International Natural Hair Meetup Day (DMV – D.C., Maryland and Virginia) edition was a huge success and a whole lot of fun! 150+ African American men and women joined together to be empowered, educated and uplifted in the name of natural hair. The D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) edition of INHMD was held at Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Alexandria, Virginia in the grand conference room. If your attitude was sour due to the sudden change of venue and you decided not to attend, boy did you miss out BIG time!! However, don’t worry. All is forgiven. I’ll just have to fill you in on what you’ve missed.
This years theme was “Connect, Collaborate, Celebrate” It was a day of unity. We all stood together under the umbrella of natural hair. International Natural Hair Meetup Day purpose is to allow the opportunity for women across the country to meet in their own communities while networking, sharing and meeting other women participating in meetups on the same day. Founder of #INHMD Adeea Rogers and Titled Sponsor, Pamela Jenkins of Koils by Nature provided attendees with a day filled with resources, techniques, inspiration and products to aid individuals in their natural hair journey. Comedian DetroitBoat had us all cracking up laughing as he introduced: Ja’Mesha Bazemore, Diana Ramsey (Sister’s With Beauty), Donna Maria Coles Johnson (Indie Business Network), Christine St. Vil & Julian B. Kiganda authors of “Whose Shoes Are You Wearing“, Jouelzy, CharyJay, Oraje Nefertum, Erin from Bag Ladies Radio Show and last but certainly not least (myself) Keianna Johnson of Chi Chi Sophistication Natural Hair Studio. We were all featured guest speakers. Although our presentations were different, each message ended with hope and empowerment.
A memorable moment for me was my presentation on Natural Hair Care for Children. Many of the attendees prior to this event have learned to manage their children’s natural hair. Many have also learned to style their children’s hair. My purpose for participating in this event was to show techniques on how to keep natural hair for children healthy. My 3 focal points were:
- Exposing commonly known trouble spots: Broken hair near the hairline, center of hair, and nape of neck.
- Hair Demonstration: How to style Latch Locs
- Hair Demonstration: How to safely install Bantu Knots
The feedback from International Natural Hair Meetup Day as a whole has been enormous. If you don’t believe me, simply check this hashtag: #INHMD2014 on Twitter. It was truly a day to remember.
Check out our INHMD RECAP – FROM THE ATLANTA LOCATION HERE!!
Did you attend an INHMD event in your area?
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