By Alexa Spencer, Word in Black The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a ban on hair-straightening and smoothing products that contain cancer-causing chemicals. Black women, who are historic consumers of the hair “relaxers,” may benefit most from the new rule if it’s adopted. The ban forbids the use of formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-releasing […]
Author Archives: Word in Black
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Why mass incarceration still has mass appeal
By Hiram Jackson, Word in Black America’s love affair with incarceration unnecessarily deprives people of their freedom. It also comes with enormous social and economic costs for formerly incarcerated individuals, their families and their communities. More than 10.2 million people are held in penal institutions throughout the world, mostly as pre-trial detainees, remand prisoners or […]
Posted inWord In Black
Mothers of color can’t see if providers have a history of mistreatment- but why?
By Sarah Kwon, Word In Black When Selam Solomon Caldwell and her husband learned she was pregnant last year, the stakes for finding the right OB-GYN felt high. Caldwell, a Black woman, had heard stories from family and friends of maternity care providers who ignored their requests or pressured them into cesarean sections without clear […]
Posted inNational News
Biden has canceled $127 Billion in student debt–and there’s more relief to come
By Bria Overs, Word in Black The Biden-Harris administration continues on its path of debt forgiveness, adding 125,000 student loan borrowers to its growing list of those who have received relief since President Biden took office. This decision comes mere weeks after the Department of Education announced forgiveness for 2,300 University of Phoenix students. The […]
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Why aren’t people doing home dialysis?
By Alexa Spencer, Word In Black When Pflugerville, Texas, resident Melissa Bensouda gave birth to her third child in 2002 at age 27, she dreamed of dressing her baby in cute outfits and documenting all the usual first-year milestones. Instead, she soon found herself worrying about staying alive. “I definitely did not expect to see […]
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Will Biden’s new gun prevention office help Black America?
By Alexa Spencer, Word In Black When Quavo headed to the White House on Sept. 22, there’s no doubt the Migos rapper wished he was there for a happier reason. But in Nov. 2022, Takeoff — his nephew and fellow group member — was shot and killed during an altercation at a Houston bowling alley. […]
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The ‘dreaded return’ of student loan repayments is upon us
By Ariama C. Long, Word In Black With the average graduate grappling with high inflation and housing costs, it turns out the real boogeyman haunting October is student loan repayments (with interest) — which are due to restart next month because of legislation passed by Congress. According to the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), borrowers […]
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Study: Black patients more likely to be restrained in the emergency room
By Alexa Spencer, Word in Black Black patients are more likely than other racial groups to be restrained during emergency department (ED) visits, according to a new study by Baylor University College of Medicine. The findings — released in JAMA Internal Medicine on Sept. 25 — are based on a systematic review of 10 studies […]
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A prescription for healing America’s pre-existing condition
By Joseph Williams, Word in Black Not long after starting work as a practicing physician, Dr. Paula Braveman reached an important diagnosis: many of the Black patients she treated for things like hypertension or diabetes had something in common. She later confirmed the observation as a public health researcher in San Francisco. Being Black in […]
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Opinion: Is Kaepernick’s NFL plea betrayal or brilliance?
By John Celestand, Word in Black Being a lover of sports since I was a toddler and later becoming a professional basketball player in the NBA, it is safe to say I’ve had my share of disappointing moments in sports over the years. I remember missing the final shot at the buzzer of the Edison […]
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When it comes to tech, we are who we’ve been waiting for
By Joseph Williams, Word in Black Dr. Fallon Wilson has seen the future, and it is Black. A technology maven and self-described prophet, her visions are of Black Americans thriving in a society that’s equal parts Black Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and Wakanda. Every Black school and household will have broadband internet access. Well-funded historically […]
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Black folks and the risk of poverty in retirement
By Bria Overs, Word In Black Working for a lifetime is rarely any person’s dream. As people get closer to age 65, they start putting together their plans for living out the rest of their lives in a well-deserved retirement. However, too many Americans lack the “longevity literacy” to prepare for retirement properly. In a […]