Recently I was given the honor of being featured on NaturalChica.com as a guest blogger. Since beginning my own YouTube channel over two years ago, Mae a.k.a Natural Chica has inspired me. I was super excited to interview her and ask about what goes on behind the scenes. You can check out my beauty related post on a monthly basis on the Natural Chica blog. View one of my favorite videos from Natural Chica here.
When did you start your YouTube channel?

I started my YouTube channel several years ago just so I could comment on others’ videos, but I seriously started posting my own YouTube content in July 2009.

What inspired you to start the YouTube channel?

I started posting videos on YouTube related to natural hair care because I wanted to document my transition to natural hair and hopefully share with others important tips I learned along the way.

How did you come up with the name Natural Chica? 

I was literally just sitting around one day and the thought came to me of how I would call a lot of my girlfriends the Spanish word for girl, “chica”, which actually was a result of a summer trip to Spain years ago. I decided I wanted to keep things simple with my name and decided to just refer to it as Natural Girl aka Natural Chica.

What kind of response did you receive, negative or positive?

The response I received was really positive. Hearing that I was actually starting to help other people on their own natural hair journeys was encouragement to me to keep sharing more information.

What is the most exciting opportunity that has come your way as a result of your YT channel?

There have been so many surprising moments for me during the 2 year “life” of my YouTube channel! I would say the most surprising aspect was when I was approached for an interview for an article in the New York Times. I was thrilled to hear that an article was being written taking a look into the natural hair community, that the story was approved for print in the New York Times Style section and the fact that I had the incredible opportunity to share information regarding my own role in the natural hair community. 

 Why do you think YT is so popular for people interested in learning about natural hair?

I think there is value from getting information from people who have traveled down the same road you are traveling. I think being able to relate to those seen on YouTube along with the powerful visual component has really allowed the natural hair movement to thrive on YouTube.

What is your profession?

I am a full-time graduate student in Materials Science & Engineering.

What or who has helped contribute to your success the most? 

What was originally started as just a way to document my transition to natural hair, has really blossomed into a number of other opportunities and avenues that I seriously never would have dreamed of! I am grateful to have been given a platform where I am able to encourage and inspire women from all over to embrace their natural beauty and to also build their self-esteem. I truly know that God has led me to where I am today, and I aim to glorify Him in all I do.

What are your hobbies?

For anyone who truly knows me, they know that I like to try my hand at a lot of different things! Maybe that’s my hobby…trying new things : ) To name a few though, I really enjoy photography, singing, listening to music, reading, acquiring all sorts of electronics and of course blogging!

What is your vision for the future of Natural Chica?

The growth of Natural Chica has really been organic, and it’s something that to a certain extent, I take on a day-to-day basis. In whatever direction Natural Chica goes next, my ultimate goal is to be a source of encouragement, motivation and inspiration.