Safe Place
As women of color, Dara and I have worked tirelessly to provide a safe place for us and by us. We live in a world that has a narrow definition for beauty. Dara and I would like our site to serve as a counternarrative, which celebrates the beauty of all skin, hair, and body types. Young women of color should not have to be bombarded with images that do not resemble them, personally speaking, I always felt that it was an unreasonable goal. Growing up, I thought that my long curly hair was not attractive and I begged my mom for a perm for years. She finally gave in to my requests and I received my first perm at the age of 14. I finally had long, flowy, straight hair and there was nothing anyone could tell me. However, the price to obtain that goal was painful. We all know the burning sensation that swallows your scalp whole and the dash to the hair sink to get it rinsed. This was the price that many of us paid to reach that impractical goal. It wasn’t until the sophomore year of Spelman College, I realized the power of freeing yourself from the world’s view of you. That summer, I decided to do the big chop which was one of the scariest decisions of my life. I always had hair growing up and now all of it was gone. I wondered who I would be without my hair, how would people view me. Would I still be considered beautiful? If I could go back and calm the insecurities of that young girl, I would tell her that the hair wasn’t the source of her strength, grace and loving heart and yes, you are still beautiful as ever. I hope that you find the same reassurance as you search through our products. This blog will serve as a community of encouragement to our fellow sisters. Feel free to give tips, share experiences, and encouragement. No slander or teasing will be tolerated because this is OUR safe space. Our stories won’t sound the same and our tips may not be for everyone, but we hope you find a piece of yourself woven into our site. I’ve shared my story and now we are ready to hear yours!
-Achaia Moore
Co-Founder of Symani Hair and Care