Did you see it yet? The newest edition of HER Detroit Magazine.

So, for those of you who don't know, I am writer for one of the hottest local publications in "The D", called HER Detroit Magazine. I write a skin care column called The Redden Report, and this past issue, I did a story on the flyyest sisters of Naturally Flyy Detroit. I am literally floating because I got to write about two of  the things I absolutely love- skin and hair.

Please check it out and let me know what you think. Your girl is trying to do big things (praise God from whom all blessings flow) and so grateful for the opportunity (shout out to my editor, Natashua Sanders).

Click on the magazine cover to see full digital version of the mag, or to jump straight to The Redden Report, click here, for the Naturally Flyy Detroit article, click here.

Due to printing space, I had to edit my original article to fit for print. But, because I think it's share worthy, here it is.

Being Naturally Flyy in Detroit

By Rhonda Ware-Redden

I know you’ve seen them. From the Eastside to the Westside- Old Redford to Midtown, the city streets are filled with black girls rocking their natural hair. Take a look in a magazine or on television commercials nationwide and you will see women with their locs, twist outs or TWA’s (teeny weenie afros) proudly representing team natural.

There’s a natural hair movement taking the city by storm started by two native Detroit sisters, Jennifer and Espy “Ettafly” Thomas. Their group is called Naturally Flyy Detroit and it was created in 2010 as a way for natural haired women to come together and get advice on products, ingredients and natural hair styles. Jennifer, who has worn her hair natural for over 8 years, recalls looking to the Internet initially for help when looking for ways to style her natural textured hair. “I noticed that girls in other states were having little group times together where they could meet at a restaurant or coffee shop, or somebody’s house and I was like, I want to have that. I want to talk to people about natural hair …if I’m going to wear my hair like this I need to have all the information so that it can be cute and I can feel good.”

So after the date was set, they decided to make an events page on Facebook and hold the meeting at their family’s business, Sweet Potato Sensations. All of a sudden, a meeting they thought was going to be around 20 or 30 people, turned into one hundred guests as the RSVP list kept growing and growing. The first meet up was a success and over a year later they are still going strong as a welcomed event in the natural hair community.

The last event in October was moved from their family business to The Artist Village across the street. It was a bigger space to meet the demands of the hundreds of naturalistas that swarmed parking lots and stopped traffic with their head turning do’s. Espy, whose natural journey started 12 years ago, wants people to know that it’s not just a meet up, it’s a sister hood and it covers the untapped territory on being natural. “I think it was something people wanted, but it just wasn’t going on here,” says Espy, “and a lot of times, especially with black women, our hair is so important to us. People really want to have hands on experience and talk to somebody else…it’s like a safe space to do that. It’s no negative energy, it’s peace and people get ideas. And I think it’s something that people really want to connect on a level of sisterhood like that, they just haven’t had that chance before.”

Well, the chance will come once again in February for the next meet up. The official date has not yet been set, but they expect to have more vendors, the product and accessories swap, live demonstrations and a few other surprises that they have up their sleeves. One feature that a lot of women are looking forward to is the discussion panel, The Men’s Forum Part 2. This is where a panel of men, ranging in ages talk about their love, or dislike of women with natural hair. Espy believes that the panel is important and says it’s a very frank discussion with everyone respectfully saying what’s on their minds. “In order for us to cultivate good relationships and family, we need to keep this open dialogue with our black men,” she says, “women are the silent leaders anyway, so if your confident in your natural hair, he’ll be confident with it too.”

But, don’t think that they will be checking hair at the door, all hair textures are welcome. These meet ups are about empowerment and just to let women know that they have other options. “We always try to encourage people when they say ‘how do you do that’ or ‘I don’t have time for that’. This is the easiest thing in life, ever. But, you have to take the time, have patience,” adds Jennifer. “When we used to call the girls hair (good hair) back in the day in elementary school it was because her hair could be worn curly or straight. That’s what it was to me. That’s what this is.”

Both Espy and Jennifer take pride in not only bringing more people to the area, but also being able to dispel the myth that black women can’t work together. They are glad that Naturally Flyy Detroit has encouraged conversations and friendships. Although it starts with the hair, ultimately they want women to focus on their values “from the crown down”- how you think, how you speak, the clothes you wear down to how you present yourself to the world. They just launched Naturally Flyy Denver in August, but make it plain that they are more concerned about growing in ideas, than growing in numbers.

For more information about Naturally Flyy Detroit, go to their group and fan pages on Facebook, or their website www.naturallyflyydetroit.com.