When we begin to video blog, post pictures, write articles about our natural hair we are doing so in order to reach out to other naturals and inquiring minds who are considering becoming natural again.
Our obligation is to encourage viewers to go natural by being authentic with what we share. This obligation is heightened the moment you receive an inquiry from a curious follower of your social media presence asking you “How do you go natural?”
At that moment, we realize this journey of our natural hair we share online is not just for us as we would like to believe but it is much more. Our shared journeys reach the souls of others and through it we can lead people to decide to be natural whether we set out to do so or not.
I think natural hair influencers send viewers a message that “if I can do it, you can too and here is how I am doing it.” with each “read this post”, “click this link”, or “watch this video” we are indirectly converting someone and it’s our responsibility to be truthful in what we share about our natural hair journey.
How we run our ‘show’ matters not just to ourselves but to our viewers as well. The ones that we see comment and share our posts consistently and the ghost viewers who remain silent but encouraged.
Do you still have an obligation to be true to yourself even if you are not publicly documenting your journey? Believe it or not, you have a different type of obligation. You are obligated to be true to the natural you. If while doing so you happen to encourage someone to embrace their natural hair then kudos to you.
Just know that your journey is always recognized by someone whether you share it online to the natural hair community or keep it to yourself. Someone is gazing and is in awe of your natural journey asking themselves: “Can I do it just like she did?” So be you and stay true to who you are while on your own journey.
Do you think you have an obligation of honesty in your natural hair journey? Why or Why not?
Linda Wang says
nice
Samuel Midgette Somerville says
Nice