New effort aims to help immigrant-owned beauty salons switch to nontoxic productsNgan Hoang, whose family has owned a nail salon in Minneapolis for 30 years, has become ever more aware of the toxic chemicals found in nail polish, especially since becoming a parent eight years ago. Hoang read that long-term exposure to these chemicals could cause liver and kidney damage, birth defects and even cancer. (She has since made the switch to using nontoxic products — a process she tells Sahan Journal took four years.) Now, a University of Minnesota initiative, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, aims to encourage other Vietnamese and East African-owned nail salons to also make the change to only using nontoxic products.
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Undocumented therapists serve those in the shadowsIn 2014, California became the first state in the country to allow people without full immigration status to become professional licensed therapists, including doctors and therapists. For people like Mayra Barragan-O’Brien, who was smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border in a truck at 14, and other undocumented people who want to address ‘immigration-related trauma’ and the mental health needs of their community, the route to becoming a licensed professional therapist is possible. (According to this story published by MindSiteNews, Nevada and Illinois followed suit in 2019.) And in California, where only 9% of clinical counseling psychologists identify as Latino while about 40% of the population does, the glaring need for Latino therapists in the U.S. is crucial.
Before the West called it a ‘trend,’ our abuelas mastered DIY natural skincareAloe vera. Chia seeds. Avocados and honey. Not only are these plants and fruits delicious to eat, they are also highly beneficial for glowing skin and strong hair. They are native to the Caribbean and Latin America and have been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. For instance, aloe vera, which is high in antioxidants, is useful for treating cuts, sunburns, and other skin irritations. Luz Media reminds us that our abuelas (Spanish for "grandmothers") and great-grandparents were hip to natural skincare regimens before they became trends in Western society.
Uplift, Respect & Love Black History
Podcasts to listen to this #BlackHistoryMonth
Throughout this February,
URL Media
will be uplifting stories from our partners that reflect the expansiveness of Blackness — from our origins to current times. Listen to our joint #BlackHistoryMonth playlist with
LWC Studios
for more