Greetings,

Length doesn't matter!

Just posting this news for posterity.

THE LONGEST SINGLE DREADLOCK - GUINNESS WORLD RECORD DAY
<http://www.strimoo.com/video/17399523/The-longest-single-dreadlock-Guinness-Wor\
ld-Record-Day-Dailymotion.html>


forward!
devotion, prema

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Do not "worship" or "glorify" hair.

Don't spend great time and/or effort
combing it,
twisting it,
patting it,
brushing it,
pulling it,
greasing it,
oiling it,
shaping it,
straightening it,
processing it,
or looking at it.

Don't spend so much time/effort
wondering about whether your hair
is "right"
or "wrong"
or "good"
or "bad".

Don't worry about the hair on your head,
on your chin, on your face, over your eyelids, etc.

Show more concern about the lack of constructive knowledge inside your head.

Reason/Explanation:

"Manhood", "womanhood", the elimination of Racism, nor the
establishment of justice, is not a matter of giving great time and
attention to hair.

-- Neely Fuller, Jr. [1971]


[Pages 164, "The United Independent Compensatory Code/System/Concept:
A Textbook/Workbook for Thought, Speech, and/or Action for Victims of
Racism (White Supremacy)", aka The CODE]


..

>At 10:29 PM 10/7/2009, TA Stinson wrote:
>
>This made me scream today. Whoopi is NOT being honest!
>
>WHOOPI GOLDBERG: "THE REASON BLACK WOMEN WANT STRAIGHT HAIR IS
>BECAUSE IT'S MANAGEABLE"
>http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-whoopi-goldberg-the-reason-black-women-want-s\
traight-hair/



TA,

Whoopi and the Black female who wears the wig on The View don't want
to admit the truth.  It's called Denial.

I think Barbara Walters got it right just like that white woman on
Oprah got it right:

WHAT YOU DIDN'T SEE AFTER THE SHOW WITH CHRIS ROCK AND SOLANGE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZMlGxUV-vo


When a white woman can see through our denial and even articulate it
to us and we are still unable to see it and/or admit it ourselves,
then we are sunk.

The reason white people can see through our denial is because their
people were the ones who taught us to hate our nappy, kinky, coily
HAIR!!!! and they have nothing to lose in seeing/telling the
truth.  We, on the other hand, have something to lose.


forward!
devotion, prema

Hi. 

I had terrible acne as a youth and did bleach for a while to rid my complexion
of the spots from acne scars.  I'm an old guy now, still have acne but have
learned my lesson about skin bleaching.

Ray Branch


________________________________
From: Prema <prema@...>
To: NATURALGROOMING@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, October 4, 2009 12:06:17 PM
Subject: [NATURALGROOMING] Black Women & Their Children Bleaching Their Skin

 
Greetings,

Xessel is the local name for "skin bleaching" in Dakar, Senegal - West Africa.

On one of my visits to Dakar, I met a young Black Senegalese female
who xessels. We were playing a game of Uno, when I noticed that her
knuckles were much darker than her fingers. Later, I asked her why
her hands were unevenly colored. I was shocked to find out that she xesseled.

When I asked why, she told me that she wore a wig and bleached her
skin in order to make herself more attractive to Senegalese Black males.

A couple of days later, I met her "boyfriend," a short
piggish-looking man from France. He obviously loved her dark skin,
but then that is a different story.

Recently, I watched this video:

Video: MOST CONTROVERSIAL SHOW: TYRA BANKS SHOW - BLACK WOMEN & THEIR
CHILDREN BLEACHING THEIR SKIN [Full Episode]
<http://vodpod. com/watch/ 1022636-video- most-controversi al-show-tyra-
banks-show- black-women- their-children- bleaching- their-skin- full-episode>

Have you ever considered bleaching your skin?

forward!
devotion, prema

Greetings,

Xessel is the local name for "skin bleaching" in Dakar, Senegal - West Africa.

On one of my visits to Dakar, I met a young Black Senegalese female
who xessels.  We were playing a game of Uno, when I noticed that her
knuckles were much darker than her fingers.  Later, I asked her why
her hands were unevenly colored.  I was shocked to find out that she xesseled.

When I asked why, she told me that she wore a wig and bleached her
skin in order to make herself more attractive to Senegalese Black males.

A couple of days later, I met her "boyfriend," a short
piggish-looking man from France.  He obviously loved her dark skin,
but then that is a different story.

Recently, I watched this video:

Video: MOST CONTROVERSIAL SHOW: TYRA BANKS SHOW - BLACK WOMEN & THEIR
CHILDREN BLEACHING THEIR SKIN [Full Episode]
<http://vodpod.com/watch/1022636-video-most-controversial-show-tyra-banks-show-b\
lack-women-their-children-bleaching-their-skin-full-episode>

Have you ever considered bleaching your skin?


forward!
devotion, prema

Greetings,

Check out:

BARBIE CELEBRATES ETHNIC MILESTONE
http://www.ny1.com/content/features/106775/barbie-celebrates-ethnic-milestone/De\
fault.aspx

My Comment:  Not even "one" Barbie doll with natural HAIR!!!!????

I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I am.

[shaking my head]



forward????
devotion, prema

Alaska Lover,

Pretty neat I think and just one color; thanks for the well-wishes!

Ray Branch


________________________________
From: Alaska Lover <alaskalover@...>
To: NATURALGROOMING@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2009 10:37:14 AM
Subject: [NATURALGROOMING] Re: Seeking employment with natural hair

 
ickez123,

People work with braids and without.

Is your hair neat? Is it 3 different colors?

Don't laugh...I've seen folks like that. Good luck on your job search.

Alaskalover

----- Original Message -----
From: "ickez123"
To: NATURALGROOMING@ yahoogroups. com
Subject: [NATURALGROOMING] Seeking employment with natural hair
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:01:05 -0000

You know,

I have worn braids now for about five years and I love it! I don't
have to worry about a curling iron or how my hair style turns out
after I comb it every day.

I have more time to think about daily life tasks and I am comfortable
with my braids. But I don't know is how the professional industry
perception of African American women natural hairstyle choices. I am
concerning employment coaching. Employment coaching should re-enforce
the focus of my professional abilities and have the interview
attention on I can be a team player within the organizational
culture. I mean I don't want the prospective employment interviewer
to focus first impression on culture and the interviewee is
Afro-centric?

How is corporate America handling African American women choice to
wear natural hair in the work place?

ickez123,

People work with braids and without.

Is your hair neat? Is it 3 different colors?

Don't laugh...I've seen folks like that. Good luck on your job search.

Alaskalover


   ----- Original Message -----
   From: "ickez123"
   To: NATURALGROOMING@yahoogroups.com
   Subject: [NATURALGROOMING] Seeking employment with natural hair
   Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:01:05 -0000

   You know,

   I have worn braids now for about five years and I love it! I don't
   have to worry about a curling iron or how my hair style turns out
   after I comb it every day.

   I have more time to think about daily life tasks and I am comfortable
   with my braids. But I don't know is how the professional industry
   perception of African American women natural hairstyle choices. I am
   concerning employment coaching. Employment coaching should re-enforce
   the focus of my professional abilities and have the interview
   attention on I can be a team player within the organizational
   culture. I mean I don't want the prospective employment interviewer
   to focus first impression on culture and the interviewee is
   Afro-centric?

   How is corporate America handling African American women choice to
   wear natural hair in the work place?

You know,

I have worn braids now for about five years and I love it! I don't have to worry
about a curling iron or how my hair style turns out after I comb it every day.

I have more time to think about daily life tasks and I am comfortable with my
braids. But I don't know is how the professional industry perception of African
American women natural hairstyle choices. I am concerning employment coaching.
Employment coaching should re-enforce the focus of my professional abilities and
have the interview attention on I can be a team player within the organizational
culture. I mean I don't want the prospective employment interviewer to focus
first impression on culture and the interviewee is Afro-centric?

How is corporate America handling African American women choice to wear natural
hair in the work place?


ickez123

nehehba & zzandras,

Thank you very much.

Ray Branch, aka scerbranch06



> nehehba wrote:
>
> scerbranch06,
>
> yes i try beeswax in my locs,i don't like it because when you laid down your
locs collect what ever you lay down on. i go to this website and buy the natural
Wosa's loc butter i always buy three or four here is the site
http://dnatural.webs.com they have great natural products
>
>
> zzandraswrote:
>
> My experience with beeswax has been terrible. To me it attracts lint,dust,etc.
It does hold the hair in place-I just did not care for the residue and
gunkiness-is this a word?-that it leaves behind.
>
> There are other things that can be used (gels specifically for locks,etc)I
hope this helps.Have a good day everyone

scerbranch06,

Good morning all.

My experience with beeswax has been terrible. To me it attracts lint,dust,etc.
It does hold the hair in place-I just did not care for the residue and
gunkiness-is this a word?-that it leaves behind.

There are other things that can be used (gels specifically for locks,etc)I hope
this helps.Have a good day everyone

zzandras

scerbranch06,

yes i try beeswax in my locs,i don't like it because when you laid down your
locs collect what ever you lay down on. i go to this website and buy the natural
Wosa's loc butter i always buy three or four here is the site
http://dnatural.webs.com they have great natural products

nehehba

Hi,

Has anyone tried beeswax for starting or maintaining locs?

scerbranch06

Hi,

i agree with the gentleman.  and mostly bcz of the recession. 

cali is usually pretty tolerant, but in these tough times, employers can be
choosy.  please believe it -- if the boss man has the choice of clean cut white
guy and 'rasta' black guy, clean cut gets it every time.  and thats the nice
version. 

the harsh version is where the boss man takes clean cut who is woefully
unqualifed over the qualified man with dreadlockss. 

i'm a woman, been there, done that whole thing so i braid my hair when i'm
looking.  my thing is, when questioning a situation you look at the obvious. 
before his performance etc. comes into play, his appearance will make impression
number one. 

i'd look for jobs in the nonprofit sector, or specifically ethnic companies. 

do the tie-down thing, all that hair and beautiful black maleness scares folks!

and i wish you good luck. it's all a journey.  this may force you into
entrepreneurship, where you dont have to worry about that!  <i wish>

Tish Jackson

Hi,

I'm certain the layoff was due to current economic conditions, but I can't
attribute the other interviews with the county to that situation.

The groups of us who were laid off were put on 're-hire lists' and are invited
to these interviews based on our qualifications.

And thanks for your well-wishes.

scerbranch06

Ray,

Before continuing reading my email...please don't take what i say
personally. I'm responding ONLY based on your words in your email (below)......

Why would you automatically just jump to that conclusion?

I'm 'ASSUMING'that you did... based on your email.

Could there have not been other 'issues' around? Job performance, cut
backs, the recession, etc etc?

Sometimes it really is something else.

I wish you all the best in your professional life!

Alaskalover


   ----- Original Message -----

   From: "Ray Branch"
   To: NATURALGROOMING@yahoogroups.com
   Subject: [NATURALGROOMING] I'm thinking this is because of my hair
   style . . .
   Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:24:42 -0700 (PDT) 

   I'm a 50 year old black man who started my dreads in January, just
   before I was laid off from employment with the Orange County Social
   Services Agency.  I have a bachelor's degree in business, and have
   had several interviews with other departments in the county and other
   companies, but with no luck so far. 

   I'm thinking this is because of my hair style, but I'm originally
   from Texas so I'm used to people with prejudiced views.

   Ray



--
An Excellent Credit Score is 750
See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!
at Freecreditreport.com



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hey guys,

I just saw my old post that put up back in Dec..

Well, I decided to keep following through with the natural process. Its been a
year now, and I am pretty much proud of my decision. Its a nice experience and I
am glad I followed through. I have been researching about our African hair and
found many ways to manage it.

Instead of using weird products from Sally's Beauty Supply to moisturize my hair
I use Raw Shea Butter and I have to say that its the best thing ever. So,
whoever hasn't tried it yet.. please do so.

I'd also like to say that I have not done the Big Chop, I am sticking to letting
the permed hair come out on its own and whenever I feel that its time to cut the
ends off I will.

Here are some tips that I'd like to share with you all, you may know some of
these or not:

       1.) depending on the length of your hair...braid it in at least 10 singles
after you have washed and moisturized your hair it looks it up and prevents
kinks when you are going through the natural process.

       2.) Always apply water to your hair before moisturizing it in the day...I
remember hearing many times that water for our hair was bad but honestly its
another good source of moisturizer.

       3.) You may have heard of...Bantu knots..if not look it up. Its a nice
hairstyle to do for African hair. I usually do these and then take them down to
get curls but I do it after I am done washing and moisturizing my hair. It takes
me about and hour n a half to two hours just to finish. Its easy, all you need
is patience. After the knots are dry the next day you can either keep them in or
take them out and keep separating the curls to create more.

I hope this was helpful :)

Jessica :}

Ray,

I do not know how it feels to not be hired to a job because of your hair, but I
think that a person should have the right to wear their hair in any way they
like as long as its tidy. I think a person who has a long straight weave is more
likely to get a job than someone who has dreads because dreads do not represent
a European look like the straight weave does.

This is America and when you are within an Eurocentric country there are
boundaries that will cause you to change your appearance sometimes.


Jessica :}

>At 02:24 PM 7/30/2009, Ray Branch wrote:
>
>I'm a 50 year old black man who started my dreads in January, just
>before I was laid off from employment with the Orange County Social
>Services Agency..  I have a bachelor's degree in business, and have
>had several interviews with other departments in the county and
>other companies, but with no luck so far.
>
>I'm thinking this is because of my hair style, but I'm originally
>from Texas so I'm used to people with prejudiced views.


Greetings Ray,

Did any potential employer ever tell you that your Dreadlocks were
unacceptable in the line of work that you pursued?

Are you considering cutting your Dreadlocks?


forward!
devotion, prema

Hi. 

I'm a 50 year old black man who started my dreads in January, just before I was
laid off from employment with the Orange County Social Services Agency.  I have
a bachelor's degree in business, and have had several interviews with other
departments in the county and other companies, but with no luck so far. 

I'm thinking this is because of my hair style, but I'm originally from Texas so
I'm used to people with prejudiced views.

Ray

> Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 9:42 AM peaceinourworld2 wrote:
>
> I would like to learn how to start and maintain dreadlocks. Does someone know
of anyone or classes that I could take to accomplish the locking technique.


Greetings

I am a lockitian in los angeles ca i give classes on natural hair. check out my
site www.nappidreadz2.com

Peace Malika Harris

--------------------------------
R U?

Over and over again i asked myself the same question
but still couldn't come up with the truth.

Was I ashamed of my nappy hair?

No not me, so I asked myself
why did I straighten my hair?

Do I just want to fit in?
Fit in where?  Fit in there?

So maybe I can win? Win! what?

I don't know, it really isn't clear
I am not understanding
So I asked myself again are you afraid?

WHAT!

Ashamed of my nappy hair?

I had to dig way deep within myself.

Finally spirit spoke and i was listening
the truth.
no more games, no more lying
no more excuses

YES! I am ok
I came clean

now R U?

http://www.nappidreadz2.com/pb/wp_7d8db720/wp_7d8db720.html

Greetings.

I received the enclosed message this morning.

The following e-mail address has been removed from the DREADLOCKS
Discussion Forum:

         bsideent@...

If anyone else has been spammed in a similar way, then please send me
a copy of the SPAM message.

Thank you for your cooperation!


forward!
devotion, prema



----------------------------------------------
To the Dreadlock Moderator.

Just to make sure that you are aware, that once again, folk are
taking advantage of this group and spamming them with these messages.

Peace and Blessing


----- Forwarded Message ----

From: Ingridb Bazin <bsideent@...>
To: taiwo119@...
Sent: Sunday, 24 May, 2009 5:05:40 PM
Subject: Ingridb wants to add you as a friend :)

We share the DREADLOCKS group. I want to add you as a friend in
Grouply so you can see my profile with my pictures, my groups, and my
favorite group messages.

Here is the link:
grouply.com/register?r=3118239&vt=75802356

Ingridb

====================
Block Grouply Invites | Mark as SPAM

To block all emails from Grouply, click here or send an email to
blocklist@... with subject
"unsubscribe-Lj0GMRRaqD8dLaiTXpooH5Eed02gDhr7i8LpOkcF2K793usB8K8DbLrUZw%3D%3D".

Grouply, 495 Seaport Court, Suite 103, Redwood City, CA  94063

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>At 10:58 AM 5/2/2009, Tracey A Stinson wrote:
>
>http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2009/02/03/michelle_hair/index.html
>
>this is a great article


Greetings Tracey,

Asante SANA for thinking of Us!

= 8< )

It's an EXCELLENT article.

I've been in Detroit since April 2008 and a LOT
of Black females, here, get their HAIR!!!!
"did."  Mostly, colorfully and BADLY "did."

I am shocked every time I see a female body pass
my peripheral vision and I assume she is a white
woman because of her HAIR!!!! only to find out
when I see her face that she is a Black female.

Makes me wanna holla . . .

Personally, I think Michelle Obama could pull off
a TWA in the White House, easily.  She would be
even more STUNNING.  Wish she would.

And I wish she would stop "fixin" Malia and
Sasha's HAIR!!!!   I thought they were so cute
with twists, braids, cornrows and puffs.

Suspect that Grandmother Robinson may have
sumthin' to do with it all.  I mean, a lot of our
mothers are still married to the idea that
nappy/kinky/coily HAIR!!!! is not appropriate for
public appearances and/or "special" occasions.



forward!
devotion, prema


.................................................

If you're straight, you're great;
if you got curl, you got a pearl;
if you're nappy, you're unhappy.


- Erin Aubry Kaplan


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

THE MICHELLE OBAMA HAIR CHALLENGE

Nappy or relaxed, African-American hair has
always been a loaded subject. So what does it
mean to have a black do in the White House?

By Erin Aubry Kaplan

Feb. 03, 2009

Are we moving toward a "black hair" moment?

It might sound like one of those media-created,
racially overwrought questions meant to boost
ratings and Internet chatter. But with Obama in
the White House and a black family center stage
-- not to mention a first lady whose appearance
and fashion choices are already being endlessly
dissected -- the question suddenly becomes almost reasonable.

Consider: Michelle's hairdresser, Johnny Wright,
just signed a development deal for his own beauty
reality show. Chris Rock recently went to
Sundance to screen his documentary "A Good Hair
Day," a look at the enormous but mostly
unexamined industry and culture of black hair
care. "[Black women's] hair costs more than
anything they wear," Rock recently said in a
Salon interview
<http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/btm/feature/2009/01/24/chris_rock/index.html>.


"It's like the No. 2, 3 expense of their whole
life." Meanwhile, in a recent discussion on
MSNBC, black Princeton prof Melissa
Harris-Lacewell agreed with Rachel Maddow that an
Obama administration meant white people would be
more emboldened to ask black people about
previously taboo issues, like how they do their
hair (Harris-Lacewell admitted she wasn't looking
forward to that). The interest is encouraging to
a point. And like all white scrutiny of any
aspect of black life, it also feels like
voyeurism, to a point. The gray area is just one
of many reminders that bridging the racial
divide, like black hair itself, is going to be complicated.

But first, let's take a look at Michelle. Her
hair represents the highest aspirations and also
the limitations of a certain black style. It's
always immaculately done, straight and shiny. On
Inauguration Day, it complemented her cheekbones;
it riffled gracefully in the frigid wind. Nothing
wrong there at all. And that's potentially the
problem: Nothing's wrong. It's perfect. It's the
look Michelle's had since we've known her, and
it's already starting to look locked in, like
armor (Condoleezza Rice, anyone?). Certainly
first ladies have their signature looks,
including hair -- Nancy Reagan's coif never moved
an inch in eight years, wind or no. But I wonder
whether such a young, high-profile black woman
who gets her hair straightened or relaxed as a
matter of course will occasionally let it be
something different: unstraightened, less
straightened, or anything that doesn't bounce,
lie flat or swing like a pageboy. In other words,
a do that suggests her ethnicity rather than softens it.

I know firsthand how complex these choices of
style and identity can be: I'm a black woman with
curly hair, but it's not curly enough to be
considered kinky (aka nappy) and typically black.
Yet my blackness dictates perceptions and
expectations about my hair; non-black people
assume I have a relaxer or a weave and are always
curious about what I've had "done." I've had very
little in the way of chemical or heat
straightening in my life, but I didn't escape
black hair rituals altogether: Growing up, I
wasn't allowed to wear my hair "natural" or "out"
because that was simply too ethnic. To this day I
have childhood anxiety about how to wear my hair
for special occasions or photo-ops. Do I
hot-roller it, pull it back? How do I look my
best, or look like myself? Is it even possible to
do both? Poised as she is, I would wager Michelle
Obama asks herself such questions too.

A hair change shouldn't be a radical notion;
every beauty magazine I've ever read trumpets
makeovers every month. But black images --
indeed, the very idea of beauty -- are still
inherently political, mirrors of our national
mood about race and ancient tensions between
reality and what we prefer to see. Hair is a
particularly good mirror. A reality check: In
this alleged new era of racial enlightenment, how
would we see Michelle if she switched to braids,
twists, curls or dreads, if she looked more like
the black person she is? We applaud the sparkling
new role models in the White House. But do we
expect the Obamas to define a new black
mainstream or to hew to an idealized model
created by a white mainstream that blacks internalized long ago?

Hair is a very complicated piece of that model,
historically speaking, as brutal a demarcation of
worthiness as skin color. Hair texture and skin
color work in tandem: The darker you are, the
harder you have to offset it with "good" hair in
order to be considered attractive or acceptable.
If Michelle weren't dark-skinned with classic
black features, she might not be so wedded to
super-straight locks. Of course, this is also
about class and station -- most professional
black women of a certain pay scale adopt the
relaxed look as part of the overall look of
success. And then there's convenience. A good
friend of mine pointed out that processed hair is
often more convenient than unprocessed black
hair, which requires quite a bit of maintenance
and time. But she also agreed that issues like
practicality are virtually impossible to separate
from the pressure on black women to have relaxed
hair in the first place. Which is why I suspect
that even a mild curl on Michelle, ŕ la Oprah's
lioness look, would make people nervous. It was
no accident that last year's instantly infamous
New Yorker cover that depicted the Obamas as
White House terrorists featured Michelle with a
huge Afro. Barack's turban was a bad joke;
Michelle's big hair was a legitimate threat that
could materialize at any moment.

   One of my favorite inaugural moments was the
Rev. Joe Lowery invoking that crude but accurate
black folk saying about the hierarchy of skin
color: If you're white, you're all right; if
you're brown, stick around; if you're black, get
back. A parallel saying for hair gradations would
be something like: If you're straight, you're
great; if you got curl, you got a pearl; if
you're nappy, you're unhappy. Lowery was voicing
that sentiment in order to bury it, but he was
also admitting that it still has great power.
Weaves and relaxers have become de rigueur for
black women past the age of 13. The unprocessed
black woman is assumed to be a vegan, a rebel, a
Rasta, a nationalist, an artist, or some
combination of the above. And for a black woman
to wear her hair "out" -- that is, to wear it in
its natural state with minimal moderations --
well, she must be so far out on the fringe that
everyday presentation doesn't matter. Most likely
she's an entertainer -- Erykah Badu, Diana Ross
or Rufus-era Chaka Khan. But in the real world
that Michelle Obama represents and that most of
us inhabit, there is no black equivalent for the
wash-and-wear "out" style that white women wear
all the time, and have worn for 30 years. For
them, it's become so routine that we now have all
sorts of expensive products meant to create
untamed, wind-tossed, day-at-the-beach hair. But
natural, of course, is a loaded description. You
really don't want to see me with beach hair.

While I appreciate Rachel Maddow's singular
ability to breach racial etiquette in a
thoughtful and good-humored way, I cringe at the
thought of once again having to educate white
people who have no clue. And I don't think they
really want to know about intensive black hair
rituals that bond black women but can seem
downright medieval to anybody else -- hot combs,
chemicals, wearing scarves to bed. It's absurd
and not a little maddening to think of all this
as being a "moment" for whites, when it's so much ancient history for us.

The way out of this tangle is, I believe, Sasha
and Malia Obama. Throughout the campaign and  the
inaugural, they were regularly pressed and
straightened for the public -- "Sunday hair," we
used to call it. And like their mom, they look
wonderful. Adorable. But the public also sees
that in the girls' everyday lives, they literally
let their hair down with braids and cornrows and
puffs and whatever else black girls wear. Now
that they're no longer groomed for the Corn Belt
voters on the campaign trail, I see the Obama
girls casually affirming the black mainstream in
a way perhaps their parents can't yet. It helps
that they are wildly popular now amongst pre-teen
girls of all colors; there are even Sasha and
Malia
dolls
<http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2009/01/22/white_house_girlz/>
on the market, though they don't resemble the
girls much, from the hair on down. But a recent
cover in the family section of the Los Angeles
Sentinel, my hometown black paper, spoke volumes.
One photo was Sasha and Malia dolled up for the
inaugural in their Sunday hair, and the photo
below it showed them at a more relaxed event -- a
fourth of July outing -- sitting on picnic
benches in summer clothes. Malia wore cornrows,
Sasha a voluminous, unmoderated ponytail. An
American flag sits in full view on the table
behind them. That's a modest vision of the future
and of equal opportunity, perhaps, but one too
rarely seen. Long after the glitz of the
inaugural and the president's first 30 days in
office has faded into the mundane, they'll be the show to watch.



SOURCE:  <http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2009/02/03/michelle_hair/index.html>


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This posting is provided to the individual
members of this group without permission from the
copyright owner for purposes of criticism,
comment, scholarship and research under the "fair
use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and
it may not be distributed further without
permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."

> peaceinourworld2@...> wrote:
>
> I would like to learn how to start and maintain dreadlocks. Does someone know
of anyone or classes that I could take to accomplish the locking technique.
>
> Please help..thank you



peaceinourworld2

a natural hair coming this weekend ony in pikesville, md. goggle: natural hair
show on pikesville, md. for more info. hopes this help.


justindc123

I would like to learn how to start and maintain dreadlocks. Does someone know of
anyone or classes that I could take to accomplish the locking technique.

Please help..thank you

peaceinourworld2

Greetings from Detroit!

Found enclosed article in local newspaper.


forward!
oBAMa, prema


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

January 25, 2009

DOMINICAN STYLISTS TAKE THE KINKS OUT OF BLOW-DRYING

BY SAMANTHA THOMPSON SMITH
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

When you think of the best in the hair business, you think Frederic
Fekkai or Sally Hershberger.

But when it comes to straight-as-a-board, silky-soft hair, more women
with kinky hair are finding that few tame it better than a Dominican stylist.

"We know hair," says Haydee Suarez, who works at Sunny's, the salon
of her mother, Ana Suarez, in Raleigh, N.C. "We know all different
types of hair."

Curly, frizzy, coarse or kinky -- Dominicans say they can straighten
it all. Just give them a good conditioner, a set of rollers, a
blow-dryer and a round brush. The result is what's called a Dominican
blowout, a process that can sometimes take up to two hours.

In Manhattan, north of 96th Street, you'll find a salon specializing
in the service on every corner, says Nina Ramirez, who started the
Web site www.dominicanblowout.com to teach others how to do a blowout at home.

And it's not just Dominicans in the salons, either, she says. "It's
blacks, it's Asians. It's everybody."

Smooth operators

In places like the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., Triangle, Dominican stylists
are harder to come by. But thanks to the influx of people from New
York and Miami who are regulars of the Dominican blowout, there are
more stylists than there used to be, especially as word gets out
about the service.

That's how Sunny's came to be known as one of the go-to Dominican
salons in the area. In 2005, Ana Suarez got a call from a friend
living in Raleigh who told her that black women in the area might
like a little of the Dominican touch.

Suarez, who had been doing blowouts in New Jersey, decided to take a
chance on the area. She moved down with her family and bought Sunny's Salon.

Word of mouth got out about their Dominican magic, taming the
curliest of locks with the help of Italian conditioners.

Today, the blowout is the salon's most asked-for service, Haydee
Suarez says. Most of the customers are African Americans.

At most salons, including Sunny's, blowouts start at around $35 and
go up depending on the hair type. Customers often have to pay more if
they have thicker, coarser hair or the hair has been chemically processed.

A big part of the blowout's appeal is that no harsh chemicals are
used to straighten the hair. It's an all-natural process that many
consider to be healthier than other straightening methods.

Today, business is so good at Sunny's that the Suarezes recently
bought another North Raleigh salon near Old Wake Forest and Spring
Forest roads. "More people are hearing about it," Haydee Suarez says.
"We don't use grease. We don't use oil. We use silk."

It's all in the wrist

What makes the Dominican stylist so good?

Part of the reason is culture in the Dominican Republic. One sign of
beauty in the culture is straight hair.

But with their blended island heritage, which often includes African
blood, Dominican women sometimes have difficult hair to straighten.
Also, the island's humid, tropical climate can make hair fuller,
curlier and harder to flatten.

Miguelina Soriano, a Dominican who owns Pro-Hair Salon off New Bern
Avenue in Raleigh, has been at it for 31 years.

One afternoon last week, it took her less than an hour to wash and
straighten Christin Hammond's long, naturally curly hair.

"That's why I love it," says Hammond, 26, who typically comes in once
a month for a blowout. "I'm in and out in an hour."

Most people can get at least a week out of their blowout. If it's
wrapped at night with a scarf, some get up to two weeks, assuming, of
course, the hair doesn't get wet. Others say they can get even longer
if they sleep with a satin pillow case.

"It's silky and smooth," Hammond says. "And I have to do nothing to it."



SOURCE:
<http://www.freep.com/article/20090125/FEATURES01/901250314/1025/FEATURES/Domini\
can+stylists+take+the+kinks+out+of+blow-drying>


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This posting is provided to the individual members of this group
without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of
criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use"
provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be
distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except
for "fair use."

Greetings:

This is a movie made by Chris Rock about black hair.

Chango73


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Salon.com Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009 06:41 EST

Beyond the Multi-plex


CHRIS ROCK'S GOOD HAIR DAY


Listen to the interview with Chris Rock
http://media.salon.com/media/mp3/2009/01/conversations_rock.mp3


PARK CITY, Utah -- According to the story that comedian Chris Rock tells at the
beginning of "Good Hair," the documentary he produced, co-wrote and narrates
that premiered here this week, his young daughter Lola came inside from playing
one day and asked him, "Daddy, why don't I have good hair?" That question
launched Rock and director Jeff Stilson on a nearly global inquiry into the
meaning and history -- not to mention the prodigious financial significance --
of hair in the African-American community.

Rock and Stilson's initial subject was the annual Bronner Bros. International
Hair Show in Atlanta, a prodigious trade fair for black-oriented hair products
that culminates with a competitive hairdressing competition that literally must
be seen to be believed. A combination of Mardi Gras costume ball, erotic dance
routine and performance art, the competition features such larger-than-life
characters as Derek J., who performs in specially redesigned women's thigh
boots, and Jason Griggers, a blond and flamboyant white man who describes
himself as the Rosa Parks of black-oriented hairdressers.

Amazing as the Bronner Bros. show is, the business of black hair is far bigger
still. As I confessed to Chris Rock during our Park City conversation, I've seen
the aisles of black hair-care products at chain stores, and I knew about the
existence of relaxers and hair weaves. But the ubiquity of relaxed,
straightened, processed or augmented hair among black women -- and the immense
cost this can represent -- was something I'd literally never thought about.
(Maybe Rock was just trying to make me feel less clueless, but he says he didn't
know much about the subject either before making the film.)

Rock conducts frank, funny and sometimes startling interviews with superbly
coiffed black celebrities from Maya Angelou and the Rev. Al Sharpton to Ice-T,
Salt-n-Pepa, Nia Long and Raven-Symoné. He meets ordinary women in hair salons
across the country; and even travels to the Hindu temples of India, source of
most of the hair that ends up in weaves attached to African-American women's
heads. "Good Hair" is a smart and thought-provoking film without quite becoming
confrontational. Rock raises the obvious fact that black Americans have
assimilated to a cultural standard of beauty that is more European than African,
but without treating it as a moral issue, or something that a movie made by a
comedian is likely to change.

Rock joined me on a sofa in a crowded storefront space on Park City's Main
Street for a few minutes of conversation. As with so many professional
extroverts, his offstage demeanor was reserved, calm and a little on the serious
side.

If I was producing and marketing a film that is about African-American culture,
and black people and black hair, the first place that I would want to come is
Utah, naturally.

You know, if it works here, it is going to work everywhere. And it works here.
I'm in good shape actually.

I saw it the other night with a predominantly white audience and they were
laughing, and learning stuff, reacting ... Speaking as a, you know, middle-class
white guy for all the other middle-class white guys out there, I learned a
helluva lot from this movie. I knew that hair weaves existed and obviously I've
been in the RiteAid in New York City and I've seen ... that entire aisle full of
hair relaxers, but I didn't know what a huge scene it was.

By the way, I didn't know. I mean, the initial idea was just to shoot the hair
show, and cover the hairdressers, and kind of make like a "Hoop Dreams" of hair.
But the more we shot, the more other things popped up.

What you are talking about is the Bronner Bros. Hair Show in Atlanta, this
amazing spectacle of competitive hair dressing. It's so great, and the
characters that you meet, those people are so incredible ... So what drew you to
this. Was it literally the experience that you talk about with your daughter?

It's my daughters, my friend's daughters too, everybody had hair stories. It
just seemed like a good place to go ... I love an idea I haven't seen.

It kind of blew my mind, the idea that in an African-American household you got
this Porsche that nobody can see, these working-class and middle-class black
women spending thousands of dollars, or their husbands and boyfriends spending
thousands of dollars ... buying a Porche that nobody sees. There is a whole
economic realm to this that I didn't know about at all.

It creates a wedge, actually.

Right, you talked to Al Sharpton about it.

It creates a tension in a relationship. Any man -- black or white -- will tell
you most relationships break up over sex or money. You know ... so it is a big
issue.

Were there things that actually surprised you that you learned about this stuff?

The business. Like you I've seen these aisles of relaxers and stuff, but I had
no idea, I just kind of took it for granted, I didn't know that the relaxer
business was no different than the General Motors or Apple or even the weave
business, how ... the weave business is like the legal drug business in the
sense that the stuff comes from this other country.

The hair comes from India.

Yes, the hair comes from India and it goes to L.A. and it kind of trickles down
to the States. Like cocaine ... all the drugs come into the port cities, and it
seems that the hair comes into the port cities.

So somebody's hair salon in a black neighborhood in Little Rock -- probably
their hair weave is coming from L.A. and India. That's amazing ... You know, one
of the things that struck me is that if somebody had made this film in the '70s
it might have been, you know, a bit more a call to arms -- nationalism, we can't
have this.

You know, we have that cut of it, and it just wasn't that entertaining. I mean,
it's still my job at the end of the day to make people laugh. Other
documentarians, they have other responsibilities. My responsibility is to make
people laugh. So, yeah, that cut of the movie exists but it is not as fun to
watch as this cut.

You kind of raise the question a little bit -- is all of this about black people
trying to look more like Europeans?

You know, the movie kind of ends with me not judging at all -- because you gotta
think of it this way: A) I'm a man. So that would have been hard ... any
definitive statement would have been like, yeah, "fuck you." And I'm kinda like
famous too, so, "it's easy for you, you have people do your hair." So I had to
be really sensitive about those two things. There is no answer, there is no
right or wrong in this thing.

And I suppose another thing is that it is not like what you say is going to
change a lot of women's minds about what they are going to do.

Right, right ... Chris Rock said ...

It was impressive to me that you got a lot of very famous and beautiful black
women to talk really honestly about the fact that, yeah, this is 18 grand worth
of somebody else's hair that I got on my head.

It is such a big deal in their lives that no one has ever asked them about.
Their hair costs more than anything they wear, they spend more money on their
hair ... maybe their rent is more. You know what I mean? It's like the No. 2, 3
expense of their whole life. And no one has ever even bothered to ask them about
it. It's almost like they have a kid and no one ever said, "What's this kid
like?"
By Andrew O'Hehir



SOURCE: 
<http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/btm/feature/2009/01/24/chris_rock/index.html?so\
urce=newsletter>


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without
permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment,
scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the
copyright owner, except for "fair use."

d.e.,

This is pretty good information you have given, thanks again for
your response. take care!!

Jessica :}

Jessica :} wrote:
>
> thanks for replying. and yeah just a little bit of breakage xD


Jessica,

You are quite welcome.  I can understand the way that you feel. Many
women have an attachment to their hair.  Some people are not used to
short hair. They don't know how they would look with short hair.
Besides they are not sure how they would style their hair natural if
they let it grow out longer. I don't know if it helps but my sister
is 17 and she went natural this year.  I don't know what the response
was to her hair at school.  I'll have to ask her.  She kept her
relaxer until she had about four inches of new growth. Her hair was
short at first and it looked fantastic on her.  She wore her afro by
itself or with hair pins, clips, headbands and scarves.  She is very
much a "hair" person.  She has the patience and skill to hook it up.
She got her hair corn rowed with an afro puff on top for her senior
portraits.  Back in the old days when I was in high school I cut my
relaxer off too.  I had about 2 inches of hair.  I had a barber shape
it up.  When it grew in I was surprised at how thick and pretty is
was.  If you cut your hair it will grow back as well.  You may also
be surprised by how nice it looks.  Especially if you haven't worked
with your natural texture in a long time.  I'd better go for now.
Take care.

d.e.

Hey Jessica,

Congrats on your decision. Check out nappturality.com.
They have many young transitioners that can offer you much guidance
and support in the transitioners forum. Also, check out my boring
little fotki and my friends list at http://www.fotki.com/new2naptural.

You can contact me directly from fotki if you need any guidance.

Rhonda

Hi,

Wow! Really great advise, d.e..

I started off in October of last year with just growing out the relaxed hair by
getting braids(micros and kinkys).

I then went to sew ins. I finally did the big chop in January of this year. I
then got into plus size modeling and doubted my decision. I then went back to
sew ins for a while.

It does take you thru several emotions in the process but my hair and scalp
feels soooo healthy and good.  I wash it once a week with a sulfate/sulfite free
shampoo and conditioner, "grease" with pure shea butter and to keep it soft and
manageable spray on a mixture of vegetable glycerin and water(sometimes I add
peppermint oil).

I will sometimes put pure aloe gel in it between shampoos.I don't use much more
on it. To mix it up I have several wraps/scarves and a couple of wigs and  afro
wiglets (I have been rocking the large afro puff for a while and everyone loves
it)

My manager says he doesn't know who I am going to be from day to
day! I sometimes two strand or three strand twist it and when you take
those down it looks super pretty!

When I have a shoot to do the sew
ins come in handy so you don't have to apply too many heating elements
to it. Dont get discouraged after you set your mind to it.

I was in Target one day and a Caucasian girl said "mommy! she has crazy hair!" I
took it as an opportunity to educate her(and her mommy) on curly/coiled hair.  I
let her touch it and they both were very surprised on the softness of it. We
then got into a conversation about how much it costs for the upkeep of her hair
compared to mine and the time it takes to get her hair that straight in the
morning.

Me being natural has shave at the very least a half hour off of my morning and I
rarely sit in a salon all day. I do  let a natural hair stylist trim the ends
for me and it only take about half an hour.

Have fun with it there are so may possibilities!!!

KIVA