judith

I started photographing Judith around 5:30pm and I totally messed up. I was asking all the wrong questions and I practically forgot how to use my camera. Thankfully, she was free later in the evening and graciously agreed to meet up again. In between the shoots I had time to think and process and I realized the things I was supposed to pay attention to.

Judith grew up chemically straightening her hair. During her university years, after it started thinning, she started to wonder if there was a better way. She decided she would start growing out her hair naturally and after a few months of doing this, Judith for the first time in her living memory saw her natural kinky curls come to life. This (re)discovery had a big impact on Judith.

Her natural hair requires different care. This learning process led Judith to experiment with formulating her own shea butter mixture, free of any harmful chemicals. Today Judith knows what’s good for her and feels more confident and healthier than ever. She continues to grow out her natural hair and recently got braids woven in while she was in back home in Uganda which is a protective hair style for her natural kinky curls. Her mixtures contains shea butter from Ghana, avocado, olive, and essential oils. Namara is Judith’s middle name. She calls her formula Namara’s Shea Butter Mix and it is popular among friends and acquaintances for hair and skin care.

When I said goodbye to Judith this evening I felt awestruck from all that I learned. I’m grateful to Judith for sharing her story with me and cannot wait to receive my order of Namara’s Shea Butter Mix.

[20] Tuesday, June 1, 2021