(“Splash” by The Eye of Vox, Flickr, Creative Commons)
The summer is finally upon us. The closer we get to the end of the summer, the hotter it feels outside. No longer is it in-between jacket weather; it is undeniably sunny summer weather. During this time of year, it is very common to hear phrases like, “Don’t forget your sunscreen.” But what does that sentence mean for a person of color? Growing up as a Black woman, this bit of sun advice was almost always met with skepticism and regarded as sometimes irrelevant due to my beliefs about sun safety and the Black community.
During this time of year it is also common to hear statements like “You’ll be okay” if you don’t remember your sunscreen, or there simply isn’t even a conversation about buying or using sunscreen. Statements like the former or lack thereof are partially due to the myths surrounding this topic, such as the myth that people of color don’t need to use sunscreen or that people of color don’t get sunburned. Actually, the amount of melanin or dark pigmentation in skin serves as an inherent protector against the sun’s rays. However, instead of turning red, darker skinned people tend to turn darker brown.
Below are some fast facts about sun safety and people of color:
Risk of Skin Cancer
• African American skin has been found to have an inherent sun protective factor (SPF) of about 13.4 in comparison to 3.4 in white skin. This factor contributes to the fact that skin cancer is diagnosed less often in African Americans, as well as in Asians and Latinos, than in whites. However, when skin cancer is diagnosed in people of color it tends to be within the later stages of skin cancer, which makes mortality rates disproportionately higher.
• Melanoma is often found in places of the skin that are less often exposed and have less pigmentation. For African Americans, Asians, Filipinos, Indonesians, and native Hawaiians, 60-75 percent of tumors related to melanoma have been found on the palms, soles, mucous membranes and nail regions.
• Risk factors in minorities for melanoma other than the sun include: burn scars, albinism, trauma, preexisting moles, radiation therapy and immunosuppression.
SPF Recommendations
• The FDA has suggested that brands that promise very high SPF levels such as 50+ have been found to be misleading and the high level of SPF is not necessary.
• Vitamin A in sunscreen can lead to development of tumors when in the sun. Instead, look for sunscreens that contain zinc, titanium dioxide, avobenzone or Mexoryl S.
• Choosing an SPF level can be difficult. Darker skin does not require the highest level of SPF. Regardless of skin tone, an SPF of 15 at minimum is suggested, reapplying every 2 hours when in direct sun.
• Be sure to check out the 2015 Guide to Sunscreens for info about different sunscreen brands and sunscreen recommendations for people of color.
So before basking in the sun’s glory, be sure to grab your sunscreen — regardless of your skin tone!
I’ve heard it called Impostor Phenomenon or sometimes Impostor Syndrome, but it tends to announce itself more like…”OH MY GAH, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU’RE DOING DO YOU?! SOMEONE ELSE WOULD HAVE KNOWN EXACTLY WHAT TO DO AND WOULD HAVE DONE THIS WAAAAAY BETTER. THEY’RE GONNA KNOW! THEY’RE ALL GONNA KNOW!” …At least that’s how it shows up in my head.
But whatever you call it, false feelings of not-good-enoughness are pretty common. Google it. Some researchers estimate that as many as 70% of people feel this way at some point in their lives. And while it can happen to anyone, researchers find this phenomenon especially common in women, people of ethnic and racial minorities, and anyone who’s trying something new or who feels different from the people around them.
Common or not, these automatic thoughts of impostordom can stall or stunt a person’s progress in life in major ways. And fears of having one’s “shortcomings” “found out” can keep folks from reaching out and connecting with others who could help.
There are a lot of theories out there about where this comes from and lots of advice for what to do about it, but I happened upon a TED talk the other day that gives scientific evidence to something I’ve learned doing theater.
ITC ensemble members using Image Theater techniques.
With Interactive Theatre Carolina, we use a range of theatrical tools to help folks better understand themselves and discuss the world we live in. One technique we use is Forum Theatre—sometimes called a “rehearsal for real life,” which seeks to empower regular folks to make courageous and healthy choices by practicing changing the outcomes of problematic scenarios. Another technique we use is called Image Theatre, in which participants strike poses and audience members discuss and analyze the stories and associations the body postures convey. A “picture’s worth a thousand words,” right?
This TED talk references a study in which Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist and researcher at Harvard Business School, reports findings that support that rehearsing for real life…is also real life. She finds that changing our body language not only influences the messages we send to others but also the messages we send to ourselves at the chemical level.
In short, striking powerful poses (poses that open the body and take up space) alters hormone levels—increasing testosterone and decreasing cortisol (a stress hormone)—which results in a person actually feeling more powerful. The opposite happens, as you might imagine, when a person strikes a low-power pose (body closed off and made small). These changes are measurable and almost instant; Cuddy’s subjects only held the poses for 2 minutes.
Will striking a power pose and altering my brain chemistry suddenly make me capable of being the next president? Highly unlikely. But could striking a power pose for a few minutes before leading a presentation help me interrupt some negative self-talk that might otherwise hold me back? Probably.
Check out some of the articles embedded and below for other strategies to get past fears of being an impostor in your own life. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to stand like a starfish for the next 2 minutes and have a brave afternoon.
That’s RIGHT–your or your student group could win $1,000 at the very first LDOC HeelFest!!!
LDOC HeelFest will be an end-of-year talent show extravaganza. This is the first year UNC is doing this event and it is a collaboration among multiple campus departments and student groups. It will be held at Ehringhaus Field from 4-8pm on LDOC, which is Friday April 24th. The talent show will feature a showcase of UNC student talent, and the students at the event will get to vote on the winning performer/group. The Grand Prize will be a cash amount, TBD.
Come to auditions this week and next…Let’s see what you got!
LDOC HeelFest audition schedule
Halloween should be a time for carefree fun and expression, but some common costumes perpetuate racial and ethnic stereotypes. And that’s not good for our Cultural Wellness.
Wait…WHA–? Cultural wellness…what in the world?
At Student Wellness, we believe wellness has multiple dimensions, and one of those dimensions is Cultural Wellness, which involves understanding diverse backgrounds while creating safe, inclusive spaces for all to feel welcome. Research shows that marginalized populations experience higher rates of stress and stress-related health problems, even when we control for factors like socio-economic status and education level. Much of this stress can be linked to repeated, often everyday, experiences of discrimination or bias, like seeing one’s group made fun of in a costume.
“crowd on franklin street.” Selena N. B. H. Flickr Creative Commons.
Ok, so what does this have to do with Halloween?
The DTH recently touched on this in an article about costume racism. Halloween costumes that promote racial and ethnic stereotypes make fun of people who are already marginalized. For example, Native Americans make up 2% of the incoming class of UNC first years, and their numbers have declined 33% over the last 4 years at UNC, and yet Native American costumes are an ever-popular choice for Halloween in Chapel Hill. But sporting that “Sexy Pocahontas” costume trivializes the many rich and varied cultural traditions of Native Americans, not to mention the centuries of forced migration and genocide they have endured. Check out this video made by Native students at UNC about their experience.
But, it’s HALLOWEEN! It’s all just a joke…aren’t people being TOO sensitive?
It can be very frustrating to always feel in fear of offending someone, especially when it was not intended. And there aren’t hard and fast rules; what offends one person may seem harmless to another. But just because someone has good intentions does not automatically make the impact harmless. Recently, a good friend of mine made a passing comment about my body shape that upset me. I confronted her about it after it had been on my mind all day. She could have blown me off and said I was being “too sensitive.” And then we would have fought and I would have felt even worse, and maybe I would have avoided her after that. She didn’t do that. Instead, she validated my feelings, and she apologized for saying what she said. I knew she never meant to hurt me. But what she said still hurt. She owned it and she apologized and agreed not to make the comment again. And VOILÀ! We are back to hanging out and watching bad TV together.
“Empathy.” Glenda Sims. Flickr Creative Commons.
Regardless of intent, our actions and words impact other people, and recognizing that impact can improve our relationships. Respecting other identities allows people to feel welcomed and heard—just like my friend made me feel when I confronted her. We know that certain Halloween costumes offend marginalized groups. Not meaning any harm, or dressing in these costumes “all in good fun” will not change the impact a costume has on that group. So, why not choose a Halloween costume that speaks to inclusion rather than stereotypes? Find out more about avoiding offensive costumes here and here. And check out some of our multicultural resources on campus to improve your own Cultural Wellness!
Logo from National Alliance for Mental Illness: http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=mental_illness_awareness_week
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), around one in four adults in the U.S. experience a mental illness each year – that’s about 61.5 million people. Furthermore, one in 17 adults is living with a serious mental illness like major depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. Given these statistics, it’s likely that mental illness affects the majority of us in some way. Yet, it’s a topic that is often misrepresented or ignored altogether in the media and within our society as a whole.
To work towards changing this, Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) was created in 1990 – Each year, the first full week of October (this year, October 5-11) is designated as MIAW. So that’s happening next week! You might be wondering: what exactly is Mental Illness Awareness Week, and how can I get involved? Keep reading for answers to these questions.
NAMI explains that during Mental Illness Awareness Week, “we fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for equal care.” As NAMI’s definition states, fighting the stigma surrounding mental illness is one of the main objectives of MIAW. According to a study done among students at UNC, 11.3% of Carolina students surveyed said they agreed with the following statement: I would think less of someone who has received mental health treatment. Furthermore, 19% of students surveyed agreed with this statement: I feel that receiving mental health treatment is a sign of personal failure.
As these statistics show, stigma surrounding mental illness in our community is a real issue. For more information on stigma and how to combat it, check out Stigma Free Carolina – a group on campus working to fight stigma and raise awareness about mental health issues in the UNC community.
“People in the summertime,” by Gonzalo G. Useta, Flickr Creative Commons
There are a bunch of great events happening at UNC for Mental Illness Awareness Week – if you’re interested in learning more, get involved with some of these opportunities! Here’s a schedule of events for MIAW (and beyond):
- Mental Health awareness event in the Pit – sponsored by Stigma Free Carolina
- October 3, 2014 from 12:00-2:00pm
- Location: the Pit
- Trivia questions and prizes!
- Rethink Psychiatric Illness training – sponsored by Stigma Free Carolina
- October 4, 2014 from 2:00-6:00pm
- Location: Student Union, room 2423
- Register here
- Redefining Mental Health panel discussion sponsored by Stigma Free Carolina
- October 6, 2014 from 5:30-7:00pm
- Location: Carolina Inn
- Register here
- Interactive Theater Carolina performance on mental health issues
- October 7, 2014 from 6:00-7:30pm
- Location: Student Union, room 3203
- Register here
- Mental Health 101 training
- October 9, 2014 from 6:00-8:00pm
- Location: Student Union, room 3408
- Refreshments served!
- Register here
- Rethink Psychiatric Illness training
- October 25, 2014 from 12:00-4:00pm
- November 8, 2014 from 2:00-6:00pm
- Register here
For more information on mental health services on campus, including individual and group counseling, check out UNC’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).
This week is weight stigma awareness week. Last week, I attended UNC’s Smash TALK, an open discussion with leading eating disorder experts, and I was shocked to learn that weight stigma is much more than the brief sting of hearing the words “you’re fat.”
Imagine that you were sitting at Lenoir or Starbucks with some friends, looking at the photo below in a magazine or online. What are people saying?
“Models photo shoot” by David Yu, Flickr Creative Commons
Now, imagine ya’ll are looking at this photo. What are people saying?
“It’s been awhile” by Amber Karnes, Flickr Creative Commons
We did a similar exercise at the Smash TALK event, and it really illustrated the assumptions we make around body size. The thin-framed woman drew words like hot, confident, disciplined, healthy, social, popular, and vain. The large-framed woman was described as both happy and unhappy, weak-willed, lazy, lonely, not-as-popular.
Wow. That’s a lot of assumptions based on one photo and NO interaction.
Where do these assumptions come from?
These assumptions are clear examples of weight bias. The Binge Eating Disorder Association defines weight bias as “negative judgment based on weight, shape, and/or size.” It can be both explicit and implicit, and it leads to weight stigma, or internalized shame resulting from weight bias.
Weight bias stems from a culture that inaccurately equates thinness with health, happiness, and success. Add to that the growing “war on obesity” which has become a war on obese people, and it is clear that weight bias is increasingly pervasive.
Unfortunately, it also starts young and often in the home: in one study, 47% of overweight girls and 34% of overweight boys were teased about their weight by family members. Many parents who struggle with their body image subconsciously pass this on to their kids, while others try intentionally not to.
What about weight stigma for the skinny folks?
I have written a few blogs about body image, and I try to veer away from promoting one body type over another, because thin people face assumptions that they are stuck up or vain or that they have an eating disorder. Songs like “All About That Bass” and campaigns like “Real Women Have Curves” send a negative message to thin women, and I’m not okay with that.
But…
When it comes to weight stigma, people with large bodies have it worse. And here’s why:
People with large bodies don’t just face stigma from fat jokes, they also face discrimination. Weight discrimination has increased 66% over the past decade, making it comparable to rates of racial discrimination, especially among women.
Here are some of the inequities:
Education—compared to nonobese children, obese children are
- Perceived as less likely to succeed by teachers and principals
- Less likely to be admitted to college with comparable academic performance
- Less likely to attend college
- Subject to teasing and bullying which leads to increased absences and depression
Employment—compared to nonobese adults, obese individuals face
- Lower employment with comparable qualifications and skills
- Lower wages (1% to 6% less than nonobese employees)
- Negative bias in performance evaluations
Health—compared to nonobese patients, obese patients experience
- Negative stereotypes among health care professionals
- Less time with their physicians
- Increased depression, lower self esteem, and negative body image
In an earlier blog, I talked about how body shame hurts us all. And it does. However, the shame associated with larger bodies comes with a large dose of discrimination that affects people’s ability to get into college, get a job and get paid fairly, and get the medical attention they need. And that’s the real shame.
Help fight weight stigma by
- Avoiding media that supports weight bias and weight stigma; read positive media like Yoga Body Project or join the Health At Every Size movement
- Recognizing that body shame negatively affects everyone—large or small—but it results in some serious inequities for people with larger bodies
- Taking Embody Carolina’s training to learn more about eating disorders and the healthy weight myth
- Reading more about thin privilege and fat acceptance
When my college roommate died of ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) on Thanksgiving Day in 2012, I was completely devastated. ALS is a neurological disease that affects the brain’s ability to communicate with the muscles in the body. In lieu of flowers, a monetary contribution was made to the ALS Foundation. Undoubtedly, I am an advocate and supporter of raising funds to support further research for this dreaded disease which, to date, has no cure. Recently, many people have been participating in a “challenge” to raise awareness for ALS. So…what is this challenge, you might ask…? THE ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE, of course.
The ALS ice bucket challenge is endearing, exciting and engaging! Most everyone is abuzz with the challenge, which is gaining momentum with each passing day among the young, old, and in between. But wait……when I asked my African American female friends about participating in the challenge, they gave me “that look.” I, of course, knew what “that look” meant. However, for those who do not know, I will translate for you: that look means, “Are you for real?” This has nothing to do with obviating the gravity and the meaning associated with the ALS challenge itself, but it has everything to do with hair.
Many celebrity figures have accepted the challenge, and two famous Black actresses have decided to do it “Black girl” style. (http://youtu.be/gyktvpkVXvA and http://youtu.be/r0sSYqF6RXM)
For hundreds of years, many African American/Black women have owned their hair as their mane of glory. Even in the cotton fields, Black women did all they could not to sweat because their natural curl would become tighter and less manageable. From straightening combs, to afros, to chemicals, to braids, to weaves, to the new wave buzz…..Black women have experimented with their hair….looking for a style that would reflect the essence of who they are, while still maintaining beauty, sophistication and liberation. Hair should not be an obsession, but when it prevents one from participating in fun activities, charitable causes, healthy exercise, sports events, ad infinitum…..what is the answer?
For those sisters who can relate, it is not as simple as “yes,” I want to participate in the ice bucket challenge. It is the aftermath of “re-coifing,” re-grooming, re-styling, and reminding ourselves that Afro-textured hair requires a different type of hair care which involves time. While the biochemical composition of Afro-textured hair is identical to that of Caucasians and Asians, its morphological difference in elasticity and comb-ability causes Afro-textured hair to have different needs. These needs oftentimes inform how African American women make decisions about how they navigate their daily lives–even if it means re-thinking the ice bucket challenge!!
More information: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kimika-hudson/the-missing-education-on-black-hair_b_5540407.html
This blog was written by DeVetta Holman Nash, who presently serves as the strategic planner for Diversity Initiatives and as the Co-Lead for the Vice-Chancellor’s Inclusiveness and Accessibility Service Delivery Team. A professionally trained health educator and primary prevention specialist, DeVetta earned her B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and her Masters Degree in Public Health from the Gillings School of Global Public Health. DeVetta is a past recipient of the Chancellor’s Student Undergraduate Teaching and Staff Award (SUTSA) and has been inducted into the UNC Frank Porter Graham Honor Society for outstanding professional work. She serves as the UNC Faculty Advisor for the UNC Collegiate Chapter of the NAACP and mentors UNC students, including UNC’s Covenant Scholars. DeVetta was the recipient of the 2012 University Diversity Award which recognizes significant contribution to the enhancement, support and/or furtherance of diversity on the campus and in the community. DeVetta is a 25-year employee committed to creating an optimal living and learning experience for UNC-CH students. She loves jazz and sunsets. She is the proud mother of one son, Master Robert-Anthony Nash.