The Naturalista(s)
By Ifeoma Okwuka
Two friends explore their shared personal connection with hair.
Raven: I’m telling you Myra! You should totally give it a try. I’ve been natural for three years now and I don’t regret it one bit.
Myra: It’s a no for me, Raven. There’s nothing chic and cool about rocking my afro.
Raven: Well… of course there is, Myra. Unless some fool told you otherwise?!
Myra: My mama ain’t no fool. Thank you very much!
Raven: Oh, I’m sorry, Myra. I didn’t mean it that way!
The Next Day…
Raven: Hey Myra! Changed your mind yet?
Myra: It’s still a no for me, Raven. How do you possibly expect me to fit in at school with hair like that?!
Raven: Alright, hear me out. If you can convince your mom to let you go natural, we can both rock our fros in school. I promise you it’ll be worth it! What do you say?
Myra: I’ll think about it…
Raven: Don’t think too hard! Talk to you later.
A Week Later…
Raven: Woah! I love the new look, Myra!
Myra: I do, too!
Raven: You look beautiful!
Myra: I feel beautiful.
Process
I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to do a comic piece. There’s something very appealing in being able to capture big messages using just a series of drawings and small conversations. And choosing what to write about was actually pretty simple too. Hair plays an important role in how I express my identity, and I wanted to encapsulate that through this comic piece.
Ifeoma Okwuka
Ifeoma is a high school junior residing in The Bronx. She has a genuine interest for STEM-related topics and finds immense joy in writing fiction and poetry. At school, she is a member of the World Science Academy club and is a Girls Who Code (Summer Immersion Program) alumna. She is also a proud member of Teens For Press Freedom where she serves on the press team. During her free time, you might catch her reading (sci-fi, poetry or realistic fiction), playing one on one basketball with her twin brother or simply learning random skills on YouTube.
