My Mixed Life Part 2
Hello Lovelies! Thank you so much for being here and taking a few minutes to read a little bit about my background!
I am proudly part of the "Loving Generation." If you don't know what that is, I'll give you a little run down.
In 1967, the Supreme Court decision Loving vs. Virginia made interracial marriage legal. Children born between 1967 and the 1980's to one white parent and one black parent are considered part of this generation.
Growing up in New Mexico I was surrounded by the Hispanic and Native American culture. There were not a lot of black kids or white kids at my school and there definitely weren't a lot of "mixed kids" like my self and my sister. Now, I love New Mexico and I wouldn't change living here for a second. I do however, wish that I had the change to be immersed in black culture. I would be such a different person, not that I am not happy with who I am now, and not that I can't immerse myself now into my black culture. It just would've been nice to feel that side of me as a young girl.
This is my little sister! We are 2 years apart. She looks more like the black side of my family then I do.
She is one of the stylists at Oooh Girl and is currently taking Natural haired clients. Relaxers were part of her life since she was 6 years old. Like me she wanted super straight, long flat hair. My mother just wanted to be able to manage her daughters hair. Like many moms with biracial children the struggle is real when it comes to there hair! They just don't know what to do or even how to do it!
About 5 years ago, my sister decided to go natural. It was not an overnight venture. It has taken a lot of haircuts, a lot of money purchasing the products that work the best for her hair and the most important thing...Patience! She now has it down! She uses between 2 and 3 products on her hair. Let me be the first to say, her hair is the BOMB! And I have to be honest, I am a little jealous. I mean, how can I not be? It's Gorg!
As for me....well I went thru many, many, many transitions. Too many to put up. Although, if you happen to follow my Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/elwstyling/ and follow my stories, you might just see some Throw Back Thursday photos of my in my hay days. I have been every color under the sun, all while trying to have straight hair. I kept trying to fight my hair, fight what it wanted to do because I wanted to look like someone I wasn't. Starting Cosmetology school was the beginning of change for me. I have never been afraid of cutting my hair, I mean I had my fair share of botched hair cuts and I knew that my hair would always grow back, so what's the harm in trying something new? I entered Cosmetology School with long hair and by the time I started my first salon job at JC Penneys Hair Salon, I had cut it all off. That's pretty much the way it has stayed ever since. I found that I could wear it curly easier, color it any color I wanted, and the best part was it was easy to manage.
Until, that is, I entered the world of hair extensions! Now I have a craving for
Natural Beaded Row™ Extensions! Which means I have to grow my hair out, past my chin! As I write this I have the sides and underneath growing out from being SHAVED off. The top part is much longer, a little past my ears. Growing out a short cut is one of the hardest things to do (as far as hair growing goes)! I have days where I want to shave it all off and start all over, then I have days where my hair is perfect and I want to leave it like it is. *Sigh* what is a girl to do!
With Natural Beaded Row™ Extensions I can wear my hair curly or straight. My main goal in wearing these extensions is to put myself in my clients shoes. I want to feel what they feel, wear what they wear, deal with each struggle (if they have any) they deal with. Putting myself in my clients shoes is the best way I can give them the hair of their dreams!
Thanks so much for being here today! Follow my hair journey on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ELWStyling/ and
on my Instagram stories https://www.instagram.com/elwstyling/