I used to not really be bothered either way by textures, but that was before I found out how black people have been systematically set up to hate themselves and their hair. Whenever I see permed hair, or a weave, or a wig
Who is your Favorite model?
Thiago Santos & Jordan Dunn. I also love Liya Kebede.
What is your favorite book?
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. Totally changed my life.
What is your favorite movie?
I don’t have one. I like sci-fi a lot though.
Why did you become a model and what is your goal as a model?
I’ve always been drawn to fashion and modeling since before I can remember. I think I’ve always been fascinated by how a person can effect his or her environment and what people expect of you or think about you based on how you adorn yourself. My goal is to go as far as I can go with it.
How important is your hair as a model?
Why do you choose to wear your hair this way? Extremely important. I’ve chosen to embrace my natural texture because it’s beautiful and matches me. There are a lot of people waiting in the wings with a flat iron or a pair of clippers & oil sheen just waiting to ‘neaten’ your hair and a lot of back people who are totally disconnected from their hair and bodies who love to critique.
What does your hair mean to you? Is it just an accessory that compliments your personality and style or is it deeper than that?
My hair sometimes is just my hair, but I occasionally see it as a social, political or environmental statement. By wearing my hair in its natural, big texture sometimes I’m saying: “I’m black and my hair is not like yours, and its beautiful in its own natural way.” Or “I don’t care if you don’t think my hair isn’t beautiful or if you think my hair is ‘wild,’ this is how it grows and its great the way it is.” Or even, “I don’t participate in ravaging the environment with harmful chemicals in an effort to ‘tame’ my hair because there is absolutely no reason to.” I embrace it all because I truly believe black people are born with crowns on their head. You see these beautiful, healthy natural men and women and they effortlessly look so royal with their big, beautiful, natural hair.
How important is a woman’s hair to you?
Very important.
Does a weave, relaxed hair or a natural head bother you or do you have a preference for either of these styles?
I used to not really be bothered either way by textures, but that was before I found out how black people have been systematically set up to hate themselves and their hair. Whenever I see permed hair, or a weave, or a wig contraption installed on some persons head I picture it as a yoke passed down to us that needs to be thrown away. When you follow the money behind the chemical movement and it’s not black people researching about and caring for their own hair, its other races profiting off of the pointless insecurity we have about it. Every time I see a little black girl with fried and gelled hair follicles or a little boy with hair so dry its literally ashy, a part of me reacts.
Our readers asked me to include this specific question so here I go: Is the texture of a woman’s hair important to you? And length?
Texture, yes, very important. Again, I see a permed head or a wig/weave contraption and I just think “What are you hiding behind?” Or even if you don’t necessarily think you’re hiding behind your straight hair, why do you think you NEED to straighten it? There’s always an answer that puts straight hair above curly hair. Beyond that, *it never looks right.* Your natural hair matches your skin, your face and the hair on the rest of your body in a way that your ‘straight’ hair never will because its yours. No matter how expensive, well done or fresh it is, it never looks right.
Length is not important to me.
Do you think black hair is an issue? Why or why not?
Yes I think it’s an issue! There are far too many black people in the *world* who don’t have a clue that the nice smelling Garnier Fructis shampoo from CVS is not what their hair needs to be strong and healthy (not to mention its bad for the environment). And it’s not just western black people who are disconnected, its also our Carribean and African brothers and sisters ‘creaming’ and weaving and buzzing and gelling their way to alopecia. Now that’s not a good look. When Gabrielle Douglas won two gold gold medals for individual and team gymnastics (the first woman of color to do so), she had to endure the harshest crticism from her black peers; not about her stance or her score or her amazing performance, but about her fly-aways. I really couldn’t believe it and still can’t.
Last word?
Love yourself, love your hair.
Moses is a Sales Specialist. You can see more of him at www.MosesDaniel.com.
