Name: AngelaMichelle Smith
Location: Columbus, OH by way of Detroit, MI
Profession: Administrative Assistant

What was the hardest part of your journey? And the best part?
The hardest part was discovering and disassembling the misconceptions I’ve had about natural hair and my hair in particular. The journey itself is about 10%
physical and 90% mental because we are inundated with negative elements when it comes to Black hair in its natural state. Some of it is overt and others

are more subtle. So breaking through that negativity was difficult because some of the ideas I’d developed about natural hair I didn’t realize existed
because I’d never had to deal with them before. The best part about the journey was getting past all that and learning myself through my hair;
becoming comfortable with myself on my terms of what beauty is. It’s more than about hair for me.

What did your hair journey teach you?
It (re)taught me that I am the person who determines what beauty means and that I do not have to follow what’s popular. It has also (re)taught me that I am just right as I am; when it comes to my hair, my personality, my faith, my relationships I am just perfect without accents, alterations or opinions from outsiders.

Describe your worse hairdo and your best hairdo and please include a picture if you can.
I don’t have a “worst” hairdo because I really having experimented with anything beyond washo

uts, two strands and twist outs and I’ve appreciated them for what they were when I wore them. As for my best hairdo, it would have to be a washout with flat twists in the front.

Looking back, has your perception of your hair or black hair in general changed? Please elaborate.
I’ve learned that Black hair has its own style, swag and beauty. If you learn to accept it for what it is — coily, kinky, curly — then it will show you how it needs to be cared for. I once thought Black hair in its natural state needed to be “tamed” and “conditioned” to be fashionable, but that’s a perception that comes with
feeling you have to fit in with the accepted standard of what makes a woman beautiful. There is nothing wrong with Black hair in its natural state which has seemed to the “unspoken” rule because it’s believed to be difficult to work with, but I’ve found this is not the case. Black hair doesn’t needed to be chemically straightened to be manageable, if the person is willing to put in the time and care necessary to educate themselves on what their hair likes, dislikes and abilities instead of trying to mimic the efforts of others. No two heads are alike and in that each head of hair requires different care.

What is your favorite hairstyle?
Washouts. Easy, versatile and looks good with any outfit.

Can you please finish the following sentence: I love my hair because …?

I love my hair because it is a part of me, and I love me. My hair gives me a unique look and sense of style and my hair teaches me about myself in ways I could not imagine.

Blog/website: Journey Back 2 Me – http://www.journeyback2me.com

 

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