Author Travis Josh Edwards invites us to share in the self-discovery of 18 ordinary men and women who dared “to go against the European concept of beauty and identify with their African roots,” which deserves celebration.
In the self-help book, ATL Nappy Heads: A Journey in Their Own Words, the subjects reveal how this decision led them to a heightened level of spirituality and how they became empowered and liberated.
Edwards started out writing a book on hair, but the experience turned out to be much more; it was a “spiritual undertaking.”
When doing research for the book, Edwards says that he learned a few things about himself. “Writing this book was very therapeutic for me because I had to look inside myself and go back seven years and revisit my reasons for locking my hair. I have always been a private person so writing about myself and opening up to strangers and even people I have known for years was difficult at first but now that I have. It’s like a burden has been lifted,” he says.
One virtue that is shared among all of the subjects, including the author, is “patience.” Edwards expounds, “When I had the opportunity to speak to others who have locs, I found that many of us had similar stories and had similar experiences. Having locs will definitely teach you patience. I have heard so many people say ‘I would grow locs but it takes too long.’ The time it takes for your hair to loc [and] the different stages you go through — [until] the time you become comfortable with it — is an experience that I feel you have to go through to appreciate your journey.”
Edwards is currently working on a sequel to ATL Nappy Heads. “I am looking forward to continuing my work and being a conduit for those who want to express their voice,” he says. –yvette caslin
