My Natural Hair Journey....!

Top Pic: Twist Out October 2009

Second Pic: I decided to go natural! July 2008 (Relaxer)
Third Pic: After a lot of mini disasters, this is the day I decided (ahem, my stylist did convince me to go ahead and do it ;) to cut out the relaxed ends of my hair July 2009 (Transitioning)
Fourth Pic: The BIG CHOP!! July 2009
Fifth Pic: September 2009 (Wash and Go)

*I know there is like a year gap in my photos! lol But basically this is because after a bad sew in I was left with REALLY short relaxed hair. I was so uncomfortable and insecure with it I wore hats and avoided cameras at all cost. I transitioned by flat ironing (if I could do it all over again def wouldn't choose to transition that way, because I lost a lot of hair!). Anyways, this is it :)

Whats your [Mane] Attraction??

Hello my name is Kenah and I am a recovering creamy-crack-aholic.

I enjoy listening to Jill Scott, taking long walks on the beach, soul food, and of course staying away from black hair salons on Saturday mornings. It has officially been 14 months, thirteen days, and 33 minutes (give or take a minute), since I last applied the "creamy crack" to my precious scalp. Ok. So I made up the 13 days and 33 min part up, but sometimes I truly do feel as if I'm a recovering addict! (I can't be the only one...) Relaxing my hair as a black woman was addictive to me. I became so used to it , so accustomed to the convience and the acceptance of chemically processed hair in the country we live in, that I would literally freak out everytime I did not have the time, money, or patience to relax my hair every 6 weeks. I not only thought I was less attractive everytime it was time for my "touch up," but also frustrated that my hair seemed to be dictating my life. If my hair is bone straight and I can do the "white girl swing" (don't act like ya'll dont know what that is! I have since deleted such vocabulary from my brain but had to say it here for the full effect of my old mentality....) then I'm happy. If its nappy, then..... you probably get the idea. After about 5 years of relaxing my hair I finally decided enough is well.... enough!

As India Arie says.... "I am not my hair." Well by that same token, no matter how hard we try to change our [mane] into something that we can be happy with, I do truly believe my hair is a part of me.

I do not look down or judge anyone who chooses to use chemicals, extentions, weaves, or ect. on one's own hair. We are all born with free will. And about a year ago I came to the realization that my very own "free will" wasn't very free at all. It was dictated, micromanaged, and driven damn near crazy by society's standards for me!

This blog is merely a place for me to express why I truly love my [mane] for the first time in a very long time!! I believe that hair is a [main] extention of ourselves, and an expression of who I am and who I want to be. It is the first thing that many people notice about you! In that case it means that my [mane] is crazy, kinky, curly, lovely, healthy, and happy! Its not afraid to be different. And neither am I. So whats your [MANE] attraction saying about you??