Category: RESOURCES
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Medicaid and CHIP Toolkit
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HB 770 Fact Sheet
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Equal Pay Toolkit 2022
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Equal Pay EEOC Handout
The Dermatology of Black People: Our Skin, Our Hair, Our History
Being Black comes with a unique hair and skin routine for each person. To some, the amount of time and money spent on products may seem excessive, but for Black people, it makes them who they are and is a critical part of their identity. Hair and skin should not define people, but many have been treated poorly just for holding their heads high as they proudly wear their hair exactly how it grows from their scalp.
Black hair is different from the strands of any other race. Each coil comes in varying degrees of curl density ranging in a various number of different classifications. Black hair tends to grow up or out due to most curls instead of straight down like many others. The intricate growth pattern provides several styles—natural, straight, braids, locs, short dos, long dos, weaves, or extensions. The options are limitless.
Even though Black hair is versatile, it has not always been seen as “professional” or “acceptable” in its natural state in specific settings like the workplace and school. Previous generations, especially women, had to straighten their hair and avoid certain styles to get and keep their jobs. According to Dove, 63% of Black adults have faced hair discrimination, and 25% of Black adults have faced discipline or been sent home from work because of their hairstyle.
Thankfully, the CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act was passed through Congress in 2022. The Act prohibits denying employment and educational opportunities based on hair texture, “including hair that is tightly coiled or tightly curled, afros, and protective styles, including braids, locs, twists, or Bantu knots.” With that language, the CROWN Act serves as a deterrent to racial biases in education and employment opportunities. It allows Black people and other people of color to be themselves.
Black skin care can be just as particular as haircare and, of course, has also come with many apparent biases and racism. Keeping minority skin moisturized, hydrated, and healthy should be the biggest concern. However, how much or how little melanin (pigmentation) a person has is commonly the focus. Blatant and disguised racism continues to be a problem between races, but there is also the issue of colorism within different cultures. Racism and colorism, the prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, usually within the same ethnic or racial group, has contributed to many darker-hued people using bleach creams and treatments to lighten their complexion.
Desiring marriage, social standing, or employment when it seems like having darker skin has held you back causes people to take drastic measures. According to an article by CNN World, the global market for skin whitening was estimated at $8 billion in 2020. Women account for almost 80% of sales worldwide. These creams dominate the market and are estimated to reach $6.6 billion by 2027. Skin whitening products can be toxic and cause life-threatening ailments, but how you feel about your skin can contribute to how you care for it.
In terms of healthy skincare, once you figure out your uniqueness, dry, oily, light, dark, or a combination, you can start a customized regimen. Of course, the top layer of darker skin contains more melanin than other races, which contributes to certain genetic factors that cause specific skin conditions, particularly in Black people.
Some of the most common are:
Eczema: Black people are more prone to severe cases of eczema. Eczema rashes can appear darker brown, purple, or gray instead of red.
Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars: Black skin may contain gene mutations that increase the expression of fibroblasts in scar tissue used to create collagen. This excess collagen makes skin more vulnerable to scar-like formations.
Melasma: Melasma primarily affects women and causes dark patches, generally on the face. It can be triggered by pregnancy, birth control, hormone therapy, sun exposure, or skin irritation.
Hyperpigmentation: Hyperpigmentation causes darker patches or spots to develop on the skin. It can come from atopic dermatitis, bug bites, inflammation, and psoriasis.
All races have issues that are more prone to each skin type. When seeking self-care, whether it be your skin or hair, it is essential to do what is best for you. Use products you trust and are tailored to you. Always test a new cream or ointment on a small skin area to monitor reactions. If you need help finding what works for you or notice something wrong with your skin or hair, don’t hesitate to consult your doctor / dermatologist.
Black Blood and Organ Donors Needed to Help Regulate Black Health Issues
Blood and organ donations are in constant demand. Blood donations are essential for surgeries, cancer treatments, and transfusions. Organ donations can be life-saving as people on an organ waiting list typically have end-stage organ disease that significantly impacts their quality of life. However, both are hard to get because many people do not like needles, and many organ donations require preauthorized consent from someone who had to lose their life to donate.
As expected, there currently needs to be more blood and organ donors. Only about 2% of people in the United States donate blood resulting in around 13.6 million units of whole blood collected annually. Nearly 5,000 units of platelets and 6,500 units of plasma are needed daily in the United States. Red blood cell use is only good before 42 days, and platelets within five days. A constant supply is necessary to meet the demand. Blood varieties add an extra layer of difficulty. Maintaining diversity in the blood supply is essential to ensure every person receives the needed matching blood type, including rare types.
Donating blood requires the desire and ability to give, but organ donation is trickier. Every day there are around 107,000 people on the national organ waiting list; out of those 107,000, 17 people die daily waiting for a transplant. To make matters worse, transplant patients are increasing.
Even though the blood and organ donor shortage affects everybody, Black people feel the need the most. The sickle-cell disease primarily affects Black people, and many of those affected by the disease rely on frequent blood transfusions to manage its harmful impacts. Sickle cell affects 90,000 to 100,000 people in the U.S., most of whom are Black.
As with any blood work, people who need transfusions must have a compatible blood type with the donor. More Black people need to donate because one in three Black blood donors is a match for people with sickle cell disease. Therefore, the more Black people donate blood; the easier it will be for other Black people who need blood to access it without the stress of finding someone compatible.
Many Black people are hesitant about donating despite a glaring need. In 2016, Black people made up 30% of the organ donation waiting list and 33% of the kidney list, even though Black people only make up 13% of the U.S. population. These hesitancies to become a donor often result from a feeling that their organs may be unusable due to specific, prevalent ailments in the Black community and a general distrust of doctors, especially with their lives potentially being on the line.
Even though specific ailments may be present, a lot of the time, the organs are still acceptable for transplant. Education about organ donation would be beneficial to anyone who is considering becoming a donor. Other uncertainties have legitimate standing when looking at the history of Black people and healthcare. However, for those who feel uncomfortable becoming a donor at the end of their life, there is an option to be a living donor, which allows the donor to live a healthy life. Living donors can donate organs such as kidneys, segments of the liver, portions of the pancreas, and parts of the intestine. If a person chooses to be an organ donor, their donation can save up to eight lives.
