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https://blackgirlnerds.com/5-youtube-channels-to-follow-when-starting-your-natural-hair-journey/

If you’re a Black woman who is thinking of ditching the hair relaxers and straighteners, your biggest question may be how to start your natural hair journey. Luckily, there’s YouTube — a life-changing platform with thousands of videos about natural hair care and natural hairstyles. But with the availability of so many different channels, it can be difficult to know who to follow. Here are five channels you should follow if you’re thinking about or have started your natural hair journey along with some basic channel selection criteria to follow.

What to look for when following channels

It’s easy to become starstruck when you see a beautiful Black woman with thick long and healthy 4b or 4c type hair. Seeing this always restores a little bit of hope in any woman who did their big chop. Yet it’s important to keep in mind that although you may share similar hair textures with a YouTube star, everyone’s hair is different. This is one reason why it’s important to be a little selective when choosing who to follow.

And although there are common practices within the natural hair community, there are no absolute rules for natural hair care, except for avoiding treatments or products with toxic chemicals.

When coming across different YouTube channels, ask the following questions.

How transparent are they with their journey? Can you follow their journey from beginning to present? Do they share different parts of the journey? Do they show a variety of Black natural hairstyles?

Do they back up what they are saying with personal experience and science? Natural hair care is a process, one that includes trial and error, experimentation, and sometimes a bit of luck. A way to know if the information you’re listening to is genuine is to pay attention to how much they are sharing from their own experience in addition to paying attention to the factual information, they’re sharing. They don’t need to be a scientist, but can they at least define and mention some of the anatomy or breakdown of the hair?

What are people saying in the comments? People are honest on the internet. If people are sharing their positive experiences, that’s a good sign that a channel knows what they are talking about.

Do they have a similar hair texture to yours or do they have a hair texture that you admire? It’s fine to admire and follow someone who has a different curl pattern than you; however, you may not be able to apply the same techniques. You must embrace your hair texture and learn to care for it the way it is.

Now, with the criteria out of the way, here are five channels to follow that meet these expectations and more.

College Curls

College Curls is the channel for anyone who is busy and a little lazy when it comes to natural hair care. Francis, the creator of the channel, understands how tiring and difficult the natural hair journey can be. Therefore, she has spent the last 10 years figuring out her hair needs and supporting others along the way. On her channel, she has created fun, creative, and animated videos on everything hair care, from wash day instructions to how to make your hair grow. This channel covers all your natural hair care needs and answers all your questions.

Star Puppy

What is great about this channel is that Danielle or Star Puppy is honest, funny, and entertaining. She takes you on the journey with her, from fixing her bald spot to trying out Bandu knots or split dying her 4c hair. She makes you feel supported knowing that the natural hair journey isn’t always easy but always worth it.

DESZREN

This is your go-to channel for everything locs. On this channel, there are tutorials on how to twist and retwist your locs, along with wash day instructions and videos to help you to solve loc-related problems. The creator also takes you along her journey with videos on month-to-month updates of her loc growing journey.

Naturally Curly

NaturallyCurly.com is a platform developed in 1998 that caters to and empowers all shapes of curls no matter if they grow loose, coily, or wavy. Having natural hair often comes with many questions. You may have wondered why your hair is curly or coily or how come it grows out instead of down. Perhaps you’ve been frustrated with why your hair isn’t growing. Or you may be tired of relying on products to make your hair behave a certain way. The answer to easing your frustration might be to rely on science. On this YouTube channel, they’ve created a video series that focuses on hair science to help you understand the mechanics and the chemical breakdown of your hair.

Woch Beauty

This is a great channel to find easy hairstyles for natural hair. It features tutorials and videos around a variety of styles. This includes braid styles, twist-outs, Afro styles, and more. There is even a playlist for cute hairstyles for short and awkward lengths.

The videos tend to be compilations of different women with varying hair textures. So, there is a video for you no matter where you are in your natural hair journey.

Natural hair care can feel like a job. By putting in the work now, you can reap the benefits later. These benefits include having beautiful and healthy hair but also feeling confident in who you are. And remember, when you feel tired, confused, and frustrated with your hair, there are thousands of women who’ve felt the same way. Thank goodness many of those women decided to go in front of a camera and share their experiences with the world.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/june-is-mens-health-month/

June is National Men’s Health Month. It is observed yearly to raise awareness about health care for men and encourage them to implement healthy living decisions, such as exercising and eating right. The official symbol for the month is a blue ribbon. The purpose is to heighten awareness of preventable health problems, including cancer, heart disease, and mental health issues.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men in the United States die five years earlier than women and die at higher rates from the three leading causes of death — heart disease, cancer, and accidental injuries.

For Black men, their health continues to be worse than that of nearly all other groups in the United States. On average, Black men die more than 7 years earlier than U.S. women of all races, and Black men die younger than all other groups of men, except Native Americans. There are many reasons for this, including racial discrimination, a lack of affordable health services, poor health education, cultural barriers, poverty, employment that does not carry health insurance, and insufficient medical and social services catering to Black men.

In 1952, writer Ralph Ellison published the novel, Invisible Man. Ellison tells the story of a Black man’s journey from the American south to the north and his experiences with racial discrimination during the Great Migration of southern Blacks to northern cities.

As a result of these experiences, the nameless character in the book realizes that he is socially and politically invisible — because the people he comes across only see him as a stereotype or caricature.

Invisible Man showed how society engaged with Black men according to their social identity rather than their personal attributes and identity as an individual. This is why the protagonist in the story does not have a name; it is irrelevant to the larger society, which universally categorizes him as just Black and male. With this categorization comes stereotypes about criminality and poor health behaviors. These place blame for poor health outcomes on the Black man. The book is a metaphor that shines a light on Black men’s health.

We are not so far removed from the 1950s, and there is an intersection between race, gender, and health. In the decades since Ellison’s novel, Black men’s health has focused on cultural traditions, victimization and systemic oppression, and racism. To fully understand and improve the health of Black men, there has to be a broader understanding of how social experiences and institutional forces influence outcomes.

More recently, we can see how discrimination leads to health disparities. All we have to do is watch the news every night to understand what society has done to Black men. The power of discrimination harms Black men’s lives — specifically their health and mental health.

COVID has contributed to this issue. Since April 2021, researchers noticed higher death and hospitalization rates for Black people. The pattern keeps on, with Black patients being nearly two times as likely as whites to die of the virus and Black men having the highest rates of COVID deaths. These COVID outcomes helped point out that the health and well-being of middle-class, educated Black men have been overlooked.

Truth is, higher education doesn’t improve health equity. While Black men have worse health than any other group if they are not educated, they can’t catch up to their white counterparts even when they are. Even with an education, Black men have less of a financial and social safety net than white men. Naturally, this brings about stress and isolation. Stress and isolation harm health.

Those of us with Black men in our lives can probably attest to one of them who is not willing to go to the doctor — for anything. Black men have a long-standing distrust of doctors and the medical system. Men typically go less frequently to the doctor than women — and this is especially common for Black men.

The indignity and pressure that Black men have to endure these days are more than anyone should bear. When that rage is not expressed, you start to internalize it. It’s no surprise that Black men struggle with high blood pressure and have higher stroke rates. Being constantly on alert is not a good feeling to carry in your mind and body. It’s like the writer James Baldwin described: “Being a relatively conscious Black man in America is to be in a rage almost all of the time.”

With Black men’s mental health, there is a stigma that asking for help is a sign of weakness. Black men are taught to be strong – for their women, their children, and in the face of white society. They can shield their emotions and mistake this for true masculinity.

My hope is that more Black men benefit from getting regular doctor check-ups and going to therapy. With that said, there has to be more acceptance in the Black community, as well as access and services available to do so. For Black men who find themselves conflicted, consider that you have nothing to prove to anyone but yourself. Of course, there are obligations to loved ones that must be fulfilled, but prioritizing mental and physical wellness so that you can be more present for those who love and depend on you is essential.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/celebration-of-culture-is-found-in-disneylands-tale-of-the-lion-king/

The last time I got emotional and teary-eyed at Disneyland was during one of the final viewings of Fantasmic! in late 2019/early 2020. (It’s back, by the way, as of May 28.) But on the afternoon of May 26, during a special preview during a media experience of Celebrate Soulfully, I was overcome with Disney Magic and pride watching the new staging of Tale of the Lion King. 

Picture this, a parade of good-looking Black folk of all shades and sizes, singing Disney songs loud and proud. Smiling, like they are living their best life. It was a wonderful thing to behold. The music and their voices touched my soul, and I wanted nothing more than to see them succeed.

Tale of the Lion King is a new and unique theatrical adaptation of Disney’s The Lion King. Located in Disneyland at the Fantasyland Theatre, the live stage production introduces all-new set pieces, original musical arrangements, and amazing choreography. The entire production draws inspiration while paying homage to the cultural roots of the story. Tale of the Lion King is one of the ways you can Celebrate Soulfully at Disneyland Resort this summer. 

The show is narrated by a traveling troupe known as the Storytellers of the Pride Lands. They are villagers in this land who all reenact the tale of how Simba went from cub to king. Using dialogue, song, dance, and instruments, the story of your favorite little lion and his adventures come to life. The voices are beautiful, the dancing is creative, and there are no animal costumes covering faces. It’s spectacular. The show is brought to life by an expanded cast of twenty actors, singers, dancers, and drummers. As the lead narrator Mwongozo recounts Simba’s journey, Storytellers embody the roles of King Mufasa and his brother Scar, young Simba and Nala, and comic relief Pumbaa and Timon.

While enjoying the show, you can also savor delicious new bites. Chef Natalie Willingham has given her take on the Tale of the Lion King through food at Troubadour Tavern. For tasty snacks, try the Salted Plantain Chips or the Berbere-Spice Popcorn tossed with a warming blend of spices. The Chicken-Coconut Curry Sweet Potato features a baked sweet potato topped with a Malawian chicken-coconut curry. For dessert, Hakuna Matata Sweets offer up a trio of animal print cookies, including a coconut macaroon, pineapple orange thumbprint and a butter chocolate chunk cookie topped with cacao nibs and a white chocolate animal print décor. To wash it all down, there’s the Cardamom Cold Brew and the Pride Rock Punch made with Gold Peak tea, pineapple, mango, tamarind, and orange juice over ice.

Disney Live Entertainment designed new costumes and hairstyles for the ensemble dancers. Disney leadership (for example, Susana Tubert, Creative Director, Disney Live Entertainment, and Associate Show Director Paul Bryant) made sure we could see ourselves in this show. “I think that as a company,” stated Tubert during the panel discussion after the preview, “we’re recognizing that we need to augment the voices at the table so that our products are authentic, genuine, and as beautiful as what you just saw today.” 

The new costumes are elaborately designed with inspiration from the story, with details including vibrant colors, layering fabrics, and African-styled headwear. The hair in Tale of the Lion King matters in the storytelling, just like it matters in our community. Cosmetology Manager Shemika Draughan came in and designed beautiful hair moments. “It was really important to me to bring more realism and true authenticity with our individuality, with the story, and the variety of hairstyles, textures, and things that the dancers brought,” said Draughan during the panel. “One thing Paul [Bryant] and I talked a lot about was making sure that the dancers felt comfortable and what’s more comfortable than your own hair.”

The dancing in Tale of the Lion King is some of the best I have seen. Choreographed by brothers Kevin and Marcel Wilson, this all-new staging incorporates exciting styles of dance such as African, house, stepping, jazz-funk, and contemporary. The Wilson brothers have worked and toured with artists such as Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Cher. They have also worked on Broadway, film, and television. Dance was an integral part of telling this story. “We wanted to bring musical theater and also the pop world where we come from, and kind of combine that and tell the story through choreography,” said Marcel Wilson at the panel. “We also went as far as Simba having a signature move to make it Simba. Scar had a certain bit of quirk that he would do all the time that you could recognize.”

While other gems like select Swahili dialogue and lyrics are seamlessly woven into this theatrical production, there is also a family and kids component making sure everyone has a good time. There is a coloring craft activity before each performance at the Fantasyland Theatre, and kids can dance along to the “Hakuna Matata” musical number with their creations. It truly is a well-thought-out production that is visibly diverse.

Celebrate Soulfully is the latest project from Disneyland. It showcases rich experiences that honor Black heritage and culture. Tale of the Lion King runs from Thursday through Monday until July 4. It’s an extremely cool way to celebrate Black music month in June.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/celebrate-soulfully-with-the-warriors-of-wakanda/

When I think about the Dora Milaje, I can’t help but feel pride and joy. Who cares if they are fictional characters. I still aspire to be that smooth, graceful, confident, and badass. Having had such fanciful wishes, it was a dream come true when guests got the opportunity to train with the ancient female warriors who protect the kingdom of Wakanda. 

Disney California Adventure has a new interactive show called Warriors of Wakanda: The Disciplines of the Dora Milaje at their new Avengers Campus. Oh, what fun it is to practice chants and cool moves with a group that exemplifies the beauty and strength of the Black woman. We don’t see enough of it. When we do, there’s always the question of why there aren’t more. Why isn’t it the norm? Black Disney execs are working behind the scenes to give us more. 

As Disney incorporates its latest initiative, Celebrate Soulfully, you can find lots of new, rich experiences that honor Black heritage, culture, and excellence. While certain festivities will last from now to July 4, there are also year-long experiences such as training with the Dore Milaje and posing with Black Panther. There is also a cool stunt show featuring the Avengers and villains. 

Disney California Adventure is celebrating a milestone anniversary. 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the park’s major expansion in 2012 when guests took a stroll down Buena Vista Street and cruised down Route 66. Cars Land was just the beginning. Disney California Adventure opened Avengers Campus in 2021. It features experiences such as WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, Doctor Strange: Mysteries of the Mystic Arts, and photo opportunities with your favorite Avenger (*cough cough, Black Panther).

Wakanda, a fictional technologically advanced society, acknowledges its deep history and culture. There is pride in tradition, honor, courage, strength, and loyalty. These qualities are symbolized and exemplified in Wakanda’s leader the Black Panther and his protectors, the Dora Milaje. The Warriors of Wakanda: The Disciplines of the Dora Milaje isn’t long, but it is a sight to behold. The performers exit out of the Avengers Compound and make their way toward the stage, chanting and stepping in rhythm with their vibranium spears. They keep in character the entire time. Along with chants and moves, at this moment, the Dora Milaje also share a bit of wisdom. During the show, the Dora Milaje talked about embracing each other and tolerance. It was a teaching moment regardless of age, race, or gender. There was also a moment of silence for those who have moved on from this world. It was touching, to say the least. It is a beautiful show that displays consciousness and purposefulness in Disney’s products. 

The costumes are on point. I expect nothing less from Disney. But I was also impressed with the women they chose to represent the Dora Milaje. There were Black women of all sizes. Yes, there is a plus-size Dora Milaje warrior, and I couldn’t be happier. I got goosebumps watching them do their thing. It was touching to see the impact these women have on little kids. During the show, they call up volunteers and ask questions about strength and personal reflection. They called on this young Black child who was wearing a Black Panther shirt. The timidness and shyness that was there quickly went away as, together, they led the audience in a chant and movement. The smile and adoration from this little kid were priceless. We all walked away inspired, standing a little taller and prouder.

There aren’t many Black, let alone Black female, offerings at Disneyland. Current offerings include photo opportunities with Princess Tiana and the Dora Milaje experience. Being able to see these characters up close and personal at the Disneyland Resort was very special. This summer you will be able to see Black Panther and Frozone in Disney California Adventure and Joe Gardner from Disney and Pixar’s animated filmSoul in a special exhibit in Downtown Disney. Disney Parks announced last summer that the classic theme park attraction Splash Mountain would be updated and rethemed to the 2009 Disney Princess animated movie, The Princess and the Frog. In the words of Lizzo, “It’s about damn time.” 

BGN is excited for everyone to see the new and diverse offerings from “the happiest place on Earth.” From the shows to the characters to the food, it’s been a blast getting insight into the movement behind the scenes to make us all feel welcomed. What was originally introduced during Black History Month has found a home outside of February for now. We hope that more offerings like this come out of Celebrate Soulfully. If you need more of the Dora Milaje than Disneyland has to offer, a rewatch of the Marvel films and a healthy read of numerous Marvel graphic novels featuring the group should do the trick. For more information about the Dora Milaje and other Disney experiences, visit the Disney website.