Founder's Message

Hi, I’m Dr. Tajauna Batchelor, founder of Docs With Locs. As a first-generation physician from Newport News, Virginia, I created this platform to celebrate, connect, and uplift healthcare professionals who proudly wear locs and natural hair.

When I entered medical school, I became the first student in my institution’s history to be accepted while wearing locs. Almost immediately, my hair became the center of many conversations.

For many of my classmates, I was the first person they had ever met with locs in a professional setting. After receiving dozens of questions about maintenance and styling, I realized my presence created opportunities to challenge assumptions about professionalism and natural hair.

As I progressed through my clinical training, those experiences became even more pronounced. I was often the only Black woman, and often the only person with locs, in many of the spaces I entered. While those moments could feel isolating, they also revealed the importance of representation and visibility.

Everything changed during a clinical encounter with a young girl and her mother. As they prepared to leave, I overheard her mother whisper, “I told you locs can be beautiful and still professional.” In that moment, I realized that my hair represented something much larger than myself. It was not simply an extension of my identity, but a platform to challenge outdated perceptions and expand the image of who belongs in medicine.

Inspired by that experience, I founded Docs With Locs to create a space where healthcare professionals with locs and natural hair can be seen, celebrated, and connected. Through storytelling, advocacy, apparel, and community, I hope to inspire the next generation to show up authentically and confidently in every room they enter.

Because locs and natural hair belong in every room.