We've been gone for a minute - now we're BACK. Well really, it's just me who has been gone - and I am very excited to announce what I've been working on in the meantime... I've started a business! It's called Diaspora Hair and here's the idea behind it:
'When it comes to afro, textured and curly hair, women from different parts of the Diaspora are coming together. I grew up in the USA, where Atlanta salons are on every corner, and black hair knowledge is second to none. In recent years, as the USA's Latino/a population grows, these two cultures have begun to cross over.
'Like the USA, the island nation of the Dominican Republic has a legacy of multiculturalism. Since 1492 Spaniards, Frenchmen, African Slaves and indigenous islanders have lived side by side. Fast forward a few hundred years, and you get a a vibrant, mostly mixed race nation. And thanks to Africa, the women boast a whole spectrum of hair - curly, afro-textured and everything in between.
'Dominicanas focus on hair growth and health. African American women have found that Dominican products work like a dream on their textured hair, really growing African American hair out and keeping it healthy. Women are helping women on both sides of the water, and everyone looks good as a result!
'But, when I moved to London, I couldn't find the same quality of products, though all around me I saw so many black and brown faces. Europe is full of African, Caribbean and mixed race women, with heads of hair that reminded me of my family and friends back home.
'I see absolutely no reason why women in the UK and Europe should miss out on the best hair products, just because they happen to be made across the pond. So, I set about using my luxury eCommerce experience, Spanish language and black hair knowledge (read: obsession) to all our advantage. Diaspora's first line - Baba de Caracol - is finally available in the UK direct from the Dominican Republic.
'As a black woman myself, I felt it was important to to create this bridge, and a space for women of colour to come together. The crazy thing is, we women might live in the UK, America, France or the Caribbean, but we all have something in common - we all want luxuriously healthy, drop-dead gorgeous hair. Diaspora focuses not on a particular hair style or texture, but on its overall HEALTH and WELLBEING. As I like to say, "our hair brings us together".'
I'm so excited about what this company can do and what it means for the Afropean community. And now that we've launched, I have time to rededicate to LolaRe - the hiatus and experiences I've had building Diaspora so far have really given me a refreshed perspective on blogging. All good things - do stay tuned. :)
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