I'm a former New Yorker, having lived in New York (Midtown West Side, Queens and Long Island) for 28 years. My mother is Sephardic Jewish, my dad was Cherokee/Choctaw/Jamaican. My mom's family made aaliyah from Spain to Ellis Island, NY; then settling in Philadelphia, PA. Her hair is long, thick and curly. My dad's hair was thick and nappy (bush city)! My Jewish hair identity: I'm a mixed chick...and proud of my Jewish heritage. I have very curly hair. My mom didn't know what to do with its thickness, so she resorted to using a hot pressing comb followed by hot curlers on a gas stove. She wanted me to "fit in". Being transferred to an all-white middle school in a then-Jewish area of Philadelphia, I had lots of Jewish friends. But I noticed their hair was either wavy or straight; mine was curly to the point I was teased in school. In the late 60s-early 70s, it seemed curly hair was out; straight hair was a more acceptable standard of beauty. Although my hair's length was to the small of my back, it was shampooed, toweled dry with NO CONDITIONER! All my mom did was fry it with a greasy pomade. Comb out was horrendous. From there, after college I got my first relaxer. That lasted for over 20 years. Until I found Curly Like Me by Teri LaFlesh in July 2013, I thought of going curly anyway. I was sick of putting my hair care in the hands of unscrupulous beauticians, suffering from a sore scalp after each touch-up, burns on my earlobes, etc. On Aug. 3rd, an aneurysm was detected on the left side of my brain, needing immediate surgery. My doctors (neurosurgeons) somehow cut the length of my hair in the back; as well as the front left side. I was a bit angered by the unnecessary cutting in the back. Prior to my surgery and following Curly Like Me techniques, my hair had grown right past my shoulders. Now I have to start all over again...thankfully, it grows fast. After my release from the hospital, I was seduced into relaxing my hair again. Thankfully, I resisted the temptation. My hair has been off the hair crack (relaxers) for 7months now. Having saved a lot of time and money, I vowed to NEVER damage/hurt my curls ever again.
I'm a former New Yorker, having lived in New York (Midtown West Side, Queens and Long Island) for 28 years. My mother is Sephardic Jewish, my dad was Cherokee/Choctaw/Jamaican. My mom's family made aaliyah from Spain to Ellis Island, NY; then settling in Philadelphia, PA. Her hair is long, thick and curly. My dad's hair was thick and nappy (bush city)! My Jewish hair identity: I'm a mixed chick...and proud of my Jewish heritage. I have very curly hair. My mom didn't know what to do with its thickness, so she resorted to using a hot pressing comb followed by hot curlers on a gas stove. She wanted me to "fit in". Being transferred to an all-white middle school in a then-Jewish area of Philadelphia, I had lots of Jewish friends. But I noticed their hair was either wavy or straight; mine was curly to the point I was teased in school. In the late 60s-early 70s, it seemed curly hair was out; straight hair was a more acceptable standard of beauty. Although my hair's length was to the small of my back, it was shampooed, toweled dry with NO CONDITIONER! All my mom did was fry it with a greasy pomade. Comb out was horrendous. From there, after college I got my first relaxer. That lasted for over 20 years. Until I found Curly Like Me by Teri LaFlesh in July 2013, I thought of going curly anyway. I was sick of putting my hair care in the hands of unscrupulous beauticians, suffering from a sore scalp after each touch-up, burns on my earlobes, etc. On Aug. 3rd, an aneurysm was detected on the left side of my brain, needing immediate surgery. My doctors (neurosurgeons) somehow cut the length of my hair in the back; as well as the front left side. I was a bit angered by the unnecessary cutting in the back. Prior to my surgery and following Curly Like Me techniques, my hair had grown right past my shoulders. Now I have to start all over again...thankfully, it grows fast. After my release from the hospital, I was seduced into relaxing my hair again. Thankfully, I resisted the temptation. My hair has been off the hair crack (relaxers) for 7months now. Having saved a lot of time and money, I vowed to NEVER damage/hurt my curls ever again.