Rhonda Lee, the meteorologist whose response to a Facebook comment about her natural hair and subsequent termination is the subject of much debate has kindly shared with us her thoughts on her natural hair journey.
NaturallyCurly: How and when did you start embracing your natural hair?
Rhonda Lee: In 2000 after I cut it I fell in love with the FREEDOM being natural allows. It started with a simple cut of my long hair for my birthday. It was relaxed at the time and was still just long enough to put a few curls in it. But as the summer went on that year, I kept asking my beautician to cut it shorter than the last time, until one day she said I was going to need a barber because she wasn’t licenced to cut hair. That was the last time I sat in a beauty salon. It was completely accidental.
NC:. What reaction did you get when you first decided to go natural?
RL: My husband at the time was less than thrilled with my relaxed hair cut, and eventually got used to the natural. He was under the impression that women were supposed to have long straight hair. My mom has been natural since a bad jehri curl in the 1980’s. So for me it wasn’t the world biggest deal to have short natural hair. I really owe my comfort level to her example.
NC:. What would you tell others to encourage them to embrace their curls?
RL: You are FREE! No more 6-7 hours in a salon. No more running for cover in the rain. You can workout and have a healthy body underneath that healthy scalp. The money you save is worth every curl. I hear women say they don’t have the head for their hair. God gave you your head and your hair too they were made for each other.
NC: How do you think having natural hair impacts your everyday life?
RL: It doesn’t. That’s the beauty of my natural hair. See #3!
NC: Thank you for your time Rhonda, we wish you the best!
