health

After reading a post on reproductive justice, I discovered a term for part of my life’s work and advocacy. As an educator, I learned even more about how much love and nurturing black children need and deserve. My work has also taught me that a child has to be nurtured as soon as  you know it exists, especially black children who are literally targets for violence in our society. Doing anything other than giving a child the attention and care it needs to flourish, while in the womb leads to trauma. One that will eventually show itself as debilitating, cyclical, and sometimes incorrigible.However, my focus isn’t only on black people’s very real and continuous trauma because combative and preventative measures exist for healing. If we are seriously creating black futures, we must think about what that looks like and steps we need to take right now to get there. How do we, right now, have black families living near destitution, but still be provided with the tools to create a safe, healthy environment for their children? There are varied responses to this question. And, in the interest of reproductive justice, mine is let’s start with doulas.Every woman deserves to safely and healthily welcome her child into the world. The Center for Disease Control reports black mothers are at a higher risk for pregnancy complications, which results in mother and child deaths. Toxic environments, limited finances, and an overall disregard for them by American society (i.e. Flint, Michigan) only exacerbates their likelihood of experiencing medical issues. To that end, black women, particularly  in low-income areas, can certainly benefit from the assistance doulas provide.Extra guidance during pregnancy and postpartum could decrease the black infant mortality rate in the U.S., which has the highest amongst any wealthy nation. In D.C. alone, black infants in poverty are 10 times more likely to die compared to white children in the city. Offering and introducing impoverished black families to doula care could be the beginning of resolving these sickening facts.For many, being pregnant is a joyous time. Yet, parents enduring societal hardships may feel as though they need more knowledge, resources, confidence and, in the case of parents with more than one child, support. In any of these situations a doula can alleviate these feelings. Doulas help parents adjust to and prepare for the life change a new child brings, but unfortunately, not everyone has access to doulas or even understands their practicality.Many don’t know about the insurmountable amount of knowledge, support, and overall love they provide to mothers, for babies’ benefit. Or that they guide partners on how to be more attentive and nurturing as they navigate the beginning of parenthood alongside mom.  Their work is so meaningful that research recently proved doula services can reduce the likelihood of emergency c-sections and preterm births, eliminating extra medical expenses.When it comes to all that people of African descent experience, it’s counterproductive to brood over problems without constructing and offering solutions. Thus, I have acknowledged and provided ways black families, regardless of their income, can access doula services.Community ProgramsA quick Google search will help locate community programs that offer doula services in any city like The Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership in NYC. It is currently training doulas who will work with mothers in underserved communities. The organization will provide birth and postpartum doulas to women in all five boroughs for free. Also, The Community of Hope in D.C. provides doula services in addition to breastfeeding support and prenatal care. They partner with Midwives of MedStar Washington Hospital Center to offer these services. Look into the services that your local community program offers. If doula care isn’t provided, advocate for these kinds of assistance.Student DoulasSome programs that offer doula services include information on local student doulas. While these doulas are new, their work should not be undermined. Most times they offer their services for free or at a low-cost, as they work towards certification,  building their clientele and enhancing their skills.Black Doula OrganizationsOrganizations such as Sista MidWife Productions, Black Women Birthing Justice (BWBJ) and Radical Doula offers resources for black women seeking to empower themselves through motherhood and the choices they make as they navigate it. They all offer access to black women doulas. Sista Midwife and Radical Doula both include a site directory of black women doulas throughout the U.S. While they don’t specifically say they can assist with providing low cost care, connecting with these organizations could be beneficial for finding someone who does.Doula Insurance CoverageMost do not, but some insurance companies will reimburse for doulas. This could be a long  process, but  you can speak with your insurance company to see if they offer this. As you consult different doulas pick their brains too. You may have a doula who’s  had a client who received reimbursement.I’m not suggesting one way of labor delivery is better than any other; everyone may not prefer to have a doula. Different methods work based on a woman’s health, experiences, and preferences. Still, studies have shown the financial and health benefits of doulas. And contrary to popular belief, even if a woman decides to have a hospital  birth and use pain medication, a doula can be helpful.  It’s a woman’s prerogative to determine the plan for her pregnancy,  labor, birth, and postpartum decisions. So, the choice should not be made for her by her socioeconomic status, race, or ward. If you know black women, black families that can benefit from this information, I urge you to share it. Our futures are depending on us to do so.Did you use a doula? Let us know your experience in the comments below! Dajae Gilliard is an educator, writer and protector of all things nurturing black children. READ NEXT: 28 Things I taught my children before age 10...

Photo: Tiffany Williams, Tierra Taylor Raise your hand if trap music is the only thing that gets your mind right in the morning, before an interview or after a long day of adulting. Let's face it, trap music doesn't only fuel the turn up; it also fuels the glow up. And, for self-proclaimed 'trap scholar' Kimberly Huggins, it fueled her degree. Her master's thesis was born from a mind powered by "Trap N*ggas" by Future – and she has everything to show for it. Kimberly is one half of KIMBRITIVE, a social start-up that pushes the envelope in sexual health and reproductive justice by creating authentic conversations. KIMBRITIVE was born from the minds of Kimberly and Brittany Brathwaite, who met during their undergraduate careers at Syracuse University. The duo was a part of a student organization that empowered black and Latino students on campus to lead healthy sexual lives. After they graduated, they decided to take their work back home to Brooklyn, and so KIMBRITIVE was born. KIMBRITIVE has come to life in many ways, and isn't only based in Brooklyn. Conversations about sexual health are started as the two integrate their ideas into workshops, conferences, presentations, after school programs and more. Their work has already led to the acknowledgement of National HIV/AIDs Awareness Day in Brooklyn. We sat down and talked toKIMBRITIVE about their 'traphisticated' venture and how they're making waves for young women of color. Blavity: What does a day at KIMBRITIVE look like? KIMBRITIVE: KIMBRITIVE is a passion-filled and purpose-driven start-up organized by Brittany, who also organizes with Girls for Gender Equity, and Kimberly, who is a full time graduate student. With our varying schedules, we carved out Mondays and Fridays as our virtual “office days” to roll up our sleeves and check off all of the things on our to-do lists. I don’t know about you, but there is nothing greater (give or take a few things, of course!) than checking something off of your to-do-list! On our virtual office days, we “clock in” via Google hangouts and focus on everything from business operations (i.e. invoices, contracts, collaborations and budgets) to education and innovation tasks like creating trap-music inspired sexual education workshops or reading up on the latest trends in adolescent sexual health. The culture of KIMBRITIVE is to take our wildest ideas and create innovative, relatable and educational workshops and content with the goal of normalizing healthy conversations about sexual health, reproductive justice and everything in between. In this creative process, we are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other in order to envision, create and implement. We always keep the 15 and 16-year old versions of ourselves in mind in order to ensure that our workshops and content are youth-centered, culturally relevant, engaging and energetic. We always start off our “shift” by checking in with each other because outside of our business partnership, we value and cherish the friendship/sisterhood that brought us together and keeps us committed to doing this kind of work. B: Brittany, you call yourself the "Protector of Black Girl Magic," what exactly does that mean and how does KIMBRITIVE as a whole protect black girl magic? Brittany: Black girl magic is a term often used to illustrate the universal awesomeness of black women and girls. Originally, coined by CaShawn Thompson, this term has been used everywhere from hashtags to crewnecks to coffee mugs. I see it used on social media, at least 5 times a day. I believe that while #BlackGirlMagic has been used awesomely to celebrate how beautiful, inspiring and powerful black women and girls are, we also must acknowledge how magical and important black women and girls are in light of violence, racism, sexism and homophobia. To protect #BlackGirlMagic means that we have a constant, unwavering commitment to showing up for black women and girls. KIMBRITIVE is committed to protecting black girl magic as a whole by not just showing up for (and applauding) black girls and women when they win gold medals in the Olympics or get millions of dollars in scholarships, but also showing up for them when they are victims of police brutality and institutional racism. It requires showing up for trans black women and girls and gender non-conforming folks. It requires that we #SayHerName. It requires that we march in the streets for black women and girls, just like we do for black men and boys. It requires that we demand justice for #EveryBlackGirl in America, and beyond. It means unapologetically advocating for affordable, accessible, competent and stigma-free sexual and reproductive education and health care for low-income black women and girls who seek it. This includes abortion care. It requires believing black women and girls, always! At KIMBRITIVE we believe it is our duty to show up black girls as two-young black women. Because if not us, then who? B: One of your workshops is called " Standing Up in a Crooked Room: Techniques to Help Empower Young Black Women and Girls through Popular Culture." What need did you seek to fill by creating this workshop? What is the core lesson that is taught? KIMBRITIVE: Standing Up in a Crooked Room is based on the Crooked Room chapter from Dr. Melissa Harris Perry’s book “Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America. Harris Perry says “When they confront race and gender stereotypes, black women are standing in a crooked room, and they have to figure out which way is up. Bombarded with warped images of their humanity, some black women tilt and bend themselves to fit the distortion....To understand why black women's public actions and political strategies sometimes seem tilted in ways that accommodate the degrading stereotypes about them, it is important to appreciate the structural constraints that influence their behavior. It can be hard to stand up straight in a crooked room.” (pg. 62) We created this workshop to seek justice in the lives of young black women and girls, by building capacity among adult-allies of all races. We start this dialogue with adult-allies about the ways in which adolescents, in particular young black women and girls, are bombarded with varying controlling images of sexual expression and violence via lyrics, media and images. These messages shape cultural expectations of sexuality and highly feminine gender expression and performance, which can be conflicting for young women: the “crooked” room. In addition, gender-based violence for young women of color takes many forms from street harassment, to unequal power in condom negotiation, to teen dating violence. We always encourage the adult allies that we work with to lean into the experiences of the young people they work with in order to come from a place of humility and understanding. We offer an exercise to help adults become better allies to youth, by providing them an opportunity to attempt to stand up in a crooked room, as young people do everyday. We ask adults to stand in young people’s shoes and attempt to both understand the ways in young people can interpret these messages positively and challenge these dominant messages by defining who they are and/or who they want to be in their own words. In our experience as adolescent health educators and youth workers, we understand the pivotal role that popular culture plays in influencing these behaviors and in turn use it as a political tool to help young women of color examine, deconstruct, negotiate and re-evaluate their relationships with themselves, others and the world around them. It is our goal that through redefinition, reclaiming and resisting practices via media-literacy and its translation for public health, we can help adult-allies see young black women and girls as experts on their own lives and advance our mission for self-determined lives free of violence for all. B: Do either of you have any memorable instances from your outreach where you could feel the impact you made in that moment? If so, can you describe that situation? Brittany: I think a memorable moment for me was when we did a puberty workshop with Middle Schoolers in Harlem, who were part of the Glow to Grow Mentoring program. Part of the workshop, includes conversations about “getting your first period.” During the workshop, Kim and I demonstrated how to use a pad and tampon, and all of the girls left their seats and crowded around us to get a better look. They had so many questions, and we were so excited to attempt to answer them all. While it was not out of the ordinary for Kim and I to facilitate this kind of conversation, it was heart-warming to know that we were doing it with 9 year-olds. Even though I am in my 20s, many of my friends are still uncomfortable about talking about menstruation. We still live in a society that still stigmatizes and shames people who menstruate. To be able to create safe(r) spaces where we can provide honest information to curious young black girls is an amazing feeling. I think Kim and I were smiling the whole day after that workshop. Kimberly: For me, it was definitely the day we facilitated “How to Be a F.L.Y. Girl: First, Love Yourself!” for the NYC Healthy Teen Relationship Conference. We both took a day off from our 9-5s in order to facilitate that workshop. This workshop was created for young women but, both boys and girls showed up! It was truly remarkable to see both young men and women of color engaging in conversations about what "real" and "respectable" love is with others and themselves. After our workshop, we noticed a few people throughout the day wearing the “How to Be a F.L.Y. Girl: First, Love Yourself!” pins that weren’t in our workshop earlier. It shocked me because I instantly wondered, “Where did they get it from?” I asked one of the young women where they got it from and she went on to describe a workshop that her friend went to in Syracuse, NY (unbeknownst to her, it was the workshop we facilitated for the Sisters Empowering Sisters Conference!) who later gave them the pin as a gift. It was an amazing feeling to see your work being shared and felt by others, even when you’re not in the room. It made me feel validated and confirmed that our work is important and necessary. B: How can our community support KIMBRITIVE and get involved? KIMBRITIVE: Work with us and invite us to your events! We love to connect, build and get in formation with other like-minded individuals and organizations who share the mission of normalizing healthy conversations about sexuality, relationships, and reproductive justice while empowering and celebrating the voices and experiences of young people and women of color. Learn more about KIMBRITIVE, like them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram. Never miss a headline! Sign up for our daily...

As a black yoga student and teacher, I get thrilled when something new comes around. It’s even more meaningful when that “something new” is created for us and by us. Yoga has been hijacked and commercialized by mainstream media. We are shown what it means to be and look like a yogi and that image is a skinny, sexy, flexible and rich white woman. Unfortunately, the damage is so deep I can’t even begin to cover it in this article. It’s hurtful to the history of the sacred practice, disrespectful to the women who are constantly being overtly sexualized and harmful to anyone who doesn’t fit that mold (due to the color of your skin, how you self-identify, economic status, physical ability and so much more). When I came across Yoga Green Book, I instantly knew it was something refreshing, something special and sacred. It’s something for the black community. We can claim it as ours and be proud of it and the site is a beautiful representation of who we are. It’s an online community where people of color can go for yoga. I visit the site often for many reasons: To see other people who look like me doing things that I’m interested in. The blog is an amazing learning space. Of course, the yoga! Relatability I had a chance to ask Yoga Green Book founder, Carla Christine, some questions.Her answers made me love the site even more. Check it out below for yourself. Jasmine Creighton: What inspired you to create YGB? Carla Christine: Following my first yoga class, I recognized that it had the ability to aid in self-healing. After 10 years working as an electrical engineer, I was empowered to leave my job and follow my passion and purpose to share yoga's transformational power. While teaching yoga at a studio in Chicago, I saw the need to create a healing space for people of color that could improve their physical, mental and emotional health. I created Yoga Green Book as this healing space for yogis of color to unite and practice yoga in a space dedicated and reflective of their image. I specifically created an online video platform because I feel online yoga is an encouraging entry point for those new to yoga, as well as a means for seasoned practitioners to continue to evolve their practice.   I believe in the power of practicing in a physical space with a teacher and other yogis, but I understand that is not always realistic. True power comes in having a consistent practice and ultimately finding your own personal practice. JC: The name is very powerful and carries deep historical roots; can you elaborate more on the name? CC: The name Yoga Green Book was inspired by The Negro Motorist Green Book, which was a printed guide of businesses that weary segregation-era travelers could trust and safely take refuge in. A segment in Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s documentary The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross detailed The Green Book and sparked my idea to build an online safe space for people of color to practice yoga and reap its benefits.   JC: What is the mission of YGB? CC: To promote healing and holistic wellness for people of color through online yoga studio and community. JC: What separates you from other websites that offer memberships and access to online yoga? CC: Our site is dedicated and representative of people of color. I believe there is much to be gained when you are in a space that is racially and culturally-affirming. JC: What would you say (or have you said) to someone who isn't black but takes offense to a website dedicated to black people? CC: Until it is the standard for people of color to be included in yoga communities locally and online, I believe sites dedicated to people of color are needed. Seeing teachers of color in the community is another layer of encouragement to practice yoga. Their knowledge and commitment to helping the community heal by sharing tools that they know of or that have worked for them can have an impact on the community. Being a part of organizations dedicated to people of color (such as my sorority, The National Society of Black Engineers, INROADS, etc.) throughout my life has positively affected me. I believe there is power in seeing our positive images represented in the community and in leadership positions. JC: How do you find yoga teachers to spotlight and feature on your site?   CC: I find yoga teachers through online research and through word of mouth. Searching for and connecting with other teachers of color is one of my favorite hobbies. JC: Can you explain the membership and benefits? CC: The site offers unlimited access to instructional videos ranging in time, level and style. Classes mindfully integrate asanas (postures), pranayama (breath work), and meditation to create an inner journey towards healing and empowerment. First-timers get a 30-day free trial and then membership is $19/month. Members will now have 24-hour support to get any site or yoga questions they have answered via email. JC: What do you see for the future of YGB? CC: We aspire to significantly improve the overall wellness of people of color. Our community motivates us so our future offerings, events and technological enhancements will be inspired by their wants and needs. JC: In one of our previous conversations, you mentioned that YGB has built a user base of over 105 sign-ups in one month in a low-key way, can you touch on that a little more? CC: We received incredible support from our community and a posting in a Facebook group dedicated to black yogis that went viral. Other sign-ups are contributed to word of mouth and organic traffic from our new and growing Facebook page. Our members are motivating us to keep grinding to share our images and teachings with as many people as possible. JC: How can we get in contact with you and/or YGB? CC: info@yogagreenbook.com. We love receiving emails from the community on anything yoga-related and input on what they want to see on our site next.  You can also keep up with us on Facebook and Instagram. Our social media communities are new and growing, and we have exciting things brewing for them, so stay tuned. After my interview with Carla, I didn’t know it was possible to have so much pride in a project that I didn’t personally create. But that’s exactly how I feel about Yoga Green Book. It’s something to be proud of. As a student, I definitely learn from the videos and blogs. And as a teacher, I love to implement what I learn in my classes and personal practice. My goal is to partner with YGB and create my own videos for the site (once I get over my anxiety of video taping myself). I hope as a community, we can support this platform. We are too often overlooked and underserved; Yoga Green Book is here to serve us. Let’s not let all their hard work be in vain. Loving Blavity's content? Sign up for our daily...

By now, you've pulled out your beanies and long coats, and you're probably checking your weather app on a regular basis. But cuddling is arguably the best way to beat the cold while both strengthening the immune system and lowering your risk of depression. With cuffing season fast-approaching, the draft is now open. How will you go about recruiting for your starting lineup? Or maybe you've already selected a few and now you're waiting to shoot your shot. All this means is that you still have time and ample opportunity to step your game up. That said, don't make these mistakes when recruiting this cuffing season: Not setting boundaries Know what it is before you get knee-deep in it. Know what you're willing to do and not willing to do when it comes to sexual favors, paying on dates and whether you should mention your "situationship" to family and friends. Cuffing season is about making it through the frigid winter cold by keeping your cuff life lit. You don't want to get burned because you didn't go into it with some kind of understanding. Having a clear understanding from the get-go will save you a lot of long-winded conversations come February. Not taking care of yourself first Know your status, and know your potential bae's status. Protection is important. Choosin' up too soon Don't make the mistake of letting charm and a nice smile keep you from exploring your options. Just know, after homecoming it's time to narrow in on those few strong contenders. Long distance cuffing That thing you had going on with your ex back home? Forget about it. Honestly, a long distance cuff is laughable when the temperatures drop below 45 degrees. Like, who's giving massages and booty rubs from 1,000 miles away? That's right, no one. Choosing someone that lives too close It's like deciding to date someone you work with, it's not a good look. You want your space when it's time to be alone and miss that other person. Also, you don't want it to be awkward if you don't text this person back and then you run into them taking out the trash or something. Or worse, cuffing season comes to a close and you seem to bump into each other all the time. Just avoid it altogether. Choosing someone from your immediate circle of friends This is almost never a good idea, especially if all your other friends are aware of it. It makes things awkward amongst the whole group if things end badly. Cuffing someone who can't cook You shouldn't be the only one in the kitchen! Find you someone who's willing to bring you breakfast in bed, knows how to make a decent sandwich, or at least owns a grill. Netflix and chill? More like, feed me and chill. Making permanent moves for your temporary bae This means making any legally binding decisions, whatever they might be. Don't list this person as your emergency contact and don't call this person if you need a shoulder to cry on. It might sound harsh, but it's in your best interest not to get to emotionally invested lest you know you it's real. Someone who doesn't have anything in common with you What if you plan on cuddling on Sundays and they're really into football? Or if you're really into protecting your energy and your partner has no idea what a chakra is? Really think about it, this is someone you could be snowed in with for days. Find someone with somewhat similar interests that you can actually hold a conversation with. Want more content like this? Sign up for Blavity's daily...

After months of push from Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, both Democrats, the U.S. Senate has finally passed the Water Resources Development Act, which is good news for residents of Flint. The bill for nationwide water-related projects includes a whopping $100 million to lead pipes and infrastructure in any area where a state of emergency has been declared because of lead levels in the water. As it stands, this only applies to Flint, MI, where the water pipes were riddled with lead and put the city in a state of emergency earlier this year. But high levels of lead in the water were detected over a year ago, with reports of high blood-lead levels found in children not long after. Many residents are still resorting to bottled and filtered water for their daily needs, as the need for cleaner water remains. The Water Resources Development Act also includes a $300 million grant program through which communities can apply to receive funding for services including lead testing, corrosion control and education. Although the passage of this legislation in the Senate is great news, it might be an uphill battle to get the bill passed in the U.S. House in order to finally get to President Obama’s desk to be signed into law. Not only are legislative days running out, they have yet to pass legislation to fund the government itself. We can only hope, for the citizens of Flint, that this bill makes it through. Loving Blavity's content? Sign up for our daily...

Confession: I am a recovered beauty product junkie. Like most women, I’ve plucked, arched, waxed, bleached, painted, lightened, cut, shaved and whitened all in the name of beauty. Sounds normal, right? Stop me if you’ve heard this story before. Hidden in my apartment was a department store display’s worth of hair, makeup and bath products that I bought and accumulated over the years. I had beauty products on the counter, makeup in boxes, makeup on my desk, makeup on my dresser, makeup in my closet, makeup and perfumes hidden under my bed, bath products in special pretty boxes both big and small, makeup in drawers, makeup in my purse and even a small bag of makeup hidden under my car seat for those days when I thought I need that little extra "umph." Working at a high-end department store only served to fuel my addiction. Before long, I was the official makeup artist for all my friends, family members and co-workers. Occasionally, I’d get a paid gig doing makeup too. To my surprise, I learned that my husband and I were expecting a baby. Life couldn't get any better, or so I thought at the time. I was blissfully in love, living a life filled with makeup, yoga, girlfriends and on the verge of starting my own family. One evening after dinner, I was stricken by a jolting pain in my lower abdomen. I passed it off as cramps and slept it off.  As the days went on, the pain became more and more unbearable. I scheduled an appointment to see my obstetrician. After my ultrasound appointment, my physician sent me across town to see a specialist. That’s when I was informed that I had an ovarian tumor four times the size of my ovary. I left the appointment numb, sat in my car and cried. The ovarian tumor kept growing and it was absorbing the nutrients from my growing fetus. With the huge probability of the tumor rupturing at any given time, I was put on bedrest for the remainder of my pregnancy and I was barely showing. In fact, my doctor said that if I didn’t stop my 7 days-a-week workout regimen, the tumor could rupture and kill me in the process. Monthly appointments turned into weekly appointments. Nothing seemed important anymore, not even makeup. I hid in my apartment, avoiding calls from the outside world. I was not sure how to process what was going on, let alone how to explain to my friends or family what I was going through. I didn’t want to hear any negative comments or have a pity party. I just wanted to get back to my normal life as soon as possible. My mom passed away when I was 15 years old from a car accident. If there was a time when I needed her the most, it was then. Just to hear her voice or give me that look of assurance that everything was going to be okay. Oddly enough, as I sat in our apartment alone, I could hear her voice tell me, like many times before, not to give up. I realized I was allowing this tumor to suck the life out of me and my unborn child. I made a decision to stay positive, to fight, and more importantly, to learn as much as I could about what was going on with my body. I became obsessed with ensuring my survival. I asked questions at every doctor’s appointment. I asked so many questions, my physicians became annoyed. When someone wasn’t able to answer my questions, I found a physician that could. The more I learned about my health and my pregnancy, the more my hunger for knowledge increased. One afternoon, I stumbled upon a research study explaining the impact ingredients have on our overall health. I discovered the link between food, beauty products, toxic preservatives and the affects certain chemicals have on the endocrine system, the reproductive system and on unborn fetuses. I began to change how I ate and what I used on my skin and in my hair. Years earlier while in college, I would craft and experiment with natural butters, oils and conditioners in my apartment. I made my own hair care products and thought since I couldn’t find what I was looking for, then I would just make my own natural, luxurious, chemical-free bath and skincare products to use. Years later, I found solace and peace in learning about formulations, plant oils, local sourcing and creating healthy options that were safe enough for me to use while I was pregnant and later on, on my baby. In retrospect, becoming pregnant actually saved my life. While bearing my child, life began to have a new meaning. While my pregnancy was difficult and trying, I learned about self-love and the true meaning of self-care. I also learned about the willpower I had to overcome obstacles and to truly love all of me, both good and bad. Balancing life and death at my fingertips, I made the choice to enjoy life each day, because tomorrow, after all, isn’t guaranteed. During my c-section, the tumor was removed and I gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Four years later, I own and run an amazing skincare business where I get to make natural and organic products that don't contain the toxic stuff that harms us all. I can truly say that I am no longer a beauty product junkie, but instead I use makeup and skincare to educate individuals about the effect ingredients in skincare have on our overall health. I have a huge passion for helping others learn about wellness, self-acceptance and staying informed when it comes to their health. By sharing my story, I hope to inspire and encourage individuals to stay strong when faced with challenges. For more personal essays like this, sign up for our daily newsletter! A self proclaimed recovered beauty product junkie, Barbara Jacques is the Founder, Creative Director and Chief Formulator at Jacq's Organics, an all-natural plant-based skin and body product line based in South Florida. She speaks and writes about natural skincare. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and check...

Frank Ocean is a musical genius, therefore you know his mom is probably equally as dope. Katonya Breaux recently released a sunscreen for people of color. After becoming fed up with the white film left behind from traditional sunscreen, Breaux created UnSun. The mineral tinted facial sunscreen is SPF30 and includes natural ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax. "UnSun was made specifically for people of color representing the beige to dark chocolate tones of the spectrum. The desire to protect our skin from the sun should not mean having to wear foundation in order to cover the white and gray film that's present after the application," Breaux wrote on the site. "UnSun was specifically formulated with a mineral tint to address this concern. Tested on tones that range from olive to the darkest of chocolate, Unsun meets the challenge." Ya'll hear that? She's protecting your ash. Back in 2013, Breaux aired out her frustrations on Twitter. Can someone make brown sunscreen? Please! Must I look like a clown to protect my skin? #blackfolkburntoo — katonya breaux (@katonya) May 16, 2013 "Shortly after that, I called a friend of mine in the hair-care business and asked if I could meet the folks at their lab. That’s how the whole process started," she told The Cut. So excited!! It's here! Coming to you very soon!!!🌞🌞#sunprotectionforall #protectyourskin A photo posted by Katonya Breaux (@katonya1) on Apr 15, 2016 at 10:14am PDT UnSun is available for purchase online. Breaux says the line will expand with body and lip products currently in development. As women of color continue calling on beauty manufacturers to become more inclusive with products catering to darker skin tones, Breaux says companies should be put forth greater efforts in addressing the inadequacies. "There’s still a great need. There are multiple other brands that really need to get onboard. It will happen. The voices are getting louder, but of course there’s a need." Yaaas Mother Ocean, yaaas! Loving Blavity's articles? Sign up for our daily...

Many of us wake up early, get the kids ready for school, then head to work where we spend eight hours being the lesser paid (but equally intelligent) wing woman to a coworker (who is likely white, male or both). During lunch, the bestie calls to catch up on life and vent. After work, we come home to wait hand and foot on bae while making sure the kids are finishing their homework. While preparing dinner, we throw in that last load of laundry. By the time dinner is ready, it’s too late to go to the gym, so we feed ourselves with a laxative tea and sleep with a waist-cincher. After all, we’ve got to keep it right and tight for the viewing pleasure of others. As black women, we do it all. We are loving daughters, nurturing mothers, supportive partners, successful businesswomen, determined students and innovative entrepreneurs. But once we get home and the cape comes off, what happens to the burdens that are left for us to bear? Who is there to pick up our pieces when the madness of the world leaves us depleted of energy and hope? Finally, why are we afraid to admit when something just doesn’t feel right? The stigma of a black woman being typecast as a certain character doesn’t have to be accurate. The truth is, many of the circumstances that cause us to neglect our mental health are because of systems put in place that never intended to assist us in the first place. Although addressing the stereotypes alone certainly will not cure any conditions, it's a necessary first step in figuring out the "why." The stereotypes behind the stigma Dating back to U.S. slavery, each plantation had Mammy: The black woman convinced that everyone else’s well-being mattered more than hers. The matriarch who suppresses her dreams to assist in fulfilling those of others around her, Mammy thrives on being the most obedient yet solid rock of a servant as possible. When it comes down to it, she’s clutch and people praise her for it. Behind closed doors however, her spirit is as equally worn out as her hands and feet. A tired life of failing to practice self-care causes her to become numb to her own desires. Another popular stereotype within the black community is the Jezebel: Someone with an unhealthy appetite for lust and sex. As a child, perhaps, she was badly mistreated and abandoned by the paternal figure in her life. Because of this, she builds a mental wall as protection from any future chance of heartbreak. This complex leads her down an exhausting life path of finding love in all the wrong places. She has adapted to enduring mental — and sometimes physical — abuse from her partners. Over time, her sense of self-worth and purpose completely exit her soul. Then there’s the modern day Sapphire: A black woman who wears a chip on her shoulder. She has a tendency of spewing hatred and bitterness, especially in relationships. She enjoys using aggression to bully and emasculate. She is deemed the ‘angry black woman’ to society. At home, she hates the person she has become, although she feels she has no control of her emotions. While Hollywood chooses to tell one side of the story of the black woman, it rarely considers the state of her mental health. Anxiety, mood, psychotic, eating, impulse control, personality, obsessive-compulsive and post-traumatic stress disorders impact millions of women in the black community. Scientific data wants us to believe that the mental health conversation is an all-encompassing umbrella that shouldn’t be race-specific due to a lack in evidence, when in fact, race might actually be the biggest factor. According to Mental Health America, 6.8 million African Americans have been diagnosed with a mental illness, and the number among black women in the U.S. is probably much greater than reported. The social stigma surrounding our community might turn some away from seeking the proper help. We are so used to displaying unwavering strength to the public that we only further separate ourselves from the idea of wholeness we strive to maintain. Since childhood, we learn to consistently internalize certain feelings for the sake of those around us. We grew up watching the maternal figures in our family braving any and every potentially meltdown-worthy situation, from finances to illnesses. The cycle has continued and needs to stop. We don’t have to be defined by the stereotypes; it's possible to break through to the other side and achieve total peace of mind. By first acknowledging the stereotypes behind the stigma, we can begin an open dialogue. And from that point, we can choose to overcome our fears of weakness or vulnerability. Yes, we are black women and we can do it all. But we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when we need it. Want more content like this? Sign up for Blavity's...

You might know her as the star of the VH1’s series Hit the Floor or remember her from some of her big screen appearances in films such as For Colored Girls and John Q, but outside of being a four-time NAACP Image Award winner, Kimberly Elise is natural lifestyle advocate. Elise invites naturalistas to unearth the beauty within in a week-long digital summit that began September 1 and continues until September 7.  The digital summit aims to encourage women to move past conventional beliefs about beauty and cultivate an inner peace and inner beauty. Elise consults her favorite cosmetologists, bloggers, celebrity stylists and makers across the natural beauty realm to discuss natural hair, beauty tips and more. The free digital summit kicked off with a discussion between wardrobe stylist and natural hair enthusiast Vic Styles and Elise about self-love, purpose and radiating natural beauty from the inside out. Those who reserve their digital seats can catch up on this discussion and look forward to inspiring words and commentary from celebrity hairstylist Aingeel-Z, cosmetic scientist Erica Douglas and artist Debra Cartwright, to name a few. For more details about the speakers or to register, click here. Loving Blavity's content? Sign up for our...

Nicolette “Nic” Graves is a food technologist, nutrition consultant and health education specialist with a background in micronutrient deficiency, agricultural development and food security. Her mission is to help fill the disparity gap by helping communities overcome the obstacles of a healthy diet by refining habits and revamping plates, one indulgence at a time. Through her health and wellness platform, niktrition.com, which is dedicated to empowering women through their pursuit of health by defying the status quo, you can get nutrition coaching and several on-demand programs created to help you nourish yourself, get FLEEKy and snatched while thriving on delicious eats and self-love. Read our interview with Blavity Creative Society member Nicolette below: Blavity: Tell us more about why you started Niktrition.  Nicolette Graves: Well, Niktrition is really just the brain child of my personal evolution. I came pre-packaged with an infatuation with food. In fact, my nickname growing up was Gutsy Gloria (thanks, Dad) and obviously, the connotation of “gutsy" wasn’t something that sits well even at the age of 8 — even if I was good for putting away seconds and thirds. For the subsequent 12 years, I dieted. (Yes, at 8 I had my own form of diet food i.e.. butter pasta = gotta lay off that tomato sauce). I was “healthy” and read all the seminal works on being skinny at all costs and how to lose your enthusiasm for food in three days… it was le struggle. The craziest part was I was pre-med, I knew the science behind proper nutrition, but per usual I tried to outsmart the system by using trends instead. When it worked I was obsessed and when it didn’t... I was obsessed. Damned either way. It left me tired and in need for something more sustainable. So instead of trying to beat the system, I opted to work with it and haven’t looked back since. As time progressed, I began to realize the only way I could have ever allowed such treatment to my body despite knowing better was my mental state: The perception I had of what my body represents, my relationship with food and my own sense of self worth. Essentially, Niktrition came out of this compilation of experiences, knowledge gained, questions asked, and a desire to optimize it all for better distribution. It’s really gone through several forms. From just learning the scientific foundation of proper nutrition, to understanding the implications of socioeconomic, geographic, cultural, ethnic and historical factors that play a role in our state of health. Once I got to graduate school and started doing my research on food access and development, everything became amassed and began to spiral into all these thoughts I was having, mixed with me always wanting to help, mixed with me feeling a type of way about the unequal focus on “fixing” foreign developing countries but nothing done for the developing communities right here at home. Plus, I was learning and learning a lot and wanted to keep learning, but knew I had a responsibility to the community. So I had all this knowledge, all these facts, but facts are facts are facts — how do you apply them? How can you really help yourself if people are just throwing out facts and not showing you skills, tips and tricks that can aid you and your situation? More explicitly, how do we get underserved communities to apply the necessary health practices? When it comes to health, we each have a unique experience/struggle/circumstance which either supports or impedes our status. B: Why, for you, is self-love intertwined with a healthy lifestyle/nutrition? NG: Self-love is the foundation to living a fulfilled life overall. When you love yourself, you have accepted who you are for who you are. You are making a conscious effort to make your perception of yourself the definitive guide. This then molds self-esteem and body image, which then in a cyclic nature sets the tone for how you feel about yourself. When you have ownership over you, it’s a feeling that can’t be matched. Right now, the trends on the market aren’t embedded in self-love… it’s this "fix yourself because there is something inherently wrong with who you are right now" mentality. It’s "you cool and all, but you could be better if you did this." It’s "bash people for their preferences or side-eye her cause of her eating habits." It’s "make others feel self-conscious in order to lift ourselves up." In all honesty, I think it takes self-love for you to truly achieve, benefit and feel fulfilled by anything. What you feed your mind determines your appetite. #StayWoke #ReadingIsFundamental A photo posted by Nic, Nutritionist/MS 🍍🌿 (@niktrition) on Jun 30, 2016 at 3:27pm PDT B: Talk about your passion for empowering women through your site and through one-on-one coaching.  NG: Despite having had the right to vote for some-odd 96 years, “equal rights” for women are still pending and women are still pining at the door to sit at the table. We are still seen and treated as objects, and the worst part is we internalize that sh-t. We internalize it and then shape our reality based on standards, rules, and other BS not even set by us. Empowering women, especially young black professionals who have their sh-t together from an achievement standpoint but struggle to tie together the other ends of their lives (such as their state of wellness) is the least I could do. That incessant grind to the top is ambitious, applause-worthy and poppin'. But as I said, it’s incessant, and in order to shine your brightest, the vessel carrying you needs to have its machinery intact. Black women have been told for forever they can’t have it all. I think our generation is changing that and health shouldn’t be sacrificed or left to the wayside. Your well-being should be just as high a priority as your success, because it ultimately affects it. There are so many barriers standing in our way as far as external factors — health shouldn’t be one of them. Feed your focus. A photo posted by Nic, Nutritionist/MS 🍍🌿 (@niktrition) on May 3, 2016 at 4:31pm PDT B: What are your thoughts on the relationship between mental wellness and nutrition?  NG: They go hand in hand. Literally, nutrition provides the building blocks your body needs to carry out basic functions, such as existing, while your mental determines everything else. In fact, recently there has been a surge in evidence illuminating the importance of nutrition as a factor in mental wellness from a physiological standpoint… literally nutrients and chemicals in our bodies interact to keep us running. Those same interactions can also determine how we feel, our behavior and our capacity to use our brain. Which is major if you think about the impact your mood, behavior and ability to analyze affect your ability to be a productive member of society. B: There has been a recent wave of black women empowering themselves via healthy living, what are your thoughts on spreading the importance of wellness throughout our communities?  NG: Wellness has been a topic often forced to hang in the balance in the black community and that can be seen by simply flipping through the CDC’s statistics. The health disparity gap is disrespectful at the least. For a very long time, we didn’t have the resources — time, money, knowledge — to care. That landscape is changing. I could say my background in public health made me aware of the importance of community, but really, that’s common sense for us. What my educational background did allow was for me to have full on access to systematic reviews covering the disparity gap and its causes; the systemic issues that impale our ability to truly live well; the power of community education, especially for minority demographics; and the importance of cultural relativism. That last one is a huge one. Cultural relativism. It’s something I struggled with on my own health journey, and it’s a complaint I hear time and time again… often in the form of “How can I eat better without eating grass” or “I like my food seasoned” and “do I have to drink green juice?” Let’s be real, nobody cares what Becky has to say about nutrition, she’s just not relatable. But when we found out Bey did the 22-day vegan, it started to look interesting. That’s just the way it is. Having people who can identify with our experiences enlightening us can only make us better as individuals and a community. It’s what has been missing. Working, getting my life, and breathing the freshest air this concrete jungle has to offer. My new favorite space = The Oasis, an on-demand botanical sanctuary. @wohaneillay back at it again 📸. A photo posted by Nic, Nutritionist/MS 🍍🌿 (@niktrition) on Apr 3, 2016 at 12:36pm PDT B: What is your favorite part about the work you do?  NG: Seeing other women blow themselves away by being built up. Loving Blavity's content? Sign up for our daily newsletter...