This is Good Hair!!!

My hair is as nappy as the roots that penetrate the soil my ancestors nurtured.

My hair is so exotic that if you peel back the secrets of history and science, you will see that they birthed a world, not just a nation.

This is good hair!

So please continue to observe my ten-inch frow with Kenta cloth laid so gently across these blessed edges

Because my hair is so professional that it may inform and/or remind you that my very being defies gravity.

My coils are so versatile, so indigenous, so original.

This is good hair!

So coveted that the purity of my essence has been violated, defiled, stretched, and straightened to fit in a society that was literally stolen from the culture of my heritage.

My hair is so resilient, that my new-growth will continue to sprout even when buried, outcast, or gentrified.

This is good hair!

And you’re mad that my “hair” is so brilliant that it will conform to white-washed standards of beauty in one moment and the next, black girl magic.

 Welcome to Balance, Boundaries, & Black Girl Magic!

Where the endless journey to our highest selves will be nurtured with self-care, support, and sistah-hood.

My name is Devony “Deedee” Bailey. I am the founder of Sistahs IN, author of "Balance & Boundaries: Knowing, Growing and Glowing," and an advocate for BIPOC women, youth, and families. Above all, I am a proud Black woman with a passion for creating and facilitating safe spaces for our communities to thrive.

What to know about this blog?

-We will be posting every Talk About It Tuesday and Thankful Thursday.

- Please engage!!! We want to hear from you, feel free to email or comment with your responses, questions, suggestions, and lovingly constructive feedback.

The Inspiration Behind This Blog

Sistahs In Networking is a community that recognizes and addresses the unique challenges that black women face in their personal and professional lives. Our mission is to empower and uplift black women by creating safe spaces where they can connect, inspire, and support one another. We aim to provide experiences, opportunities, and resources that allow black women to define and achieve success and fulfillment in all aspects of their lives.

The need for a community like Sistahs In Networking is evident from the experiences and struggles that we face. Despite these challenges, black women have continued to inspire and motivate others with their resilience, strength, and determination. I’m here to do my part.

Talk About it Tuesday Topic:

 In celebration of National Crown Day, what’s something you love about your hair? Have you had any experiences that made you feel like your natural beauty was disparaged?

Two days after being called a “crazy person” for wearing my afro to a staff meeting, I wrote the poem above, “This Is Good Hair. ”A few months later, the same individual suggested that the three Black women in the office dress up as the flying monkeys from "The Wizard of Oz" for our team costumes. My immediate thought was, “Damn, haven’t you heard of The Wiz?!”

The amount of shape-shifting that some of us still have to do in order to fit it into certain spaces can be traumatic and degrading in so many ways. Should it always be our job to educate and advocate? No. But it must be done.

National Crown Day

Yesterday was National Crown Day. If you’re not familiar, National Crown Day commemorates The CROWN Act. Created in 2019 by Dove and the CROWN Coalition, in partnership with then State Senator Holly J. Mitchell of California, The CROWN Act ensures protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles. It extends statutory protection to hair textures and protective styles such as braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and public schools. To learn more, visit [thecrownact.com](http://thecrownact.com).

So far, 24 states have enacted The CROWN Act or similar legislation.

I feel so conflicted with this holiday but not too conflicted to celebrate. On one hand the efforts that The CROWN Coalition are going through to get this legislation passed nationally is one that should be observed with reverence in the most Hella Black Hella Proud Way! On the other hand…the depths of colonization don’t cease to astound me. Then the next day we celebrate independish day! Lol come on. Anywho, I Digress.

 Despite the rants of frustration, I am grateful for the many movements being made to empower us mentally, physically, and equitably.  I am looking forward to using this platform to share with you Queens all of the wonderful resources and initiatives that are being diligently executed for us and by us.

So Happy Belated Crown Day Sistahs! I pray blessed edges and abundant new growth over your Crowns.

Thankful Thursday

I'm launching this blog on my favorite Sistahs IN Theme Day, “Thankful Thursday”.

Today I'm grateful for self-awareness. It’s like a double-edged sword and takes constant inner work to maintain sometimes but it's worth every moment. Practicing self-awareness helps me stay true to myself, even when I want to express my emotions in the most unhealthy ways. Being in tune with what feelings are triggered in particular situations has saved me from a lot of mistakes. Have there been days when I’ve failed? Yes…it almost happened just yesterday lol.

Being self-aware helps me maintain control of my autonomy. It’s a constant reminder to regulate what matters the most, the only person I should want to control, myself.

Owning who we were, acknowledging who we are, and correcting our course when we veer off the path are acts of immense courage.

It's a dance with vulnerability and resilience, a dance that propels us toward evolution. True self-awareness is not static; it's a dynamic state of being that welcomes growth and transformation.

We can only acknowledge and rectify what we are willing to see. This requires a relentless commitment to peeling away the layers of denial and confronting the uncomfortable truths that lie beneath. It's a courageous act of taking responsibility for our actions, thoughts, and emotions.

As we journey into the depths of self-awareness, we become architects of our own boundaries. Boundaries aren't walls; they're sacred spaces we create to foster our growth.

To know oneself deeply is to embark on a sacred quest. It's a commitment to love and care for every facet of our being. It's about weaving a tapestry of self-awareness, accountability, and continuous boundary adjustments. For in knowing ourselves, we become beacons of authenticity, guiding others to embark on their own journey of self-discovery and care.

We are more than our struggles. We are divine beings, capable of achieving anything we set our minds to. We have resilience and strength that cannot be broken. We are the backbone of our communities, and our presence alone is enough to inspire change in the world. Maya Angelou once said, "I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it."

I've had many wake-up calls that made me realize any situation I felt I had to force myself into was one I didn’t need to be in. True self-awareness is the ability to acknowledge our emotions and express them healthily. It's the ability to set boundaries and prioritize our well-being. The more we are true to ourselves, the more we can trust ourselves.

This may be the shortest blog post I write, but it’s filled with the love and passion.  Here’s to balance, boundaries, and the unstoppable magic of being a Black woman! Thank you for reading Queen!

With love and gratitude,

Devony “Deedee” Bailey