Natural Hair Stories-Part Two

by Desire’ Jackson-Crosby and Cynthia Ntinunu

What is hair? Is it just a follicle on the top of one’s head? Or is it a piece of you that evokes certain feelings? The natural hair journey is a unique experience for anyone who goes through it. For some it’s a straightforward journey and for others there’s a lot to unpack.

This project allowed 11 people to relive and share their natural hair journeys-from their struggles to their triumphs. Below are the next three people for the natural hair stories series.

Yanni Cabrera

For senior Yanni Cabrera, natural hair is more than just a phase. It’s a part of her that has been straightened, cut, and growing alongside her while expanding her understanding of self. She refuses to change it to fit others’ standards of beauty. (Click the image above to read the full story)

Jenelle Lareche

School is a place many of us spend countless years in. A place where we learn, work, make friends, and are taught to express ourselves. But what happens when the place you thought should be a safe space, turns out to be the place that causes you the most grief and pain? Sadly, for Jenelle Lareche this happened to be her story. (Click the image above to read the full story)

Andrea Walinjom

“I don’t know what to do with your hair.”

This is a phrase that many black girls may have heard or felt growing up. Mothers and fathers have tried their best to figure out how to do their child’s hair but failed due to a lack of knowledge of how to care for black hair. Andrea Walinjom is no stranger to this. Because she didn’t know how to do her natural hair, from a young age Walinjom started damaging it.(Click the image above to read the full story)