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  • Politics Is Like Hiring A Hitman
    by Scott Woods inPolitical on2020-08-13

    For me, politics is like hiring a hitman. I have values and things I care about. I care enough about them to at least bother voting for 5 minutes every year for one issue or another. And because I care at least that much, I vote for people who align with the ability to realize the things I care about.

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  • Punching Above Our Weight
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-07-24

    I believe our vote is the punctuation of our voice. Without that resounding exclamation mark, I believe our voices are just incoherent noise.

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  • BLACK PROGRESS AMIDST SOCIAL CHAOS
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-06-16

    Recent events have raised the profile of historical injustice and inequities here in the USA. The entire world has taken note of the fact that BLACK LIVES MATTER.   We invite all of our friends to engage in actions that result in the greatest movement for change in our history. It is imperative that we take advantage of this opportunity to affect a positive change by ACTING IN OUR SELF-INTERESTS.

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  • Living in a Black No-Man's Land
    by Roger Madison Jr. inOur Community on2019-10-28

    There are many narratives that define the Black experience in America in this 2nd decade of the 21st century. Our striving over the centuries of our sojourn in this nation is a tapestry of every human experience -- oppression, enslavement, forced assimilation, dehumanization, exclusion, segregation, isolation, struggle, perseverance, achievement, excellence, celebration, mourning, despair, progress, setbacks, lynching, assassination, genocide, terror, self-hatred, low esteem, pride,...

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  • Fighting Racism
    by Scott Woods inOur Community on2018-10-25

    I had a boss who was racist. Not an outright bigot, of course; her toolbox was more subtle than most. We bumped heads a lot over inconsequential things. She frequently couldn’t keep my name out her mouth. Lot of gaslighting. You know…2018 style. I tried a lot of ways to combat or navigate her issues. None of them worked, and that’s saying a lot because I’m really good at fighting racism. But at the end of the day – every day – she was my boss, I had to deal with her, and that was that. Finally I...

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Tips for Dry Hair

One of the most challenging aspects of dealing with our black hair is combating its natural dryness. Black hair tends to be dry because of its physical structure. Dry hair is brittle hair, and when hair is brittle it breaks easily.  However there are several steps that you can take to deal with dry hair. 

 

One of the most important things you can do to deal with dry hair is to be sure you always wash your hair with a gentle shampoo.  Avoid shampoos made with the chemicals sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium laureth sulfate.  These detergents are some of the most commonly used cleansers in shampoos.  However these ingredients strip the hair of natural oils and leave the hair feeling dry and harder to manage.  A gentle moisturizing shampoo will cleanse your hair without stripping it of natural oils.  Always condition after washing to soften your hair and help make it more manageable. 

 

Another important step to take in dealing with dry hair is to seal in moisture after washing with a natural hair oil or a natural pomade.  A natural hair oil or pomade applied to the hair after washing will help seal moisture in the hair shaft which in turn will help the hair retain more moisture in between washings.

 

A third step you can take to deal with dry hair is to limit your use of heated appliances such as pressing combs, flat irons, curling irons, blow dryers, etc.  These tools are fine to use in moderation, but if they are used too much (like every day or every other day) or at too high a level of heat, they will contribute to hair dryness by causing the moisture in your hair to evaporate, leaving you with dry, brittle hair.  When using heated appliances, use a thermal protectant on your hair (such as a natural hair oil) to protect your hair from the heat. 

 

©2007, The Franklin and Franklin Company. Ololade Franklin is co-owner of Northwest Scents™ a company that specializes in natural products for Black, African, and highly textured hair. Visit her website online at http://www.nwscents.com