I’m in Spain for a multitude of reasons. The funny thing is, however, that for the most part this trip came completely out of nowhere. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a capricious woman, but every once in a while you see something that inspires you and makes you want to get up off of your behind and take some kind of action. It doesn’t happen very often, but that’s what happened when the ladies of “Go Natural Spain” took some very fierce photos and posted them on the Curly Nikki Facebook page. They looked phenomenal! Their photos oozed beauty, fun, and zeal. I just knew I had to meet them.
Researching the Go Natural Spain initiative, I found an organization whose goals and mission lined up very much with the work I do every day at CurlyNikki.com and through other channels. It was clear to me that the natural revolution had enlisted a few soldiers across the great Atlantic Ocean and I had to make the trip over there to make sure I wasn’t being Catfished! That’s why I teamed up with Jessicurl to take head over there to take the ladies some much needed products, bring some attention to the Go Natural initiative, and to party it up for my 30th birthday. Since being here, I’ve met women from the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, London, and from back home in the States that are all-natural in Madrid. It was so easy to relate to these women who, like me, understand that embracing one’s natural self transcends the vanity of a “new look” — it touches the soul. Like Awanda Perez, co-founder of Go Natural Spain says: “If something is magical, it is fair to share it with more people.” I believe that wholly, and that’s why I’m here.
This piece was originally run here on Essence.com.
Nikki Walton, founder of CurlyNikki.com, is a successful psychotherapist and creator of the most credible online source about natural hair care, maintenance and decoding the psychological ties between black women and their hair. She's the author of the book Better Than Good Hair.