Beyonce has had enough.

Beyonce has had enough of y'all talking about her baby's hair.

She's had enough of y'all talking about her man's big nose.

She's had enough of her people being killed by the very people sworn to protect and serve them.

Melissa Harris-Perry

People always say you should never meet your heroes. They say that when you do you will inevitably be disappointed as there's no way your role models will live up to your expectations. They will almost always fall from that pedestal on which you've placed them.

Monday night I met one of my heroes. Melissa Harris-Perry of MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry Show visited Birmingham to give a talk she called "Crashing Into Michael Brown" through which she discussed race-related issues of the past decade while tying them to the legacy of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The talk, held at the Alys Stephens Center, was in celebration Black History Month and part of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's lecture series.

Harris-Perry didn't simply live up to my expectations; she surpassed them. As we were leaving the event I told my husband, "I didn't think it  possible for me to love her more than I already did, but I do!"

Monday was also my birthday and my sweet, sweet husband pulled some strings to get us access to the VIP reception held before Harris-Perry's talk. I had the chance to have a real conversation with her, not just exchange a handshake and a smile. She actually gave me a hug and we even took a selfie!

Here's why I'm glad I met my hero Melissa Harris-Perry:

My hero reminded me to be kind. Harris-Perry greeted her fans with such gratefulness and grace. She seemed genuinely happy to see each and every one of us. And during her talk, this idea of kindness took on even deeper meaning. Harris-Perry's discussion of civil rights reminded us that there should be no separation between the fight for racial equality, gender equality and gay rights. We need them all, we need them all now, and we all need to be a part of this fight. Being kind isn't about extending a handshake and a smile. It's about making the people around you feel important and known.

My hero reminded me to be humble. Let me be honest: If I were Melissa Harris-Perry it would be hard for me to be humble. I mean, she's absolutely amazing! Not only does she have her own show but she's the author of books like Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America, she's a contributing editor for Essence magazine and she's a professor at Wake Forest. And on top of all that she's a wife and a mom and she's freaking gorgeous! But not once during her talk did Harris-Perry boast about her accomplishments. I think her sense of humility stems from the fact that she has not forgotten from whence she came. Harris-Perry started her talk by saluting the sacrifices of the men, women, and children of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. "I'm not sure what my people are made of," she said in awe recalling the courage of people like Elizabeth Eckford, the brave black girl who in 1957 tried to integrate the all white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Race is not real, Harris-Perry reminded us, but we all know that racism certainly is. And the fights against racism are often won over broken black bodies. Never forget.

My hero reminded me to be myself. I had no plans of blogging about Monday's event. I didn't take a single note during Harris-Perry's talk, which is unheard of for me. I'm the girl who will fill an entire notebook at a conference. But I just wanted to sit and soak in every word she spoke and believe me I could have listened to Harris-Perry all day. Never in my life have I seen someone speak who is so brilliant yet still so relatable. She could go from Professor Harris-Perry to Melissa from the Block in two seconds flat and I loved it!  She has the audacity to be authentic and I aspire to one day have the same.

Respectability will not save you. Harris-Perry repeated this phrase again and again Monday night and I can't get it out of my head because I must admit that there was a time when I thought that it would. I thought that if I talked a certain way and dressed a certain way and read all the right books that I would be accepted, that I would be considered good enough despite my race, my gender, or my Southern accent. But respectability will not save you. Look at President and First Lady Obama, Harris-Perry said. They have degrees from Harvard and bigots still talk about them like dogs!

So just be free, Harris-Perry said.

Just be yourself and demand that the world see you for the complex, flawed and multi-faceted person that you are.

Just be free.

On Friday night I saw Selma, Ava DuVernay's film that depicts the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches which led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. 

I cried off all my mascara less than ten minutes into the film.

As I left the theater I knew there was no way I would be able to write a blog post about that movie. There simply are no words to express how powerful it is, no way to describe the impact it had on me.

Fortunately, others have been able to find the words that escape me.

My husband, who is a columnist for The Birmingham News, wrote a compelling piece on why the movie is especially important at such a time as this -- in the wake of Black Live Matters protests and other modern-day civil rights issues.

Birmingham-based blogger Alexis Barton wrote a great review detailing the many reasons you should go see this movie RIGHT NOW, including the fact that DuVernay highlighted the contributions that women made to the movement.

And in his piece for WBHM 90.3 FM, Birmingham's NPR station, Andrew Yeager captured the reactions of Selma residents who saw the movie, some of whom were actually involved in the marches and have the scars to prove it.

I am disappointed that some people are attempting to discount the movie due to "historical inaccuracies" such as President Lyndon B.  Johnson's portrayal and the exaggerated tensions between President Johnson and King.  First, as my husband states in his article, the movie is a drama not a documentary. Second, as Barton writes, "I don’t hear these arguments around films or television shows like Gone with the Wind or Mad Men, pieces of pure fiction which also play fast and loose with historical characterizations." And finally, such complaints completely draw attention away from the true message and purpose of the movie.

This is not President Johnson's story!

This is the story of the men and women who put their lives on the line for a right that many of us today take for granted. This is a story about the courage and dignity of a people determined to no longer be treated as second-class citizens.

And this is a story that everyone should see.

Why do we need Black History Month?

I attempted to answer this question very thoughtfully last year in this piece I wrote for WBHM.org. But in case that didn't get through to folks...




But seriously, though, I'd love for you to celebrate Black History Month with me and See Jane Write as we're hosting an African American Read-In showcasing literary works by black women. Find details at SeeJaneWriteBham.com.

Twitter always finds a way to distract me.

It was Monday, Jan. 6 and my phone was abuzz with notifications alerting me that several people I follow on Twitter had started following @thesheertruth. Being the journalist/social media junkie that I am, I had to investigate why.

I soon discovered that @thesheertruth is the Twitter account of Sasheer Zamata -- Saturday Night Live's newest cast member and the show's first female black cast member in years. The late-night sketch comedy show hasn't had a black woman as part of its case since Maya Rudolph left five years ago.

SNL has faced criticism for its lack of diversity for a long time. There have only been four women of color on the series in its 38-year run.  Recently Kenan Thompson -- the black male actor who often plays black female characters on the show -- suggested in an interview that there where no black actresses on the show because there were none qualified for the job.

Bullshit.

Zamata's first live episode will be Jan. 18, featuring Drake as host and musical guest.

I'll be honest, I typically only watch SNL when I know a celebrity I like will be on the show. But now I may be tuning in more often and not simply because Zamata shares my skin tone.

I think I'm going to really dig Zamata. First of all, her Twitter bio reads: "Comedian, Actress, Writer, Beyonce."

Love.

She's also one of the masterminds behind "Pursuit of Sexiness," an Internet-based show she created with Nicole Byer.  "Pursuit of Sexiness" received rave reviews in HuffPost and The Hairpin and was named one of the Top Web Series of 2013 by Variety. 





I spent some time on her website Sasheer.com viewing some of the hilarious videos she's created. Here's one of my favorites:





I'm really looking forward to January 18.

A feminist in a dress! Gasp!

Can a black woman be a feminist?

I've been told on more than one occasion that the answer to that question is "No!" Last week I shared my story of being told I can't be a feminist because I'm black in a blog post for Birmingham's NPR station WBHM. When someone tells me, however, that I don't look like a feminist -- and I get that comment a lot -- they usually aren't talking about my race. 

Back when I worked for a weekly lifestyles magazine in Louisville, I frequently wrote articles that might have caused female readers to raise their fists in the air and yell "Girl power!" I quickly became known for as the paper's resident feminist. 

Yet, when a young woman from another department came to our office to discuss an idea she had for a women's empowerment project she went to the female reporter who sat in the cubicle next to mine.  She even said to my colleague, "I know you write a lot about feminism and that it's something very important to you." Everyone in the office, including my colleague to whom she was speaking, stared at her with confused looks on their faces. Then my colleague pointed to me and said, "Javacia writes about women's issues. Not me. You're probably talking about her articles." The look of shock on her face was priceless. 

When this woman came to our office in search the resident feminist she didn't even bother asking anyone to point her in the right direction. She walked directly to my colleague. Did she assume that I couldn't have been the feminist writer because I'm black? Possibly, but I doubt my race had much to do with it. 

My co-worker only wore neutral colors and never wore makeup or heels. She also refused to shave her arm pits or legs. Meanwhile, I was probably sitting there in a floral top, trendy jeans and pumps. I'm sure my eyeshadow was perfectly color coordinated with my outfit and my cubicle looked like the color pink had thrown up all over it. In other words, I'm sure that woman didn't come to me because she didn't think I looked like a feminist. 

Can a woman be both feminist and so-called feminine? Absolutely! And frankly I'm tired of having this conversation. It's getting old, people.

Julia Gazdag recently addressed this topic quite wonderfully in a post for Hello Giggles and in that article referenced a quote from Caitlin Moran who reminds us that "the purpose of feminism isn't to make a particular type of woman." 

Gazdag goes on to say: 

The idea that women cannot express their femininity and be autonomous is really saying that women must emulate men to have a voice, when in fact, the goal of feminism is for every woman to feel empowered as a person instead of feeling gendered.

Amen. 

I believe in the equality of the sexes and this is what makes me a feminist. Period. Writing and empowering other women to write is what I consider my calling and this calling has become my form of feminist activism. The validity of my work should not be questioned simply because the finger tips typing my feminist texts are adorned with fuchsia nail polish. 

Birmingham writers, mark your calendars for Sat., Feb. 2. Next Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the annual Local Authors Expo will be held at the Central branch of the Birmingham Public Library. Up to 100 authors, many from the Birmingham area, will be on site to not only sell and autograph their books, but to discuss their writing process as well.

"One of the main missions of the library is to connect authors and readers and this event does exactly that,” said Jared Millet, the Authors Expo organizer and library department head of acquisitions. “It gives authors an opportunity to promote themselves to the public. If you are a self-published author, it's hard to get into brick and mortar stores. You have to use events like this to get your name out there.'' 

Whether you’re interested in cooking, sports, or fishing, or you’re looking for an inspirational book or just a great novel, the 2013 Authors Expo will have something for you.

As the city commemorates the 50th anniversary of Birmingham's civil rights movement this year, there will also be a special section of civil rights authors. At 1 p.m. Carolyn Maull McKinstry, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing survivor and author of the book While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age During the Civil Rights Movement, will talk about Birmingham's civil rights movement, the bombing and her life.

This event isn’t just for people who like to read a good book, but also for those looking to write one.

"If you are thinking of writing a book, you need to be at the Birmingham Public Library on Feb. 2,'' said Chanda Temple, director of public relations for the Birmingham Public Library.

At 10:30 a.m. Millet, who is also a published author, will hold a workshop on how to breathe life into your writing. Furthermore, writers will have the opportunity to network with other authors and potential fans.

"A lot of times, writers or beginner writers wonder how an author got his or her book published or how they make their story flow in a certain manner. This expo will give writers a chance to talk to authors, many of them self-published, to find out how they did it,” Temple said. “It's all about making connections, gaining inspiration and building support. We hope this expo will spark networking opportunities for everyone and continue to build the literary community.”

For more information about this event visit http://www.bplonline.org/programs/LocalAuthors/.

Cross-posted at the See Jane Write blog.  

When  I was in my early 20s I kept a little notebook of inspirational quotes and carried it with me all the time. That book would have come in handy last night as I was watching Black Girls Rock.

Black Girls Rock is a non-profit youth empowerment organization that promotes the arts for young women of color. Founded by Beverly Bond, the group also encourages an analysis of the ways women of color are portrayed in the media and hosts an annual awards show that airs on BET. 

The women honored at this year's awards show were offering up so many words of wisdom I could barely keep up as I was scribbling their sage sayings onto any pieces of paper within my reach.

Actress Regina King, who hosted the show with Tracee Ellis Ross, said to the audience at the start of the show, "We can solve any problems when we stand strong and support each other."

Even though Black Girls Rock is mostly about celebrating the accomplishments of African-American women, I believe King's statement applies to all women regardless of race, color, or nationality. When women band together we have the power to bring about change. I believe in the value of community which is exactly why I started See Jane Write.

Kerry Washington
Image by David Shankbone via Flickr/Creative Commons

Kerry Washington, star of the hit ABC show Scandal, was one of the night's honorees. Washington is the first black woman to lead a prime-time serious on a major network in 38 years and is known for playing an active role in politics helping most recently with the Obama campaign.

"True power comes from authenticity," Washington said. "Power come from being yourself."

Janelle Monae
Image by Michael Dornbierer via Flickr/Creative Commons

Janelle Monae, another celebrant at the event, is proof that Washington is right. Monae has made a name for herself in the music industry without changing her style or her unique sound to conform to trends. She was even recently tapped to be a Cover Girl.

"I didn't have to change who I was to become a Cover Girl," Monae said. "I didn't have to become perfect. Perfection is often the enemy of greatness."

She went on to say, "Embrace what makes you unique even if it makes other people uncomfortable."

Alicia Keys
Image by Walmart Stores via Flickr/Creative Commons

Singer Alicia Keys was also recognized for both her accomplishments in music and her foundation Keep a Child Alive, which is dedicated to providing life-saving AIDS treatment and support services to families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.

Keys reminded black girls (and women) of this: "Everything that you want to be you already are and you are simply on the path of discovering it."

"It’s just hair!" she said in frustration. My friend, we’ll call her K., was sharing with me how out of place she feels at natural hair meetups. K. just didn’t understand why other black women who had decided to stop chemically straightening their hair felt this was some spiritual experience. “I didn’t know I was part of some movement,” she said. “I just decided to cut my hair and stop getting a perm.”

I understand her gripes, but the truth is it’s not just hair, at least not for many women. I started wearing my hair in its naturally curly state over 10 years ago, long before it had become the hip thing to do and at a time when there were no natural hair blogs or YouTube videos to guide me. I wasn’t trying to be part of a movement, either. But once I started to embrace my thick, curly mane, I started to embrace my quirky, offbeat personality too. 

This is a movement because it's a stepping stone toward the goal of creating a new standard of beauty. I've been told by people, people of my own race, that not only is my hair is too curly but my nose is too wide and my skin is too dark. Natural hair, however, is giving so many women, the confidence to define beauty for themselves. 

Now to be clear I'm not implying that black women who chemically straighten their hair are doing so because they're suffering from self-hatred. That's ridiculous. But for me natural hair was a gateway to self-acceptance and I know many, many women who can tell a similar story, stories I've been privileged to share in articles for publications such as Weld for Birmingham. 

Furthermore, natural hair can be the common ground needed to bring women together. I can’t keep count of the number of times that while at a mall, a restaurant, or a grocery store I’ve been approached by a complete stranger who wanted to ask me about the hair products I use. I’ve met women at natural hair meetups hosted by Birmingham Natural Beauties who have become some of my best friends.

In spite of all this, however, I will admit that sometimes I wish it was just hair. Then maybe we wouldn’t have had so many people more focused on Gabby Douglas’ ponytail than her performance at the 2012 London Olympics when she made history and became the first African American to win the all-around gymnastics gold medal.

And if it was just hair perhaps U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin wouldn't have needed to issue a public plea last year asking black women to stop forgoing exercise for fear of a bad hair day. 

And there’s the rub. How can we celebrate our tresses without allowing our hair to dictate our lives? 

This question seemed to be at the heart of a recent Birmingham Natural Beauties meetup held last Tuesday that focused on health and fitness. A few ladies gave tips on how naturalistas could manage their hair and still remain active. Also, Dr. Mia Cowan of MiBella Wellness Center gave diet and exercise tips, speaking on the importance of eating breakfast, getting enough protein in your diet, and adding strength training to your workout regimen. 

While we were all brought together that evening because of hair the message was clear: do not live your life constantly worrying about the cuteness of your coif. How you feel on the inside is much more important than how you look on the outside. 

Photo credit: Julie Jordan Scott
Image via Flickr/Creative Commons

I often describe myself as a Southern fried feminist and not simply because that phrase is catchy and cute. I was born and bred in Birmingham, Alabama and now that I've returned to my hometown I find myself constantly striving to reconcile my feminist ideals with Southern values. 

At the risk of perpetuating stereotypes about the South, there are a few themes that are highly important in Southern culture. Those things include faith, family, food, and fashion, as well as issues of race. With that in mind, here is my Southern Fried Feminist Manifesto...

I am a Southern fried feminist and this means I have faith. I am a Jesus-loving, church-going gal, but I refuse to buy into the lie that I am somehow a second class citizen in God's kingdom simply because Eve was made from Adam's rib and took the first bite from that forbidden fruit. 

I am a Southern fried feminist and this means I value family. I cherish my relationship with my husband and I strive to honor him in all I do, but I did not trade in my voice or my dreams for a wedding ring. My husband and I are partners. We believe the Bible teaches mutual submission, not the idea that "virtuous woman" is a synonym for doormat. 

I am a Southern fried feminist and this means I love to eat. But I love food because it brings people together. Because I love to eat, "I be up in the gym just working on my fitness," as Fergie says. A feminist girl can't save the world if she's unhealthy and out of shape. 

I am a Southern fried feminist and this means I love fashion. Yes, fashion. Sure, the South isn’t home to any fashion capitals of the world, but down here below the Mason-Dixon line taking care of your appearance isn’t about vanity, but good manners. In the South, dressing inappropriately for any occasion is considered just plain rude. 

I am a Southern fried feminist and I am black. With regard to what race and feminism mean to me, I believe poet June Jordan said it best: 

"I am a feminist, and what that means to me is much the same as the meaning of the fact that I am Black: it means that I must undertake to love myself and to respect myself as though my very life depends upon self-love and self-respect."

What's your manifesto?

*Originally published at GeorgiaMae.com. 

The cover story in the latest issue of Weld for Birmingham, one of my city's weekly newspapers, examines 10 provocative quotes about my hometown. The piece is called Write On Birmingham and I picked up the paper with this plan to read the quotes and then pen some compelling piece of my own about the Magic City and post it here. But that didn't happen. 


Besides, how could anything I write compare to this quote from the late Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth: 

There’s no place like Birmingham in my heart. I love Birmingham, and not just because some of my blood was spilled in its streets. I love it because it’s a place where we can look out and see where we’ve come from and how far God has brought us.

After being away for about 10 years, I returned to Birmingham in 2009. When people ask me if I like being back home I'm honest: "No. But I want to." And I do. I really, really want to fall in love with Birmingham. But it feels like I'm in a relationship with some guy who keeps cheating on me, who keeps breaking my heart and I keep giving him chance after chance. 


As we all do in rocky relationships that we want to salvage, I try to focus on the good things -- the wonderful performing arts school at which I have the honor to teach, my favorite coffee shops and restaurants, my church, the supportive community of women writers I've discovered through See Jane Write, Black Girls RUN! Birmingham. But not even all of this is enough to drown out the sexist, racist, homophobic, xenophobic voices screaming in my ears. This city's extreme colorism even has me feeling like an ugly duckling. 


Nevertheless, I'm going to stick around. Birmingham has scars and scabs but has made progress. It is a place where we can see how far we've come as a nation. And Birmingham motivates me to use my writing as activism because it is also a reminder that we still have a long way to go. 

When I first learned that Michelle Obama was coming to Birmingham my heart started doing cartwheels in my chest. Yes, I have a serious girl crush on my First Lady as does nearly every woman I know. 

The general admission tickets to this special event were $200. A ticket to the preferred viewing section went for $500 and for $5,000 you could get a ticket for two that included a photo with the first lady. 

Um, yeah. After reading that I was sure I was not going to see the First Lady during her trip to the Magic City. But as luck would have it, an awesome pal of mine had access to some discounted general admission tickets and yesterday afternoon she and I had the honor of attending this special reception. 

First Lady Michelle Obama came to Birmingham, Ala., yesterday to campaign for her husband, obviously, but, to be honest with you, the November election had nothing to do with my decision to attend the event. I went to be inspired.

Snapshot of the crowd at the Michelle Obama Reception
Photo by Sherri Ross

The very sight of Michelle Obama inspires me. That might be hard for some people to understand, but let me explain. Actually, a recent Clutch magazine article by Mary Annaise Heglar explains it better than I ever could. Heglar writes of Michelle Obama:

Her very being challenges every myth about black women — we are fat, ugly, angry, stupid, and (now) single. Michelle is slender, a health nut, poised, smart, and happily married...

Michelle has undone centuries of terrible PR and outright lies. She single-handedly brought successful, well-rounded black women out of the shadows. No longer the invisible women, they now meet with the Queen of England and hula hoop on the White House lawn. She is the First Lady, the face of American womanhood to the rest of the world.

To me Michelle Obama is a rock star. This is why my friend and I were giddy like adolescent girls at a Justin Bieber concert before, during, and after the First Lady's talk. I actually screamed and jumped up and down when she took the stage clad in a sleeveless, navy dress, a black patent leather belt, and black patent leather kitten-heeled shoes.

Here I am grinning ear to ear moments before First Lady Michelle Obama took the stage.
Photo by Sherri Ross 

But yesterday was about more than Michelle Obama's celebrity. I wanted to be inspired by her words and she did not disappoint. Sure, her speech focused a lot on President Obama's accomplishments, but I'm not writing this to tell you how to vote. I'm writing this because I want you to feel as encouraged as I did as I drove home yesterday evening. 

Michelle Obama was funny, passionate, smart and down-to-earth and she was also remarkable. One of the most memorable statements she made yesterday was "Sitting on the sidelines is simply not an option." She was talking about the importance of getting apathetic friends, family members, and neighbors to vote, but this statement is one we should all apply to our lives in general. 

So many of us, too many of us, sit on the sidelines of our own lives. We sit there wishing, hoping and praying that things will happen for us, but they don't because we don't bother to get in the game. 

We're afraid. We're afraid because once we get in the game we know we'll have to run a play, we'll have to make decisions and some of those decisions could change our lives as we know it. But this is exactly why we need to get to work. 

Michelle Obama spoke about those moments when she's seen her husband wrestle with decisions he's had to make for our country. In those moments, she said, President Obama had to draw from his life experiences and his values. When making difficult decisions, she said, "it all comes down to who you are and what you stand for." 

Listening to my First Lady I realized that once you know who you are and what you're truly passionate about, you can step away from the sidelines and move onto the court. When you face the hard choices your character and your values will be your guide. Trust yourself. You can do this. I can do this. 

Happy Saturday, babes! I've decided to start posting some of my best content from my blog GeorgiaMae.com here at The Writeous Babe Project too. Check out this post on natural hair and black beauty culture. 


***

Is natural hair the end of black beauty culture? 


That's the question posed by Cassandra Jackson in a recent article she wrote for The Huffington Post. Jackson says that while she is glad to see an increasing number of black women choosing natural hair (as opposed to chemically straightened hair) she worries that the shift toward natural hair also means a shift away from the black beauty salon, which for decades has been the center of black beauty culture. 

She writes:

While many, including me, celebrate the natural hair movement's emphasis on self-discovery, I cannot help but wonder if something has also been lost with this cultural shift. For all the horrible things about hair straightening, the experiences associated with it have created a powerful thread that connects the vast majority of black women. Even if you have kinky hair now, you probably have memories of time spent with family and friends in kitchens getting your hair done by someone who loved you and who you trusted enough to wield a sizzling hot straightening comb next to your ear. You probably remember that first trip to the beauty shop where black women talked about grown folks' business, and nearly every sentence began with the endearment, "girl." It does not matter if your mother was a teacher or housekeeper, or if you were in New York or Alabama because these experiences crossed class and region. Hair straightening was a rite of passage, an entry into the world of black women.

Personally, I've never been a fan of salons. They stink, they're hot, and you're in there for what feels like half your life. So the fact that wearing my hair in its naturally curly state meant fewer trips to a beauty shop was just more reason for me to embrace my curls. But, ironically, now that I'm natural I feel more a part of black beauty culture than ever before. Black beauty culture has not died; it has simply evolved. 


One of the things I love most about being natural has very little to do with my actual hair. I love being natural because of the sense of community and camaraderie that comes with it. At least once a week I have a conversation with a complete stranger in a clothing store at a shopping mall or in the aisles of the supermarket or in an aerobics class at the gym, and those conversations are sparked because of my curls. Those conversations begin with questions like "How long have you been natural?" or "What products do you use on your hair?" 


Furthermore, some of my closest friends that I've made since I moved back to my hometown have been through local natural hair mixers organized by groups like Birmingham Natural Beauties. At these mixers conversations begin with questions like those I mentioned before, but soon the discussions move to other topics -- our careers, our hobbies, our husbands, our dreams. And soon a friendship is born. 


And thanks to natural blogs we naturalistas can forge bonds with women all across the country or even the world. Through online communities we share stories of our transition from relaxed hair, we rant about our search for a stylist who can cut curly hair, and we rave about products that keep our tresses soft. And soon even these conversations can drift to topics like exercise, as many women begin to workout more after going natural, or healthy eating, as many women begin to reconsider what they're putting in their bodies once they start to think about the products they're putting on their heads. 


So, no, many black women no longer congregate in black beauty salons as we once did, but black beauty culture is alive and well. We naturalistas may not see the black beauty shop as the safe and sacred space as our mothers did but as we gather at natural hair blogs, conferences, and meetups, we are encouraged and we are supported because we are always reminded that we are beautiful. 

Happy Saturday, babes! I've decided to start posting some of my best content from my blog GeorgiaMae.com here at The Writeous Babe Project too. Check out this post on race and weight loss. 

***

Image via Creative Commons

The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that while exercise is a nearly sure way to prevent obesity in white adolescent girls, it does not have the same effect on African American girls.

From the L.A. Times:

The study, published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found that among black adolescent girls who moved the most at age 12, obesity at age 14 was nearly as likely as it was for those whose activity rates were far lower.

For white girls, by contrast, regular exercise at 12 appeared a nearly sure way to head off obesity at 14. That finding held, even when the calorie intakes of an African American youngster and her white counterpart were the same.

The article goes on to say that the study falls in line with research that finds black women oxidize fat more slowly in response to exercise, and that their resting metabolic rates are lower than those of white women.

These findings come in the midst of a national effort to fight the obesity epidemic in the United States and many of those efforts focus on black women. Four in five African American women are overweight or obese when measured by the body mass index, or BMI. Even First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign has had a strong focus on encouraging black girls to be more active since experts say the run-up in weight may begin in adolescence.

So with this new research should black women and girls just give up? Should we hang up our sneakers and head to the couch? Of course not!

In fact, Linda Bacon, an associate nutritionist with UC Davis who was interviewed for the L.A. Times article, has been very critical of the focus on things like weight, BMI, and percent body fat. She believes that people should be encouraged to exercise and eat right for the sake of good health, not a number on a scale. 

The focus on weight can discourage people from being active and eating a healthy diet if they’re not shedding pounds and can lead thin people who eat junk food all the time to think that they’re healthy. Bacon does not believe weight alone determines a person’s level of health.

In the March issue of Glamour magazine she was quoted saying that overweight people can lead long, disease-free lives. “If you eat a good diet and exercise” Bacon told Glamour, “you’re likely to be healthy, no matter what the scale says.”

About a year ago I made the decision to get rid of my scale. I had successfully shed some pounds I wanted to lose but along the way I had become obsessed with my weight, so much so that my sense of self-worth had become too tied to my size. So last summer I trashed my scale and decided to focus on overall fitness. 

That’s when I started training for a half-marathon, something I never thought I would do because even though I had always enjoyed things like dance aerobics classes I had always told myself I could never be a runner. But in February of this year I crossed the finish line of the Mercedes Benz Half-Marathon in Birmingham, Alabama donning a Black Girls Run t-shirt and track jacket. 

This summer I’m working to improve my strength, while still doing plenty of running, dancing, and cycling to maintain good cardiovascular health.

And the only time you will see me stepping on a scale is at a doctor’s office.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I think that for some women weight loss is crucial. If you’ve been told by a doctor that you need to shed pounds because your weight is putting you at serious risk for life-threatening diseases, then by all means follow your doctor’s orders, but do so by making lifestyle changes, not with a crash diet. And don’t get discouraged from your efforts to exercise and eat right just because you can’t reach a magic number on a chart or wear a certain size dress or jeans.

So to all women, regardless of race, out there hitting the gym to lift weights, work that elliptical or dance at your favorite aerobics class, keep moving! To all women and girls pounding the pavement training for your first 5K, 10K, or half-marathon, keep running. With each step you are making your body healthier and stronger, even if it’s not getting smaller.

Antoinette (l) and Shanti (r)
Photos Courtesy Around the Way Curls

There are so many natural hair websites out in the blogosphere these days that when I stumble upon one I haven't read before I usually think, "Oh gosh, not another one." But when I found Antoinette and Shanti's blog Around the Way Curls (formerly known as A Curl's Best Friend), I knew I'd found something special. 

Antoinette and Shanti are best friends and together have created an online publication that explores pop culture and women's issues with an emphasis on celebrating naturally kinky and curly hair. They say their goal is to re-define popular notions of beauty and inspire women to embrace their uniqueness and to encourage a strong sense of self-worth within their readers. 


In less than a year, Antoinette and Shanti have managed to garner a strong following of loyal readers and were recently named by The Root as two of the best black bloggers of 2012. 

The ladies of Around the Way Curls graciously shared with me how they've managed to build a strong online community and how they deal with issues they face while blogging. 

I am quick to scoff at you Twi-hards (a.k.a. Twilighters) and I frequently make fun of Potterheads, but I have a confession: I am counting down the days to The Hunger Games movie (only 128 more to go). And I got chills when I watched the recently released trailer (below).


But my blood started boiling when I read some of the comments from people who couldn't believe that two of the main characters are *gasp* black! (Drop by Nerdgasm Noire Network to check out some examples of reactions.)


Some of you may think this is no reason to be upset. It's natural for fans to want the cast to reflect their vision of the characters. And I'll be honest, I was shocked that Cinna, who will be played by Lenny Kravitz, and Rue, who will be played by Amandla Stenberg, were black too. But instead of being appalled I was excited. 

Then I asked myself why was I surprised especially considering that in the book Rue is described as having "dark brown skin and eyes." Why? Because, quite frankly, as a minority I never expect to be represented in something that's not marketed as being for "people of color." The fact that I still feel this way in 2011 makes me sad and the fact that it seems like some people think we coloreds need to stay out of their Hunger Games pisses me off.


Even though Rue is described as African-American and this has been confirmed by director Garry Ross and author Suzanne Collins, fans insist that she must be white because, as Nerdgasm Noire Network blogger states, "White people are considered the norm in society; the default person." And sometimes I worry this will never change. 

Thursday morning I walked into work and was greeted by a pleasant surprise.


"I didn't know you were writing for Weld!" a co-worker said holding in his hand a copy of the inaugural issue of Weld for Birmingham, a new weekly newspaper in my Magic City. I knew the issue was out and had even received a few text messages from friends about my story but I had yet to get my hands on a copy or even see it online. But I walked into the main office of my school and there was a stack of papers. A grabbed a few (OK, perhaps a bit more than a few) and ran upstairs to my classroom and closed the door. I had less than two minutes before the kiddos would start trickling in, so quickly flipped to pages 24 and 25 and there it was:

My story, titled Going Natural, takes a look at the natural hair trend and how it is taking shape in Birmingham. (Going natural is a phrase we African American women use to describe the decision to stop chemically straightening, or relaxing, our hair.) The primary focus of the story is the emergence of local social groups that are designed to support women on their natural hair journey (and, yes, it is a journey), groups such as Birmingham Natural Beauties and Birmingham Naturalistas.


The cover story for this launch issue of Weld was about big ideas for making Birmingham better. I believe groups like Birmingham Natural Beauties and Birmingham Naturalistas have the power to do just that, to make this city a better place. These groups are uniting women. They are hosting fun and exciting events in a place where people constantly claim "there's nothing to do" and these groups are promoting local businesses such as LeVia's Hair & Body Essentials and Angela's K.I.S.S. All Natural Hair & Skin Products.


But you don't have to be a black woman going natural to be part of something dynamic in Birmingham. This year I have learned about a number of other groups making Birmingham better in various ways. I'm a proud member of the Alabama Social Media Association and Black Girls Run! Birmingham. DISCO is changing the lives of trouble teens with creative writing. There are also great organizations like YP Birmingham and Birmingham Urban League Young Professionals. There's even a Bad Movie Club that meets on the first Monday of the month to watch those films that are so bad they're good like Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures.


I could go on and on, but the point is this -- Birmingham is booming with groups of gals and guys who are uniting to make themselves and their city better. And if the group you're looking for doesn't exist, start it!


I'm excited to be part of a group of writers who are ready to find the magic in the Magic City and share incredible stories in this new publication. I am ready to Weld for Birmingham.

I've been a journalist -- either as an intern, a full-time reporter, or a freelance writer -- for ten years. I've seen my byline in The Seattle Times, The Chicago Sun-Times, several other newspapers and even in a few national magazines. But something was missing. Never had I seen my byline in one of my favorite publications, skirt! magazine. For years I'd submitted essays to be considered for inclusion in the print publication but only to receive that polite but still heartbreaking rejection email. 

This summer that all changed. My essay  A Darker Shade of Brown was published in the July 2011 issue of skirt! magazine.  


Recently, I sat down and took a look at that essay and compared it to others I'd submitted to the magazine to figure out what I finally did right. Here's what I've come up with:


Listen to your English teacher. I always tell my students that the introductory paragraph is like an advertisement for your essay. I tell them that one way to hook your reader is with a great anecdote. So when writing an essay on colorism I did just that. I started the piece with a story of a woman telling me I was pretty despite my dark brown skin. 


Tell a story that only you can. That's one piece of advice authors Emily Giffin and Claire Cook both gave to us women writers at the skirt! Creative Conference. I believe my essay filled a void. Colorism isn't talked about much even in black publications let alone those for a predominately white audience. This was something that needed to be shared and I could be the person to do it. 


No pain, no game. When it hurts to write, I know that's a story worth sharing. Reliving all the insensitive things people that I love have said to me about my complexion was not fun. But seeing my name in skirt! magazine made it worth it.