Monique
"I’ve had a long journey with my curly hair. As a first-generation Caribbean- Canadian, I was taught to be presentable and have nice, straight hair just like how my mom did back home.
In elementary school, relaxers were introduced to my routine.
By high school, relaxers damaged my hair so badly that I had paper-thin strands and could barely make a ponytail. No matter how much I wanted to stop I couldn’t because my mother didn’t want to deal with my “unruly” hair. Soon after, that routine changed.
In college, I started my transition journey. It was full of frustration and tears but slowly, I began to love my hair for what it naturally was. I had many ugly phases but found inspiration in the small amount of Black women online who were also doing the same. I researched everything under the sun about textures, curl patterns, ingredients and styling to figure out what worked for me.
Now I’m 8 years into my journey and wholeheartedly love my curls. I feel empowered and proud of every wave and curl. To me, it represents where I came from, without shame or disappointment. There is no bad or good hair. We all have unique styles and coils and I’m excited to pass this joy onto the next generation with self love."
