Interview with Sashae!

How did your Natural Hair Journey Start?

I’ve decided to transition because I want to liberate mynatural beauty. I came to the point where I want to show myself and others thatto embrace yourself naturally is a blessing from the Creator and noone should ever be afraid to be themselves. Also I was tired of theperception that “relaxed hair” is the way to go. I want to be unique, andversatile in the way God intended.  

What inspired you to wear your hair naturally?

I’ve decided to transition to my hair natural because; I nolonger wanted to feel bounded my relaxers… Also I’ve came across many ignorantpeople; and I want to inspired others/myself by showing that natural hair isphenomenal. in addition I absolutely decided no turning back when I found yourblog/website honestly that is truly what has kept me going on my journey. Ms.Karen you are my inspiration; your work is greatly appreciated. 

Any fears you may have, had or have overcome?

During this transition stage I’ve been wearing extensions(to grow out my hair) I still need to gain complete confidence for when I’m100% natural to be able to wear it & not be afraid.  I have overcomethe myth that you can’t do much styling when your hair is natural; because“natural hair” is the most versatile. 

What your natural hair goals are for the future?

To have long and healthy natural hair. Also to wear avariety of styles i.e. Bantu knots, twist outs…

What are you favorite products?

Mane’n Tail Original Conditioner, Grapeseed & JamaicanBlack Castor oil, Elasta QP  leave-in H2.

What advice do you have for those who are afraid totransition to natural hair?

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you will not see theshadows." Making the decision to transition to natural may not be easy.However you need to overlook the negative things you’ll here from others, andbe optimistic about what you want. You should have Will-power, Patience, Commitment& Dedication.

Interview with Classcie!

Name: Classcie

 

Q:What is your hair story?  What kind ofhair styles have you rocked, before embracing your natural hair?

A:August of 2010 was the last time I relaxed my hair before I decided to gonatural. My best friend was natural and she always told me I didn't need arelaxed but it took awhile for me to actually research the idea. After seeingmany videos and success stories about natural hair, I decided to try it out. Ibegan my transition by straightening my hair regularly. This continued forabout 5-6 months until I introduced myself to the natural hair community on YouTube. I immediately became infatuated with the idea of having long,gorgeous, textured hair and began to seek information on how to grow my hair outhealthy. I realized that I was not taking the protective route, I should haveand I immediately decided to put down the flat iron and do my first braidout.After that, I did braid-outs regularly and occasionally tried new styles likeflexirod sets and protective styles that allowed for all of my ends to betucked. After realizing I was having a lot of breakage, I decided to big chopon July 20, 2011 even though I planned on transitioning for 2 years.

Q:When and why did you decide to start wearing your hair naturally?

A:Most of my life, I have been relaxed. As soon as I was old enough for my hairto stand up against the harsh chemicals of a relaxer, my hair was relaxed. Inthe time that my hair was relaxed from age 10 to age 23, my hair fluctuated inlength. I couldn't really put my finger on why I couldn't get my hair to keepgrowing. My best friend told me I should go natural because I didn't need arelaxer and at the time, I really felt that I couldn't pull it off. Aftercareful consideration, I decided to go natural after realizing my hair wasn't ashealthy as I'd like.

Q:Did you have any big fears about going back to your natural texture?

A: Yes,I definitely had fears going into the process. When I first proposed the ideato my mother, she was not for it at ALL. My friends, however, supported me eventhough they thought I was nuts. My biggest fear was no one liking the look on me.Before I went natural, I had always worn my hair straight down. I never evenwore ponytails. So to go from long, straight hair to tightly curled hair was avery drastic change for me. Fortunately, almost everyone I informed of myjourney supported me and understood why I made the decision. Some of my friendseven want to try it out themselves and there's no better feeling than inspiringanother person. 

  

Q:What are three products you can't live without for nurturing/styling your hair?

A:My favorite product would have to be my Giovanni Direct Leave-In conditioner. ILOVE that product! It makes my hair so moisturized to the touch and I love the consistency of the product. Another product that I can't live without is myEcoStyler gel. Whenever I need to tame my hair to do something, whether it beto slick down my edges or eliminate frizz, I use EcoStyler gel in moderation.Shea butter has also worked wonders during my natural hair journey. I use itprimarily for my braid outs and twist outs and I love how it is light on myhair and doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy.

Q:What would you say to someone who's thinking about embracing their naturalhair, but scared about being rejected in various parts of their lives?

A:At the end of the day, what you do with your hair only affects you, it doesn'taffect anyone else directly. For those out there that don't want to embraceyour change and support your decision to go natural, if they are dear to you,educate them and explain to them why you are going on your journey.

Q:How can we keep up with you and your journey i.e. blog, twitter, facebook,fotki, tumblr, personal or professional website? (Optional)

A:Twitter = @classCie

Blog- www.classcie.com

YouTube- www.youtube.com/classcie

Here is video footage of my big chop - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuFvYnFE6cI

Diedre's Hair Story

Fellow blogger Diedre Callam talks about her Natural Hair Story -

"I created my blog,  keepitkinky.blogspot.com, for those who want options for managing their natural hair in any way that they desire.

I'm quietly emotional and extremely expressive. My often hidden explorative personality constantly oozes out of my scalp, nurturing the myriad of hairstyles I have done in the past five years. I've been locked-natural thrice, loose-natural about 4 times and relaxed about 2. Oh yeah, and I don't play with ideas of cutting my hair off. I just do it. I'll say what need not be said though, natural hair generally wins for me and is my preference. Right now I am newly braid-locked and loving it. If I could give a newly natural one piece of advice, it would be to love yourself. I don't mean the you that people see, I mean the you that is stripped down and clean every morning after a shower. Love that you and embrace your assets and your flaws. Self acceptance is the key to accepting more than just your natural hair but the natural you."  To learn  more about Diedre, check out her blog Keep It Kinky. 

Interview - Erika from Empty Locket

Introducing Erika. Fresh faced natural beauty! 

Q: What is your hair story?  What kind of hair styles have you rocked, before embracing your natural hair?
A:  My mother permed my hair at the tender age of 5. I started out with two long, kinky, beautiful braids and ended up with brittle, bone straight hair up to my ears by the time I was sixteen. I was in high school when I began experimenting with various products and black rinses. One day I showed up at my childhood dominican hair salon and the stylist who gave me my first perm looked at me with a sad face and she goes "Ay mami why you hair look so bad?" 

I was ashamed of my hair ever since. I struggled with my hair all throughout my teenage years and it was shedding more by the day. I began to get braids which I hated. They'd pull and tug at my scalp. I hated the smell of the green gel they used, the smell of weave and burned hair and grease and throbbing headaches after I was done. A few years later, I cut my hair off just out of the blue one day.  I grew out an afro that was big enough to wear in a small puff, but it was still shedding. I was using vegetable glycerin and I had no idea what I was doing with my newly natural hair, I didn't know how to care for it at all. One day, my coworker and I were having a conversation about hair and she simply asks "why don't you get dreadlocks?" I thought about it all day and that night. I decided to do my research on locs and how to care for them. I wanted to go to a reputable salon to get them and I decided on Deeply Rooted in Atlanta, GA. I printed out two photos to show the stylist exactly how I wanted my locs to look :-P.  I drove 4 hours to Atlanta and my locs were born.

Q: Did you have any big fears about going back to your natural texture?
A: I have always been comfortable with natural hair but since it was so short, I didn't feel like it fit me or my personality. Some women look beautiful rocking a fro, but I did not and I knew that. I was especially afraid of how others would view me, but I quickly got over that and began to make the best of my hair as it was :).

Q: What are three products you can't live without for nurturing/styling your hair?

A:  I don't use many products on my hair anymore at all. For me, the health of my hair is mostly internal. So I'd have to say water, a good diet and my aloe vera gel.

Q:  You have a great  natural hair blog. What was your inspiration for starting the blog? And what has been the most rewarding part of your blogging experience?
A:  EmptyLocket initially started out as a personal blog where I had planned to talk about my love life (or lack thereof :)). But I  quickly realized that I was a lot more comfortable and interested in talking about my hair. A lot of my friends at college were interested in going natural and would always come to me for advice. I enjoyed educating them and seeing their faces light up when I'd give them transitioning tips, etc. It came as second nature to me and I decided to turn my blog, into a hair blog.

Q: How can we keep up with you and your journey i.e. blog, twitter, facebook, fotki, tumblr, personal or professional website? (Optional)

A:  http://emptylocket03.blogspot.com!

Interview with Natural Beauty - Isimot

 

   

Name: Isimot

Q:  How long have you been natural?
A: I have been natural all my life and when I was 5 years old I asked my mom to give me locs. It was pretty weird to hear a 5 year old asking for locs but it was something I really wanted and I have had them ever since, i am now 22 years old.

Q: Why has it been important for you to follow your heart, and not give into the pressure to have permed straight hair?
A: It was always important for me to follow my heart and not give into the pressure to cut my locs, and perm my hair or straighten it because I always knew I had a passion from a young age for my locs and I felt completely comfortable being different in my skin and with my hair naturally. In 1994-95 (when i was 5) you did not see many little girls with locs so having locs then always allowed me to stick out like a sore thumb but I loved it. I was always one to be against the grain and that is what has kept me from even having the smallest desire to cut my locs, get a perm or wear bone straight hair.


Q:  What would you say to someone that doesn't feel like they are beautiful with their own natural texture?
A: I would say that it takes time, it takes patience that one must have with themself. When that time finally comes when you accept yourself and your natural hair texture that is when you will feel you are beautiful. The most amazing part about finally reaching that point is the sense of liberation that comes with it. But time is of the essence in order to reach the point where you feel beautiful and liberated with your natural hair texture and yourself overall.

Quote: "Living is pretty, and being free while living is beautiful."  ~ Isimot

*To learn more about Isimot, see her on Twitter or on Youtube.

  

Interview - Artist Walter Hamilton

Q:  I love your art work. Where do you get your inspiration from?

A:  Inspiration came from a leg injury.  This made it impossible for me to stand and dj. A lot of my investment was wasted and all the time and energy put into learning my craft at that moment was lost.  I became upset and began to break up records.  Came back down to the basement some time later and had the idea to start doing the art you now see.

Q:  Did you go to school to study art? Or are you a self taught artist?
A:  Other than the art classes that everyone takes in elementary, middle, and high school, no.  I did take a beginning painting class and beginning drawing class once at Herron Art School, but those courses were quite basic.  I have always been great at pencil and portraits; however the rate in which I finish a piece is quite slow and so I don't draw very often.

Q: How long have you been a creative person? At what point in your life did you consider yourself to be an artist?

A:  I’ve always been an artist.  From drawing afro black guys with shades to shoes onto cartoons and portraits.  Even style wise and other aspects of life and seeing things, to my cooking and food prep, to costume making, and on and on...  I have the "eye of the art".  

Q:  What part of your art career has been your proudest moment?

A:  When I sold a piece for my brother.  It was First Friday at 45 Degrees on Mass Ave, Indianapolis, last April.  I told my younger brother Gabriel, who is a great artist himself, to do a vinyl record piece of Bob Marley.  It sold that night and the feeling that I had I have never had before and haven't had since.  It was such a good feeling.

Q: What types of mediums and materials do you like to work with? Do you have goals of learning how to incorporate new material that you have not used before into your creative work?

A:  Vinyl Records is the medium of choice at the moment.  Vinyl seems to be the oldest musical listening medium that has stood the test of time.  Vinyl owners have this bond with vinyl, people will keep vinyl for years never play them, yet never throw them away.  From cleaning the vinyl to setting the needle properly in the groove, playing vinyl is a ritualistic act.  I am not quite certain what medium I will explore next, since I feel I have not fully exhausted this medium yet.  With that said I would like to explore stained glass and stand alone sculptures.  I would like something that will stay around and be a functional or at least stationary either indoors or out in the elements.  Art is problem solving and getting to how I will make it happen, I have not solved yet.

Q:  What advice would you give someone that wants to get into art? Or someone like me that loves to create art, but is feeling like they are is not progressing?

A:  Hard question...  Well I would say #1 everyone can do art.  It is important very early to understand your style and even more important not to compare what you do to others.  If you are not always looking for acceptance in your work and in this crazed journey to become better, you will enjoy all that you do.  Do whatever comes natural, and then try to build on it.  Learn from others, copy, reproduce, and don’t get too hung up on being revolutionary or original.  All these may come to you but with time, practice, with knowledge of self and style.  You can’t always draw and create the way you want to- that’s because your desire, dreams, and goals always surpass what you can actually produce.

Q: What are you futures goals as an artist?

A:  Be in the Smithsonian or another collection that will ensure that others see my work for generations.  Above all, reach as many eyes as possible!

Q:  How can people find you?

A:  Facebook: Walter Lobyn Hamilton 

www.vinylrecordartist.com

Follow on twitter @Vinyartist

email me: Lobynh@gmail.com