N.C. A&T Alumna Empowers Women to Love the Hair They Wear
With the rise of the natural hair movement among Black women in the 2000s, Vecoya G. Banks ‘09 created Love the Hair You Wear (LTHYW), a movement that helps women of color embrace their natural hair in a safe space.
Launched in 2015, LTHYW is designed to help Black women fall in love with their natural hair roots, increase their self-esteem, and enjoy the company of other natural beauties. The company offers an annual event for women to network and directly connect with natural hair brands that support them.
Banks, a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, started her natural hair journey during her senior year at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University by watching YouTube videos.
“At the beginning, I didn’t know there were different ways for me to do my hair until I tapped into the natural hair community,” said Banks. “During my journey, I spent a lot of time comparing my hair to others when I soon realized that my hair was designed just for me.”
In 2015, Banks participated in a natural hair photo shoot in Washington, D.C., and met 20 women who inspired her to create a community for natural hair enthusiasts.
“During the shoot, I instantly felt passionate about empowering women to love themselves and accepting their unique design,” said Banks. “From that day, I started Love The Hair You Wear and kicked off a natural hair event that attracted 100 women in the D.C. area.”
Based on a 2018 study by Mintrel, 40 percent of Black women are most likely to wear their hair natural without chemicals and without heat styling, while 51 percent of Black women say their current hairstyle makes them feel beautiful.
For seven years, LTHYW has worked with hundreds of women and has collaborated with a variety of natural hair brands such as Curls, African Pride, CurlKit, Cantu and others. The event features natural hair demonstrations, giveaways, panel discussions and networking opportunities. The event has been featured in Essence magazine, NBC Washington and Great Day Washington.
On Saturday, Sept. 17, Love the Hair You Wear is making its way to Greensboro to empower women in Banks’ hometown. The event sponsors are Palmer’s, Wakati, Miss Jessie’s and many more. She is also hosting a student-only event on Friday, Sept. 16, in the Deese Ballroom at the Student Center on A&T’s campus. Register for the event by clicking here.
Banks graduated with a B.S. in supply chain management from A&T and works with the U.S. Census Bureau as a project manager in D.C. She is married to A&T alumnus Eugene Banks ‘09, a fitness trainer, co-founder of Competitive by Nature and author of “Young Black Boy,” a positive affirmation book for boys of color.
For more information about Love the Hair You Wear or to register for the Sept. 17 event, please visit https://www.lovethehairyouweardc.com.
