One time for the natural hair black girls! Dana Whyte, a reporter in Lansing, Michigan, decided to add a dose of natural to the local news and proudly debuted her natural hair on television for the very first time.

Whyte tweeted her beautifully natural picture on Sunday, August 6:

Photo: GIPHY

As any black woman working in the professional sector knows, rocking our natural curls and kinks can lead to a complicated bout of pushback, whether directly or indirectly. It's especially taxing when your career places you in the spotlight. Whyte's journey to fully embracing her curls in a world where straight hair dominates wasn't overnight. 

"My decision to go natural has been something that I've been wanting to do for a long time," the 21-year-old told Teen Vogue."I started as a full-time reporter in May [2018], and I would straighten my hair literally every day. It was super damaging, and my hair was starting to fall out, so I knew I had to make a change."

Whyte's decision makes her feel freer.

"Straightening my hair every day felt like I was trying to conform to a certain image that society wanted me to be," noted Whyte. "Now, I feel like I'm not hiding behind a mask and can fully be myself. I hope this helps others know that they can do the same."

Photo: GIPHY
Whyte's inspiration to finally go for it came from representation, of course! The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) member was inspired by her peers. One more time for the cheap seats: representation matters! 

"I just attended the NABJ Convention in Detroit last week, and to see all of the beautiful women there embracing who they are inspired me," Whyte recalled. "I think natural hair in journalism is becoming more common, but it still has a long way to go in terms of acceptance. Representation is so important. Little girls sitting at home watching the news need to be able to see someone who looks like them on television, so they know it's possible for that to be them one day."

Twitter users loved Whyte's decision and made sure she knew just how beautiful she looked and how much her decision impacted them.

Shoutout to Dana Whyte for adding another layer of representation to the small screen! 

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black newscastersblack reporterscurlsDana WhytekinksLansing, Michigan