How Going Natural Has Empowered Me

I can proudly say that I have been natural for 5 years (by October)! It has not been an easy journey, but it has brought me a sense of peace and beauty that I never knew I had before. I know now I appreciate my curls more than I ever did. While experimenting with my hair, I tried many products in the beginning and realized my curls really fit my face perfectly!

Loving and embracing my natural curls has caused me to love myself even more, be creative, and work hard for what I wanted to accomplish in life. I feel a different level of confidence than I have before.

I know that I do not have to conform to society’s standards of beauty because I am already beautiful and perfect inside out. My curls have empowered me in such a way that, I want to empower others. I am in the process of editing my first children’s book, dedicated to curly haired little girls.

The inspiration behind the book came from my favorite curly girl, my daughter Tatiana, who has beautiful natural multi-colored curls and has an adventurous and sassy spirit. She inspires me every day to be a presence for other women, especially who look like us, and to love our natural selves so that we can help others to love and accept themselves.

A few other first moments that I felt a strong sense of empowerment was being around other curly girls. By attending various curly girl events in the city, I bonded with others who were sharing the same if not similar hair journey as I was.

Meeting other curly and natural haired women, made me feel as though I was part of a sisterhood. No sister was going through her journey alone, we were all part of the same cohort, sharing similar goals and learning and uplifting one another. I wouldn’t trade my curls for straight hair any day!