In the tapestry of life, our identities are woven with threads of heritage, culture, and personal experiences. For Doralys Britto, these threads are intricately tied to her journey of empowerment through her hair. Doralys, a proud Afro-Latina, understands the profound significance of celebrating her roots and honoring her ancestors through her choice of hairstyles. To her, styling her hair is more than a fleeting trend; it's a powerful statement of love and pride for her culture—a testament to the rich tapestry of her Dominican heritage.
Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Doralys faced societal norms that strongly encouraged the straightening of hair from a young age. At just ten years old, her mother took her to the salon to have her hair straightened, a practice she continued for many years. This pressure to conform was not unique to her homeland; it echoed in many Latin countries, where big, curly hair, and even locs, were often stigmatized as unprofessional or unkempt.
Doralys, during these years, felt a disconnection from her natural, curly hair, so much so that she admitted, "For a while, I didn't even remember what my curly hair looked or felt like. I didn't know myself that way."
This pivotal experience became the driving force behind her mission. As an Afro-Latina, Doralys is determined to create a safe space where individuals, particularly girls who share her beautiful curly, textured hair, or locs, can see themselves. She wants them to understand that they are not only beautiful but also powerful, capable of achieving everything she has accomplished.
Through her influential presence on social media, Doralys aspires to shatter these stigmas and reach out to Black and Afro-Latina girls, encouraging them to embrace their natural hair, cherish their cultural heritage, and, most importantly, embrace their authentic selves. She acknowledges the unique challenges faced by people of color but stands as a beacon of encouragement, reminding her audience that they can overcome these obstacles together.
Yet, the story of Doralys Britto transcends the realm of hair. It is a journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and the reclamation of one's identity. In her earlier career in the Dominican Republic, she worked in radio and television, but the constraints of traditional media left her feeling stifled, unable to control her own voice and actions. The industry often pressured her to conform to a Eurocentric image that clashed with her Afro-Latina identity.
Her YouTube journey began in 2013, driven by the desire to have her own platform where authenticity reigned supreme, and where she wouldn't feel pressured to conform to a certain image. However, despite her initial intentions, she found herself still adhering to Eurocentric standards, even with her hairstyles. But change, true change, is a journey, not an overnight transformation. As she continued on her path as a content creator, a remarkable transformation began to take place. Her content, her message, and her courage resonated with viewers who reached out with messages of inspiration.
Then, a life-changing moment, a diagnosis that shook her to her core. Doctors discovered a tumor in her spine, a condition that threatened to leave her paralyzed. In the face of this daunting challenge, she found her true strength—a resolve to reclaim her identity. She made a big decision: the "big chop." She cut the chemically-treated hair, a declaration of self-empowerment and self-love.
This decision went beyond changing her appearance; it was a profound reconnection with her roots. She proudly declared, "De donde vengo yo!"— a testament to her roots and a rejection of European standards of beauty. It was a moment that allowed her to stand tall and proud in her authenticity, inspiring others to do the same.
Doralys Britto's mission is a testament to the power of embracing one's true self, a beacon of hope for anyone who has ever felt pressured to conform to external standards of beauty or identity. Her journey reminds us all that within each of us lies a unique and beautiful truth waiting to be embraced.
Hair plays a significant part in identity and status in Black culture. Hairstyles from the "fro" to hair wraps to braids, are used as a personal expression to showcase the evolution of Black culture over time. Beauty, specifically hair, in Black culture has been a sensitive topic of discussion for decades. These versatile styles are ostracized for being "too black" because they do not fit into the mainstream standards. To understand the emotional significance hair has on Black culture and identity, one can immerse themselves in its history which roots all the way back to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.
Social oppression, abuse, and racial discrimination have historically forced many Black women to hide their hair. During the rise of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s, many black women adopted hairstyles skewing toward relaxed and straightened hair and black men adopted a trimmed hairstyle. It was a tactic used to present themselves in a way the rest of the country deemed more "respectable".
“Since I was a little girl, I started straightening my hair to look more like other girls on TV and magazines. Not only was it damaging to my hair but it was also damaging my self-esteem and identity. I’m here to tell all Black, brown, mixed and Afro-Latina girls out there that they don’t need to change who you are to fit the beauty standards of other people. We are beautiful just the way we are.” - Doralys Britto
The alterations that many women have done to their hair have led to increased emotional distress and a lack of self-worth and confidence.
Today, Doralys Britto is pushing toward helping women find their freedom with their unique roots and embracing it so they no longer conform to society’s Western ideal beauty.
Doralys's mission is to create her own and support other brands and audiences to continuously make efforts to bring attention to natural beauty by providing Black hair and beauty education and creating products that support people's natural essence.
Doralys believes that education and appreciation is the key to being an ally and the key to change. She advocates for a stronger and positive representation of Black hair acceptance. Her efforts are to increase the exposure of Black hair education, empower brands to make an internal effort to end hair discrimination and have people of color be seen and heard.