Posted inHealth, Partner Content

The Cosmetic Industry’s Toxic Toll on Black Women

Dereliction of Beauty: First in a series from Inside Climate News on how lax regulation of beauty care products victimizes women of color. ICN is a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for the ICN newsletter here. For Jeanette Toomer, the hours she used to spend to ensure that […]

Posted inHealth

How Gun Violence Is Frustrating Public Health Advocates

Gun-related emergency room visits and deaths among Black children soared during the pandemic — and experts and activists say that while the recent data isn’t necessarily surprising, it’s frustrating. There are potential solutions, but they say elected officials and institutions aren’t putting enough resources into preventative measures.  “We had communities that were already on fire, […]

Posted inHealth, Maternal Health, Partner Content

‘She Made Me Feel Seen and Heard.’ Black Doulas Offer Birth Support and Care to Improve Health of Moms and Babies.

This story was reported and published by MindSite News, a nonprofit news site that reports on mental health. Sign up for the MindSite News Daily newsletter here. Jacquesta Michel’s baby shower was supposed to be themed around her favorite Disney movie, The Lion King. Then her blood pressure spiked. Instead of dancing and eating Simba […]

Posted inHealth, Health Equity

What a Proposed Ban on Some Chemicals in Hair Straighteners Means for Black Women

As research stacks up pointing to the long-term health risks of chemical hair relaxers, aka “creamy crack,” many Black women have long ditched the lye and are sticking with their natural hair textures.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent proposed ban on cancer-causing formaldehyde, a key ingredient in some products, has been called a […]

Posted inHealth, Mental Health

The Racism Black Kids Endure Is Spiraling Into a Health Crisis

Ignored complaints of students using racist slurs, Black children getting in trouble for reporting instances of discrimination, and white students mockingly reenacting the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers are all outlined in a lawsuit that hit a Georgia school district earlier this year.  The case is just the tip of the iceberg when it […]

Posted inCOVID-19, Health

The New COVID-19 Vaccine Is Rolling Out. Here’s What Black Americans Should Know.

Amid the recent uptick in COVID hospitalizations, a new round of vaccines is being introduced. The shots could be particularly important for Black Americans, who have continued to show an increased risk for severe complications from the virus.  Although much smaller than past spikes, COVID deaths have risen above 1,000 per week this month and […]