I had the pleasure of interviewing a woman named Brijet. Let me just tell you in advance, she is doing her THANG! Read our exchange below and thank you Brijet for sharing with us.
RMH: Tell us about yourself. Who are you, what do you do and how long have you been doing it?
B: I am 29 years old and from Stockton, California. My main career is financial planning. I offer financial education to my clients and then provide them with the tools to implement it. My goal is to change the economic dynamic of our communities one family at a time. I’m also in the process of writing a financial literacy book series for children to get them started at a young age.
RMH: Tell us about some of your accomplishments that you’ve achieved so far in life? What are the most proud of?
B:I was the first in my family to receive a college degree. I am also a former NFL cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers in addition to having just finished my first season in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors. I have held several pageant titles including Miss Golden State Teen America USA 2004, Miss Black & Gold 2009, and Miss Black California USA 2012. In addition to placing in the top 10 of the 2017 Miss California USA pageant. I am most proud of my tenacity in the face of losing my father at the age of 25 to pancreatic cancer. I spent two years taking care of him during his illness, and when he passed I was devastated. But I decided to use his life and legacy as a springboard to continue on the path of success and use his life as an inspiration.
RMH: What are 3 things that you are currently intrigued by/passionate about and why?
B:I’m very passionate about financial education because we live in the richest country in the world, yet our communities are consistently underserved in this area. I also love exploring and learning about different places in the world outside my own in order to better understand people. Grief is something I have studied in order to better understand my own process after losing my father. I am in the process of writing a book on my own process in order to help others in their journey.
RMH: Let’s talk hair. What is your favorite hairstyle right now? What is your biggest hair struggle right now?
B: I am really loving rocking my wash n go style. I have recently fallen for my natural texture in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I can wear it down but pinning it in a classy updo with some curls to the front is definitely my go to. My biggest struggle is finding products that last my wash n go longer than 3 days and products that keep my hair very moisturized.
RMH: Do you consider yourself natural? If so, what made you decide to be natural? Did you have to big chop or did you transition? What was your journey?
B: Yes. I have been natural my entire life, never had a perm. I grew up in braids but for special occasions I would straighten my hair. Over time I became addicted to my straightener, until one day I decided enough was enough. January 2015 I started learning about truly natural styles. I cut my own hair 4 times over that year in order to rid myself of hear damage and have never looked back since! I can attest to the fact that it has been a struggle learning and growing with my hair, but the process has been very worthwhile.
RMH: You’re a member of a NBA dance team, you rock natural hairstyle and this representation is beautiful for us. Did your choice of sticking with natural hairstyles ever become an issue/topic/ decision that you had to defend to your coach? If so, what was the issue and how did you deal with it? If not, were you surprised that your natural hair was not an issue?
B: My coaches were very supportive of my hair but my stylist on the team was instrumental in helping all of us come up with a style that best represented me on the team. I am grateful to have had such support and to have been able to educate myself my team on my hair. They made me feel like I could really be myself in this pro dance space and I have grown so much into loving myself and my hair even more because of it.
RMH: Sometimes we get discouraged during our hair struggle. How do you stay encouraged through bad hair days and what encourages you to remain natural?
B: I’ve had to learn that my hair journey is a journey, and decide that I want to love me for me. I don’t want to need to use fake hair and alterations for others to like me or think I’m beautiful. So if I don’t believe it, neither will they. I like to try styles or hit my go to in order to up my confidence on those down days. But I get lots of great feedback from it which is nice.
RMH: What would you say people, especially black girls, who are struggling with the disconnect between their looks and whatever society says is beautiful?
B: You’ve got to make the choice to consistently and intentionally learn to love you for who you are naturally. Because if you don’t, nobody else will. Life is too long to be trying to live it as someone else and once you walk in who you are confidently, you will feel so free. It’s worth it! Tough journey, but so rewarding and I can attest to that. I have my days sometimes but I’ve never been happier than I am now rocking who I naturally am.
RMH: What’s your favorite quote? What does it mean to you?
B: Some women fear the fire, some simply become it. -R.H. Sin
To me if means that in life there will always be fires. Tough things you will go through. You can either run from them and live life small, or face them head on and allow them to fuel you and your passions. I choose the latter.
Could you relate to any part of that story? Think about your natural hair journey thus far. Have you felt received and accepted at your workplace and by those around you? Or have you been met with opposition or pressure to conform to a certain look? Comment below with your answer.
