Meet Faniah Felton of Naturally Free in South Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Faniah Felton.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Faniah. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I moved to Georgia almost twenty years ago. As a young college student, my goal was to enter the legal field and ultimately become a Judge. After being denied admission to law school, I pursued a Master’s Degree. At the time, I was married with two children under three years of age. This was very difficult to balance but my desire to complete my graduate program fueled me. In addition to attending classes, I also opened a dance studio. I named it Freestylez Dance Center. I’ve always had a love for dance and a passion for teaching it. I raised my babies, taught classes at the studio and attended graduate classes online in the evenings. By the grace of God, I graduated in May 2014. While this was a great time in my life, the life as I knew it was about to change. Over the next year, I went through a divorce and a total rebirth.

Today, I am the proud owner of Naturally Free, LLC. I specialize in Sisterlocks and loc maintenance. My hair was always a major concern during exercise and dance classes. I wore my hair in its natural form but I relied on protective hair styles that included weave to maintain a professional appearance. Sisterlocks are extremely versatile. They can be worn in any work or recreational setting. Now, when I teach my Zumba classes, my hair is no longer a concern.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My road had a great deal of challenges. When I made the decision to leave my marriage, it also meant that I’d have to leave the church my family attended at the time. Doing this caused backlash that I never could have imagined. My children and I were completely cut off by them. The members were encouraged to “disconnect” from me. This shook me to the core. They were the only support I had at the time and all at once, they were gone. The vast majority of my family resides in New York so, I felt like I was alone for a long time. Here is what’s amazing, God knows what we need… and when we need it. He began sending people into my life and those people are still with me to this day. Those people became the support I needed. They stepped in and worked with my children and they even helped me regain strength… and ultimately, they helped me stand back up again. Because of them, things eventually became lighter, and better. Later, I became a part of an amazing church and I am grateful. True healing began taking place in my life. This church speaks to and ignites the “Creative” in me. My creative side is full of art, dance and beauty. It seems very natural for me to become a Sisterlocks consultant and Zumba instructor. They both allow freedom that can only be expressed in the work itself.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Naturally Free, LLC is a relatively new business. I recently became a Sisterlocks practitioner and I enjoy making women feel great about themselves. Many women suffer from low self-esteem and they try to cover it up by masking it in many ways. Sisterlocks gives them freedom to wear their natural hair without compromising professionalism or uniqueness. I am also well-known for my Zumba classes. For many years, I taught at different locations around Atlanta. I’ve taught for dance fitness events, fundraisers, political campaigns, awareness rallies and more. I love when my students tell me that they came to class feeling one way, but they leave feeling much better. I’m a very charismatic instructor with very high energy. I want them to feel my energy and for them to be free in their movement… naturally.

What were you like growing up?
I have always been very sensitive. I wasn’t very trusting as a child. I didn’t trust people outside of my family. As a child, I was also pretty smart. In elementary school, I was invited to join the M.A.P (Major Achievers Program) classes in the city I lived in, Rochester, NY, this program allowed students to receive an advanced-level education that would follow us throughout middle school and high school.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.naturallyfreelocs.com
• Phone: 678-438-1074
• Email: naturallyfreelocs@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freeandthriving/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ffelton1/

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