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When one Austin resident started to notice his hairstyle bringing him attention for the wrong reasons, he decided to chop it off.
Timothy Simmons, 32, had worn dreadlocks an an expressive and artistic statement, but they caught the attention of police officers, he told the Chicago Tribune in a recent story.
“For me, it was a power statement,” Simmons told the Tribune’s Dawn Turner Trice. “I was saying that my hair defines who I am and it’s a part of my image and heritage. My strength came from my hair and it enhanced my look.”
A photo of 7-year-old Heaven Sutton’s killer made Simmons realize that his hair wasn’t the expression he intended it to be, but more of a stereotype. Simmons lives a block away from the where the young Austin girl was shot last summer.
“So, first the story itself broke my heart, but when I saw that the guy (who was arrested) had locks, I felt like it just adds to the stereotype,” Simmons said.
To read the full Chicago Tribune article click here.
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