Natural Spotted: Brittany!

Spotted: Brittany Cunningham

When: Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Age: 22

 I’ve been natural since August 2005

1. When did you big chop, or begin your transition? 
I did my first big chop in August of 2005, after transitioning for a year. I decided to cut the rest of the relaxer off right before my senior year of high school and wore it in a cute bob for my senior portraits. I did not take care of my hair well, I dyed it, put way too much heat on it and had to do another chop. I did my second chop last year in July 2010 and wore braids until off and on until April 2011 when I began my healthy hair journey.

2. How long have you been natural?
 I’ve been natural since August 2005, but did not start my natural/ healthy hair journey until April 9, 2011.

3. What where some of the biggest deciding factors in your decision to go natural? What was your inspiration? 
I saw pictures of how thick and long my hair was as a child wanted it back. Everyone I knew with really healthy hair, had natural hair, but when one of my best friends Amy Wright went natural she inspired me to do the same.

4. Did you have any reservations about going natural? What were your family and friends responses when you did it? 
I had so many reservations, I wondered how would I look with out straight hair, I didn’t know how my hair would react or what kind of questions I would have to answer. My family was not the most supportive at all, everyone wanted to know why I didn’t “comb” my hair when I would come to events. In the beginning I took it personally, but I later understood whom their standard of beauty was influenced by and prided myself on defining beauty for myself. In the present I wouldn’t say they are supportive, I would just say they have excepted my decision and let me know which hairstyles they prefer.

5. What is your go-to product? And go-to hairstyle?
 I have so many! My go to shampoo is the terresentials lavender Garden, it is absolutely amazing and USDA organic! I can not live without unrefined shea butter, or coconut oil and I hope God never makes me. My go to hairstyle is a flat twist out, I love it because I can wear it out and free, or pin it up to the side or put a head band on.

6. What do you love about being Natural? 
 Everything!! I love the freedom I feel with natural hair, I love walking down the street having people stare, I absolutely love the versatility I have with different styles and when I don’t like a style I can wet it and start all over!

7. Aside from your natural hair, what are your passionate about? What do you do for a living? 
I am currently in my last year at SF State, where I am Child and Adolescent Development major, I love children and can’t wait to work with them everyday. I have to say I absolutely passionate about my family, friends, and the raiders (the order of priority really depends on the day of the week).


8. Anything else you’d like to share?
I really wish everyone In the Black hair community would get along and stop arguing over what is better natural hair or relaxed hair. We are all women and our individual choices in what we do to our hair should not prevent us from interacting with one another, or give superiority each other. Instead we could put our energy toward more important things like our health, family, or realizing the things in life we enjoy and making sure they are constant in our life!