Name: Kiara Medina
Age: 26
"For as long as I could remember, I straightened my hair— and had extreme heat damage because of it. My friend Jessica led the naturally curl movement in my friend group. One by one, we were all committing to healthy curls. I was going through lots of change when I decided to stop using heat tools. I was going to be on my own for the first time, I was moving to Dallas three months after graduation, and I was just ready to fully embrace my curls. I committed to going natural in 2015, right after college graduation. I did a big chop and got consistent haircuts every four months to remove heat damage and maintain my hair shape. I'm so happy I did it! I regret not doing it sooner. I was too busy trying to 'fit in' and hating my curls.
Straight hair has historically always been seen as more 'desirable' and 'manageable,' even in my family. It was quite the journey with lots of trial and error (the rise of curly hair influencers providing helpful tips, product recommendations, and transition photos also helped me stick to the journey), but I feel more like myself than I've ever felt."
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kiara Medina