6 Reasons Why People Don't Support Black Business

I came across a couple of articles that touched on why people don't support black business when they should. I gathered a short list of typical reasons from what I read.


1. Why support it when its leaving the community?


Many people don't feel its necessary to support back businesses since their dollars "leave the community just as quickly as it comes." But the reason this happens in most communities is because there are not enough black businesses and not enough people supporting them. But if people were worried about their dollars leaving the community shouldn't they take a chance on a black business, instead of willingly and deliberately supporting other races?

2. Their prices are too high!

Oftentimes, blacks have to do a little bit extra to get something to call their own in this racist society. So prices aren't going to be the cheapest.  But wouldn't you rather pay a little extra to help your community get out the cycle of oppression than to buy something cheaper, only to have your money immediately leave the community?

3. Service is terrible!

Because we place so much more value on white establishments than black ones, many of us already think either subconsciously or consciously that we aren't qualified enough to run a business. So as soon as you have one or two bad experiences with a black businesses, you are already convinced that they are all the same. The few black businesses that actually do have bad service continue to perpetuate the stereotype because there is only but so many black businesses.

4. They cant be trusted!


Black people have a hard time trusting other blacks in business because we are conditioned to believe that our people are less trustworthy, less knowledgeable and less fit to lead.


5. I watch T.V and I'm not convinced that it will be wise to support them

The media has definitely influenced our perceptions of blacks. We are constantly criminalized and labeled as dangers to society on the news and on televisions hows. These constant images continue to feed the stereotypes that make people less likely to trust blacks over non-blacks.

6. I'm trying to make it so why would I support them?

Just like in slavery days when masters put dark skinned slaves against light skinned slaves, our community is still very well divided today. We have a hard time appreciating other blacks do well. Most of us have the "token black guy/girl" syndrome, in which you take pleasure being the only black person "making it like the whites." But we have to kill the jealousy and realize what is really important which is supporting  one another.

http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/why-i-support-black-business-owners-dg/
http://www.blackbusinessnetwork.com/Home/

Black Lives Matter?

My Facebook timeline keeps blowing up about the Baltimore riots after the death of Freddie Gray. May he rest in peace. From discussions about genetic annihilation to pictures of students marching in the streets, it is clear that people are angry. We are sick of seeing our black men and women die in the streets while Police get off the hook. I don't condone the use of violence portrayed on the day of Gray's funeral but I can understand it. And thats what I think we all should start doing. Most of these kids are not affiliated with gangs but come from broken homes and have had direct contact with racism. Yet, we call them thugs and media outlets show more images of people looting than those actually cleaning the streets and showing love. Yes, black people have the right to be angry. But instead of using that energy to hurt and destroy, we need to be using it to invest in ourselves. If black lives matter so much, why are there so many black people refusing to vote in elections that directly affect our local communities? Because, our votes don't really matter right? But can't we at least try? Institutionalized racism continues to cripple our communities on a daily basis but most of us are not marching until one of us dies. This is a constant fight. Yet we want to act like what we do in our daily lives is irrelevant to the issue at hand. Look at our consumer power? Most of us put most of our dollars into white establishments built on racist principles than our own businesses and organizations. We shout black lives matter, but are we really living it? Do we truly believe this? If we matter, then why do we continue to think that success means wearing white designer labels, working in a company that we cannot call our own  and moving to white suburbia to distance ourselves from the "racially angry"? It takes a mentality to help fight injustice, not just marching with selfie sticks in inner city streets. We need to be aware of EVERYTHING we can do to uplift our communities. Just because we can't SEE our dollars or our VOTES like we see our men dying in the streets doesn't mean it wont make a difference.  "Black Lives Matter" is a LIFESTYLE. If you're not living it, don't shout it and don't write it on a poster. Yes, fight against police brutality. But it doesn't stop there. You have to live it. Vote. Use your consumer power to support your own instead of racist establishments. Read. Write. Speak positively about one another.Challenge your local authorities. You're not going to become healthy by working out when you  eat junk food everyday. A Lifestyle consists of more than one habit. You have to adopt them all to truly make a difference.

http://www.npr.org/2015/04/26/402353781/baltimore-protests-turn-violent

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/30/experts-you-can-t-break-your-own-spine-like-freddie-gray.html

But its 2015

It's sad that white students yelling racial slurs at black students continues to be a "thing" at my university. You can shout "Not on our campus!" or "It's 2015!" all you want, but it seems like these messages don't mean much at all. Im beginning to think that students are being racist for fun. Like its the go-to thing to do in a game of truth or dare especially since the worst thing that can happen is you being forced to go through diversity training. And that's only if the victim can memorize your license plate in the heat of the moment (most racial slurs on campus are yelled out of moving cars). 

I attended "Black Solidarity Day" a couple weeks ago. It was pretty interesting. I participated in various workshops that basically taught me how to properly respond to racist situations. It was great. But throughout the event, I couldn't help but think, what about the white majority on campus? Shouldn't there be events on campus that educate them how not to be racist? The focus seems to be on black students and how we should adjust to the campus life around us by being "respectful" and making sure we report incidents of racial bias. We even have a "racial bias" line we can call when these incidents occur. But the focus seems to be on us and us only. If I know exactly how to respond to a racist statement, would that change the mind set of the person that said it? Most likely, no. This is why these incidents keep happening. Because the blacks on campus are being "trained" but the whites are not. When we continue to have these "blacks only" forums on campus about race, we are telling white people "This doesn't concern you! You don't have to care because this is not your fight." But racism is everyone's fight regardless if you are not the one being hurt. 

White Privilege

There is a lot of controversy behind the phrase “white privilege” mainly because people just don’t understand the meaning of the term. Whites, particularly less fortunate whites, hear the term “privilege” and immediately get offended. If I am a white person and am disadvantaged in some way, then there definitely is no such thing as white privilege, right? WRONG. Im really tired of hearing people share detailed stories of their miserable personal lives in an effort to downplay the idea of white privilege. White privilege has nothing to do with your personal story. And that is what many white people fail to understand. White privilege can only be understood from a sociological lens. The term refers to how systems in our society work, NOT on individual narratives. 

NOT White Privilege: 

Ben who is educated, has a successful career, and has never been stopped-and-frisked  by police ONLY because he is white. 

White Privilege: 

 Ben is MORE LIKELY to be able to receive education, land a successful career, and not have to step one foot into a court room compared to George who is black. 

Our education system, our job market, our criminal justice system, the media  (just to name a few) are built on racial bias and continue to favor whites over non-whites. These are facts. Denying white privilege is like denying that the sky is blue. And the sky doesn’t give .02 fucks about whether or not you disagree that its blue. Its just going to be freakin blue. Its just the way things are. 

Let me put this in another way. Sam the breeder breeds yorkies and poodles. The yorkies usually go to happy homes a lot quicker than the poodles. If Simba the yorkie is the last puppy to be sold, does that mean Yorkie privilege does not exist? NO. Simba can cry all he wants about those two weeks he spent alone but at the end of the day, yorkies are MORE LIKELY to be sold first. Aside from your personal struggle, If the people that look like you are more likely to succeed than others who don’t look like you, you have a racial privilege my friend. 

Gina Crosley-Corcoran, a white woman who grew up in poverty once denied white privilege given her unfortunate circumstances. However, after someone directed her to  Peggy McIntosh's 1988 ," White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack." She began to understand what the term actually means. 

She states, "After one reads McIntosh's powerful essay, it's impossible to deny that being born with white skin in America affords people certain unearned privileges in life that people of another skin color simply are not afforded. For example:

• 'I can turn on the television or open the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented'
• 'When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is'
• 'If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race'
• 'I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time'

Many of the privileges whites have, are unearned. If you're white, when you turn on the TV, you can easily find your race portrayed in a positive light. In elementary school, you were probably taught about the great accomplishments of people that look like you... every month. When you go to the mall, you can guarantee that you will see a model of your race on most of the advertisements. When you go to the store, you can guarantee that you’ll find a product that can treat your type of hair. When you are taking a walk in a rich neighborhood, you can guarantee that no one will call the police. When you go to the movies, the lead role will be most likely be played by someone that looks like you.

All in all, white privilege doesn't care about your personal story. It is what it is. And until we are treated equally, we cannot deny its existence.  

http://occupywallstreet.net/story/explaining-white-privilege-broke-white-person

http://amptoons.com/blog/files/mcintosh.html

Justice for [insert black man’s name here]!!!

 Another black man has been killed by a police officer. What's new? It seems like we can’t go a couple of weeks without yelling "Justice for [insert black man’s name here]!!". What kills me the most is the level of victim blaming when incidents like these happen.  Immediately after the man is dead, its now important for the public to know about his criminal record and how he has an “aggressive past.” We’ve seen it with Trayvon Martin, we’ve seen it with Mike Brown, we’ve seen it with Eric Garner. Now we’re talking about Walter Scott, another unarmed black man gunned down by police. But that’s not even everybody! Black men and women are profiled and become victims of excessive force by police on a daily basis. Many people are quick to justify the officer's actions saying  “Well, they should have never did [ insert action that may have provoked police].” Yes, people should be careful when interacting with police. However, that does not take away from the fact that these “interactions”  are more likely to  become fatal when a minority is involved. There is obviously racial bias coupled with poor training that lead to these fatalities. But sadly, the media wants to blame the individual.  

The other thing that annoys me is when people justify an officer’s actions by comparing what took place to what they would do in a similar situation. This is when things get problematic.  You are not a trained police officer so you should not be saying "if I were him.." Because honestly, what you would do simply does not apply here. Sorry.  There are some obvious flaws in Police training that need to be addressed. Police are not suppose to be acting impulsively like the rest of us untrained civilians. And when they do apply excessive force, they should be held accountable, not let off the hook. This is probably the main reason police brutality continues to happen today. Police think they are invincible simply because they hardly ever suffer serious consequences for acting inappropriately. It's time for this invincibility to end. Hopefully it will end when Michael Slager, the officer who recently shot Walter Scott  eight times in the back (I counted myself), is convicted of murder. But that's just wishful thinking... 

 http://www.cbs46.com/story/28625793/family-of-smyrna-man-shot-and-killed-by-police-demand-justice#ixzz3WTrL64HK

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/us/south-carolina-officer-is-charged-with-murder-in-black-mans-death.html?_r=0

6 Celebrities That Are Probably Bleaching Their Skin

Self-love is a common theme in the black community. Choosing to wear your natural hair is often the symbol of self-love. Another symbol is wearing your own skin. As crazy as that sounds, it isn't that outlandish given the large amount of skin bleaching products on the market that target black consumers.  The standard of beauty has long been lighter toned skin in our society which is why many black individuals choose to seek out skin bleaching treatments. Celebrities, are particularly known for purchasing such creams for business purposes which often involve appealing to a wider audience or... "whiter"  audience. Below is a list of 6 celebrities that have been accused on bleaching their skin. 

Sammy Sosa

 Sammy Sosa is a retired professional baseball player who is actually one of few celebrities that have admitted to bleaching his skin. He claims that he uses it for skin softening. 

Nicki Minaj

Nicki has long been accused of bleaching her
skin especially after sporting her blonde
wig. Appealing to a wider audience? Maybe.

Beyonce

Beyonce has been in the music industry for quite some time now so it is very easy to pull up a picture of this super star in her Destiny's Child days. You can tell she has become noticeably lighter and blonder over the years.

India Arie

This comes as a surprise to most people given India's self-love motifs in her music that many women of color praise. However, in her recent album cover she appears to be much lighter than she was when she first arrived on the music scene singing "Brown Skin."

Lil Kim

Besides the obvious plastic surgery, Lil Kim
has also been known to have bleached her skin.
Many people claim that losing her love Biggie Smalls to light skin music legend Faith Evans is the main reason Lil Kim decided to go for a lighter appearance.

Vybz Kartel

Vybz Kartel is also one of few celebrities that has admitted to using bleach cream. He
sees no harm in it and compares the practice to tanning and wearing weaves. He also
has even started his own skin bleaching line
for men.








http://bossip.com/1008294/light-is-right-15-black-celebrities-accused-of-bleaching-their-dark-skin-for-beauty/8/

http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/08/19/15-black-celebs-caught-whitening-their-skin/

Natural Hair Nazis

The natural hair movement is a beautiful thing. Embracing one's natural kinks and curls continues to be a powerful force against society’s  limited standard of beauty. The movement goes hand in hand with the fight for civil rights. However, there are some people who claim to be leaders of the movement but actually may be doing more harm than good. These people are known as "natural hair nazis." 

According to urban dictionary, natural hair nazis are "Black females with natural hair (hair that has not been relaxed) who believe that it is their responsibility to harass and scold other black women who choose to still relax their hair.” But, the definition is definitely  not limited to black women. Men can be natural hair nazis as well. These individuals tend to think that natural hair is one of the main signs of self love and true blackness and anyone who conforms to the white standard of beauty by relaxing their hair or wearing weaves is a disgrace to the black race and should be put in check. 

Most of the “checking” takes place on social media sites like Instagram where they often bully black women with relaxed hair or engage in nasty debates about what true blackness entails. Natural hair nazis are not an established group of people. You can simply be labeled as a natural hair nazi, for instance,  by re-posting a meme that says relaxed hair = self hate. Many people like blogger Lincoln Anthony Blades argue that natural hair nazis are focused more on dividing the black community rather than uniting it. I agree to a certain extent. But I do believe that Natural hair nazis are just trying to educate others about the undeniable origin of oppression that relaxed hair stems from. They are just going about about it the wrong way. Just like criticism from closed minded religious leaders, judgmental statements from natural hair nazis isn’t very effective in convincing black women to go natural. Instead of being angry, we should respectfully educate people about the origin of relaxed hair and then keep it moving. We can’t convince every body. If they are moved, let them be moved. If not, there is no need to bully or pull people down just because their opinions differ from your own. 

But Natural Hair nazis aren’t the only threats to the black community. People who say “natural hair isn't for everybody”  also have more intentions to divide than unify in my opinion. This phrase does so much damage that many people don’t realize. I once came across a hair stylist on Instagram who said that “Natural hair isn’t for everybody because some of y’all walking around here looking like a cast member from 12 years a slave.” Then she proceeded to say “choke yourself.” Ummm that was quite encouraging. I don’t usually engage in social media debates with people I don’t know. But her comments were so disturbing that I just had to say something.  I asked, "how is natural hair not for everybody when that is how God made them?" She responded saying that she was referring to people who cannot deal with high maintenance natural hair, often leaving it unkempt. That is the problem right there. Instead of discouraging people who want to wear their hair natural by saying it is not for them, we should educate them about how to properly manage it. Because at the end of the day, it IS for them because that is how God MADE them. They just weren’t taught how to deal with their hair. 

That all being said, Let’s help each other through positive education, not put each other down with nasty insults and then want to say we are helping the black community. Natural Hair IS FOR those with natural hair. Period. And people with relaxed hair have the right to have their own opinions about blackness. Progress can only be made through inclusion, not separation. Let’s focus on what unites us as a community instead of what separates us. 

http://www.thisisyourconscience.com/2012/10/dear-natural-hair-nazis-go-fk-yourselves/

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Natural+Nazi

Diversity in the Playroom

Everybody knows that phrase from the bible: "Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it"(Proverbs 22: 6). It is so important to raise your child to be culturally aware especially in this progressively diverse nation. In order to tackle huge issue like racism and poverty, the mentality must change. And it starts with the kids. Here is a list of 5 must-haves in you child's playroom that promote diversity and equality especially when it relates to African-American culture. 




1. I Am Rainbow Child


This coloring book/ story book is very entertaining for young children plus it educates readers about biracial families.

2. The Colors of Us

This colorful book explores the beauty of diversity by comparing shades of skin to yummy treats like creamy peanut butter, honey, cinnamon and french toast.





















3. Multicultural Markers

Usually crayon / marker boxes come with only one black and one brown option, leaving a limited selection for young children who want to draw their twin on paper. Multi-cultural markers offer 8 different shades of brown that will allow children to draw more accurate pictures of themselves and their communities.










             4. Heart for Hearts Girls Dolls

            Not only do these dolls come in different shades,             but each doll has their own story, culture and                   perspectives on how to make the world a better
            place. These dolls are incredibly fun and
            educational.

                                              5. Brain Quest Black History

                                              This is the perfect game that teaches children                                                   about  black history.  Its colorful                                                                       layout and competitive nature is very
                                              entertaining for children who will learn 5,000                                                 years of history by the end of the game.
                                             
























Sources:

http://www.popsugar.com/moms/Multicultural-Kids-Toys-19097184#photo-19097380
http://www.theroot.com/photos/2014/03/culturally_sensitive_toys_promoting_diversity_during_playtime.html

I Want To Look Like Barbie!

There is nothing that gives a little girl more confidence then having a doll that looks like her! Many black girls grow up thinking they aren’t good enough or pretty enough after one visit to the toy store. Most of the barbie dolls sold in stores are white or black with bone straight hair and European features. Growing up, I literally owned one black barbie with a natural hair fro. I have no idea where my aunt was able to find her because they were so hard to come by. Unfortunately, I got her for Christmas later on in my childhood so the brain washing had already taken place. The rest of my barbies looked like the barbie version of Taylor Swift in black face. There was hardly anyone that looked like me on television or in the play room, so every night I prayed for straight hair, only to wake up with the coarse fro I could barely get my fingers through. I wanted to look like barbie. As I matured, I was able to recognize my own beauty. I learned that beauty came in ALL shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. But even though I embrace my black features, there are still younger black girls struggling with low self-esteem due to white washed dolls. 

Even with the natural hair movement constantly expanding, it is still very difficult to find black dolls with natural hair.  The lack of diversity in name brand toys has driven many black entrepreneurs to start their own line of black barbies. Karen Byrd is the founder and designer of Natural Girls Unite, a company that customizes black natural hair styles for barbie dolls. Form dread locs to fish tail braids, there is no limit to what Karen can create for young black girls. According to Byrd,  "If a child is constantly  looking at images, dolls, television, books and magazines- and only seeing beauty as something to someone with non-ethnic features and long straight hair- then they are going to assume that this is what beauty is.” Black Girls Unite therefore seeks to put black beauty in a positive light while increasing the self-confidence of black children around the world. Below are more examples of Karen Byrd’s beautiful creations. 

Sources: 

http://www.naturalgirlsunited.com/custom-request.html

https://www.pinterest.com/MissLonda101/dream-barbies/

3 Most Popular Protective Styles

If you have natural hair then you are most likely not a stranger to protective styling. According to Clutch Magazine, “the key to protective style is protecting the hair from over-manipulation, chemical and environmental elements.” These external elements can damage natural hair and prevent growth. As the natural hair movement expands, protective styles are becoming increasingly popular in the black community. Its popularity is even spreading into other racial groups. For instance, Kylie Jenner was recently referred to as a “trend setter” for sporting faux locs, a popular style typically used to preserve African American hair. What may be new to pop-culture is definitely not new to black naturalistas. Below I have listed  and described the most popular natural hair protective styles. 

Faux Locs 

This style is perfect for naturalistas who are not ready to be fully committed to dread locs but always wanted to rock the look. Faux locs are created by wrapping synthetic or human hair tightly around to great a dread like appearance. 

Crochet Braids 

This style is perfect for naturals who want to rock a big curly fro while preserving the strength of their own hair which is usually braided underneath. This look is created by first putting your own hair in cornrows and then taking a tiny crochet hook to put strands into knots around the braids. Stlyists are also starting to do "knotless crochets" along the parted section of the hair to make this style look even more natural. 

Yarn Braids 

This look is great for those who may have allergic reactions to synthetic hair or may want braids with a rougher texture. This style is achieved by braiding your hair with acrylic yarn instead of hair extensions. Each braid is sealed by burning the ends with a lighter to make sure the yarn does not unravel. 

Sources: 

http://www.haircolorsideas.com/brown-hair/medium-brown/crochet-braids/ — crochet braids image

https://tafistresses.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/yarn-twists-yarn-braids-yarn-wraps-yarn-locs-genie-locs-hairspiration-part-1/ - yarn braids image

http://mommynoire.com/74479/faux-locs-15-epic-looks-summer-2014/3/ - faux locs image

http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2014/10/protective-styling-goes-wrong-explaining-common-issues/

Where Are All The Good Black Fathers??

The average black father seems to have one narrative in our society. He is an “irresponsible, fatherless, multiple baby mama having, child support dodging deadbeat dad who also happens to have a criminal record. However, some black fathers are stepping up to challenge this false narrative. One black father, Ben Dixon, admits in a video shared on “The Benjamin Dixon Show” that he was offended when some one told him that he was a "good example of a black father." Dixon states, “It bothered me because I am not a great example of a black father. I am an average example of a black father.” 

He states that there are indeed bad fathers, in  every race, but proclaims that “that’s the exception and not the rule." Dixon offered some great insight in regards to why this narrative is indeed misleading and harmful to the black community. He states, "It’s important that they make you believe that the only thing wrong in the black community is the absence of black fathers, because it deflects and distracts away from the real problem...which is the social, economic plight of African Americans... the fact that unemployment in black communities is higher than in any other community in the United States... the fact that crime is disproportionately an economic problem, and not just a color problem. They not only want you to think that African American fathers are absent, they want you to think that we are criminals because it helps perpetuate their political agenda. It helps them maintain the idea in your mind that we’re criminal, that we’re lazy, that we don’t take care of our children, but that’s a false narrative. That’s a lie, and the facts don’t back it up.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. 

Huffington Post writer, Danielle Cadet also challenged this racially biased narrative of the black father in an article entitled “Five Lies We Should Stop Telling about Black Fatherhood. One of the biggest lies in my opinion that Cadet mentioned is that “ Black fathers aren’t involved in their children’s lives.” Studies, however, have found that black fathers spend more time with their children on a daily basis than fathers from other racial groups. Moreover, there is no data that suggests that black fathers significantly differ from white fathers. The Pew Research Center found that "67 percent of dads who don’t live with their kids see them at least once a month, compared to 59 percent of white dads and just 32 percent of Hispanic dads” (Huffington Post). Also many people use the statistic that black fathers are more likely to be separated from their kids as proof that there is a problem with black fatherhood. However, as stated before, black fathers are very well present in their children’s lives and studies suggest that "the number of black dads living apart from their kids stems from structural systems of inequality and poverty,” not  ill feelings or beliefs towards parenting (Think Progress). 

With blacks constantly being portrayed in a negative light in the media, it is extremely hard to combat the black father stereotype. However,  if more good black fathers make an effort to share their personal stories of loving and supporting their families then we will move one step closer to trashing this false narrative. 

Sources: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/13/black-fatherhood-statistics_n_5491980.html

http://thebenjamindixonshow.com/average-black-father/

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/01/16/3175831/myth-absent-black-father/

image: http://pixgood.com/black-father-with-children.html

Black Women Defying the Odds

Given the stereotypes that tend to stifle black success, when a black person is acknowledged for their contributions to society it is... a big deal. Aside from blacks,  women regardless of race are the most widely stigmatized group in the world. Thus, being black and a woman, can oftentimes be a double whammy when trying to live a successful life. Being young may even be a triple whammy for some black women. I wanted to highlight four individuals who fit both profiles in Forbe's renown 30 under 30 list.

Keke Palmer, 21

At such a young age, Palmer continues to make history with her latest moves. Last year, she became the youngest talk show host and later, the first black woman to play Cinderella on Broadway. Her stunning style and contagious smile continues to draw more and more people into to her fan club. Palmer is also a singer and songwriter and maintains her successful career in acting.  


 Azealia Banks, 23

Some people get turned off by Banks' willingness  to share her controversial and unfiltered opinions on  topics such as racism in America. However, she still is making great contributions to the music world with her unconventional rhythmic songs with dance, electro, indie, latin, HipHop influences. 

 Darlene Okpo, 28 and Lizzy Okpo, 24

The Okpo sisters are also defying the odds for black women. They stylish sisters have started their own women's fashion label "William Okpo"  which has captured the attention of  many fashionistas included the one and only Solange Knowles. Their collection features a merge of  Nigerian and American styles in their impressive look book -- https://www.williamokpo.com/home/


Sources: 

http://theculture.forharriet.com/2015/01/meet-black-women-who-made-forbes-30.html

School to Prison Pipeline

One of the main issues affecting black communities in America is the school-to-prison pipeline. This trend refers to “policies and practices” in schools that function to push "at-risk” students out of educational institutions and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems (ACLU). The “get a good education so you can get a good job” philosophy oftentimes seems far-fetched to black Americans, especially for those who reside in low-income neighborhoods. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, at-risk individuals  have "learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse or neglect” which often get overlooked by school authorities who tend to focus solely on behavioral issues as they arise (ACLU). However such problems among students are typically the surface effects of the aforementioned underlying issues. Other factors contributing to the school to prison pipe line include “overcrowded classrooms, a lack of qualified teachers, and insufficient funding for ‘extras’ such as counselors, special education services, and even textbooks”(ACLU). 

Many students fall victim to "'zero-tolerance’ policies that criminalize minor infractions of school rules” (ACLU). Schools often rely heavily on police to settle student affairs and often send misbehaving students to alternative disciplinary schools where helpful resources are even more scarce (ACLU). Many students put out of school, are "often left unsupervised and without constructive activities” (ACLU). According to NPR, students returning from school suspension may become unmotivated given the amount of missed classwork and are therefore more likely to drop out. School drop outs often end up acquiring criminal records. Many students are sent directly to juvenile or criminal institutions after being involved in school fights. Moreover, various studies have concluded that black students are “much more likely to be suspended or expelled than white students, even when the infractions are the same”(NPR). 

The constant push for education reform will ultimately lead to the eradication of the school to prison pipeline. However, just as erasing racial bias in the criminal justice system, successfully reversing the bias that exists in our school systems seems quite impossible. Still, school administrators need to recognize the underlying issues that affect student behavior as well as decisions fueled by racial stereotypes. 

Sources: 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/03/21/292456211/black-preschoolers-far-more-likely-to-be-suspended

https://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/what-school-prison-pipeline

https://www.aclu.org/school-prison-pipeline

My Top 3 Instagram Natural Hair Pages

The natural hair movement is continuously growing  thanks to social media. Naturalistas and Naturalistos are now showing off their cool curls and dope styles on apps like Instagram for all to see. Natural Hair pages  significantly contribute  to the movement while giving individuals a chance to shine. These pages feature men and women all over the world who aren't afraid to rock their natural looks. Most page owners ask their followers to mention them or write a specific hashtag in their picture captions in order to be featured. Other pages require that you send an email of your picture. Many users with natural hair blogs and or vlogs make it their mission to get featured on popular hair pages in hopes of increasing their following. I used to try to get featured but after a few unsuccessful attempts I just stopped tagging the pages. Its funny because it wasn't until after I stopped tagging and hashtagging other natural pages, that I started to get featured. How did they find me? I have no idea. But many Instagrammers have found success and continue to increase their following by sharing their looks through natural hair pages. Bellow I have listed my top 3 natural hair pages on Instagram:

 Dye2bnatural is one of my absolute favorites. It features naturalistas  who aren't afraid to rock crazy colorful styles. I get a lot of hair color inspiration from this page. I was also featured on this page. Followers typically get featured by hash-tagging "dye2bnatural".

https://instagram.com/dye2bnatural/














Urbanhairpost is perfect for naturalista trend setters . From African headwraps to colorful yarn locs, this is the place to get lost in the wonderful world of AfroPunk and other dope styles. Oh and I was featured on this page too! =) Followers are told to hashtag "urbanhairpost" or email urbanhairpost@gmail.com for a feature.

https://instagram.com/urbanhairpost/

















LuvYourMane features naturals who have one thing in common: awesome manes and the confidence to pull it off. What ever texture, style or length, this page makes it their duty to acknowledge your awesomeness. Followers are required to email luvyourmane@gmail.com for features/ inquiries.

https://instagram.com/luvyourmane/

My Hair is Unapologetic

Last week at the 2015 Oscars, the beautiful Zendaya Coleman posed for the paparazzi rocking faux locs. Of course being the hair junkie that I am, I was ecstatic about her look. However, television personality Giuliana Rancic had opposing opinions.  During the Zendaya segment of Fashion Police, Coleman stated, “ She has such a tiny frame, that this hair to me overwhelms her... like I feel like she smells like patchouli oils…maybe weed.”... Dear Giuliana,  I’m sorry that an incredibly popular style among black women with natural kinks and coils, is too “overwhelming” to be worn at the Oscars. And I’m sorry that despite the style's undeniable beauty, it reminds you of patchouli oils and weed.” Did I forget to mention that I’m really not sorry?  Apparently neither is Zendaya. The young actress addressed Rancic's outrageously offensive comments in a very profound Instagram post, stating that Rancic’s “ignorant slurs” and “pure disrespect” could not go “unchecked.” Coleman also went on to list examples of successful black figures and family members who all have locs but do not smell of “weed.” Following Zendaya’s response, Rancic posted a public apology on twitter stating  “Dear @zendaya, I’m sorry I offended you and others. I was referring to a bohemian chic look. Had NOTHING to do with race and NEVER would!!!”.... Ummmm excuse me Giuliana but it has everything to do with race and the fact that you have denied the racial undertones and have obviously not put in the effort to actually research why race is relevant, makes your apology even more lame. Not to mention it makes you look even more ignorant. 

Although many people have expressed their outrage following last week's Fashion Police, this isn’t the first instance of its kind. Several incidents have lead me to constantly ask, Why do people seem so ignorant about/uncomfortable with black hair? From elementary schools to large corporations, there seems to be a strong unwritten 0 tolerance policy for black natural hair. A couple years ago, administrators of Faith Christian academy in Central Florida threatened to expel Vanessa Vandyke, a 12 year old black student, unless she re-styled or cut her natural hair. In an interview with a local news channel, VanDyke stated, “it says I'm unique… it’s puffy and I like it that way. I know people will tease me about it because it’s not straight. I don’t fit in.” Administrators stated that her hair was a “distraction” and therefore, violated the school’s code of conduct (Daily Mail). A similar incident occurred just last year when  South Plaquemines High School of Louisiana banned a Rastafarian student from returning to school because of his dreadlocks. Despite his family’s religious reasons, administrators maintained that his hair was “inappropriate"(Black Enterprise).  

Aside from the education system, blacks constantly struggle to obtain acceptance for their hair in the corporate world. Many companies deem natural hair as “unprofessional,” “unkempt” or an overall deterrent for business. One of my best friends decided to wear her gorgeous curls out at work,  only to be confronted by her boss who stated that her hair was not professional and must be pulled up. Last year, former AEG employee Tiffany Bryan of New York was fired form her job after she refused to “tame” her natural fro (Clutch Magazine). Former meteorologist, Rhonda Lee was fired from news channel  KTBS after responding to ignorant criticism in reference to her short fro (News One). But this wasn't the first encounter Lee had at the job in regards to her natural hair. According to Lee, her boss from her previous job  at a news station in Texas asked her to wear a wig “to appeal to a wider audience” which she suggested really meant “whiter audience.”  Lee was later fired from KTBS after responding to a viewer's message on the channel’s Facebook page which stated that “the black lady that does news” should “wear a wig or grow some more hair.” The viewer then inquired about whether she was a cancer patient and stated that regardless of her situation, "it does not look good on t.v." In response to these comments, Lee expressed her pride for her African American ancestry and offered an educational lesson about black hair: that it doesn’t grow downward, it grows upwards. I was happy with this educational moment  simply because people are oftentimes uncomfortable with what they don’t understand. Black hair is just naturally different and therefore shouldn’t be penalized for simply being itself (News One, NBC News). 

In reference to black hair in corporate America, natural hair blogger, Afrobella stated,  "if you’re  in the kind of work environment where your natural appearance is being judged and called into question, or you’re being made to feel like your look is more carefully considered and critiqued than you’re performance, is that the kind of workplace that deserved your efforts and your loyalty? How much of that are you willing and able to put up with, when you know you deserve better?” (Essence Magazine). I agree with this comment 100 percent. I understand that most black people conform to the “standard” image of professionalism in fear of losing their jobs. This is completely understandable. However, this is a much bigger issue than keeping a simple job. By conforming, you are helping to maintain  the idea that black hair is “inappropriate” in our society. Instead of maintaing this idea, we should all be challenging it. We have to make decisions with future generations in mind. Don't you want your children to be free to be themselves no matter what career they choose?

But just like with any issue, people have bills to pay and oftentimes don’t have time for the fight. As for me, I will continue to fight for black hair because I believe in my natural beauty regardless of what labels society wants to stamp on it.

Sources: 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2513893/Florida-girl-threatened-expulsion-afro-hair.html

http://www.blackenterprise.com/education/louisiana-school-bans-rastafarian-teen/

http://www.blackenterprise.com/news/zendaya-responds-racist-hair-comment/

http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2014/06/ny-women-claims-fired-refusing-tame-afro/

http://newsone.com/2867261/rhonda-lee-weather-woman-fired-natural-hair/

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/meteorologist-fired-natural-hair-controversy-talks-zendaya-n312786

Images:

http://madamenoire.com/168134/does-natural-hair-have-a-place-in-corporate-america/
http://www.refinery29.com/2015/02/82786/zendaya-giuliana-rancic-dreadlock-comment
http://newsone.com/2867261/rhonda-lee-weather-woman-fired-natural-hair/

Racism in the fashion industry

The only time I purchase name brand clothing is when I go thrifting because I know my money is going directly back into the community. If I didn’t thrift it, then it was given to me. There has been a longstanding argument that many fashion retailers and high-end designers don’t really care for groups outside of the white majority. Some have even supported the sell of blatant racially-charged products. Urban Outfitters, for instance, has be known to offend pretty much every social group that exists. I’m beginning to think it is for publicity because it has happened way too many times. In 2010, Urban outfitters displayed “Obama/Black” as a t-shit color option on their website. They also once sold a parody of Monopoly called “Ghettopoly” which perpetuates stereotypes of black communities with sayings like "You got yo whole neighborhood addicted to crack. Collect $50.” Zara has also been accused of being racist after selling  "White Is The New Black” shirts. Aside from retail, major fashion companies like Louis Vuitton, Raulph Lauren, Donna karan, Versace, Celine, Alexander Mcqueen, Calvin Klein, Chanel have long been accused of racial discrimination. There are many rumors out there but the fact still remains that blacks are underrepresented on the runway and in commercial/magazine ads for many fashion labels. They may claim to have non-discrimination policies but the lack of diversity in the fashion industry suggests that most designers wish to cater to mainly white audiences. According to Daniel Cohen, “fashion designers, merchandisers and publicists are all mainly white. So in their eyes they design clothes with white figures in mind, to sell to white folk. They, in a way, don't understand that black people buy clothes too. They think the addition of blacks brings the figure down ( unless it’s sport, a black basketball player is, paradoxically, VERY appealing.)” Many fashion designers also believe that catering to minority groups is a waste of time since they can’t “afford fashion.” It frustrates me that people of color continue to put more money into popular white labels than they put towards designers of color. If black doesn't sell, then make it sell. There are many successful black designers who support diversity in their craft and on the runway but people are too busy trying to earn the acceptance of white designers.

When addressing racism on the runway, Model Imam states that the runway does not represent the world we live in  and  that “the absence of people of color on the runways and photography reinforces to our young girls that they're not beautiful enough, that they're not acceptable enough.”  Black supermodels like Naomi Campbell have put a lot of effort into bringing light to this issue. Campbell’s former model agent stated, "I think clients have this perception that black girls do not sell products, which goes way back to the 50’s… the bar is set much higher for black models and they have to be flawless to get booked, so I cannot  afford to take them on." It is very common for black models to get turned away from runways and photo shoots after being notified that they “already have a black girl.” Apparently one token black model is more than enough.

Resources:

Image: http://www.businessoffashion.com/2013/04/op-ed-racism-on-the-runway.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/01/louis-vuitton-racial-discrimination-lawsuit-_n_5547882.html

http://thyblackman.com/2013/08/12/so-the-fashion-industry-is-still-racist/

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/17/living/models-runway-race/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/03/black-model-anais-mali-blatant-racism-fashion-industry_n_4719339.html

Black Love

"Black  love" is a common theme on social media, especially on Instagram.  Where thousands of memes get passed from user to user on a daily basis, Instagram is a primary tool for spreading cultural ideals.  According to About Tech, a meme is a "virally-transmitted cultural symbol or social idea... it behaves like a flu or a cold virus, traveling from person to person quickly, but transmitting an idea instead of a life form. According to Cecil Adams of theStraightDope.com, the concept of memes ‘is either really deep, or really, really obvious.’ “Black Love” is typically on the “really deep” side, usually expressed by an artistic image of some sort that is accompanied by a profound written message.  Memes can be created by pretty much anyone with a computer or mobile device thanks to resources like the meme generator and other similar mobile applications. Memes are a great way to tackle stereotypes and or place light on the positive aspects of one's culture. Blacks make up one of the main stigmatized groups in the world which is why many hop on the meme train to uplift their communities. 

I came up with a list of the most common types of Memes that relate to “Black Love” on Instagram:

Partnership: 

These memes promote the power of a healthy relationship between a black man and woman. The people illustrated are typically romantically involved and share the same passion for supporting each other and beating the odds.

Celebrity Models 

These memes feature famous celebrity/ historical figures as models of black love. These can be kind of annoying sometimes because we really have no idea what happens in these people's relationships. We just know that they look happy on T.V. Nonetheless, these figures continue to be the face of black love.

Unity 

These memes promote unity amongst the black race. They often show illustrations of black people helping each other or discovering their similarities.

Standards 

These memes work to set the standard for black relationships.  They typically cater to black men who are very selective when dating. The woman with the natural, the intellectual black woman,  the relationship with the "fight the power" agenda, are often put on a pedestal.

Restoring the Black Family 

These memes focus on restoring the black family by defying harmful stereotypes. When discussing the "black family" the images that often come to mind are broken homes, deadbeat fathers, uneducated parents, fathers in prison, multiple baby daddies/mothers, etc. These memes work to tackle these stereotypes by illustrating parents loving/supporting kids,  reconciled relationships, and other positive elements.

Self Love 

These memes emphasize self-love. They usually feature a black woman or girl acknowledging her physical beauty.  The natural hair movement is is one of the main influences of these messages.

Resources: 

http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/weirdwebculture/f/What-Is-an-Internet-Meme.htm

http://memegenerator.net/

http://instagram.com/