Happy Lockversary - Mom & Blaq

Happy four-year and six-year anniversary to Mom and BlaqKofi.  My six-year post coming next!

BlaqFam

Doing life right now.  Challenged in a healthy way - growing, learning, teaching, reaching, becoming, knowing... the authentic Blaq.  Life's exciting and I'm happy.  You know I can't stay away from y'all long though.  I love to keep bringing you fresh Sisterlock knowledge, sharing their freedom and beauty.

I present to you my beautiful mother and sister.  Lil Sis, gone be hangin' with us next. 

Stylist:  BlaqKofi. 
How you can create these looks coming soon.
Click photo for greater detail.

Mom's Update

Many of you have written asking about Mom's Sisterlocks progress.  Here she is, 68 years old (next week), on lock down for 2 years 7 months and still loving and sporting her Sisterlocks. (Click any photo for greater detail.) 

Hairstyles: 
Mom = Braidout
Blaq = 2 week old bendable curler set.  My next post will include pics of the set and step by step process.

My mom doesn't own a computer, but she gets a real kick out of me sharing all of your positive love.  She can't imagine that someone would want to see her photos,but I remind her that she's "BlaqKofi's momma!" 

That's BlaqKofi's Momma

Mom recently celebrated her two year loc'versary. I'm so proud of her. Here's mom a mere two years later with locks sitting on her shoulders, getting compliments left and right and having to pull her hair up off her neck. She even surprised me and did her own braidout for Sunday church. Don't know why I was surprised - that's BlaqKofi's momma.


Mom never studied Sisterlocks or natural hair. She doesn't even own a computer. I remember feeling uncertain and nervous accompanying her to the consultation, still not quite believing she would commit. This is a woman who has been on the same job for 35 plus years - to say she's not a proponant of change is a major understatement. I so firmly knew this facet of her that my mind never even remotely processed the equation of Mom + Natural + Sisterlocks. Don't know why not - that's BlaqKofi's momma.


Consultation complete, test locks installed we thanked my consultant, Gigi and headed for the car. Once outside...

Mom:"I thought we were going to make my appointment to get them put in?"
Blaq: "Are you sure?"
Mom: "That's what I came here for."
Blaq: "Alright then. Let's go make your appointment."

I was so excited. We turned right around and made her appointment. A month later she was on lock down. Little did I know that while quietly observing my natural awakening, mom in turn was awakened. I should have known. That's BlaqKofi's momma!


Two years later, my sister has observed my mom's journey and recently said to me,

Sister: "if my hair could look as good as yours and moms, I'd get Sisterlocks."Blaq: "it can"
Another unlikely equation, or so I thought. She is now preparing to cross over. (I think there's a lesson in there somewhere.)

Each one reach one, teach one, lift one...

Until next we meet,

BlaqKofi
Certified Sisterlocks Consultant
(Click photos for greater detail.)

Mom, Mother LoLo & Mother GC

Mom Sisterlocked 20M

67 y/o

I was contacted last week by two elders (a term of respect) ironically within two days of each other. Both were inspired by mom's Sisterlocks photos.

Mother Lolo, 62 years of age, has been locked since June 08 and simply needed a little encouragement. You know the stage we all go through when we're anxiously waiting for that Sisterlocks growth spurt and feeling a little uncertain. We're ready for our babies to grow long, strong and thick.

Mother GC of Ohio, described herself as 62 y/o, retired and turning grey. She was getting Sisterlocks installed this past week and was a little anxious and uncertain about what to expect - just as we all were.

How awesome that our elders are embracing their natural beauty! Mother Lolo hang in there. I assure you, you'll be a natural hair role model for others soon. Mother GC, welcome home to Sisterlocks and natural freedom. Your "small locks" will soon thicken to even more beautiful tresses.

I've never met either of you, but I'm just as proud as I am of my mom. I'm honored that you considered BlaqKofi and Natural Awakenings a resource. You've made the biggest step already - you're home now. Relax and enjoy each stage of your Sisterlocks growth. Here's some of mom's transition photos for further inspiration.

To my readers, please give Mother LoLo & Mother GC some Sisterlocks love and encouragement.

Mom Day 1/6 Wks

Mom Day 1/4 Months
Mom @ 20M

mamma dem

I was blessed to spend this past weekend in Texas with my family. Their mere love lifts and encourages me so. We all had a great time at church followed by a fun photo shoot. Allow me to share my family - and check out how mom's locks have grown. I am so proud of her. You gone, gurl!!!!!

Mom, my sisters & me

My beautiful niece, my apprentice photographer and my road dawg! I'm slowly converting her to naturalness. She was my guest at Gigi's Customer Appreciation event on Saturday where she was introduced to every length, style, age and shade of Sisterlocks and sisters for that matter. Look forward to some great pics and a post highlighting this beautiful event full of Sisterlocked sisters and brothers.

Me & T (my little sis and my niece's mom)

I purchased my first hair ornament at Gigi's event on Saturday.
Click the photo for greater detail.

Me and my road dawg...

I have more posts coming your way soon and, of course, more Sisterlocks photos.

Those of you emailing and giving Blaq all that sisterly love, support and encouragement - I love you from the bottom of my heart.

I simply share Blaq - my peaks and valleys with Sisterlocks and life. Cause no matter how the outside looks, no matter how long you grow your locks - what's truly within will ultimately raise its head. If it's ugly on the inside - ugly gone come out. If it's hurtin' on the inside, here comes more hurt to the detriment of you and/or others because like attracts like.

We must ask ourselves, what was my lesson? Retain the lesson, because once you've been there, you never want to return. File it away in the "dat ain't never gone happen to me again" folder and bury that which is dead so that you can give life to a greater you.

I don't have all the answers. Hell sometimes on this journey, I don't even know the questions.

Natural Awakenings - that's what it's about

Each one
teach one
reach one
lift one

And, of course, Sisterlocks.

Until then,

Remain strong, remain focused and remain true to you.

BlaqKofi

Natural Awakenings

Hair: Mom @ 16M - Caruso set. Blaq @ 44M - Caruso set on freshly retightened locks and a week old braid out.
Photographers: Blaq, Niece, T

Mom's Styling & Other Locks

Many of you have asked about the status of mom’s locks. I had the opportunity to travel home this past weekend to see my family and get retightened. It just so happened that mom was retightened on Thursday. Check her out at 14 months!

She’s never set her locks because, “my daughter moved out of town and I don’t know how.” Well no more excuses! I took her shopping and got her the Caruso steam curlers, flex rods, and ordered her some soft spike curlers. I showed my 22 year old niece (below photo) who is in cosmetology school how to roll, style and crinkle her hair. So mom’s set now!

Although mom's at 14 months, she's still not completely locked and continues to braid and band. She has a loose curl pattern and soft hair. The back is locking first because there is a coarser grade of hair. But it has filled in nicely and she's happy. She complained about not having enough volume. But now that she knows how to set her hair, she'll be another walking, talking Sisterlocks testimony. I'm so proud of her. She doesn't like change and I continue to be amazed that she even considered locking. Go head mom with yo bad self!








More pics of mom and me and three generations: Mom, Me & my granddaughter. (Working on getting her natural.)





When I arrived for my retightening appointment, Gigi was just finishing this beautiful queen, KD, who’s been on loc’down for 3 years. Thanks, KD for allowing me to take your photo.















I returned on Saturday to purchase some Sisterlocks shampoo and this sister was getting an install. I couldn’t pass up a photo op for my blog! I didn’t get her name – but thanks! She was being installed by Tafi Adgers a new consultant in Gigi’s shop.




Introducing Tafi Adgers, Natural Hair Image Consultant Trainee. Tafi wore traditional locks, but came over to da Sisterlocks side three weeks ago. Welcome home, Tafi and best wishes on growing your consulting business.












I'll have an update soon on my lock status and some new products I've tried. As you can see, they are growing!!! Styles: free style & caruso set.


Click photos for greater detail.

Mom at Six Months

Check out mom and her beautiful Sisterlocks during Christmas. I'm so proud of her. Her locks are progressing well. We were a little concerned initially because of her loose curl pattern and soft hair. But, she's had no problems and surprisingly - little slippage. I continue to braid and band before I wash them.

Each One, Reach One

I received one of the most beautiful post the other day. It read:

Blaq, welcome back. Love your blog and your spirit and your locks. Have to tell you that I showed my 83 year old mom, who has been enjoying the look of my developing sisterlocks, your website last weekend and she has decided to get sisterlocks after a lifetime of covering her natural hair with a wig. This is so huge for her and I thank you and your mom for your roles in helping her to take this step.

What a wonderful testiment! I shared this post with my mom, and she just beamed. Which leads me to sharing her most recent comparison shots. She's still loving her Sisterlocks and feels very comfortable with them.

To Anet, whose 83 year old mom has decided to lock, please tell her how proud I am of her and after she's locked, I want to be sure and feature her on my blog.

Mom Day 1 - 4 Months

Mom - Back (4 Months)

Mom's Locked!

My mom got her Sisterlocks installed last Friday. To say I'm proud of her doesn't even begin to explain my pride.

You see, mom and I are totally different. She isn't very adventurous and she's often afraid to try new things and venture out despite the efforts of my sisters and me.

I am still in awe that she actually took this bold step of liberation all by herself. I was convinced that she'd never get past the "spacy" beginning stage because she has a loose curl pattern. So, I didn't coerce her. I didn't tie her to a chair and perform SL torture (i.e. force her to read blogs or look at hundreds of SL photos or read every post on LockItUp). She made the decision on her own.

Two years ago she stopped perming. She was tired of the salon wait, the salon move, the salon attitudes, tired of damaged hair and just plain ole tired.

She gets up at 4 a.m. each day to go to work standing on her feet in a hot warehouse. She'd go to work with a hairstyle and come home disheartened looking as if she'd never been to the beauty shop.

Flash forward to this past week and her new liberated hair freedom - she gets to sleep in longer - because she just runs her fingers through her locks and her hair is beautiful. The Texas and warehouse heat had no effect on her Sisterlocks. She came home and said, "Today, I didn't have to worry about those huge fans blowing my hair all over my head, wondering what I was looking like or sweating my hair out." I asked, how did that feel mom? She said, "wonderful!"

In one week, she's already more confident and proudly sports her SL. Her spacing is very minimal and hardly noticeable. She'd been wearing a wig to church prior to locking. On Sunday, I said, mom you wore your SL to church. She said, "of course! I paid too much money for this to hide them."

I guess mom and I aren't so different after all - we now share the bond of Sisterlocks!

(Hairstyles: Blaq-Caruso set with day old highlights, Mom-freshly locked after 10 hours, Gigi-Soft Spike set up do)