Why does having a good or bad hair day directly affect what the rest of our day is going to be like? 

Why is it that if my hair is cooperating, then everything else in my day is just supposed to magically go AMAZEBALLS? 
(My daughter told me that people don't use this word anymore, but, oh well.)

I never thought about my hair representing my heritage until I saw a video on Facebook posted by  “Pero Like” called “Pelo Bueno Pelo Malo”. 

(Warning: Pero Like is about Latino's, and has both serious and funny videos. Some words are nice, some are naughty, but they all have truth to them.)

Pelo Bueno Pelo Malo is translated in to Good Hair Bad Hair. The good hair is more Americanized. It’s relaxed and straight and easy to style. Bad hair is kinky, and curly, and shows more of our African roots. After watching this video, my first thought was, “Seriously? This is a thing? I mean, I know curly hair can be a pain, but bad? Really?”

When I was a kid, I hated having a curly halo, when my friends all had sleek and smooth roots.

  I wanted to fit in with my friends, and I wanted to be able to style my bangs like they did.

 But with my natural curls (and no straight iron) there was no way I could style my hair like theirs. Instead of the lovely arch that so many girls in the early to mid 90’s had, I was blessed with a curly tube across my forehead. 

(Somewhere there's a picture of this travesty. Thankfully, I don't have it.)

The only time this worked for me was when I went to one of those celebrity head shot places and came away with this

(BTW, this style required a lot of hairspray, and a lot of time)

 My mother, bless her heart, never complained to me about doing my hair as a kid. I have mad respect for her now, because as a mother of 3 girls with curly hair, the struggle is real! My cupboard is full of creams, gel, mousse, spray, dry shampoo, and many other styling essentials to help achieve a “natural” look.

Over the years I have styled my hair both straight and curly, but it wasn’t until I watched the video that  I realized how much my curls are a part of what makes me who I am. I am a Latina woman with African roots, and I’m very proud of my entire heritage.

 My recent hair journey has taught me that I am more than my hair; I am several things compiled in to one kind of amazing person, descendant from other amazing women with this same beautiful hair. I know that I am more than my hair, but I also know that my hair is a big part of me. And when my hair is on point, and the frizz is gone, it really does turn my entire day around.