Like many Afro-Latinx women, Sherly Tavarez grew up hearing the phrase pelo malo, which means "bad hair." After years of chemically treating her gorgeous curls, the fashion stylist decided to design apparel to debunk the notion of "bad hair" once and for all. The Dominican blogger created Hause of Curls and is now known for her shirts and accessories that read "Pelo Malo Where?" and her feed that features diverse women within the natural hair community.
"My first time appreciating the beauty of my Afro-Latinidad was when I watched the Netflix series 'Celia,'" Tavarez says. "It taught me about my background, roots, what it was like to be an Afro-Latina back in the day, and how much we have had to fight to be seen." She adds: "Back when I was straightening my hair all of the time and honestly being a slave to my hair, I didn't feel like my true self. I felt like I was celebrating a version of myself that other people told me to be. I didn't even know what my natural hair looked like until I stopped applying heat and relaxing my hair. Now I celebrate by sharing my journey to natural hair with others and by building this community we have at Hause of Curls."
