So... just came back from the salon to pick up my sister. The place is owned by a nice woman who used to do my hair until I went natural. I know she's well meaning, but every time she sees my hair, like many other people I encounter, she can't understand why I'm just letting it be. She sees loops and bumps and wonders why would I let my nice hair just go like that?Well, here's why. What I've realized over the years going from relaxer to natural to freeforming is that my hair doesn't like to be messed with. When I tried to get my hair interlocked, sure it was more orderly and "neater", but did it fit me as a person? No. A lot of people I meet seem to feel that locs are either a) dangerous b) deviant or c) disgusting, especially if you are not getting them regularly retwisted and maintained. I wish I could have told her the dangers of retwisting and interlocking (I was lucky to not get my hair or scalp damaged because I took them out).Dreadlocks are seen as something that needs to be tamed, controlled, and 'kept in there place'. Why? I like letting my locs grow and shrink, bump and grind, and find their own way. Does it take longer? No doubt. But it has given me a feeling of self-confidence that I have not felt in years. Ideally, I wouldn't trade that of anything.

So I was checking my e-mail and I came upon this petition:

Hampton University's Business School: Stop Hampton University Business School's Ban on Locks, & Cornrows

This is a HBCU. A place where you would think there would be more support for Black students and yet look at how they dump on locks and cornrows. It is disgusting how these schools (in general, not just HBCU) exist not to help people understand the world and make a positive contribution to it but rather to create more mangers and politicians. Apparently Corporate American can't tolerate any deviation from the Eurocentric "norm".

When I'm chill, I do many things. One of them is listening to random songs that I like. Such as this one:

The main reason I decided to go the natural route (w/ occasional seperation) for my locs is because for years I've worried about how other people will see me. I'm sick and tired of feeling nervous and anxious around strangers, friends, or even my family. Yeah, my mom complains about my hair, but you know what? Fuck it. I looked in the mirror today and saw my dreads finally looking like locs and I felt good. Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have done some twists in the middle, but I know everything will work out in the end. So I'm feeling good all around. :D