One of my earliest hair-related memories was watching Diana Ross’s concert in Central Park, 1983. Of course I wasn’t actually there – the concert was televised, and I remember watching it with my parents in Trinidad. I was so little and I remember watching this goddess of a woman with this resplendent mane of kinky, curly, long hair utterly transfix what seemed like an ocean of people. I even wrote about that memory in my first ever blog post, back in 2006. When I found myself sitting to essentially create this blog, that memory of Diana Ross, singing in the rain, came back to inspire me.
After seeing Diana Ross’ concert, I would take a towel or teeshirt, put it on my head and sashay down the stairs singing “I want muscle!” not even realizing that song was way too grown for me. Back in 1983, Diana Ross directly shaped my ideas about natural hair being beautiful, regal, desirable. For that and for so many things, I thank her.
Today Diana Ross turns 69. I wish her a happy birthday and thank her from the bottom of my heart for the inspiration she gave to me and so many others through all these years – in her music, in her style, in her innate, eternal beauty.
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