The Black Care Starts Somewhere event sparked conversations about Black hair, skin, and mental health care, as well as the compliment microaggressions Black people face.
The event was held on February 16th in the Bovey University Center Rotunda. Both students and staff spoke at the event.
black hair care
Cristiano Bermudez and Makayla Osborn, both students, talked about hair care, its history, care processes, and tips.
Historically, black hair is more than just hair, they said.
“It’s always been an expression of resistance,” Osborne said. “During the slave trade, slaves were forced to shave their heads…It was a way to punish them and maintain control.”
It also served as a means to help slaves escape.
“They’ll be able to braid their hair in intricate designs to show different things,” Osborne said.
Title XII, part of the Civil Rights Act, advises employers to avoid using the law to restrict race, but to allow hair.
They stated that hair care is important for both self-image and social image.
“When we walk into a room, hair is the first thing we see, along with our faces,” Bermudez said. “Our hair is our crown, so treat it as such.”
Here are the hair care tips they said:
On Friday, February 16th, tables will be lined up with hair care products for attendees to choose from in the UC Rotunda.
Sleep with a bonnet, durag, or silk pillowcase
- If your hairstyle hurts, your hair may be damaged
- Conditions according to hair porosity level and pore size.
- Wash your hair with lukewarm water, but finish with cold water
- Try to wash your hair outside the shower
- If using a hairdryer, use the cool setting
They also mentioned the difference between microaggressions and compliments.
“The point of saying something about someone’s hair is to cheer them up or compliment them,” Osborn says. “What you think is a compliment may not be a compliment. If in doubt, don’t say it.”
Bermudez also talked about how important a person’s hairstyle is.
“We truly believe that through our own hair journey, we can find ourselves,” they said. “We can now express them more.”
skin care
Ku’Juana Quinn and Rachael Veasley discuss the science, history, process, and routine of melanizing skin care.
Melanin is the culmination of all kinds of individual physical characteristics.
“The definition of melanin is a substance in the body that provides pigmentation in hair, eyes, and skin,” says Veasley. “Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes.”
Quinn said skin conditions also look different depending on melanin. This can be problematic because there is a lack of education about the different appearances of these conditions.
“Typically, there’s a lot of discrimination within dermatology because medical professionals aren’t trained in how skin conditions present differently in people of color,” she says. “Dermatology is an image-focused medical specialty.”
They proposed a four-step plan for melanized skin care. But one size doesn’t fit all, so more steps could be added to the plan, Quinn said.
- Wash your face to remove excess sebum and dirt
- Treatment to remove remaining dirt
- Moisturizes the skin, keeping it soft, smooth and non-irritating.
- Apply sunscreen to reduce dark spots, wrinkles, and pigmentation.
A CMU student looks at the labels of hair products during the “Black Care Starts Somewhere” event held in the UC Rotunda on Friday, Feb. 16.
Here are some other tips they got:
- Don’t sleep with makeup on
- Consider double cleansing with an oil cleanser and a holding cleanser.
- Find out for yourself
- Moisturizes even oily skin
- Eat a balanced diet
- Be conscious of what you put on your skin
- Use products that suit your skin type
mental care
Husband, a full-time counselor in the Student Inclusion and Diversity Center, spoke about the mental health of all students.
She was a therapist-in-training when she came to Central Michigan University. She grew up in an environment where mental health was not a priority, she said.
“My parents were both pastors, so there was a lot of ‘praying about it’ and talking to the pastor about it,” she said. She says, “When I had my first session with my therapist, I was like, ‘Wow, here’s someone who isn’t trying to impose an agenda on me, but someone who can clearly talk to me about what I need.'”
Husbands said that when things are difficult, it’s hard to talk to someone because, just like with our physical bodies, it’s not healthy to ignore the problem.
She also believes that sleep is important for human development.
“Your brain and body are still growing and developing,” Husband says. “People grow and heal only when they sleep.”
She also took time to discuss balance, since so many people have extracurricular activities and other responsibilities in addition to school.
“Set time to sleep, eat, and play, make time for friends, and respect[your]whole person by making sure you set aside time for mindful moments,” Husbands says. Ta.
