Just the Way You Are

When I think of Michael Jackson I am reminded of the global brainwashing of blacks being inferior.  During my international Nigerian experience I learned that the bleaching of one’s skin to lighten it is a highly profitable “beauty” secret.   I learned people with black skin are conditioned globally to believe that our natural skin color, hair texture, physical features and intellectual capacities are “inferior”.  When I moved to Nigeria to live with my husband one of his friends said to him in front of me “too bad you have a fat wife”.  By the time the Neothink Society reached out to me I was addicted to wearing red ethnic wigs because all my life I never learned to manage my own hair.  My hair is extremely fine and I experienced horror stories as I sought help from hair professionals until I finally found hair stylists from Egypt.   

I remember as a young child begging my mother to straighten my hair because she wore her hair straight and she also straightened my older sister’s hair.  I would literally beg my mother to straighten my hair too as she explained me that my hair type did not require straightening.  Her explanation did not matter to me because I wanted my hair to look like my mother’s, my sister’s and everyone else so my mother gave in and started straightening my hair.  As a result for years I struggled with hair problems as my hair violently reacted to the chemicals professionals hair stylists used on my hair.  After experiencing the loss of my hair on several occasions I stopped the use of chemical products on my hair.  I was ridiculed by some of the women I met while living in Nigeria because by that time I did not have chemically altered hair.  Even deep within the Nigerian villages there were only pictures of white and asian women as a standard of beauty images throughout their beauty salons. 

I remember my dad not understanding my “issue” because he knew that my hair was like his Indian mother’s.  Unfortunately I only remember visiting my paternal grandmother only once in Tennessee and by that time she was on her deathbed. 

After reading my first Neothink multigenerational manuscript within three months I was out of the red wigs and proudly wearing my natural hair in twisted styles.   At the same time well meaning friends would assure me that my twisted hair styles were not acceptable images for the professional business environment.    Because I needed to be employable I never let my twists lock.  I am truly grateful to Neothink for helping me rediscover my natural beauty.  The “greatest” gift that I received through my Neothink journey is I am absolutely loving me! 

On Friday, July 24, 2009 I finally created a hair style that is definitely in my “sweet spot”.  

Linda Mokeme