"My Soul had been Awakened" the Chekena Wells Omawali Story.

"Hello, my name is Chekena and I have been natural for a little over 3 years. When I decided to go natural I was not even aware of the natural hair movement. It had been something that I had wanted to do for so long. Growing up I was always consider the "pretty girl" but I never really felt pretty. I would go out and get so many compliments, but go home and cry because I could never see what others saw. I can't even begin to tell you how many hours I spent in the mirror trying to find beauty in myself. I always saw someone that I was trying to be, but never me. Even though in my heart I knew I wanted to embrace my natural hair people expected me to look a curtain way. So I went along with it. I tried to make myself feel beautiful in other ways. I would change my hair color often, wear a face full of make up, dress myself up in the newest of clothes and the highest of heels. This went on for years. For so long I felt fake.

The image I was betraying was not me. I had no idea who I was. I only knew what people wanted me to be. Anytime I wanted to go natural someone would talk me out of it. They would make it seem as if going natural was the worst thing I could do. Fast forward to 2014, I was looking in the mirror once again trying to find myself, still trying to see what every one else

saw. I had,had enough at this point. I decided I was going to go natural and I no longer cared what anyone else thought. I remember looking on YouTube for videos on how to transition to natural. I ran across a video on bantu knots, and I couldn't get to the bathroom fast enough to try them out. The next morning when I took them out for the first time ever my soul had been awakened. The person in the mirror was finally starting to look like me. I had never felt so alive. I continued to wear my hair like this for several months. One day I woke up and said to myself I'm ready. I rolled straight out the bed to the bathroom and proceeded to cut. My heart was singing. I was so happy. I was finally free. I was finally me. No more hiding, no more pretending. I did not know that day would change my life in so many ways. It renewed my spirit and gave me a sense of pride I never had before. As time went on my journey became more than just about hair. It became a journey of pride and authentic presentation of a black women. It's about heritage and honor for all those that have come before me. It has been a journey of truth and self discovery. I never knew that the hair on my head could not only change my views of myself but my view of the world around me. It's no longer just hair, it's my crown that I wear with pride." - Chekena Wells