JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Shonda Knight, a children’s book author, is encouraging young Black girls in Jacksonville to celebrate their natural hair. 

She teamed up with Mayor Donna Deegan’s River City Reader’s initiative. She and her daughter, Zya White, gave children copies of her book, “My Omni Locks” for free. 

“Your hair is as unique as you are, embrace it,” Knight said to children at the Braid Shop, a Black-owned Jacksonville salon. “Shine bright your hair is your superpower.”

To Knight, self-love starts from the top. Whether it’s braids, locs or curls. 

Through her book, “My Omni Locks,” Knight’s goal is to plant seeds of confidence in young girls’ lives. She said her daughter is the inspiration behind her quest to inspire self-love.  

“This book came about because we were having a conversation about loving our hair. She wanted her hair straightened for an event but the weather was not going to have it,” Knight explained.

For White, it was a lesson she accepted with open arms, turning frustration into joy. Now, White takes on the task with her mother, reminding girls like her to appreciate their natural hair. 

“My mom told me all the great things I can do with it,” White said. 

“So many times little brown girls feel cumbersome about hair days but it is a gift and we want to embrace it to the fullest,” Knight smiled.