MY CURLS| MY FREEDOM

I first wanted to thank you for coming onto to this space to learn more about this movement and my story. I am honored and grateful that you would take time out of your day to learn more about mine. I created this space ( IG account @GRACELOVEANDCURLS) because I wanted to make a dent in the beauty community especially in my hispanic community. Growing up curly hair was a shame and to some still is. Curly hair was not encouraged and mostly frowned upon.

Growing up I believed straight hair was beautiful and curly hair was not. I grew up completely hating my natural curly hair, wishing I had straight hair and subjecting myself to chemical relaxers, hair straighteners and blow dryers for years. I thought being beautiful was having my hair stick straight, even if this was not my natural hair pattern. Until one day almost 6 years ago I said “Enough is Enough”, enough of hiding who I really am so I could be “accepted” in society, enough of being told my natural roots were ugly and looked crazy, enough of me putting down what God created, which is my natural roots. I took a stand. I decided to go natural at all costs. I remember being ridiculed and made fun of for this. I remember the comments, “straighten your hair, your hair looks crazy, you aren’t going out like that are you?, I like your hair better straight, comb your hair, you didn’t do your hair today?”. If it wasn’t for the natural hair community and all those beautiful natural hair influencers I leaned on throughout YouTube and IG (MzBiancareneetoday is one of my favorites), I may have not been able to successfully accomplish my natural hair journey. I am forever grateful for them and the strength God gave me to overcome this.

I vowed to never let society dictate how I should wear my hair. From this point on my mission was to set women free! To set them free from what society says is acceptable. To set them free from a captive mentality that they need straight hair to feel beautiful. I believe we are all beautiful in our own way, straight hair, curly hair, afro hair, etc. There isn’t one beautiful look but God created us all beautiful in our own special way. This is my mission everyday on my social media platforms. To change mindsets one woman at a time. To motivate those that want to go natural but are afraid. I am their voice! I am the voice of every oppressed hispanic woman because of her natural curly roots. My social media presence is to encourage, to build and to empower woman of all races and of all curl patterns. This is the reason I created @Graceloveandcurls, to take a stand against all odds, in hopes that I may help liberate someone from society’s bondage.

I have a 2 year old daughter with curly hair. I don’t ever want her to  grow up broken because I couldn’t teach her to love herself and her hair just as God had created her. It needed to end with me. I did not want my lineage to be affected by this. I want my lineage to know they are loved, accepted and beautiful just the way they are. I want my daughter to wear her hair proud and to love it. I wouldn’t ever want to be the reason my daughter couldn’t love her hair. I wanted to be an example to her. If mommy wears her hair natural so could I. If mommy loves her curls, so could I. Mommy says I am beautiful, so I AM BEAUTIFUL. She is part of my legacy and this is part of my legacy. A woman who was not afraid to take a stand.

Thank you for reading and being part of this movement. I look forward to seeing all of your pictures (check out my IG @Graceloveancurls to see the challenge). For a full video of my thoughts on this topic, check out my YouTube video below:

Why I went natural and why you should too

 

Want more? No worries! I was interviewed by Citizen Yülfi, a Christian multimedia artist whose art ministry focuses on using mediums like photography, writing, music, and video to bring positive and empowering messages to anyone with an ear to listen, eyes to see, and a progressive mind.

 Check out the article below:

” Bad Hair ” Article click here

Hope you enjoy it! While you are it, make sure to check out Yulfi Frias work!

Sincerely,

Eli<3