Miles to go...

About a year after high school i ran into a friend of mine.  While in high school he had long, thick shoulder length locs that were jet black, well cared for and simply beautiful.  The day i saw him he was wearing a low cut fade.  I was a bit taken back as i knew his locs meant a lot to him so i could not help but ask what happened.  Without a second to spare he told me he was unable to find a job and he suspected his locs was the reason so he cut them. 

That was over 10 years ago.  Back then, locs were far less popular and even less accepted.  People fear what they don't understand and unfortunately locs are one of those things.  I have had the pleasure of locs for over 20 years.  My mother, an active member of the rastafarian community has had locs even before i was born so to me they are the norm.  There are more loc myths floating around than you might imagine.  I can honestly say locs have come a long way but we still have miles to go. 

In an article i read online last month, prisoners in Virginia are held in insolation / segregation  if they refuse to cut their locs and maintain a low cut like the state requires.  Inmate Kendall Gibson has been in segregation for over a decade because he refuses to cut his locs.  Kendall is a rastafarian and his locs are more than a hairstyle, they're his way of life and religion. 

I am happy that i am in an environment that supports the way i choose to wear my hair.  I love being a free spirit and can go from an afro one day to braids or twist the next.  I hope you too have the pleasure of being in an environment that allows you to be an individual and accepts your beautiful locs, afro, braids, twists or any other style you choose.  If not, hang in there because it too shall pass.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"