Is Natural Hair Professional in the Workplace?

Happy Tuesday! Veronique George of Naturally You-The Hair Journey will be a guest blogger today on the diaries. She has written a post today regarding natural hair in the workplace. When I first decided to go natural, I struggled with my decision in regards to how it would be received when I worked in corporate America and had some of the concerns mentioned in this post. So, enjoy the post, feel free to comment and share your experiences (good and bad), and definitely check out Veronique’s blog!

Watching me, watching me

Watching me, watching me

Watching me, watching me

Watching me

AH
And you keep sayin’ that I’m free

And you keep sayin’ that I’m free

And you keep sayin’ that I’m free…

Many times African-American and other multicultural women who wear their hair natural are not considered professional or conservative in the work place. Instead of embracing natural hair, businesses sometimes shun, or even discourage, it. After working in some of Corporate America’s top companies, I believe that natural hair is not accepted in the workplace because employers and their employees do not know what to make of it. They look at natural hair and think, “Why is it so curly? Why does it look like that? Why can’t they comb their hair?” Most companies have an idea of what professionalism is, and most times it does not include tightly or loosely coiled curls, braids, two-strand twists, and the like. It does not look like a large afro or even an afro puff tilted to the side. Rather, professionalism is limited to the constraints of long, straight hair and even pulled back in a pony tail depending on how conservative the company may be.

Long, straight hair may be a preference even if you are natural. That is fine if women choose to do so because they want to. However, a work environment that only accepts or encourages that particular hairstyle may not be a healthy situation for natural hair wearers or the company. I have heard a lot of women say to me that they have considered going natural for a long time, but they have to wait or they just cannot do it right now for whatever the reason may be. It is very disheartening to know that women want to wear their natural hair, but are afraid because they may lose their jobs or even credibility from their counterparts. Natural hair is not a rebellious act of free speech or entitlement; it is your hair, my hair, our hair. It is an extension of the divine will of the Most High and there is nothing unprofessional about that. Our hair is an extension of who we are, our adornment. Our intricate styles dates back to Zulu women of the Congo region and beyond and celebrate our rich history.

Rather than shying away from women with natural hair, businesses have to learn to embrace them. In doing so, they embrace themselves, by embracing their consumers and the world as we know it. Diversity of thought, culture, and even hair should be supported and celebrated. Work place environments should reflect the colorful DNA of the world and reflect the neighborhoods, grocery stores, beauty parlors, and shopping centers where companies conduct business.

Natural hair is here to stay. It is beautiful, it is professional, it can and cannot be “conservative.” It must become standard that when businesses hire minorities, including African-American women, they hire their hair as well. Now this does not mean women can nor should come to work without putting their best foot forward and properly caring for and maintaining their hair. But a job offer should not be contingent on the conditional statement: we will hire you if and only if you do something with your hair. Professionalism relates to the expertise and know-how you bring to the table, how you conduct yourself in business settings, and a well-kept appearance. Women with natural hair should not be watched, scoped, demoted, or considered not to be a “good-fit” in the workplace. Instead, they should be able to freely and unapologetically wear their natural hair tresses.

Veronique George, is a marketing and advertising consultant. She is also a natural hair consultant. Her blog, “Naturally You: The Hair Journey,” can be found at: www.hairspiration.webs.com

The Current State of My Hair

Hello, all! I know it's been awhile since I've posted here. I must admit I have been cheating on you with my other blog, Evolving Elle-Southern Girl in the City. And I was wearing some extensions during this summer. But I am back to being my natural, beautiful self!

As I stated in previous posts, my hair was damaged from straightening it so much, and I decided to give it a break. Well, the break is over! I've been wearing my hair for about 3 weeks now. My 10 year high school reunion is this weekend, and I decided to wear my natural 'do! It's shorter than I would like, but I'm learning to embrace the length and try styles that are suitable, doable, and low maintenance. I love wearing braid-outs, but sadly my hair isn't long enough for me to braid it, so I've been twisting it. I know some of you are thinking, "What's the difference?" Trust me, there's a big one!! I feel like with braid outs, my hair is wavier and fuller. Twist outs make my hair appear shorter and somewhat curly. So you get an idea of what my hair has looked like this summer, I'll post some pics, and I'll post a pic of my hair from last week.

If you have any suggestions on how I should wear my hair, please let me know! Oh, I can say that I try the Kinky Curly Curling Gel...yeah, I didn't like it. Based on my hair type, which I believe is a 4B, it didn't have the effect I wanted. I may experiment on Friday with some rods to get it ready for my official reunion dinner on Friday. I'll be sure to post some pics from this weekend and my experimentation. Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful!


DC Tech Opening Party May 2010


Jordan's 8 for a friend's birthday party July 2010


Anthony David performance at Live August 2010


Roland Martin and I at Howard University September 2010

Happy Nappy Day

I know, I know...it's been a while since I have posted. I hope you have missed me as much as I have missed you. I have been working on some other endeavors, but I will always have a love for my natural hair and you all! I know you're wondering what my hair looks like!! Well, I have finally gotten my summer 'do-- Two-strand twists, which a nice gentleman told me were beautiful yesterday when I was at Subway! (Pics are coming soon!) I thought what better way to come back to you all than to share an event that I'm looking forward to-Happy Nappy Day!!!

Happy Nappy Day will be held on July 11 in Baltimore at Gwynn Oak Park. This event is free to the public, and I am actually a little excited as I have never been to a natural hair event before. Poets will be there to perform, and organizers are looking for vendors. (Check out the site for more information.) I will be sure to share my experiences with you guys (and some tips I learn)! I hope to see you all there, even if you're not natural. Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful!

Happy Black Girl Day

Happy Black Girl Day!!! For those of you that don't know what HBGD is, it was started by The Beautiful Struggler as a way for us to celebrate the Black woman as opposed to degrading, diminishing, and belitting. To do my part, I will be highligting various Black women in all walks of life to highlight us as beautiful, happy, successful people. Today's post will highlight my favorite Natural Sistas!


- Jill Scott- This woman's style is AMAZING! I love her hair, her clothes, her aura-she just seems like a very natural, earthy, happy woman. (And it doesn't hurt that I get a lot of "You look like Jill Scott"s!! :) In all seriousness, she's great, and I look to her for inspiration.


- Chrisette Michelle- I love her new haircut, and for awhile was tempted to get my hair that short (I have re-considered that decision). She's another black woman who exudes confidence, charisma, and a fierce style.


- Corinne Bailey Rae- I love her ringlets. (And have attempted to create my own on more than one occasion!) She always looks so fresh and youthful. It's hard not to love her hair.


- Lauryn Hill- No matter how she rocks it, she looks great!


- Erykah Badu- Regardless of what you think of some of her actions, Ms. Badu's style has always been in a class of its own, including her tresses!

I love how we, as Black women, come in all hues, shapes, sizes, personalities, and so does our hair! If our hair isn't together, we don't feel together. So, who's your natural girl inspiration? Feel free to share and name people that I completely forgot about!! Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful

Isn't She Lovely: Part I

Well, it's finally here-the beginning of the "Isn't She Lovely" series. As mentioned in an earlier post, I am beginning to highlight some ladies whom I think have a great natural hair story and have some tips that we can learn from. First up, is Miss Tamieka.

How long have you been natural/when was the last time you received a relaxer/texturizer? My last perm was June of 2007 (I think)
Why did you decide to go natural? My hair has never done well with a perm., and after coming to DC and seeing so many women embracing their natural texture, not perming anymore was just a natural step. After a few months after my last perm, I realized it had been a long time since I had a perm and I didn’t see any point in getting one.
How did you transition to natural hair? I gradually cut my perm out while transitioning with braids.
What is your favorite way to style your hair? Braidouts. My hair shrinks up a lot so if I want my hair to look like it has any length at all I have to either to twist outs or braidout. I find that braidouts give me more definition.
What is your favorite product to use on your hair? I love Butter-N-Bars.com’s Conditioning Hair Masque. It loosens the curl patter a little, long enough to comb through it easily and do great braidouts. Plus it leaves my hair super soft. In my opinion no type 4 should be without it.
What is your worst natural hair memory/worst hair disaster? Too many list. But the most recent was when I went to a beauty school for a roller set. It was the worse thing ever. I should have gotten up from the chair as soon as she tried to put a comb through my dry hair. Yikes!
Do you think you’ll be natural the rest of your life? Yes. I cannot imagine ever going back to the creamy crack. However if I ever left DC, depending on the location, I recognize there might be a chance I’d have to wear my hair straight. (I know I never have to , but you get what I’m saying).
Have you read any books or blogs that have aided you in your natural hair journey? Again, too many to list. I love curlynikki.com, textureplayground.com, newlynatural.com, motowngirl.com, and Nappturality.com
Has being natural done anything for your self-esteem? It has reminded me like India says, “I am not my hair”.I don’t have to hide behind hair, I have learned to love my face whether my hair is braided, twisted or in a TWA. I feel most true to myself when my hair is in its natural state.
What are some comments you have received from family/friends/strangers regarding your natural hair, positive or negative? Well almost all of my friends are natural (all but maybe 2 or 3) or transitioning, so I get lot of positive feedback from them. My mom was nervous at first but she loves it. My dad, surprisingly enough loved it from the start. (he’s old school so I was expecting him to object). The only person who is not ok with my decision to wear my hair natural is my boyfriend’s mother, though I’m not sure why she cares *shrugs*

Thanks to Tamieka for agreeing to be featured on The Natural Girl Diaries. I really appreciate it! If you have any questions, comments, or want to share based on Tameika's comments, feel free! Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful!

Summer Care for your Hair

As we are officially 19 days from the first day of summer, I feel it is my duty to share with you ladies (and gentlemen) some tips to keep your locs in tip-top shape for the summer to make sure your hair is not dull and damaged by the time Fall rolls around. (And for those of you still a part of the dark side (relaxers) I'm sure these will help you, too!

1. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize: It's important to keep hair moisturized 24/7/365, so summertime is even more important. With sun exposure being inevitable, it's super important to ensure that our hair maintains its moisture. Sun can dry out hair (and skin), so it's so very important to find a daily moisturizer to keep our hair soft and shiny without being greasy. Some items to try are Carol's Daughter Hair Milk, Frederick Benjamin Daily Hydrator, or any natural product with jojoba, avocado, or olive oil.

2. Wear or use a satin hair cap/pillowcase: Cotton pillowcases have a tendency to break hair and cause split ends, so to protect your tresses sleep wearing a satin scarf (we should all be used to it as our mothers wrapped our hair as little girls) or sleep with a satin pillowcase. Satin is a soft fabric that protects hair from breakage.

3. Use an umbrella when going out: Yes, it may sound crazy if it's not raining, but using an umbrella at an outdoor festival, the beach, or bbq will protect your tresses from sun damage. Yes, we all love being outside on a gorgeous, but you don't want to sacrifice your beautiful tresses, do you?!?!

4. For my swimmers, condition your hair pre-pool and wear a swim cap: Another not so cute girl move, but wearing a swim cap will protect hair from chlorine damage...and any other unnatural thing that may be in pool water! Also, pre-conditioning your hair will protect the hair shaft from chlorine damage.

5. Get some fake hair: Yes, I said it, and I'll say it again...GET SOME FAKE HAIR! Yes, I'm a proponent of some weave (as we all know from a previous post), and there is nothing wrong with that. I believe in protecting my hair by any means necessary. So if I have to add somebody else's hair to my hair, I'm willing to make that sacrifice! As long as my hair is braided and the weave is done right, I shouldn't have any problems with keeping my tresses healthy and bringing letting them breathe in the fall.

I hope these tips help. I'm sure there are plenty more, so if I've missed a few, feel free to add some. Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful.

"Isn't She Lovely?": The Series

I have a number of friends who are natural and wear their hair in various styles. I love the diversity that we women have in the way we style our hair, so much so that I was inspired to ask a few of them to share their natural hair stories. Now, each woman has a different texture and does various things with her hair. You may see someone who has a similar hair texture as you so please feel free to borrow some of the tips you see. (I know I will!) I've received a number of responses back, and I'm getting excited from just reading what these ladies shared. Some of these women I've been friends with for years, and we've never discussed why we went natural. And to make things fair, I will answer the same questions I requested of these ladies. So, once a week, we will feature a new "napptural" girl, pictures and all, so you can see the versality and diversity of our natural hair. Don't worry, you'll get my regular blog updates along with the "Isn't She Lovely?" series. So until next time, stay nappturally beautiful...