Natural Hair is “Bouncing” into the News Industry

The natural hair movement is a growing phenomenon. More and more women are forgoing chemical relaxers and embracing their hair’s beautiful, natural texture. However the news industry has remained relatively untouched by this movement, with little trace of kinks, curls, or big hair. In fact, many black women feel obligated to hide or straighten their natural hair in order to appear more “professional.” Now WJZ-13 reporter Rochelle Ritchie is changing the image of black women on-air. After years of wearing extensions and wigs, Rochelle took the leap of going natural and aired her “big chop” on television in 2010. “I do not have to look like anything else but myself in order to do my job,” she asserts. And good thing, too; ratings for the news channel went up! You can follow Rochelle – and her fabulous ‘fro! – on Twitter.