My name is Patricia Gaines, otherwise known on Nappturality.com as "Deecoily".  People have asked me how I came to create Nappturality, how it has changed over the years and what my vision is for Natural Hair today. So, I'm happy to bring all of you up to date on what "NP" is and what I hope to achieve by bringing our hair issues to light.

Back in early 2001, when I first stopped relaxing my  hair it wasn't done out of some sudden sense of pride and desire to go natural. It was done because I had a "chemical crew cut".  A relaxer had broken my hair off. As a person who revelled in having long, straight hair (my own) I was devastated. Unable to wear  my hair short, I first went to wigs, then extensions and weave, in an attempt to preserve what I thought made me beautiful.

About 6 months into my "transition" - though I didn't know what it was - I began to question my hair - and myself. Having worked in corporate banking and finance before moving into the film and music industries, I remembered the pressure I had been under to maintain my hair in a *certain* way when employed by a Fortune 100 company.

It wasn't so much an obvious RULE that said I had to straighten it, but no where around me, not a single Black woman had her hair in any style other than relaxed or straightened. There were no natural styles anywhere to be seen in the corporate environment. Not so much as a hint of new growth.

Why?
Why could other races wear their hair the way it grew out of their heads and we couldn't?
Why the double standard for us?
What was wrong with my natural hair?
What was that feeling when the new growth appeared? It was inferiority.

When I realized that and faced it, it was like someone dropped a rock on my head and I knew it was the awful truth. So I dealt with it. As my hair grew, so did my determination NOT to EVER straighten it again. I kept it in braids and eventually locked and unlocked. 

While on hiatus due to an inury in late 2001, I found myself with some time on my hands and used it to venture onto the internet to look for support in maintaining my shoulder length nappy, thick, dense MOP. Yes MOP. I had no idea what to do with it. I hadn't seen it since I was in primary school and didn't know how to comb it, brush it or style it.

I found a few scattered websites here and there. Some dedicated to hair, some dedicated to race. Many talked about pride in their natural kinks and curls but ALL talked about straightening and relaxing and were loaded with photos of relaxed hair styles.

A group of us *nappyheads* began coalescing around a single theme: We loved our "nappy" hair and we did not want to talk about straightening it. We want to talk about working WITH our texture and not AGAINST it. There were about 20 of us in that early group and we were all searching for the same thing. A place where we could get together and share pictures, style ideas and products. Compare styling techniques and show mutual love and support for our decision to wear our hair natural and be proud and nappy.

I was sitting on my couch one night in March 2002, still frustrated about having to wade through discussions about straightening and how "I hate my nappy hair please help me fix it" topics when three words popped into my head:

NAPPy
nappTURal
spirituALITY

And that night NAPPTURALITY was born.

Launched on April 20, 2002 we started out as a single web page portal of links to our web albums. Then moved on to a few pages of informational articles. Soon after, we formed a Yahoo! group (still in existence though only for historical reasons) but it didn't have enough features. We created our own discussion board and grew from there to the incredible community we are today.

Not only are there boards for hair, but we have Parenting areas, Weight Loss & Fitness, Political, Cultural, Religious, Philosophy, Entertainment and more. Nappturality is not just about your hair anymore, it's about living the best, and healthiest lifestyle you are able. Your hair is a reflection of your health and what you put into your body, so Nappturality has grown to embrace more than just your hair.

Nappturality has ebbed and flowed with the times over the last 7 years but I have never lost sight of the original reason behind creating this haven. I have become more aware of the dangers of the chemicals in relaxing as well as the ones in our cosmetics and soaps. I have become more physically fit and lead a very active lifestyle which all contributes to good health and beautiful hair. I have learned so much from the women here and continue to be inspired every day by what I read on the forums.

So, after all that - what's NP for?

It is for those of us who are napptural, or thinking about going napptural.
It is a place for support and friendship.
It is a place for learning and growth.
It is a place for sisterhood (and brotherhood).

Nappturality is still owned and operated by me and volunteers who help out on the forums and behind the scenes. There are no corporate interests or benefactors. It is 100% funded by me with help from advertisements, donations and subscriptions from members.

I thank this community of fierceness and fire, support and love, for helping me and others over the years and who continue to help me bring the Nappturality feeling to others. With your support, I hope to be here for a long time to come.

Nappily,
*Dee*