BD

Age: 30-64

Occupation: Credit Analyst

BD permed her hair a lot when she was younger because she thought straight hair was the better hair. She wore it in a very short bob. As she grew older, she realized that her hair was thinning due to the frequent chemical treatment. Since she already likes wearing it short, she decided it would be a better choice — and a healthier choice — to wear her hair natural.

The first time BD cut her hair short and wore it natural, her brother raved about it.

“[He] reminded me that my hair is curly and long and all of this wonderful stuff,” BD said. “It is amazing how you have something so beautiful, and you don’t really appreciate it for some reason.”

It marked a shift for her, where she began to appreciate her natural curl pattern. This shift went along with the recent societal embrace of natural Black hairstyles, which she considers a beautiful phenomenon.

Today, BD wears her natural hair in a very short, curly style, and she loves it.

“I just think that it’s like a crown,” she said. “I am very proud of my hair and all its quirks. I just love my hair, natural. It is my crown. It’s part of me.”