If terms and phrases like ‘The Big Chop,’ ‘Protective Styling,’ ‘Transitioning’ and ‘Twist-Out’ make perfect sense to you, then there’s a good chance that you or someone you live with is a Black woman who’s embraced, or is learning to embrace, her natural hair. In the last couple of years, relaxer sales have declined significantly as more and more African-American women have returned to their roots (pun intended) and decided to rock what the good Lord gave them, cultural and societal expectations be damned.
What’s become a crucial cornerstone event for natural hair enthusiasts is Nappiology Inc., a grassroots non-profit organization that embraces the unique beauty and characteristics of African-American hair. What once attracted 600 attendees is now a mandatory meet-up for thousands, offering over 70 product vendors and workshops, nationally-known personalities and a place to commune and communicate with other like-minded cliques.
Those who will attend (like myself) are looking forward to all of above and more, especially the presence of actress and comedienne Kim Coles and former WFAA anchor, Rene Syler, now an author and commentator, who will moderate the event and generous enough to soldier through a craptastic cold to dish about her own hair journey, an upcoming TV venture, what more of us need to learn about our hair and why she’s Team Natural for life…..
Congratulations on the upcoming new TV show Rene, what’s it all about?
“Thank you, I’m so excited! The contracts haven’t been signed yet so I can’t give out too many details, but it’s a fun, family-oriented travel-related show for a network affiliated with ABC. It airs in January and I’m shooting an episode right before I make to Dallas for Nappiology, then I’m coming home and going back out to do it again. I can’t give you too many specifics right now, but we’re really, really excited about it.”
You have an interesting connection to Nappiology Rene, would you break it down for us?
“My daughter is my main inspiration, but De (Phillips Johnson, the founder) has totally been my mentor in this process: she started following my site http://www.goodenoughmother.com/ and when I saw her picture, I reached out to her and said ‘Please tell me what I need to do.’ We talked, I studied a lot of youtube videos, and best of all, learning about my hair helped me to take better care of my daughter’s too.”
So you’ve been down with Nappiology from Day One then.
“I’ve been following De (Phillips Johnson) for a couple of years, so I’ve actually had the privilege of watching Nappiology Inc. take root, so to speak,” Ms. Syler told me by phone from NY. “That’s what I personally get out of going to the expos, people saying that they love and embrace me with all of these coils and curls coming out of my head, just the way I am, and it’s so reaffirming.”
What was the tipping point that caused you to go natural?
“My point was literally breaking hair: I was in the hospital after developing bronchitis and when I relaxed my hair, it fell right out. That was the line of the sand for me and I will never go back the chemicals or anything else related to that entire drama. I’m not one of those people who believes that everyone should be natural, because people should do what works for them, but I just came to a place where I decided, ‘you’re either going to like and accept me for who I am, including how my hair grows out of my head, or you’re not.’ I also decided that if going natural meant that I would never have another TV job, that was alright with me, because it was just too high a price to pay.”
PHOTO: FRESHLY CHOPPED, MARCH 2009
Well, your hair is gorgeous Rene, I can’t see why anyone would object to it. Would you say that the process is easier than what you did to style your hair before, or harder?
“My cousin said to me, ‘your hair is beautiful, but it must be a lot of work.’ I said ‘my hair’s never been easier.’. I haven’t used used shampoo on my hair for 3 years.I co-wash (use conditioner instead of regular shampoo) and the curl has behaved a lot better since I stopped using products that have sulfate in them. It has enough cleansing properties, and to get rid of any build-up, I use an apple-cider vinegar rinse to keep the essential oils. I trim my hair every three months, use cheap conditioner and cheap gel. I don’t understand people saying ‘natural hair takes too much work.’ Relaxing the hair is work, isn’t it? You have to blow-dry it, set it on rollers, something: nobody’s hair is 100% care-free.”
PHOTO: FLY AND FIERCE IN APRIL, 2012
Do you get a lot of static about going natural?
“One of the big problems I have is when other African-American women say to me, ‘I would go natural if I had hair like yours,’ as if they’re saying that their hair is so unruly and mine is perfect. That’s the next battle we have to fight, making sure that we all understand that everyone has good hair—-if it grows out of your scalp, its good hair, that makes me crazy!”
Why do you think that acceptance of our natural hair has grown so much?
“In the internet age, we’re starting to better understand that there are all different types of people and that there’s not just one standard of beauty. The trick for everyone is finding the proper techniques and products that work best for them, otherwise the hair will never do as you want it to do. A lot of them are looking for the silver bullet, the product that will make your hair grow three inches in a month, and no one’s hair does that, ever!” (laughing)
How do you feel about the reception you’ve received while representing a network, filming or whatever other jobs you’ve encountered while wearing your hair naturally?
“Years ago, a stylist at CBS always stressed to me, ‘Wear clothes that you’re comfortable in, otherwise they’re wearing you.’ And that philosophy is the best way to describe my hair transformation. I can finally say that for the first time in my life, I enjoy my hair. It fits me now better than any other air I’ve ever had, and no one says a thing about it when I’ve shown up on sets. When I fly though, the hair gets patted down by airport security, and I find that pretty funny.”
Earlier, you said that part of your wish to stay natural is because of your daughter, and I have to admit that my two girls help me stay clear about the process as well. Do you ever struggle with hair choices now that she’s older?
“My 16-year-old daughter goes through phrases where she wants a relaxer, but I tell her she can’t get one until she moves out of the house, because I’m not getting one for her. That’s another dilemma that we have as natural mothers, because we can’t say ‘love you hair, love your hair’ when we’re demonstrating the opposite. By the way, I got a big press release from a big hair company advertising relaxers for little girls recently: can you believe that? They didn’t even look at my picture to see where I stood! I was thinking, ‘Really? Why even send this to me?’”
That was beyond tacky, I agree. Since you have a cold Rene, I’ll make this my last question so you can rest up: how can natural hairstyling garner more diversity and mainstream acceptance?
“We have to get ourselves to acknowledge that what we have is unique and special, and that’s why De’s Nappiology expo is so important: it’s about sharing the journey and providing education for people.”
DETAILS: Nappiology Expo, 1601 Campus Dr, Hurst, TX on Saturday, November 3, 2012. 8am to 7pm http://www.nappiology.net/nappiology-expo-2012-save-the-date/
SPONSORS: Jamaican Mango and Lime, Curls Unleashed, Sof n’ Free Gro Healthy
