Hair Talk: Maintaining Type 3C hair in College

Curls. They’re so beautiful, diverse, wild, and free. They exist in every race, and there are so many different types.

Regardless of how cute they may look, however, those of you who have curly hair know the hassle of having to manage it. They take hours to nourish and keep healthy, sometimes they’re so stubborn that it is impossible to reduce shrinkage, or keep them satisfied. In fact, I won’t argue with anyone who believes that maintaining curls is almost as difficult as taking care of a baby.

I am fully aware that taking care of hair here doesn’t make it any easier because the water is “hard water”. That means that water that has high mineral content (it is full of calcium and magnesium carbonates, bicarbonates, and sulfates). Being here, I’ve noticed that the hard water dries my skin and scalp out because the calcium makes its own coat on the scalp and skin. The pressure is also extremely low because unfortunately, the minerals also cause clogged pipes. In other words, it takes way too long to wash my hair, and when I get out it’s usually tangled and dry. 

Here’s how I manage my curls here:

1. Vinegar Rinse

Do you remember how I said that calcium builds its own coat on the scalp? Well, because vinegar is acidic, it works to remove the mineral coat so that your hair can retain moisture. I personally use white vinegar because it’s all I have, but most people say that apple cider vinegar works better. To create a vinegar rinse, I mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 3 cups of water.I put it on my scalp after shampooing and allow it to sit for a few minutes before rinsing it. I do this once every two weeks.

2. Curl Specific Products

Yes. There are some products that make our hair smell better for longer than others, but I take my hair health very seriously. It is important to use products with no parabens, sulfates, or silicones because they can dry out our hair, damage our curls, and destroy our curl pattern. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Garnier Fructis “Curl Nourish” shampoo, conditioner, and leave in cream as well as pretty much all of “Mielle Organics” hair products. I also use coconut oil on my scalp and curls to nourish and reduce shrinkage (but not too much because if it’s too heavy on the hair that can destroy the curl pattern as well).

3. No Heat

If we use heat that is too high, or apply direct heat for too long or too often, the curl pattern can be lost, or it can break off and fall out. It isn’t terrible to put heat on hair, and it won’t automatically get heat damage just because it’s straightened once, but I personally only straighten it on super special occasions. When I do straighten my hair, I use ceramic irons, and a heat protectant. Currently, my favorite heat protectant is the “Lionesse Vitamin E Hair Serum with Aloe Vera”. The more natural the products, the better they usually are to use.

I hope that these tips work for you the same way that they work for me. Curly hair is definitely hard to manage, but it’s worth all of the time and effort. If they do work for you, or if you have  a more simple/ better working routine please let me know! I’m sure all of us are always looking for ways to better our hair; so let's help each other out!

BOTW 4/15

By Paige Waskow

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

By Peggy McIntosh

The book of the week is not exactly a book. Instead, I thought I would post this resource about white privilege.

What is it about?

This resource, which comes from a larger publication by McIntosh, helps identify what white privilege looks like in everyday society. This list of statements allow the reader to look at their own lives and see how they are able to interact with the world in comparison to others. White privilege does not always mean active violence, it is ingrained in every part of society.

Here are the first seven (out of 50) examples from McIntosh's list of what white privilege looks like:

"1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.

2. I can avoid spending time with people whom I was trained to mistrust and who have learned to mistrust my kind or me.

3. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.

4. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.

5. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.

6. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.

7. When I am told about our national heritage or about "civilization," I am shown that people of my color made it what it is" (McIntosh 1988, 2).

                                   

via GIPHY

Why did I choose it?

I think this resource is a great way to target what privilege looks like for white people. What I mean is that as a white person, I am able to ignore or more seamlessly move through society in a way that people of color cannot. I get to choose whether or not I want to think about how society is privileged to white people. I do not have to experience it.

All of the statements that McIntosh mentions are crucial to understanding what white privilege looks like, and they should make you uncomfortable- especially if you are not a person of color. I think this source challenges my normal and helps me remember to be aware of what I can do without feeling awkward, fearful, isolated, or ignored because of the color of my skin. It is so so so important that those who have privilege in society challenge themselves to see bias and then change how they act or don't act. One thing that I have learned is that listening and learning go a long way. Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack is a way to actively listen and challenge the status quo.

Where can you view it?

Right here! This is a PDF document of the list (but not the whole publication).

Is there anything else you should know?

If you would like to view another post I wrote about white privilege, you can click here. I added some resources that I have found useful to that post. Additionally, if you have any resources, comments, or questions, please leave them below. Happy reading!

References

McIntosh, Peggy. 1988. "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack." (part of "White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming To See Correspondences through Work in Women's Studies") https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mcintosh.pdf. April 17, 2019.

The War on Food

By Paige Waskow

Making healthy choices can often be misleading and discouraging. It can lead to unhealthy diets and obsession with weight rather than health. It can push a person to eat more, eat less, only eat x, not eat y… and on and on it goes. The war on food is tiring and often incredibly inaccurate. We do need to think about food and what it means because what we consume matters. So, how should we eat? These are four tips that can hopefully point you in the direction of healthy food!

1. Eat slow food

Like snails? Maybe. But what I am really getting at here is the less processed food you eat, the better. Processed food is typically full of what is known as empty calories. As stated by Harvard's health website:

'All food contains calories, and we need a certain amount of calories each day. But some foods provide not only calories but also other ingredients that also are critically important, such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and others. When a food provides primarily calories, and little else of value to our health, we say that food has "empty calories,"' (Anthony Komaroff, MD).

Heavily processed, empty calorie food is typically made fast and is quickly available to a consumer (ex. fries, soda, and slushies). Additionally, it typically isn't fresh and lacks nutrition that our bodies need. "Slow food" on the other hand, is the type of food that takes a longer time to prepare, grow, and even consume (Slow Food USA). Examples of this could include fresh produce and homemade meals from scratch. To learn more about the slow food movement, check out the Slow Food USA website here.

                          

via GIPHY

2. Taste the rainbow

(Not like Skittles!) Eating in color can help you balance your meals. For example, many a high school lunch contained something like the following: a breaded chicken patty on a bun, canned peaches, and corn. Notice anything strange? All the food is a slightly different golden-y color. This isn’t a very balanced or nutritious meal. By eating according to color, you can get a better balanced meal and more of the stuff your body truly needs. Fruits and veggies are especially colorful and that is a good thing! Get some green, yellow, purple, and red on your plates.

One thing to add is that this doesn’t mean processed foods with artificial colors. Yes, M&M cookies and Airheads have a lot of colors, but they are most definitely not a balanced meal. For more information about the science behind color in food, check out this cool website from the Food Network here!

                                        

via GIPHY

3. Eat more whole grains

Grains can be good for you, but it depends on the type. There are two types of grains, whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains are not altered and have many vitamins and fiber whereas refined grains are essentially processed to only provide carbohydrates (Bjarnadottir, 2017). This means that refined grains can be considered as empty calories, and you aren't really getting much out of them.

Want to take a wild guess at the kinds of foods that contain or are refined grains? If you said pop tarts, white bread, bagels, and cake, sadly, you'd be right. Anything that contains white flour is refined, and you aren't getting your bang for your buck in the nutrition department. Can this cause further problems?: Yes. As Adda Bjarnadottir of Healthline says, "Refined carbs cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, and only make you feel full for a short time. This is followed by a drop in blood sugar, hunger and cravings," (2017).

So, can you still eat grains and avoid refined ones? Of course! Whole grains are typically labeled as such and include foods such as popcorn, oatmeal, bread, and pasta. The more processed a food is, the more likely it isn't a whole grain.

4. Try new food!

Everyone has that one food they have never tried and yet, it is surely has to be the most disgusting thing in the world. I am guilty of doing this, and my "no" food is beets. I've only had beet juice (why would they do that!?), which wasn't a great experience (it tasted like sweet dirt), and I have yet to attempt them in solid food form (I really don't want to). I often see them at the Caf, baked or sauteed, and I refuse to put them on my plate. So, I definitely need to try my own tip.

Trying new foods is a great experience, even if you don't end up liking the food. I discovered a few years back that I love brussel sprouts. They are now my favorite vegetable. Ever. Had I not tried them at a friend's house, I wouldn't have known that I was missing out (and that I could eat something healthy that I really enjoyed). My point here is that trying new foods doesn't hurt you. Yes, you may rush to get some water, but you also might find a food you love. It's a great way to expand your palette, eat more colors, and discover something great.

                       

via GIPHY

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Please note that this isn’t a perfect guide (especially if you have a dietary constraint) but rather some direction to eating well. Everyone’s bodies are different! My intention is additionally not to body shame or suggest dieting to “fit” a societal beauty standard. Things like weight do not determine how healthy someone is and should never be the basis of how someone is viewed in society (although we seem to struggle with that).

Thanks for reading!

References:

Bjarnadottir, Adda. “Why Refined Carbs Are Bad for You.” Healthline, Healthline, 4 June 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-refined-carbs-are-bad.

Komaroff, Anthony. “Understanding Empty Calories.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, June 2016, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-empty-calories.

Slow Food USA. “About Us.” Slowfood USA, 2019, www.slowfoodusa.org/about-us.

Television Food Network. “Eating by Color.” Food Network, 2019, www.foodnetwork.com/healthy/photos/eating-by-color.

BOTW January 21

By Paige Waskow

The book of the week is:

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

What's it about?

Just Mercy is a nonfiction recollection of the work of Bryan Stevenson, a defense lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama. The central plot of the story follows Walter McMillan, a black man convicted of killing a white woman. His trial only lasts a day and a half, the jury is made up of eleven white people and one black person, and the judge overrules their conviction of guilty to sentence him to death row. As Stevenson quickly notes in his story, McMillan is completely innocent, and there was significant evidence to prove so. His fight to prove McMillan innocent identifies the injustice and racism in the justice system.

Alongside this story, Just Mercy follows the cases of other individuals Stevenson defended. Some are guilty of a crime, some are innocent, but the central point of the book argues that the choices and procedures of the judicial system are not equal. Stevenson's journey and heartbreaking experiences raise important questions such as: what is mercy and why is it important?, who gets to decide who lives and who dies?, and why do we use methods such as solitary confinement and trial as adults for children?

Why did I choose it?

I choose this book because of its raw honesty and identification of injustice. The stories of the book helped me better understand both the broken judicial system as well as how those who do not have power in society are treated. I especially got a better sense of the racism of the system and how it does not give equal protection under the law. Of course, I went in and came away biased, I am against the death penalty, but regardless of any individual's belief, Just Mercy is an important book that gives light to issues that are easily covered up.

Beyond the message of the book, Stevenson's writing reads like a novel. The book's action and stories are careful laid out in extensive detail. Both the facts and emotions are powerful, and you will not get bored reading it.

Learning more:

If you are interested in learning more about Stevenson's law firm, The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), you can click here to go to their website.

Additionally, the author spoke at a TED conference about his work and personal beliefs. His talk is called "We need to talk about injustice". If you are interested, click here to go to the video.

Is there anything else you should know?

Just Mercy does have accounts of murder, sexual assault, and other violence due to the nature of crimes and stories discussed through out Stevenson's career.

Where can you get Just Mercy?

Just Mercy is available at Coe's library as well as at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a CRPL library card, you can get one for free.

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below. 

Happy reading!

References:

Equal Justice Initiative. “The Book.” Equal Justice Initiative, 2017, eji.org/just-mercy/book.

Conover, Ted. “‘Just Mercy,’ by Bryan Stevenson.” The New York Times, 17 Oct. 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/books/review/just-mercy-by-bryan-stevenson.html?smid=pl-share.

Advocating Info Graphic

By Paige Waskow

As a follow up to the previous post on advocating for yourself, this info graphic is a quick guide that sums up what you need to know!

View here!

If you have any questions or other tips for advocating for yourself, please leave them in the comment section below.

Resources:

Choi, Lily. “How to Advocate for Yourself as a Woman of Color in the Workplace.” How to Advocate for Yourself as a Woman of Color in the Workplace, The Everygirl, 20 June 2018, theeverygirl.com/being-a-woc-in-the-workplace/.

Patel, Deep. “10 Powerful Ways to Stand Up for Yourself in Any Situation.” 10 Powerful Ways to Stand Up for Yourself in Any Situation, SUCCESS, 4 April 2017, www.success.com/10-powerful-ways-to-stand-up-for-yourself-in-any-situation/.

Galinsky, Adam . “How to Speak up for Yourself.” How to Speak up for Yourself, Ideas.ted.com, 17 Feb. 2017, ideas.ted.com/how-to-speak-up-for-yourself/.

McLeod, Lea, Feeling Frustrated? How to Advocate for Yourself at Work. The Muse, 5 July 2013, www.themuse.com/advice/feeling-frustrated-how-to-advocate-for-yourself-at-work.

Nunez, Vivian. “Self-Advocacy Is A Learned Skill.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 17 June 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/viviannunez/2016/06/17/self-advocating-is-a-learned-skill/#13e24f787f14.

How do you ADVOCATE for yourself?

By Paige Waskow

Advocating for yourself can often be really hard. Like, really REALLY difficult. You may have to talk to a boss, a professor you dislike, or a friend who is making you uncomfortable. It may be as simple as asking your roommate to turn off the light at a certain time or as complicated as asking for funding for research. Yet, we need to advocate for ourselves. It is an incredibly helpful skill to have and will help you move forward to do the things you want to do. You will be able to gain confidence and compromise with others, while pursuing your goals and needs. By starting now, you will benefit yourself in future jobs and interactions with people.

Here are three tips and reminders about advocating for yourself:

(In addition, look out for more tips in an additional posts coming soon!)

1. It might be uncomfortable or put you in an awkward position, but that is okay

Standing up for yourself is often uncomfortable. It is an active action and requires stepping out of passivity and not accepting the current situation to ask for what you want. It may not be received well or you may not get the answer you want. The goal is not to change everything to be perfect but to address a particular need or concern. In addition, talking about a problem when it first comes up allows for you to hopefully avoid further complication and make your insight heard.

2. You need to actually do something about it

It is really, incredibly easy to do nothing at all. It is even easier to gossip about a problem and perpetuate how upset you are about it. This may be obvious, but this solves absolutely nothing. If anything, it may make your problem worse. The person may take offense to gossip and make it harder for you and your wants to be acknowledged and taken seriously in the future. It takes courage and uncomfortability to talk to someone, as mentioned above, but it is your best chance at getting an outcome that is favorable to you. Without taking that step, the situation you are in will continue to be the same.

3. Advocating for yourself will get easier with practice and is a learned skill

Small steps:

Although you may and can accomplish a big advocating goal whenever you want to, it is often helpful to get in the practice of starting small. Practice figuring out what you want or what you see a problem with. This is not to say you should always feel the need to address everything, but if you have a legitimate opinion or concern about something, have the conversation. This will help you prepare for the future, become more comfortable talking to others, and build the habit to address a pressing concern.

Small wins and compromise:

Not every conversation will go well or how you want it to. Perhaps your teacher did not understand why you think that their homework assignments are sporadic and do not help you learn. Or maybe, your boss will not change your shift exactly how you want it. This can be extremely frustrating, as we often have one idea of the perfect situation, however, small wins can be a big deal and so can compromise. By creating even that small change, you have changed something. And now, the person you talked to knows it is a concern to you! Your situation will most likely be more in your favor. In addition, remember that you have the right to ask and your concern is legitimate.

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I want to add that this may be particularly difficult for many people in society and in certain situations. There is often a lot of backlash or disregard of importance when a person tries to advocate for themselves. Being a woman, person of color, part of the lgbtqia+ community, physically disabled, pregnant, Muslim (or of another religious group), or having social anxiety can affect how people are treated and viewed when speaking up (and this is not a complete list).This is not to alternate confidence of speaking up but to address that this is a real problem we have in society. The more we address it and talk about it, the better we can support ourselves and others to be more confident in how we advocate for ourselves.

Resources:

Choi, Lily. “How to Advocate for Yourself as a Woman of Color in the Workplace.” How to Advocate for Yourself as a Woman of Color in the Workplace, The Everygirl, 20 June 2018, theeverygirl.com/being-a-woc-in-the-workplace/.

Patel, Deep. “10 Powerful Ways to Stand Up for Yourself in Any Situation.” 10 Powerful Ways to Stand Up for Yourself in Any Situation, SUCCESS, 4 April 2017, www.success.com/10-powerful-ways-to-stand-up-for-yourself-in-any-situation/.

Galinsky, Adam . “How to Speak up for Yourself.” How to Speak up for Yourself, Ideas.ted.com, 17 Feb. 2017, ideas.ted.com/how-to-speak-up-for-yourself/.

McLeod, Lea, Feeling Frustrated? How to Advocate for Yourself at Work. The Muse, 5 July 2013, www.themuse.com/advice/feeling-frustrated-how-to-advocate-for-yourself-at-work.

Nunez, Vivian. “Self-Advocacy Is A Learned Skill.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 17 June 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/viviannunez/2016/06/17/self-advocating-is-a-learned-skill/#13e24f787f14.