Archdiocese of New Orleans's says school's hair extension policy rescinded

A Catholic school official said Monday that a suburban New Orleans school has rescinded its policy forbidding hair extensions.

But it remains unclear whether a sixth-grader who left school in tears last week after running afoul of the rule will return to Christ the King school.

A state judge blocked enforcement of the rule after the families of Faith and another girl, Tyrielle Davis, filed suit.

RaeNell Houston, the superintendent Archdiocese of New Orleans schools issued a statement that said Fennidy's family, and the family of Tyrielle Davis, another student who joined in a lawsuit over the policy, were told last week that Christ the King's hair extension policy had been rescinded.

"When this issue arose, the school immediately reviewed its policy and recognized that there may have been sensitivities that needed to be addressed," Houston's statement said. "They then reached out for input from the Office of Catholic Schools, the Office of Black Catholic Ministries, other principals, and parents."

Attorneys for the girls' families said the school did not immediately rescind the policy. They initially refused to change the policy, the attorneys claim, "instead asking that if Faith and Tyrielle return to school they pretend that their hair was natural."

Houston said she will work with school officials to "create a uniform policy that is sensitive to all races, religions, and cultures."

[Yahoo News]

http://www.africanamericanreports.com/2018/08/archdiocese-of-new-orleanss-says.html

How Women of Color Are Taking the Hair Business Into Their Own Hands

Marrying tech and beauty isn’t a new concept, but most of the existing hair service apps don’t include a diverse enough range of options, nor provide the right information to help a woman with a relaxer or an afro decide if a stylist is right for her. Swivel allows salon and home styling seekers to search its directory by specific hair texture and the type of look desired. A user can read reviews and see ratings of not only the stylist’s skills, but also the overall vibe of the salon, so she knows what to expect before she books. The app is a must-download for women who are new in town, need a stylist, and want to avoid a disappointing trial and error process. It’s also appealing to those who don’t want to rely on just one stylist to meet all of their needs.

While Swivel is on a quest to make the search for a stylist less painful, Lux Beauty Club, is tackling another common hair complaint—the cost. Co-founder Victoria Flores, a former Wall Street executive affectionately describes the company as a cross between “Warby Parker and Dollar Shave Club.” Created with her long-time friend, Leslie Wilson-Namad, the goal of the service is to make high-quality human hair extensions accessible and affordable for a multi-cultural range of women. “My business partner and I have been wearing hair extensions since birth,” jokes Flores, who grew up in El Paso, Texas and now resides in New York City. After years of spending an obscene amount of money to get our hair done, we said enough is enough. There has to be a better way.”

Read more: How Women of Color Are Taking the Hair Business Into Their Own Hands

You Can Be Fired for Wearing Dreadlocks

In a decision that delimits the concept of race to physical characteristics that are “immutable,” a federal appeals court ruled last week that firing an employee for wearing her hair in dreadlocks is not racial discrimination.

The case centers on Chastity Jones, a black woman who accepted a job at a Mobile, Alabama, insurance claims processing company in 2010. The company, Catastrophe Management Solutions, required its employees to project “a professional and businesslike image”; Jones claims a white human resources employee told her that she’d need to get rid of her dreadlocks because they “tend to get messy.” When Jones refused to modify her hairstyle, the company rescinded her offer of employment.

Last week, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s dismissal of Jones’ Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit from 2013. The EEOC’s initial claim contended that Catastrophe’s actions, and all policies forbidding dreadlocks, are racially discriminatory because “dreadlocks are a manner of wearing the hair that is physiologically and culturally associated with people of African descent.” Essentially, the EEOC was arguing for a theory of race as a social construct, rather than some kind of biological classification with easily definable bounds. Race “has no biological definition,” the claim read, and besides that, “hairstyle can be a determinant of racial identity.”

Read more: A Federal Court Ruled That Companies Can Fire People Just for Having Dreadlocks

Hairstyles, Not Hair Type, Responsible For Widespread Hair Loss In Black Women

New research suggests certain scalp-pulling hairstyles may underlie gradual hair loss.

Hair can be a touchy subject. It’s considered an essential part of overall identity: especially for women, that’s why many of us try our best to care for and manage it. However, while most of us know that moisture and trimming split ends are essential for hair growth and strong, healthy hair, how we style our hair could also be detrimental to its health. A new research review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found a strong association between certain scalp-pulling hairstyles — many of which are common among black women — and gradual hair loss. Their research assigned a level of risk to a number of popular hairstyles, from straightening to tight ponytails.

Traction alopecia, a form of gradual hair loss caused by constant strain or tension, affects an estimated one-third of African-American women. Fortunately, unlike others, this form of alopecia can be easily stopped and reversed. Still, the current study’s researchers urge dermatologists to better educate themselves about hairstyles that can contribute to this condition, including tight ponytails, braids, knots and buns.

"Hair is a cornerstone of self-esteem and identity for many people, but ironically, some hairstyles meant to improve our self-confidence actually lead to hair and scalp damage,” Dr. Crystal Aguh, assistant professor of dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a statement.

Read more here: Hairstyles, Not Hair Type, Responsible For Widespread Hair Loss In Black Women

How #unconventionalblackbeauty celebrates people like me

Before laying my head to rest last night, Black Twitter blessed me with something magical. Scrolling through my timeline, I noticed the hashtag #unconventionalblackbeauty, featuring photos of beautiful black faces. Not much different from #blackoutday, an online movement that celebrated black beauty, right?

Wrong.

The difference here was this was an honest discourse about how we define beauty within the black community. And I was so here for it.

In less than 24 hours, the hashtag has received a cosign from artist Talib Kweli and timelines exploded with photos of women and men with full lips, broad noses and kinky hair posing with pride. Because truthfully and ironically, a lot of times when we praise black beauty, we celebrate the features closest to Eurocentric ones.

Read more at How #unconventionalblackbeauty celebrates people like me

Lupita Nyong'o is People magazine's Most Beautiful person

Lupita Nyong'o is People's Most Beautiful person for 2014, the magazine revealed Wednesday morning on TODAY. The Oscar winner with the perfect smile and the style to match beams from a cover that promises "her inspiring story." Read more here: Lupita Nyong'o Is PEOPLE's Most Beautiful

The reviews are in for NAPPY, a book for little black girls.

The reviews are in for NAPPY!

NAPPY a short picture book letting young black girls know how beautiful both they and their hair are. 99¢ for kindle: NAPPY FOR KINDLE

5.0 out of 5 stars Nappy! October 2, 2013
By Cinnamon Curly Girl
Format:Kindle Edition
In a society the heralds a standard of beauty contrary to those of African Americans with highly textured hair; Nappy by George Cook III, promotes positive self image for young Black girls. This book reaffirms that we are indeed made in God's perfect image!

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read October 15, 2013
By Sammie
Format:Kindle Edition
My granddaughter enjoyed the story, I had to read it 3 times. This seems to be our nightly bedtime story. I loved the story line and how it let the reader know that it's ok to wear natural hair and as a woman that also has chosen to be natural, this book is long overdue... Thanks George for inspiring our young ladies of color!

4.0 out of 5 stars Important Message for young black girls: September 30, 2013
By Larry Sputnik
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is very short (only 5 pages) but carries a big message for young girls. While we all know that girls of all races eventually are faced with image issues, one particular issue that is typically unique to black girls is that of their hair and coming to terms with the fact that it does not necessarily look like the hair on their dolls or the hair on most female models in magazines or on TV. The short poem and child-friendly illustrations introduce self-awareness and pride to young children who may be confused or unsure of the beauty of their inherited attributes.

Also available for Nook: NAPPY FOR NOOK

Smashwords: NAPPY FOR SMASHWORDS