Styling Natural Hair

[Tropicana]

[Tropicana]

[Tropicana]

This is also an issue in the Caribbean.

Curious what percentage of commercials in Jamaica have natural hair now?

I did not turn on the TV last few times I was there but I remember the women tended to be of the light skinned, long hair variety.

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Anyway, we need more lawsuits. Read this.

You are not Your Hair But You CouId get Fired for it

We all know the main things that can get you fired such as poor performance, lying, stealing and cheating. However, there are more subtle issues in the workplace that can also find you with the proverbial pink slip in your hand. This month we will explore what they might be.

In 2006, soul and R&B singer India Arie released a hit song, “I Am Not My Hair”. Arie, who wears her hair in its natural state (sans chemicals to make it straight), starts by singing about her childhood and the various hairstyles she wore. In the chorus, Arie says:

“I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within”

Many Blacks who wear their hair in a natural style can relate to the lyrics of this song especially when going to work. Natural hair comes with many negative stereotypes. Over the years it has been construed as radical and extreme (perhaps because this was the primary style worn during the Civil Rights Movement), and unkempt.
Perhaps the most popular instance where someone has been denied a job of fired due to a natural hair style was at Six Flags. This has happened on more than one occasion. At Six Flags, dreadlocks, along with other styles such as Mohawks, fall under the category of “extreme hairstyles.” The most recent case prompted a petition on change.org. In a statement made to ABC News Six Flags explained their policy stating:

“Six Flags enforces a conservative grooming policy across all parks. The policy does not permit certain hairstyles such as variations in hair colors, dreadlocks, partially shaved heads, tails, and hairstyles that impair vision. Braided hair is allowed but must be in neat, even rows and without beads or other ornaments.”

It’s interesting that a park that exudes fun would have such a conservative culture. My thinking is if the hairstyle does not infringe on the employees safety while operating a ride then it should not matter.
Six Flags is not the only employer with the history of dismissing or disciplining an employee for a hair style.

• Earlier this year an employee was suspended without pay from a St. Louis Petro Mart for refusing to cut his shoulder-length dreadlocks.
• Also this year, a flight attendant for Air France, was forced to wear a wig to cover up his dreadlocks.
• A UPS employee didn’t even make it through orientation as a driver for UPS Freight in Harrisburg in 2007 before he was fired for refusing to shave his beard and dreadlocks which he wore because he is a Rastafarian, which should have granted him a religious exception.
• In 2001 Dallas police Chief Terrell Bolton fired a seven-year veteran officer for not complying with the department’s hair policy.
• In 1999, an employee sued Safeway claimed he was fired because of his dreadlocks.
• The EEOC filed suit against FedEx for firing employees who refused to cut their dreadlocks for religious reasons in 2001.

In an attempt to prevent these types of situations from happening to his graduating MBA students, Sid Credle, Dean of the Business School at Hampton University, defends the mandate at his school that bans dreadlocks and cornrows from male business students. Credle argues that the hairstyles are not businesslike and will not land students jobs in Corporate America. So maybe we need to change Corporate America!
Psychological tests show that people most trust those who look like them. Many of the policies that result in employees losing their job (or not even getting their foot in the door) is a result of corporate culture laced with bias.
Before seeking a job, you should be aware of the company’s culture and policies (to the extent you can find them) and see if they fit with your beliefs and lifestyle. If you think your current company is not ready for your natural hair, then it might be time to start looking for other employment!

http://www.letstalkaboutwork.tv/you-...-fired-for-it/

[Emperah]

217877_4526359406137_1276825141_n.jpg

[Tropicana]

Very nice. Hopefully things will change up here too.

Styling tips.

[Tropicana]

Bookmark for next year http://www.torontonaturals.ca/

[Tropicana]

Interview with Stacie McKenzie, Jamaican-born and raised....

Paid her dues.....now rockin' it natural.

[Tropicana]

Today I attended an event where 2 of Toronto's top casting people were speaking. I raised the issue about natural vs straightened hair for Black women.....the response from one of them was:

"Don't make it about hair....keep it mainstream."

The other agreed.

A white woman asked about what she should do with her hair as it was very curly. She was told the look could work in her favour and she should have a photo with her hair straitened and one with her hair curly.

A Black father with locks was there. (He is Jamaican). His child who had had locks since age 6 was offered a TV part when he was a teenager. The producers insisted that he cut his locks to do the role. The child didn't want to do it. So, the producer offered him $500 to cut his locks. The father said "They will grow back". The teen cut his locks.

Disclaimer: Apologies for any name dropping.

[Tropicana]

Healthy Hair Practices Not Accepted at Salon


Before I was a hair stylist I was a DIY kitchen chemist just like many of the women who subscribe to the various online hair forums and blogs. I lived for mixing and trying new formulas and posting pictures to my Fotki account to chart my growth. My passion for researching, executing, and achieving amazing results quickly evolved from a hobby to a career. Once licensed it was off to the salon I went. I was looking to marry my years of hair forum mixology and kitchen styling with the professional beauty industry. I quickly found out that in SOME salons this combination would’t mix.My first real job was as a shampoo and blowdry assistant at a well known type of hair salon that caters to African American women. Of course I tried to care for the clients as if they were my own. I talked to the ladies as I shampooed them about their scalp health, styling options, and what kind of pillowcases they slept on. Because of the factory style set up of this shop, these ladies were “everybody’s client” so I didn’t feel as if I was stepping on anyone’s toes. Unfortunately I was wrong. The manager pulled me to the side and let me know I was not allowed to fraternize with the clients and to stop using all the “good conditioner” on them. He offered me a watery alternative and said that even with a deep conditioner only use the “good conditioner” on the people he instructs me to.
That was not the last encounter I had with this particular manager. I was rudely repremanded for using a heat protectant on the clients prior to blowdrying. Another occasion I got the relaxer brush snatched out of my hand while trying to apply the chemical to the newgroth only and was shown to part, slap, and pull. Gently detangling coily, curly natural hair was also frowned upon. And it hurt my feelings to watch improperly detangled natural hair end up on the floor and wrapped around brushes.
The “retraining” I recieved was horrendous and went against everything I stood for with regard to hair care. Even after I made the transition over to full time stylist I was watched like a hawk and laughed at as I used pre shampoo conditioning treatments, deep condotioned EVERY client I serviced, opted for the steamer over the dryer, religiously based my relaxed clients and made sure to reconstruct their hair after chemical services. All of which I attribute to my time spent on forums and YouTube. Not even my cosmetology program went as in depth as the invaluable information I collected from the online hair communities.
The cold stares and under breath laughs of my co-workers and manager lead to me leaving that salon and travelling to another salon in the same “network”. But the same uncomfortable vibe lingered. I did self examination thinking it might have been just me. However I realized over time and after moving from place to place that the knowledge we aquire from online interaction about the care of African American hair is knowledge not shared by many. The reactions I got were out of ignorance. And many people are not only ignorant but unwilling to learn.
This explains the lack of trust many of us have for stylists. It seems like many salons are unwilling to embrace the practices we do in the privacy of our own homes. My question is, why? And I know I can’t be the only one fusing these two worlds together so who else is with me?
I am currently at an African American owned salon here in Chicago. I am an independent contractor at a salon that gives stylists complete and total control over the services they provide.So I am now able to do my own thing comfortably. A far cry from the experiences I had at other salons as a Black Hair Media and Long Hair Care Forum trained hair stylist!

http://www.strawberricurls.com/2010/09/13/healthy-hair-practices-not-accepted-at-salon/

[Tropicana]

This is what is called stretching but Africans refer to it as threading. They would use this to design the hair in elaborate styles not to get length...but it does reduce shrinkage and lengthen your hair without chemicals or heat. My hairdresser says it damages the hair and causes breakage as it is like putting a series of elastic bands on it...same way ponytails elastics can damage the hair. I am not sure if this is fact of fiction. It could be a valid point but it could be just someone who is not familiar with African practices.

Anyone every try this?

threading.jpg

[Emperah]

your hairdresser is as gay as de day is long, yuh bunn fiyah pan dem all de while but let dem play inna yuh head
Den when dem tell yuh bout how dis ar dat can damage yuh hair yuh u r inclined to bleev de chi chi knowledge

[Tropicana]

your hairdresser is as gay as de day is long, yuh bunn fiyah pan dem all de while but let dem play inna yuh head
Den when dem tell yuh bout how dis ar dat can damage yuh hair yuh u r inclined to bleev de chi chi knowledge

First off:

- my regular hairdresser is not the chi-chi man
- I use him sometimes for styling if I want a really stylish look - he is that good
- even chi-chi man have to eat and have a right to earn a livelihood

Second:

- the chi-chi man does not play in my hair....I am not his type

Now when my son met me there last year coming in from university...I suggested that, since he was there, he get his hair shaped. He refused, left and asked me to call him when I was done. I did that. On the way home he told me that he didn't want any gay guy touching him and playing in his hair. There were 2 chi-chi man there at the time. I was surprised he could tell that the muscular heavyset one was gay but he said it was obvious.

Finally:

- the hairdresser who said the threading was damaging was not the chi-chi man
- it was my regular hairdresser who is female
- I never said I was inclined to believe her. I clearly said I don't know if is fact or fiction.

[Tropicana]

We have sent 2 contestants with low naturals:



"Andrea Lyons was the first Miss Jamaica to wear an afro to the Miss World pageant and she was also a semi-finalist (6th place) hat year. That similar hair style was later repeated by Joan McDonald in 1978."

http://butterflyexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/jamaica-at-50-jamaican-beauties-of-the-past-50-years/

We did send one contestant with locks Zahra Redwood to Miss Universe 2007. I am not sure how she placed but she did not make the top 15.:



See her at 9:14

Definitely, as discussed in the pageant thread in Mek we Reason, at this time, it is highly unlikely that a Black woman with locks would be able to win an international pageant. Mabye we'll see it in another 20 years.

[Tropicana]

This is being done with wash and wear hair but it can work with natural hair too.

[Tropicana]

5 Lessons Learned: Growing Long Natural Hair

Growing your hair to longer lengths requires patience, consistent effort, time, and consideration. While the journey to natural hair is a complex one, the journey to longer length hair is complex as well. You will learn a lot along the way including:

• your patience level
• if long hair is for you
• your staple products
• your “go-to” hair styles
• your “perfect” regimen

Your Patience Level
This will be revealed to you pretty early on in your journey to longer hair. You will have to take diligent care of your hair from root to tip each day if your hair is loose. Even if your hair is braided up, in extensions or weaves there is still daily care that must be taken. Your level of patience will determine the manner you choose to grow your hair out.
Your Length Goal
Is long hair for you? As it grows you’ll notice the time it takes to wash, detangle, add product, style, prepare for bed, etc. You’ll be able to decide on your ideal length goal and if long hair is really for you. You’ll see what length looks best with your face and what’s easiest for you to maintain. I grew to hip length because I set a goal to donate my hair, but my ideal length is between arm pit length and bra strap length.
Read: Tips For Retaining Length
Your Staple Products
In the time (which will most likely be years) it takes to grow your hair to your desired length you will have the opportunity to try myriad products. This is a great benefit because during all of your trials and experimentation you will be able to suss out which products work best with your hair. You’ll eventually find your staple products that make your hair look, feel, and behave at its best. It took me about a year to find my staple products, and now I can’t live without my coconut oil, Silk Dreams cleanser, and Giovanni Conditioner.
Your “Go-To” Hairstyles
Long hair is as versatile as it is annoying at times. You’ll not always want to wear it loose in a wash n go, or flat ironed straight. You’ll also notice better length retention (read: meaning you’ll get to your length goal sooner) if you don’t wear it out as often. This leads you to be creative and find styles that are easy for you to create quickly, that look good on you, and protect your ends. During your journey to long hair you will find your “staple” or “go-to” hairstyles that are best for you. My preference was a high bun, or a pinned up braidout. Easy and cute, and I’m out the door.
Your “Perfect” Regimen
Most of the emails I receive from women hoping to grow their hair out to longer lengths have to do with helping them create a regimen. I always tell them that they’ll learn the perfect regimen for them as they embark on their long hair growth journey. You will tweak your regimen as you go along. For some, pre-poo, oil rinses, henna, deep conditioning, multiple treatments each week works well for them. They have the time and desire to do those steps and they get good results from it. For others (like me) simpler regimens – of wash, deep condition, moisturize, oil, style and go – work best. Your hair growth journey is a long one, during this time you’ll be able to create the best regimen that garners the best results for you.
These are just a few of the many things you’ll learn as you go along in your hair growth and length retention journey.
What have you learned as you grow your hair out?

http://www.naturalhairrules.com/5-things-youll-learn-growing-long-natural-hair/

I've learned hair grows faster when you blow dry it and use the curling iron or flat iron less often.

Thin hair that is really kinky like mine requires constant care when it is longer, even if it is worn wash and wear, the hairdresser has to leave most of the texture in or it breaks. De-tangling becomes a real issue. Hair must be combed out an braided nightly. Something for which I don't seem to have the time or patience. It may be better to keep it in a French braid for a few days.