Fla. is close to putting abortion protections on the 2024 ballotIn Florida, a citizen-led initiative campaign called Floridians Protecting Freedom is leading the effort to protect abortion rights through a constitutional amendment. The group is working to collect 1.25 million signatures by February 2024 to put the amendment on the ballot. As of this Monday, the group had reached almost a third of their goal (402,000).
Prism reports that even if the Supreme Court approves the ballot language and Floridians Protecting Freedom hits the signature threshold, the effort would still need support from 60% of voters in next year's election. Currently, Florida enforces a 15-week abortion ban with a six-week ban pending. If the amendment passes, it will overrule both bans.
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Black women should start screening for breast cancer as early as 40, study finds
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death for Black women, according to the American Cancer Society. And some researchers attribute this to a sobering reality: one in five Black women has triple-negative cancer, a type of cancer in which cancer cells lack estrogen or progesterone. This type of cancer is more common among Black women than in any other racial or ethnic group and is more difficult to treat.
As mammograms (X-rays of a patient's breasts) are considered one of the most effective forms of breast cancer screening, Black Voice News reports that a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests Black women should start screening for breast cancer as early as 42, rather than 50 as recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force.
FDA plans to issue a ban on hair straightening productsErin Maybin and Debra Hare-Bey of the Natural Hairstyle and Braid Coalition joined Wake Up with WURD last month to discuss the attack on Black hair and the FDA’s decision to discuss a ban on certain hair-straightening products.“A lot of people don’t realize that [the] follicles on our scalp is the most sensitive part of our head. So when you’re putting a chemical like a relaxer that has formaldehyde in it, it’s going directly into your bloodstream, and it's causing endocrine disruption, such as thyroid disease, heart disease [and] low birth rates. There’s just a slew of health issues that come from [using these products].” Hare-Bey also reminds listeners that beauty products are not FDA-regulated. 🎧 Listen to the full interview here →
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Chef and founder of Mama Guava, Monique Cadavona blends her Filipino and Hawaiian heritage to create unique culinary experiences in Queens, New York. Mama Guava was founded in 2020 and includes catering, consulting, menu development and events