I make my living as a stylist of words, not hair.

But ever since I founded my cultural support group called A Nappy Hair Affair, another dimension has been added to my life as a journalist.

I am now a writer and a nap activist.

I didn’t plan it this way.  But the following that developed behind A Nappy Hair Affair (ANHA”>, forced me into this dual career. In my role as nap activist, I have found myself spending time counseling victims of Post Hot-Comb Traumatic Tress Syndrome, helping recovering permies stay “on coarse,” and ministering to clients who are in Afro-denial.

As a nap activist, I have been vilified by professional purveyors of perms, who feel that my nappy pride movement is a threat to their livelihood.

Even a few natural hair stylists, who fashion themselves as the HNIC (Head Nap In Charge”>, have accused me of plotting to usurp their coveted positions.  I took their criticism as compliments.  They soon learned that I had no designs on carrying the title or taking their place.

When I received my kink calling, I became known as “Mosetta.”  My friend Mary gave me the name after attending some of my Hair Day gatherings. Hair Days are the informal natural hair grooming sessions and social gatherings that I started at my home in response to friends’ complaints about not having anyone to do their hair in its natural state.

At Hair Day we offered support to those who ran into ignorance and stupidity from people who objected to their choice to embrace a more natural and African-inspired lifestyle, which included keeping relaxers out of their hair.

Mary claimed that I inspired her and others to stop o-pressing their hair and embrace nappy freedom.  She said that I reminded her of Moses and his to quest lead the Israelites out of oppression and into liberation.

But instead of calling me Moses, Mary took my gender into account and anointed me  “Mosetta.”

Let me get a few things ‘straight,’ so to speak.

In this space I will offer advice and anecdotes, plain talk, humor, ‘hair raising’ news and news you can use.  It will all be with the purpose of reaffirming and unapologetically celebrating the uniqueness of our hair, our lifestyle and our culture. I may have been dubbed Mosetta, but this is one nap activist who has no plans to go striding into beauty salons to drag the chemically inclined customers from their chairs.  And don’t expect me to go out of my way to save the masses of perm-challenged souls.

But what I will do for those who are ready to make the journey into self-acceptance and self-appreciation is to be ‘hair’ for them and offer my support.

One way of offering my support is through my column, “Naturally Speaking.”

I look forward to ‘hair-ing’ from you.

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