Here Comes the Sun

Here Comes the Sun is Nia Simone’s first piece for Cult of Americana

Age 12

The mirror was my sworn enemy. I gave it the evil eyes as I noticed my kinky curls were growing like weeds from my scalp. The contrast between my thick unruly kinks and my thin relaxed ends made me sick to my stomach. This was not what I wanted to be.

I was six weeks out from chemically strengthening my hair. My aunt told me to “make it work” until the end of the month, until the direct deposit hit and I could return to the land of the beautiful people (a.k.a The Dominican Hair Salon).

I wore a grey beanie in the unforgiving heat of July for a week straight.

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