Lasell gets "Loc'd In"

The Multicultural Student Union (MSU) hosted an event called Loc'd In to discuss members' hair journeys. Photo by Aria Conti

Lasell’s Multicultural Student Union (MSU) hosted a curly hair-centric event called Loc’d In on February 25th. This event was held in the Michael B. Alexander Science and Technology Center (STC) and run by the MSU E-board. Food from Dave’s Hot Chicken was provided, along with free hair oil and butter, donated by the company Heal My … MSU gave guests Camille Rose hair masks and gel. A free braiding service was also raffled off to one lucky attendee–Keyla Rochelle.  

While students enjoyed Dave’s Hot Chicken, members of the E-board, including President Lyric Miller, Vice President Yani Galarza, Secretary Astara (Star) Shubert, Event Planner Electra Theagene, Treasurer Mia Sullivan, Social Media Director Tevin Johnson, and members Ella and Belinda, presented their hair experiences growing up and the type of hair and porosity they had. 

Star Shubert shared her curly hair journey while growing up.

“I always just let my mom do whatever with my hair but because of that, I was never taught how to do or take care of my hair so it caused many issues for me,” Shubert said. “Eventually, I shaved my head because I believed it was too damaged to fix and I regretted it immediately. I started to dye my hair a lot during high school but didn’t take care of it, so it got a bit damaged again. I made one of my New Year's resolutions to take better care of my hair and that’s what I’ve been doing since New Years.” 

For many people with curly hair, their hair type is something that has goes through many phases of acceptance. From brushed-out frizz to constant straightening to the curl acceptance phase, which can take a long time to reach, to then finding the right products and learning how to style it. The goal of this event was to help wavy, curly, and coily haired people feel accepted and to reinforce the idea that curly hair is beautiful.

“The event was something I enjoyed, since we were talking about natural hair, a topic that was rarely discussed in my life [and] caused me to not fully love my natural state. And after hearing everyone else’s stories and journeys, I felt more valid and welcomed,” Shubert said at the event. 

Miller shared the importance of hosting events like this, that encourages self-love and acceptance, on campus.

“I think it’s important to feel confident in yourself, and appearance can be a first step for some people. Curly hair is looked down upon, even within brown communities. The kinkier your hair, the more “difficult” it is to manage or unattractive it’s seen,” Miller said.

During the event, it was asked whether or not a second event surrounding braiding their hair. After being met with positive reactions, MSU will be hosting another event called “Too Loc’d In.” The date, time and location will be announced later.  

“[It was] honestly one of the best events I’ve attended on campus this semester! The stories shared and the guidance provided by other people of color who have faced similar hair struggles truly gave me a warm sense of belonging at Lasell,” attendee Nya Desir said. “It was so much fun learning about different hair textures, products, styles, and journeys alongside my peers and connecting through them. I can’t wait to attend more campus events like ‘Loc’d In.’”