Jess  Martinez Has A Guinness  World  Record for The World's Largest Afro

New York‑based criminal‑justice advocate and content‑creator Jess Martinez has officially achieved the title of world’s largest afro (female‑living), as recognised by the Guinness World Records (GWR). 

Jess is the second woman to ever earn this title, following in the footsteps of Aevin Dugas. Dugas originally set the record in 2010, and by 2025, she had become a Guinness World Records ICON for her work promoting body positivity and natural hair acceptance.

On 23 October 2025, Jess Martinez had her natural afro measured by three people under GWR supervision, resulting in the following dimensions:

• Height: 29 cm (11.42 in)

• Width: 31 cm (12.2 in)

• Circumference: 190 cm (6 ft 2.87 in)

The distance around her Afro is approximately three times the height of the world’s shortest woman alive, Jyoti Amge. 

Jess Martinez resides in Rockland County, New York, and works as a criminal justice advocate. She also founded a brand named Somebody’s Auntie. Her natural‑hair journey includes a past of using relaxers and straightening treatments, primarily during childhood and her freshman college year. 

She has spoken openly about how salon visits and treatments made her feel uncomfortable and disconnected from her natural texture.

After deciding to stop relaxing and straightening in 2014, Martinez committed to nurturing her natural curl pattern. Over years of consistent care, she nurtured her natural texture to flourish. It was this journey, and her community’s encouragement, that led her to submit an attempt to Guinness World Records when social‑media followers began suggesting she do so.

Discussing the moment when she received confirmation of her record, Martinez said,

“When I found out that I broke the record, I was actually in shock because it didn’t quite sink in yet… To see someone like me, with hair like this, in the Guinness World Records book, is just so absolutely incredible.”

She added that the accomplishment underscored her capability:

“A part of me also felt proud of myself because I can do hard things… And so the fact that I stuck it through, even though I had a little bit of a rocky start, … it just makes me feel like I can do anything.”

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Aevin Dugas, from Reserve, Louisiana, made history in 2010 when she set the record. Then, in 2012, she received a certificate in Rome, Italy, on the show "Lo Show dei Record," officially recognising her as having the largest afro among women.

She has natural curls that are now 25 cm (9.84 in) long, 26 cm (10.24 in) wide, and have a circumference of 165 cm (5.41 ft). For years, she proudly held this title and was even honoured as a Guinness World Records ICON in 2025 for her incredible messages about body positivity, self-love, and cultural acceptance.

“To be a part of the record-breaking community is very special, because I know GWR is very serious about their records,” she said. “So to be a part of it is another moment I don’t take for granted, because it really is a type of X-Men situation where y’all have all these superheroes in a book with all these different things that they do, and mine is big hair… so I love that.”

Even after her 15-year reign as the top Afro icon, Aevin reveals that she genuinely used to hope for the day she could pass the torch to another amazing woman. In fact, she even kept a sparkly crown from a photoshoot in 2020, just in case she got the chance to crown a new record holder someday.

“The thing is, I always wanted to pass it, not watch the thing get snatched out of my hand,” she explained. “So when the ICON thing happened… I just felt like it was the perfect transition.”

In November, Jess and Aevin finally met for a photoshoot with GWR adjudicator Michael Empric.

“Meeting Aevin is just such a joy. I feel like she is the same online as she is in person – a lot of personality,” said Jess. “I just feel so blessed that I get to meet her and that she gets to be a part of this experience, because that makes me feel even more proud of myself, and it feels like a special moment.”

READ ALSO: GWR confirms Felicity Asantewaa as record holder for most cars washed

Both Martinez and Dugas have shared practical insights about maintaining natural hair and the importance of the right stylist. Dugas emphasised:

“Keep people’s hands out of your head; don’t let just anyone in your head,” meaning not everyone has the expertise to style natural hair.

Martinez recommends low‑tension hairstyles (such as twists) to preserve length and cautions against excessive product buildup that can hinder hair health.

Beyond hair care, Martinez views her GWR achievement as a platform to broaden visibility and confidence for textured hair. She hopes her example encourages young people with textured hair to view their style as professional, expressive, and valid.

Jess Martinez’s recognition by Guinness World Records as the female living record‑holder for the largest afro stands as a testament to resilience, identity, and transformation.

Her journey, from managing salon pressure and relaxers to embracing her natural texture to publicly achieving a record‑setting milestone, shows the power of self‑acceptance and advocacy.

As she assumes the title previously held by Aevin Dugas, Martinez inherits not only a certificate but also a legacy of visibility and inspiration in natural‑hair culture.