Naturally Fierce Feature: Clara

I am also a Model and former Miss Haiti International 2013. I am a former pageant girl and working model with natural hair. I’ve been natural since 2006 after graduating high school. My very fine 4 a, 4b strands have experienced very interesting and intense moments.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a moment when I rejected my hair or didn’t want to accept it for what it was. In all honesty I didn’t “get” my hair. So how was I to reject or accept it? And how do I reject something that grows from my scalp naturally? How and why is it considered bad? To me it was never about “accepting” my hair really, it was about understanding it. And in understanding it I continue to understand myself.

What motivated you to transition? Were you a transitioner or a Big Chopper& why?

I was a part transitioner part big chopper. I began the transition process with my sister in law with whom I started a natural hair page on Facebook and Instagram called Bèltèt Grenn, which is kreyol for Beautiful Kinky Hair. She had already begun her transition

Journey and was already 5 months in. I on the other hand was indeed stretching a perm over the summer and was about a month over due on my regular touch up schedule. When she told me about transitioning back to being natural I was all in! I was tired of the perm routine anyway. I had never experienced my natural hair for my self so I was definitely ready to go for it. I officially “started my transition” in June 2006. No later then August 2006, I big chopped. So there you have it, I transitioned and BC’d.

I didn’t want to deal with my permed hair anymore, I was too eager to experience my own hair in all it’s stages. So my big chopped resulted in a teeny weeny afro. Would you believe I have no pictures?! Ughh! Anyway it was really really low, not even an inch. All I could do to it is brush it. Knowing what I know now about my journey, I would have kept better track of it as I was on it. Lesson learned. Document the process.

I’d say it wants to tell a story every time each kink and coil make an appearance.

I love it’s curl pattern. I was told once that curly hair is a recipe for wild and crazy fun if I remember the wording correctly. And they definitely can be wild and crazy. Maybe that says something about the person they belong to? 🙂

What has been the most memorable part of your journey?Has it been easy or difficult or both?!

The most memorable part of my journey is when I BC’d again for the second time in October 2010. I went completely bald. I documented that journey a bit better. I have pics for sure. Short hair I knew, bald was completely different. So that entire process alone was interesting.

When I transitioned I mostly braided my hair. Washed, conditioned, moisturized and braided. I wore a braid out as soon as they dried. Nowadays I’m mostly experimenting with wash and go’s on my hair type. I’m looking for the most effective method for my hair type.

One of the most memorable reactions I ever got when I first returned natural is when I big chopped the first time and a neighborhood friend saw me that same day. He looked at me, smiled and asked why I waited so long to do this? He was so right!

My current regimen is very simple and basic I mostly use conditioners VO5 or Suave, oils and eco styler gel. Im currently experiencing with wash and go’s and trying to perfect my routine for my hair type.

Some of my favorite youtuber’s are Naptural85, MahoganyKnots, NaturallyTash just to name a few.

I hope my journey encourages at least one person to embrace their natural hair. In the world we live in today being yourself and accepting the gifts Mother Nature granted you is such a statement. Isn’t it funny how people are amazed at black women for embracing what simply grows out of our scalp? We are celebrating being ourselves and wearing our God given crowns, we celebrate stepping outside the box by embracing exactly what we found in the box in the first place. We live in a world where wearing my hair the way it grows naturally is nearly a political statement, can you imagine a white woman’s messy bun causing such a stir? Thinking and writing that feels weird to me. I want to leave a world where my future kids and grand kids won’t be considered “rebels” or “brave” just because they choose to wear their hair exactly the way it is.

I’ve only heard that some women have had trouble finding a man once they went natural. That was never the case for me. Because in all honesty I never cared who liked my hair as long as I liked it. There have literally been days when I know my hair is a hot mess, my twistout was on it’s last leg, but people have stopped me in the streets to tell me how fabulous my hair looked. All I could think in my mind is “Hell no! My hair looks horrendous!” On the other hand I’ve gotten dirty looks and a comment or two about “combing” my hair. When someone tells a black woman with natural hair to “comb” her hair they don’t realize that our hair is always “combed” or in other words it’s styled or done. Whether we wear a twist out, bantu knot out, a wash and go or simply pic out our fro, our hair is always “combed”. Because that is how you “comb” natural hair. End of story.

Our hair is unique to our race, therefore we cannot style them the way other races do and we cannot use the same methods, nor should we be required to.

If you want to keep up with me and my journey or just wanna follow someone from a different country and culture, feel free to follow me @claraluce5 or my natural hair page @beltetgrenn