Overall, being natural is not only BEAUTIFUL but can also be EMPOWERING. I would consider it a great honor to serve as a judge for the 2009 America’s Next Natural Model contest.
 Maeling My name is Maeling and I’m currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering and am also a recent natural. I’ve only been completely natural for 3 months, but throughout my transitioning journey up to this point, it has been an amazing and worthwhile experience! When I started my journey to natural, I originally created a blog (www.naturalchica.blogspot.com) just to document my transition, but it has now blossomed into a wonderful avenue where I’ve been able to encourage other women to consider going natural and educate on the healthy maintenance of natural hair. I now also have a presence on YouTube (Nikkimae2003) where I’m always excited and eager to share the things I learn daily regarding my natural hair with the hopes of inspiring someone else. I am frequently sharing tips on different products to use in your hair, how to style natural hair (especially as a new natural), sharing the natural hair stories of other naturals across the globe, and even publicizing businesses that I believe do an excellent job in catering to the natural hair community. It is truly satisfying to me when I receive emails from people around the world saying how the information I provide encouraged them to go natural or appreciate more and take better care of their natural hair. Outside of my interests in engineering and natural hair, I also enjoy singing, playing the bass guitar, and photography. Overall, going natural has been more than about the hair. It has actually sparked lessons for me in true beauty (which stems from the inside), being proud of who you are, stepping outside of your comfort zone, and maintaining a healthy diet. Overall, being natural is not only BEAUTIFUL but can also be EMPOWERING. I would consider it a great honor to serve as a judge for the 2009 America’s Next Natural Model contest.
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