In 1987 I cut off the relaxed hair and wore a short afro to begin my modeling career. During my modeling career I wore natural hair only and I was happy with it. On one assignment I received a curly perm and it dried my hair out horribly, even though I used the moisturizers that were required. I never received a touch up and my hair was irreparably damaged. My hair was damaged so badly that while shooting the pilot for "In Living Color" I wore my hair in one French braid because that's all I could do to look ok. Once I began to tape the shows, I regularly wore wigs. Of course it was less time consuming between skits, but it also kept my own hair covered while it was damaged.
When I visited Africa I learned about Senegalese Twists and other natural hairstyles. I began to wear my hair this way and received a lot of positive feedback from friends and fans. People would just come up to me and ask how I'd gotten my hair to look so healthy. From those times I had the urge in my spirit for the book.

WCW: Since your decision to wear your hair natural, have you noticed its affect on the types of roles you are offered? Has it hindered your career in any way?
TCK: My wearing natural hair has limited the amount and kinds of roles I'm offered-I know this for sure. I would receive many more roles if my hair were straight. In the beginning of my book there's a conversation with my girlfriend where I ask if she could imagine Gwenyth Paltrow pouring lye all over her head just to work? Natural hair is frightening, sorta like Nat Turner or some other revolutionary. People like people more with straight hair. I have a niece who wanted the white version of a popular fashion doll ( who shall remain nameless as she doesn't need more press) simply because her hair is straight. If you feel straight hair is beautiful and your hair is the opposite, how do you feel about yourself? How do you feel about your mother? How do you feel about your child? Something is very wrong here. I feel relaxing is so crazy that if I'm playing a negative character like the crack addict I played in the movie, Jackie Brown, I wear my hair straight to show I'm crazy and deranged. I intentionally straightened my hair for that role to emphasize the fact that I was out of my mind. If I'm playing a positive character I will always wear my hair natural.

WCW: This is actually your second self-written, self-published and self-edited book. Can you tell us a little about your first book, Some of My Best Friends: A Collection of Characters?
TCK: Some of My Best Friends was actually a 1-woman stage presentation about things that drive me mad. There were about 9 or so different characters who all had something to say about life. I'm a former substitute teacher in Chicago Public Schools. On the bus ride home one school day I over heard some conversation between several young girls, one being an 11-year-old pregnant student and the joke was, " who was her baby's daddy?" I realized how disconnected I was to the children and youth in the community. I endeavored through this stage production to address the issue of teen pregnancy and to answer the question of, "when did they stop being people just because they got pregnant?"

WCW: What is next on the horizon for T'Keyah Crystal Keymah?
TCK: Well, I actually moved back to Chicago to take care of my grandmother who is 89 years young. I've put my career on hold to concentrate on loving her. My sister and I are in the process of remodeling her home to accommodate our grandmother. This is my first priority, so I will have a somewhat low-profile here in Chicago because it truly is not about me. My grandmother raised me and my brothers and sister. Actually, its good to be home. I attended St. Sabina and Academy of Our Lady and I lived on the South side growing up. What I will do is concentrate on the publicizing of the book.
I have a project with the Disney Channel that's set to begin airing in January 2003 called "That's So Raven." It's a comedy starring Raven Simone (from The Cosby Show), and I star as Raven's mother, Tonya.

WCW: How can your books be purchased?
TCK: The books are available at Afrocentric Bookstore and African American Images Bookstore in Chicago. They can also be purchased on-line at www.tkeyah.com. The cost is only $20.

WCW: Do you have any words of wisdom you want to leave with our readers?
TCK: I charge people that the consideration of placing your parents or grandmother away in a nursing home is an adopted solution to the problem of caring for them. We are not a people to put them away. We should sacrifice to take care of them as they took care of us. Also, I suggest that people be mindful of signs that parents or grandparents need more help than they're putting on that they need. Pay attention to them and watch for mental health signs as well as physical health signs. Pay attention and then go with them to get help. Pay attention to them and watch for mental health signs as well as physical health signs. Pay attention and then go with them to get help.

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