With full brows, immaculate skin, and bold fashion choices Jersey girl Lei Schuyler has always commanded attention but she had no idea just how much until this spring when she found out the Curly Girl Collective chose her to be one of the faces of their annual Curlfest.
She was scrolling through her Instagram timeline this Spring when she started getting notifications that people were tagging her beneath the flyer because sandwiched between two other beautiful Women who attended last year’s festivities was her face-front and center.
The annual event, one of the most highly anticipated of the summer for women with kinks and coils, brings thousands of women from all over the country to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park (this year women from the South and Midwest have begun organizing bus rides to Brooklyn for the occasion.)
It also prompts hundreds of thousands more to vicariously join in the fun on Social Media. The flyer is seen by advertisers, talent agents, and more.
She thinks what set her apart was “confidence” saying that “I know this is super corny and cliche but the very first thing is your confidence. When you come through with high vibrations it shows.”
The ladies of the Curly Girl Collective weren’t the only ones who noticed her style and beauty. A brief search of the #curlfest hashtag turns up dozens of pictures of her from previous years snapped by bloggers, vloggers, . In the most recent images she is wearing a “super cute Tie Dye turquoise set from city republik that fit amazingly” and “my blonde Afro” which “always catches a few eyes because it’s so big.”
She says “Everything about my outfit was fun to me. I’m a big feelings person..so I do and wear things that make me feel good. Pink eyebrows, tie dye, bright colors, rocker pants, platforms etc.. those feel good to me so I think people dig ‘em too.”
Some might find the attention that comes with her appearance daunting but she doesn't mind it. “I’ve always been ok with expressing myself..so yeah I’m cool with it.”
Instead she’s proud her image being apart of history in the making, (the organizers of the event will be receiving a proclamation from the Borough for all their event has given the community) encouraging her new social media followers to come up to her at this year’s event and give her a hug.
“At Curlfest all of these black and brown women are just happy [and] smiling. [There’s Women doing everything from dancing, smiling, hugging, laying out with their men, holding babies, singing...everyone is just there to have a great time and appreciate one of the most beautiful things about ourselves...our hair.”
