More and more, it seems as if women are waving goodbye to their hair weaves and relaxers and opting to wear their natural hair. Even the hair industry has caught on to this phenomenon and developed a multi-million dollar business devoted to natural hair care products.
What further makes the natural hair boom impressive, is that it has created a community of natural hair wearers that swap stories, ideas, products and more. But for this not-so-secret-society, it’s more than aesthetics, it’s a culture and at times, challenges societal norms.
As a wearer of a naturally maintained mane, Darice Rene wanted to create a more structured hair circle for women to discuss hair issues and created Naturalistas in Nap, a natural hair meetup group for people who live in Indianapolis.
“I was curious to know what other women with natural hair were dealing with. I looked up one day and realized there are so many more of us than when I did my first ‘big chop’ seven, eight years ago. I wanted to connect with women, share and learn,” said Rene. “We have YouTube, but YouTube doesn’t talk back to you.”
Naturalistas in Nap is for those who embrace natural hair as a lifestyle and/or seek to learn more. They can join, for free, to meet like-minded, positive people who don’t mind sharing their triumphs and tragedies along the road to growing healthy natural hair.
Rene hosts gatherings where members can share their natural hair regimens, maintenance, products, styles and anything else hair related. This is done through networking events, workshops, seminars, presentations, demonstrations and more.
Rene said there are over 700 Naturalistas in Nap members.
During these events, Rene said what she finds most interesting are the reasons why more women are going natural.
“You have your active women who are going to the gym, which is great for our community, but for the most part, I meet women who return to being natural because they are curious about their natural hair. They’re tired of the damage chemicals have done,” said Rene.
She adds that initially many women attend their first event wearing braids, weaves or wigs. At the next event, they arrive wearing their natural hair.
“That’s one of the most rewarding things for me to see,” said Rene, who admitted to initially not having total confidence to wear her natural hair in her former corporate job.
Soon women will be able to gather once again because Rene, a natural hair speaker and blogger, is organizing another local natural hair event that will take place on a day where other natural hair wearers and meetup organizers around the world will simultaneously gather in their respective cities.
The International Natural Hair Meetup Day (INHMD) is May 17. The local event will be held that day from 1 to 5 p.m. at Palm Studios, 9800 Association Court on Indianapolis’ Northside.
Rene learned about the event from INHMD founder and North Carolina resident Adeea Rogers and wanted Indianapolis to participate.
“I got the inspiration to start INHMD after attending the World Natural Hair Show in Atlanta years ago. I started planning events and as a result, I became connected with others across the country who were doing the same thing. The idea just came to me: it would be so impactful for everyone to have a natural hair focused event on one day in their respective communities,” said Rogers, who is humbled by the fact that INHMD will be taking place worldwide in places like Arizona and Japan.
During the Indianapolis event, natural hair wearers will be able to meet and greet one another, sample and buy products, watch hair demonstrations, learn from a panel of natural hair experts, and take part in lots of giveaways.
In addition to INHMD, Rogers added a community service component to the day, INHMD Cares, and asked event organizers to partner with a local organization. Rene said the Indianapolis INHMD will partner with Coburn Place, a safe haven for women who have been domestically abused.
Naturalistas in Nap is all about teaching, learning and supporting women with natural hair. Rene hopes people with all types of hair come out to INHMD on May 17 and simply see what it’s all about.
“Natural hair is not scary if you don’t do it by yourself. Seek out groups like Naturalistas in Nap or gather your own group of supporters. Either way, get involved,” said Rene.
For more information, visit meetup.com/NaturalistasinNap or thewaytonaturalhair.com.
