My hair and I are now in a good place. It took time but we eventually got there!

Having a great relationship with your natural hair is important. It took time for me to understand that as for a considerable amount of time weaves and relaxers were my go-to’s!

I evolved in a predominantly white school where my natural hair was always commented on, compared to poodle hair or bushes. It was hard to avoid feeling pressured by this. As a result, I spent these school years being uncomfortable in my own skin, trying to look like my white girlfriends.

What I quickly understood is that no matter the efforts I would put in to look like them, the result would always be the same: hands in the hair and racist comments.

Even though criticisms and microaggressions were hard to endure, I used these attacks to build my personality, but also to show that being a black girl with kinky hair will never hold me back. I might have to work harder than they ever will but I am fine with it!

I decided to embrace my afro hair and leave it out after moving to London, which compared to Paris is much more open-minded and tolerant. I wasn’t scared about what people had to say about my hair anymore!

In London, people are happy to see this, happy to see black women rocking their real afros and happy to say it out loud!