How was your hair styled before you went natural or grew dreadlocks? well i used to have my hair relaxed - i had my first perm at the age of 7 and needless to say, as i grew older i felt the repercussions of that later on in life. i’ve also worn cornrows and various styles of braids…and yea i even wore a weave ponytail once. lol
What did you like/dislike about your previous hairstyle? honestly, i didn’t mind being relaxed while i was in high school. i took great care of it and it was healthy. however, after awhile i was just tired of the upkeep and i didn’t appreciate the mini chop job my former stylist did on my hair.
How long have you been natural? How long have you had dreadlocks? well...i've been natural on and off for about 8 years. i say on and off because there was a time when i went and got it relaxed after two years of being natural (family and friends were curious to see what it looked like...as was i). but i would say i’ve been "continuously natural" for about 4 years.
Why did you decide to go natural? going natural wasn't really something i thought about doing. it just happened that way. i don't like to fuss over hair too much and i like having length, so naturally i went into braids. i’ve been getting my hair braided since i was a little girl, and as i grew older i grew to appreciate them even more. after deciding to stay away from perms (due to a REALLY bad touch up) i went to braids. when i began college, i kept it up because it was easy to maintain and a lot cheaper than going to get touch ups and things of that nature. one day, i took out my braids and just left my hair breathe. lo and behold, i had a really nice fro!! so, i stuck with that and just messed around with other natural styles.
In Loving Memory of My Mother - Juanita Campbell - May You Always Watch Over Me