going to on a regular basis and I was so dissatisfied. They had booked too many people and we were waiting and waiting and waiting. And now this is three hours it's going on three hours and I'm still under the dryer, so I really got upset about that. So I took the curlers out and sat in the chair and told the beautician give me that comb give me that give me cream give me something to put on my hair and I curled it, and she said. Oh so you curl your hair yourself, yo you're. Doing a nice job, this is great. Oh, it's beautiful and I thought how dare you say that to me when you should be doing this, but you're standing here so give me that give me this give me. I used their products curl my hair, and when I got ready to leave, she was telling me how much they were charging me and I I will not pay you that I will give you ten dollars because that's how much. I think this is worth have a good day. I won't be seeing you again and I walked out and felt something I felt so bad that I did that because I didn't go back, but I was embarrassed so I didn't go for many women returning their hair to its natural state is often a journey of Self exploration, self awareness and self love a lot of women who start this journey. It is a journey not to just loving your hair but self-love. I feel like a lot of women again. They may think that the European style, the straight hair, the weaves and no shame to the weaves. I mean because that's a protective style, don't get me wrong, but I feel like a lot of times. Women think that you are supposed to look a certain way to conform, but again I feel like one of the biggest things I could tell her is to just look at yourself and know you're beautiful. This is the way that you were made so embrace it. Everybody has a different texture, everybody has a different length and I just think the biggest thing is finding what works for your hair and and moving forward with that. It definitely taught me a lot about loving yourself, loving, Who I am as a person loving everything that comes from me. I don't have to have straight hair to be pretty. I don't have to have straight hair to be a good person. My hair doesn't have to be straight in order to have good hair. My hair is good, it is flourishing after I started working with it. I started getting these comments specifically one weekend we were in call pepper, and this man said I like what you're doing with your hair sister. This is something we're going to work with this and, as the time went on, I discovered that the natural hair gave me more power. I wasn't as shy. I wouldn't go places because of my hair, sometimes, but with the natural hair. All I needed to know when and where perhaps not as big in numbers, but many black women were fortunate enough to have been natural all their lives. I definitely thank our mother for not jumping to society heels and you know for not giving us a perm at any type of chemical products in our hair, because it definitely helps us in the long run. Well, all of my friends were either white, so they had straight hair and you know um, they didn't have you know natural hair like we'd, like I grew up having my best friends, all of my friends. They had relaxers in their hair, so I did. I was the one else crying to my parents every day, oh my gosh, can we can I get a relaxer hair. Texture is a topic amongst black women, whether they wear their hair, naturally or not. At times one's own, blackness or ethnic authenticity is questioned based on the texture of their hair. It'S like a setback to everybody that, like oh wow, you have a really good grade of hair. Wouldn'T you have to be mixed with something like you, just can't be black. The whole time I'm like so you know after a while, we do got tired of it or like a black black and they're. Like you sure, right now, black and I would like a berry. Where are you from maleic reply, America yeah in grade school? I was always picked when I was always teased, so whether my hair was straight whether it was in detail whether I try to do my natural curly ponytail. Something was always said, not necessarily my family, but just adults that I would encounter whether it be school church. I'M used use your complexion to your advantage, make sure you have that straight hair, because that's your way to get that job or that's your way to get that casting call for certain things that I may have been interested in for a long time. I was like that I want my hair to look like that. I want my hair to get like that, but I had to realize that your hair is not gon na. Do that everybody's different, just like different, your prints aren't the same as anyone elses my sister and I she's natural too, and our hair is nothing alike. She has a wider curl. I have a tighter curl, my mom same weight and she's. My mom hurts my heart. A little bit to hear other people say I don't like my hair. I wish I had this hair life. No, your hair is beautiful, it's beautiful, whether it's when they call a 4c, whether it's like super kinky or super wavy. All hair does different things, things that look good on somebody with kinkier hair. Don'T always look good on somebody with wavy hair and vice versa. I was that kid who would always see those models on the commercials getting out of the pool and they would be brushing their hair back and it was flat and it was straight - and I wanted that and now I'm just like. I wish my hair would do that mess when I get out the pool. The effects of slavery have lived on much longer than the physical captivity that blacks endured. From that time, black women have held on to the mentality that everything about their natural appearance is not acceptable and have passed that idea down through the generations whether consciously or subconsciously. I had a cousin Devin used to live with us and her hair was very long and very good good. She had good hair and we didn't have good hair. So when she got angry with us some of the things she was say to us. You know that, wouldn't that be hair, and you know that you wish you had good hair like me and what is good hair anyway, hairs hair, the hair that grows from your head. How is that not good enough? Oh, we would look at certain things that have went back to slavery or the mentality that was. I was a brainwashed into the slaves because how they looked and the color of their skin and even at the time, the texture of their hair. But we don't realize the effects of that mentality. I think in a lot of areas where we as a race of people, are manipulated and still controlled, and we don't well again. I think that kind of all goes back to just the slavery mentality, us trying so hard to conform and be what they want us to be, but not necessarily what they want us to be, but what we think they want us to be, because I don't want To be called that M word, I don't want to have my nappy hair out, so I'm going to make sure that it looks as close to what I believe they want. So I won't stand out in a black way, so I feel like a lot of the black men and women who, I guess in some ways, may feel ostracized about having that natural hair. I think it's just because of how they were brought up. Thinking that we have to look a certain way, the media world has probably done more harm than good when it comes to representing women of color. Often it seems that only a certain type of black woman, with a certain type of look, is accepted on a larger platform in 2016. Is there evidence of change on every so often I'll get an email? You know asking me to go back to the shrink. Look because some people think some men and women think that the straighter longer hair looks better on me and usually my response is that the straighter longer hair does not grow from my scalp naturally, and it's a lot to keep up with that straight long, hair and So right now I'm comfortable with my natural hair and us in the television business. We all have consultants, not just here at NBC 12. There are consultants for all the stations here and basically all of the women black white. Whatever we all look the same, we have the same type style dresses. We have the same type, haircuts, long straight or even short straight. Somebody needs to be a little bit different. Why not me more times than not for black women, the criticism of hair comes from other African Americans. Negative words or looks are commonplace in a crowd of your own, so the question becomes: are we as a people working on our own demise? You know again, I haven't received a lot of negative emails at all, but I remember it was one email and it was from a gentleman who said that he and his family didn't think that that was perhaps the most professional look and that it would stop me. Perhaps from moving on up in this career, well, first of all, sir you're, not in this business and second of all, I get more calls now with natural hair from outside of this outside this news station than I did ever before, because it's something different and it's Me naturally been places. I'Ve been in restaurants and everything whirly for Caucasian women. In here women or you know they say how can they get their hair like mine? They want they want to keep you they other hairstylist, that I do their hair, where they all want to try it. We would like to have that big curly hair for African American women, the hesitation to wear their natural hair is often in direct relation to the professional backlash that may occur, and there are not a lot of people like me in my office. Actually, I am the only person of color in my office setting, so I was definitely afraid like. If I come to work. You know with a afro or with you know, curls that one of them is lopsided than the other. One is curled, you know right. Are they going to feel a different type of way about me? Like? Are my patients going to look at me? Weird? Am I going to be perceived in a different way? Am I going to you know, get sat down like what your hair is Wow, so we need you to kind of scale that back because you're in them, I just didn't, know how I was going to come off my co-workers or my patients, but they actually been Going through the journey with me, so it was really nice that um, they just say embrace it with me like. Well, what are you going to do tomorrow? Your hair, like they were all just as excited about the experience as I was so that my news director is actually the one who saw me at a party. It was a going-away party for one of my co-workers and he saw my hair. It was, you know, twisted similar to what I'm wearing now and he said Carla. Why? Don'T you ever wear that on television and I had never, I thought about it, but I never thought about approaching him because in my mind I just thought he was going to shoot down the idea, but he asked me he said why don't you ever wear that On television, your natural hair, I think it looks good well, that's all he had to say, but I think within the next. Maybe two weeks I was on air, I have clients who run whole corporations and the woman in this position of you know how an authority they have much less after the marriage and they can't do it yet they are afraid too. They don't know what you know. How people are going to see them unless they're going to pay more attention to their hair and petals? You know what they're saying are they still going to take them seriously? Real beautiful? I had a job interview probably three years ago, maybe for closer to when I was fresh out of college, and I remember I had a job interview. Oh my gosh, I wanted the job so bad and I wanted to have my hair in a curly bun, because I was natural then, but I didn't really wear it out as much, and so I had it up and I remember a role model in my life - Told me: oh no! No! No! No! You better not go on that job interview with that bun, you better go, get that hair pressed out, and so that was always a fear of mine. I think, even to this day, I don't go on a lot of interviews that I feel like I want to go on, not because I don't think I qualify for the job, but because I'm conflicted about how my hair should look. I do think in academia. There is a little bit more leeway, however. I do think that the notion of having a polished, professional look, the rhetoric and the the kind of ideology behind that is also one that alienates black women in terms of their expression of their hair overall um. The thing I see the most in terms of sort of around discourse or public discourse, around natural hair and from interpersonal space, is that a lot of times I feel as a black woman. Our bodies are sort of this on public display or sort of this public space where people feel as if they can sort of touch us or Pat us, but particularly on our bodies, our hair. It'S like that. That'S some kind of open space for people to feel free to sort of explore their curiosities in a way. That'S inappropriate a lot of times, oftentimes you'll, see people want to touch black woman's hair or have inappropriate questions right. So sometimes you may get a question. Like is that your hair, right or or you change it so often right - and these are - these - are sort of microaggressions right. It doesn't mean that they have to be bad tensions or that they're trying to hurt your feelings or any of those types of things. But I think that again, how often do we ask other people about their body? Parts belong to them or, if you know reasons for changing things, the key piece being that it's nothing wrong with acting questions and being curious. But I feel like again nobody's body is sort of this public open space. I feel for the most part with hair is that it is with black woman. You know what I mean so like it's so like. If, if there was a white woman who had breast implants, I don't think people would go up and be like are those your real breasts? Can I touch them right because that's inappropriate? So what is it about here that we feel that that's a freer space of how, even though it's still objectifying a part of piece of a person's body? When people watch me on TV, I'm not there to look pretty I'm there to deliver the news and you take it or leave it yeah. That'S what I say you know I'm not here and that's when usually what I respond, especially to the men that email me I'm not here, I'm not here getting paid to look pretty for you. I appreciate you thinking yeah. I appreciate you thinking that, but that's not why I'm here I'm here to deliver the news, and so I mean you have to tap into what you know, because we all have a gift. You have to tap into what makes you special and be happy with that. I think it's a larger issue about the ways that women bodies are police right; the expectation that you you got ta wear Spanx. You got to keep it in. You got. You know it's always about disciplining your body and maintaining it in a particular way. That is contained right and I think black women it becomes even more evident because of the language around their hair and, I think, definitely in our community. It'S certainly more heightened and even more policed. Natural hair means that a hair has not been treated with any chemical relaxers and afro. That'S small or voluminous halo of highly textured hair that floats above some black women scalps does not mean that she's about to set off the revolution. There is nothing dreadful about dreadlocks they're, also, not a sign that someone old sells or smokes marijuana and by the way, their locks, not dreads, and a black woman who chemically straightens her hair is not trying to be white when in doubt, of course, the best course Of action is to understand a black woman by what's in her head, not what's on it right now. This is what natural is to me. A wig. My hair is beautiful. My hands unique, my hair is transitioning. My hair is pushy. My hair is amazing. My hair is curly, my hair is temperamental, but I love it. My hair is authentic. My hair is kinky. My hair is very complex. I is nappy. My hair is poetic. My hair spectacular, my hair is my freedom. My hair is unashamed my hair everything. My hair is me, my hair, easy too late, too late to jump for the right choice: the right decision to ignore your voice, but I was wrong. The perfect song king tried to give me up at one move to win so leave a certain look. It has every move, I'm sweating, I'm stubborn
Comments
Aleisha Thomas: That lady said her natural hair give her power and that's exactly how I felt
Teasha Stewart: My 19 year old daughter has never had a relaxer, she was groomed to embrace her blackness and all that comes with it. She had many great qualities, yet her hair is one of many that people love. It's big, long and dense!
Introverted Empath: "We don't go natural-We return Natural! "
ESOTERICMELANINQUEEN: My hair is a gift from The Most High!
tonntonns: "they're not dreads, they're locs" "there's nothing dreadful about them" hella snaps for that
KING FLORIDA VEGAN: We need a video on natural skin color and embrace your skin tone and not bleaching.
Moon Orchid: This documentry needs more views.
Kaneeta Hill: Since I've went natural my hair is the healthiest it's ever been..
Esther Williams: It's sad how Slave Plantation Culture is deep in Black culture today. But, I truly believe this mentality is being challenge. I'm happy for the next generation of young Black girls and women who don't have to break their backs just feel accepted.
angie38: I went natural with locks 8yrs ago. Grew them down to my butt then I cut them off. I have 2 inches of hair. I can wash it everyday and I leave the conditioner in it. I am free. I am me. I don't need to relax cause I ain't stressed!
Abbi Owusu: Very beautiful documentary, it's important for black women to love and embrace the hair that they were given.
Artist Relations: Black women have been duped and bamboozled into believing their hair is bad. Many of us can do it ourselves and it will look just as good if not better than the salon. Stop giving your money away.
Giggles: This documentary is so much better than Chris Rock's Good hair movie. I like how positive the people are in the video and the history you showed. GREAT JOB! Please keep up the good work!
deedeedmr: Such a cool documentary. I went natural back in college in 2002. At the time, I didn't know anything about a 'natural hair movement,' I just decided to stop straightening and I loved it. I have never looked back.
Harry Khay: I'm a black man from the Oceania region. I just wanna say my sisters you rock with your natural hairs, yes it's unique and beautiful.
Viciouz Valentine: natural hair absolutely gives you more power as a black person, especially in a white dominated society- Even in its imitation. It makes us look secure with ourselves and confident in our character. I live in the south and went to 99% african american schools full of nothing but african american students. When I was growing up, There wasn't a SINGLE BLACK FEMALE WITH NATURAL HAIR. Everyone had a perm. In High-school there were only 3 black kids, out of the hundreds, that wore our hair natural - me, this mixed race light-skin looking girl who had locs, and the principles daughter who had a beautiful fro. We all got made fun of because of our hair. AT AN ALL BLACK SCHOOL. WITH BLACK KIDS THAT LOOKED LIKE US. I got lucky in that I didn't have to cut my locs due to the principals daughter being natural but anywhere I else I would have to conform. In my experience I can honestly say White people never oppressed my hair.If it looked nice and appealing, I would get more opportunists to be successful in white institutions unlike black institutions - some of which that still forbid natural hair and locs. Anybody that hates on my hair, I just figure they are jealous of how handsome and natural I look with my locs and keep it moving. Not changing for anyone. My opinion is that the problem really started with us. How could white people hate on our natural hair if every black person was proud of their hair and styled it and took pride in it? They couldnt.
Pansy Murray: This documentary is so beautiful. Makes me love my God given natural hair more. My hair is fabulous!
A H: Good hair is healthy hair that has shine and doesn't break easily.
Queen Flore👑: I love the last woman who said "my hair is free"
Michelle Redd: When that sister pulled down and off her scarf and her head was bald, I had tears in my eyes. The exquisiteness of her baldhead said to me, "I whopped CANCER'S". And look, I came out of that battle the PROUD, BEAUTIFUL, FREE QUEEN THAT I AM. OMG she is sooooooooooooooooooooooo damn beautiful it brought me to tears of joy for her, tears of freedom for her, tears of PEACE for her. I've been shaving my head for years out of frustration of what to do with it. It grows well, but it gets too hot in Chicago's blistering heat. Now, that it has grayed, I keep it clean, moisturized, and covered and pulled back & up.
sjay19baby baybay: I love my hair!!!! The natural hair is the best hair I have ever had!!!! I used to wear perm, weave I spent a fortune!!!! Now I save a fortune!!!!
ShaunieBNaturalista: Excellent work. I had an afro in the 70s. The transition to natural hair then was a political statement that had everything to do with the civil rights movement and fighting against the Vietnam war. When those issues were resolved, the natural hair faded. Today's movement is all about loving our hair and our natural selves. This one is going to last forever. I don't mean no one will relax, wig or weave their hair. I mean there was a time when we only wore long dresses. Then we only wore knee length dresses, then miniskirts. Eventually, women came to a point where we said we like them all. We stopped swinging from hem line to hem line and just embraced them all. Natural hair has taken its rightful place among us for good.
Daria Pio: I am so glad I came across this documentary! I have embraced my natural hair and love when I see when others do the same. Many blessings! Great job!
A Tiger: Being one of the few women of color in my circle of acquaintances (or even growing up around mostly white people) I have found picking at my hair has been another way for others and myself to take a jab at whether I was attractive or not. White or Latino people, want to ask whether I am natural almost like it’s a way to expose and take me down a few pegs if I’m looking slightly attractive that day. Some dark skinned people, assume I must think I’m good looking (but I did not grow up with a bunch of girls fawning over my hair. Kids literally spit in my hair while I waited for the school doors to open. Growing up, I tried to make my lips look thinner and squeeze my butt in real tight because I hated my shape.) For example, white and Latino people seem very comfortable to touch and comment on my hair. I get asked if it is my hair and once, I was wearing extensions on my way to a fitness model shoot, and a girl actually tugged on my ponytail. I would never ask or start a guessing contest about whether her chest was real (she had shared that it was not) but I was very insulted that she was eager or comfortable to knock any pedestal between her beauty and mine when honestly, we look so different, we don’t even compare and by any standard in any race, she was prettier. Why make me feel ugly at all? When I mentioned to her that I was going to compete in a body competition, she even asked me, “you don’t expect to win, do you?” It’s hard when those are the only people you know in your neighborhood. Familiar names and faces but they are not all together your friends. A Black fitness personality acquaintance of mine even asked me if I got a modeling job because I was having a relationship with the industry figure because she was fitter than me but there was never any unprofessional treatment in that direction. I simply submitted my information/ images for an opportunity and someone said yes. She told me that women of her color do not compete because they so seldom win but when I met more of the famous figure and bikini champions, there were many black women who pushed through to represent on that Olympia stage. Sometimes people are putting their own insecurity onto you. When anyone says good hair, I would always think they do not know what they’re talking about and it is sadly born of their own disgust with appreciating the beauty of their own hair. I know these problems are historic. Once you see your baby cousin losing all her hair, muscles, and motor skills post multiple chemotherapy sessions, you stop hating your shape, your big lips, big quads and butt and crazy curly hair whatever the texture. So much beauty is possible but first we must stop insulting each other and learn to love and embrace our hair, ourselves.
He Knows!!: Stand up beautiful black Queens!!!!! We are all that and a bag of chips!!!!
M CD: I love my kinky, coily , Afro-textured hair ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Jackie Burkhart: Gosh I love the beauty of natural black women hair!
Stephanie Renee'🌹: Wonderful documentary!! I couldn't help but think of the attacks against Gabby Douglas. We are most definitely still psychologically affected by slavery as a black culture. There needs to be a healing event (for only us...no other cultures invited), to make apologies, offer healing, etc...to those who've been attacked/judged/publically huniliated.
nappynatty10: Very positive documentary I wish it was longer.
Tun.: 14:20 damn, this spoke to me. I went to school one day with Bantu knots and i remember my class mates would point and laugh at my hair & ask me why would i wear my hair like this? (i was 18 in 11th grade) i explained to them that im going natural and it helps curl my hair. The next day i came to school in a huge afro & they couldnt stop touching my hair saying "You have inches!" My hair pulled touched my shoulders. Im glad to say i saw more girls going natural!
Erica Morris: I went natural when I was 25 and pregnant with my daughter. If I would have carried on in the fashion that I was going, I would have lost my entire crown. The nerves in my scalp are regenerating, however, now I experience soreness in my scalp. I have yet to completely understand the detriment of the damage that years of relaxing has caused. Nonetheless, thank you all who post these informative videos about our hair ! I did not relax as the result of self-hatred, but rather ignorance. So again, Thank you!
Jen M: great documentary, helped me a lot with my sociology essay. :)
Dara Khaalid: Beautiful, soooo inspirational! This was right on time for me as a Broadcast Journalism major contemplating the future of my hair. This was even more motivation to remain natural and free! ✊
Stella Dugall: Crystolyn, this is wonderful. I have been working on my master thesis film in visual anthropology and hope to produce an ethnographic film just as nuanced and critical as yours! Asé!
Donna Hill: Wonderful. I am writing a paper on the conflicts and contradictions of black hair. This is just what I needed.
Kam: going natural made me fall in love with myself. i’ve always had problems with my self esteem and the process of going natural, the process of it all truly built my confidence.
Cenique: Amazing Work! I applaud your efforts Queen!
cuda cuda: ain't nothing like a natural black woman
Just Renee: I love my coarse 4c hair and all the style variations I can do. Micro mini twists are my favorite just as the ancient kandakes used to do! My hair will NEVER THIN, WILL NEVER BE SHAPELESS NOR FORMLESS, YAAASSS BIHH
Naomy Charles: I love this! Such motivation for the black community, we are so unique in our own ways. We are amazing!
Camille Riley: Love this!! 7 or so months into my journey to my true self and I'm never looking back, thank you!
Ben W: The young woman in the video who says she's unsure about going on interviews with her hair a certain way, natural hair, etc. -- If a company gets that bent out of shape over a common hairstyle, when you're looking your best for that interview, then very possibly, that would not be a good workplace for you anyway. The young lady is educated and professional and friendly. If a company doesn't want to hire her like that, they might be crazy. or prejudiced. Natural hair, or traditional styles? Fine. :) Her hair in the video is perfectly fine for anyone reasonable, I think. -- I would like to think I'm not too unusual for a white guy, in that opinion. --- But to someone like her, unsure: Wear your hair natural or how you want. As long as you're presenting well, a professional, neat, clean appearance, that should be plenty. A little variety ought to be a good thing. I liked the reporter's story about a co-worker complimenting her and saying she should wear her hair that way on air, or the hairdresser talking about other women (white, Latino, etc.) who wanted to try their hair like that. If given a chance, some people are open-minded and friendly, and can learn and change. There are ways for us to get past the old prejudices and really, truly outgrow those, to a nation where racism and prejudice have no place. Curious, friendly people are a good way to start. I'm from a big city. I'm around all sorts of people every day. I'd feel weird without that. It would feel like something important, something really good, was missing.
Iconic Curlz: I felt so free when I big chopped in June 2016. I love and embrace my natural hair and teach my 14 yr old daughter to do the same. Best decision I've ever made pertaining to our hair. Our hair is almost bra strap length and it never grew past our shoulders with a relaxer. It's so versatile and I don't spend an arm and a leg on weave and going to the beauty shop anymore
Tana Monteiro: Love this. I just embraced my gray hair. Went through the year of transition of not dying my hair. I am so happy to be free and natural in every way.
FoxyFeline: That news caster is gorgeous! Awesome documentary.
Black By Design: Thank you so much for your honesty in this documentary. I too struggle with how to wear my hair on interviews etc. This was so REFRESHING to watch. Keep enlightening and empowering!
Nina Gordon: We NEED more documentaries like this one!
TheLadyOfSoul502: I am LOVING my hair. It's as if my hair and my Soul are connected. A glorious halo of fro lusciousness.
TruBeauty: Great documentary. My hair is free!!! I’ve been natural since before it was popular. I’m so happy to see so many women embrace their natural hair. It’s 2018, no one is keeping us from accepting our hair but ourselves. No one is forced either way; straight or curly. It’s a choice based on what YOU want.
Taylor Vettese: I don't know how any business establishment can tell someone their natural hair is unprofessional. Wtf is wrong with ppl.
Ares Leve: I got chills 20 seconds into the documentary. I had to pause and process. I'm a sista with locs who wore weaves for 10 years. I'm 7 years natural and love it! I feel very confident!
Writers notes1: This video is amazing... I appreciate you guys bringing light to this topic. I have been natural before it was a trendy.. I just want every girl to know it's ok to be yourself..its ok to be natural! Society has damaged us enough.
Kamila Reeder: This is a good documentary
SoBlessedAmI: The bald lady is SO BEAUTIFUL ! When she took that scarf off I was smiling SO Big cause she's SO Beautiful !, especially when she's smiling !
Baby Bubblez: I love my curly hair every curl and coil!
IAM_TRACION: Hey, I just wanna say that I am truly appreciative of this video. Eve though, I am a black male I believe inspiration can be taken from anywhere so if I can see my sister's being empowered by wearing their beautiful natural hair then so can I (cause I definitely need to).
KING FLORIDA VEGAN: I love women with natural hair
msmichele60: I started locs about 6 yrs ago LOVE IT!!! i got so tired of spending Saturdays in the beauty salon for hrs so when my stylist lost her shop i wasn't about to find another place and spend all day Saturday getting perms so i locd my hair and haven't looked back
michala is living: I am currently watching a bunch of natural hair documentaries while twisting my beautiful God-given hair! ✨❤️
Victoria Gullins: Really enjoyed this documentary. I hope you got an A+!!!!
K D: I’m 21 and I’m only now starting my journey of loving my hair and texture. I have the kinkiest hair type (4c) and I have always struggled with wearing my natural hair outside to the point of committing myself to never wearing my natural hair outside or even showing my future husband. I’ve always told myself that I hated my hair. I regret the day I ever started wearing weaves. Black hair is beautiful and it’s unique, one day I’ll be able to whole heartedly say I love mine ✨
My Mama Cooking Show: Some black people have Naturally straight hair, our hair is a statement. Men go crazy when the see our hair. The beauty & power that comes with it.
BLKMediaTV - UK: Only date women with natural hair! Images shape reality and our people need that love and power. Salute all my sisters.
Patricia Allen: It is good to have hair. I started my natural hair journey in 1970 by cutting off my permed and dyed hair. Now I rarely straighten (warm comb) my hair. I love my hairitage. We have so many choices of styles. Screw trying to look like caucasians. We are not white and shouldn't try to be. I am tired of looking at black women with tons of long weave. If God didn't give you long straight hair, be proud and comfortable with what He gave you.
GlobalCeTZen: Who else is sporting a jumbo afro while watching this documentary? I love my hair.<3
Frolie: The VP of my company asked me if this was all my hair. I said yes. It was in a frizzy wash n go (huge). She said “all you ever going to straighten your hair?” I said NOPE. Then when I showed her how real the shrinkage is, she was like DAMN your hair is long. ♀️. But I’m not straightening it to make someone else feel comfortable with my hair.
D Reese: This is a really great docu. Understanding more and more why my mom and sister stopped using chemicals on their hair years back.
Queen Audi: This video is amazing!! Shoutout to all the Sistahs struggling with embracing their true selves..it is truly a self love journey
Tonja Christopher: This change to our hair was the result of colonization. The acknowledgement of the wrong terminology when it comes to black hair I.E. 'perm' instead of calling it the real name which is a relaxer goes to show how disconnected we became about our natural hair.
IamJontelNicol: "More times than not; the criticism of hair comes from African Americans...." "..... are we as a people working on our own demise...." YEEEEEEES
alvin medina: This was awesome . Learned a lot. Awesome women
glad heart: "You have a gift, and you have to find out what makes you special" Love it!
Susie Q: I loved this video. I have been natural for over 20 years and I love being able to just be me. Thank you everyone in this video.
tasharanicole1: I loved the documentary. Thank you
Rennie B: Just lovely. All of these sistas, so well spoken, insightful, intelligent, beautiful...naturally very nice documentary.
LovelyLady Carter: This was very well received you did an amazing jobthank u for sharing
KARBONATED GODDESS 369: My hair is empowering im so in love with myself now!
Simply Andoime: Thank you for this documentary. I enjoyed it.
Sharice Bedford: I’ve just started semi freforming my hair and it’s actually turning out so nice. U really do feel more empowered with your natural hair!
PrepreTheReal1: When I went back natural I had a lot of positive feedback. Even strangers black and white would tell me my natural hair is beautiful. I had this new confidence and awareness. I was taught my natural hair was unacceptable growing up and made me ashamed of it. I went back natural in 9th grade but I got a relaxer in 10th and years later I hated being relaxed I didn't know how to deal with it anymore. So I went natural again my senior year and I'm loving it and my hair is flourishing in its natural state.
R Jones: I am sure you received an "A" for your senior project! Excellent work! I needed to listen as I am on my own hair journey back to my roots.
Kannèl: So beautiful documentary ! I'm from the West Indies and I live in France. And this natural hair movement is touching all the diaspora. Our eyes are opening on our real beauty.
Ashley B. Smith: Great Job! I enjoyed your documentary!!! I have never been more empowered since I let my natural hair shine 5 years ago!
Mane Stage: I love everything about Karla. What a gorgeous attitude and confidence she has!
Tiy J: This is sooo beautiful.... I thank God that He blessed me with 4 beautiful black baby girls. I’m glad that I had parents to teach me that there’s nothing wrong with my hair.Their father and I are striving to teach them to love themselves no matter what. And videos like this give me hope that one day us as black females as a whole will learn to love ourselves and to not judge other sisters on how they choose to wear their hair (unless it’s tore up and you’re tryna help ).
Phillip J: This whole documentary was love! It's a blessing to witness so many brothers and sisters these days start to come together and praise each other for our natural hair uniqueness. No need to conform and change what was created in divinity. It feels better to walk in your truth then to dress for others approval. S/O to the 804 and the DMV!
THE WATCHERS: Love the video since at a young age my mom relaxed our hair and i saw 70 % of my cousins going natural and i did the big chop and actually didnt know i was 4c nappy as hell I was happy actually feeling it seeing that's my hair I was real happy I did a big chop again due to stress and felt sick cutting it off but am enjoying my growth and don't wanna put nothing like braid in it
JMO JENNA: She said "I'm not here to be pretty" Her strength and confidence is BEAUTIFUL. Inside out, including her pretty hair. Her voice, carrying her personal power, is mesmerizing. Naturally.
Eme M. U: HI Crystolyn! This video is amazing!!!! Thank you so much for shedding light on this much needed discussion and history about black hair. I would like to get in touch with you for some more content. Please let me know the best way to do so. Thanks, Yv
Lisa Lamb: This is the best natural hair documentary I've seen. Great job! I love my natural hair, too. The tignon laws are in effect in some people's minds. But, they were abolished long ago. We are beautiful and other people are threatened by our beauty. We are intelligent and other people are threatened. Imagine if we embrace our beauty and our intelligence. We may see a Black woman President of the United States of America in our lifetime. Next, Brazil - then a Black Woman as Prime Minister of Great Britain, and so on...
Mz Right: Awesome. Love everything about this! I went natural in 2011 and recently decided to loc my hair. I remember being so ashamed of my OWN hair. Wouldn't be caught dead without a wig or weave. As I matured and became more in touch with myself, I just felt really disgusted that I had been brainwashed to hate my beautiful thick, jet black hair! Black women are queens and our hair is our crown. I embrace it all! I thank God, I love me some ME.
Shotta bwoi: THANK YOU! Someone finally said it! 'They're LOCS, NOT DREADS'!✔✔❤✊
Pamela Brown: My hair has been natural for over ten years. It is multi dynamic. I choose not to put chemicals in my daughters hair and she has stood strong. All hair that God place on our head is good hair.
LaRicka Henderson: I love this!! Embrace you're natural ♀️
Princess Poetess: I love this documentary ❤️❤️
First Lady: Inspirational. Awesome job sis!!!! Continued good vibes your way.
Jasmine Waters: This video made me feel so proud!!!! Very encouraging and uplifting
The Simple Way: I love natural hair! I love MY natural hair! Natural hair is beautiful ❤️❤️❤️❤️
BrownBbyDoll: I LOVED THIS!!! such a beautiful and empowering message
ilda karwayu: I adore all of them! such intellectual women <3 thanks for sharing this