I remember crying and screaming as my mom struggled to get a comb through my thick hair. Looking back, I appreciate the time and effort she spent braiding my hair, sewing in hair pieces, perfectly placing barrettes, and trying her best not to hurt my tender-headed scalp. What a woman.
I wasn’t always delighted by the hard work she put into keeping my natural hair well maintained. At one point in elementary school I came home begging my mom to straighten my hair. I don’t recall what exactly prompted this desire, but I’m sure it was a combination of trying to conform to conventional beauty standards and being tired of my scalp getting yanked at every few days.