Radiant No.10, The Melanin Issue by Radiant Health Magazine

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Y V O N N E T H E

O R J I

M E L A N I N № 10

I S S U E

Radiant Health Magazine is published by Radiant Rose Media, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission of the editor, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the editor at EDITOR@RADIANTHEALTHMAG.COM

Opinions expressed in Radiant Health Magazine are the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Radiant Health Magazine is published biannually.

ISSN 2474-2694

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For us. By us.

on this page Model Sara is wearing a mustard one shoulder sundress by Maje from Bloomingdales; accessories by Anthropologie on the opposite page » She's wearing a pink dress by Self Portrait from Tootsies and shoes by Stuart Weitzman

melanin

NOUN

any of various black, dark brown, reddish brown, or yellow pigments of animal or plant structures (such as skin or hair)

photography by Ahmad Barber — styling by Ray C'Mone — make up by Erica Bogart hair by Andy Buckmire — model Sara N. of Ursula Wiedmann Models

The olive vest Sara is wearing is by Halston Heritage from Bloomingdales; paired with an olive silk shirt by Peter Cohen from Tootsies. Her handmade earrings are by Baba G « on the opposite page Shoes by Kendall + Kylie

Tell me about the war in your skin and I'll tell you I love you still.

— Alison Malee

MASTHEAD

Nnenna Kalu Makanjuola FOUNDER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & PUBLISHER

Ahmad Barber ART DIRECTION

Nguyen Thao My DESIGN

Nikki Igbo FEATURES EDITOR

Cordialis Msora, R.D. NUTRITION EDITOR

LeeAnn Nielsen COPY EDITOR

Samantha Oduro DIGITAL & SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Yetunde Taiwo Shorters PUBLIC RELATIONS

Queendolly “Queenie” Verhoeven BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER

Ken Nuarin WEB DESIGN & SUPPORT

Chinyere Amobi, Nina Dafe, Patrick Dale, Zora DeGrandpre ND, MS Deyo Famuboni, MD, Danielle L’Ami Oby Nwaogbe, Temitayo Olofinula, Emily Rubin, Katie Schenk, Abby Soetan, Ezinne Ukoha, Yvonne Ibifuro Whitelaw, MD, MPH CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Akinloye Julius Makanjuola, MD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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CONTENTS

30 – 55

healthy eating

fitness

THE FINE ART OF AFRICAN TEA

INTERVIEW SWAADY MARTIN

LOCAL CHAMP: EGUSI

EGUSI FARE

72 – 111 features

ALBINISM IN AFRICA IN 2017

SPOTLIGHT OAM FOUNDATION

INTERVIEW DAMILOLA OGUNSI

COLORISM: A MANIFESTO

102

INTERVIEW OMA N. AGBAI, M.D.

108

style

INTERVIEW NGOZI OKORO

THE SMART GIRL’S GUIDE TO ELLIPTICAL TRAINERS

112– 133

ACCUPUNCTURE: ANCIENT & MODERN

114

ON COLOR & FRIENDSHIP

118

ARE SKIN DISEASES CONTAGIOUS? 123

146– 155

beauty

THE CAPSULE WARDROBE

128

INTERVIEW EVA SONAIKE

1 38

156 – 167

YOGA FOR ALL

health & wellness

COVER STORY YVONNE ORJI

126 – 145

56 – 71

culture

THE “NO MAKEUP” MAKEUP

148

INTERVIEW ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO 152

168– 175

body & mind

INTERVIEW AINA FADINA

158

INTERVIEW SANDRA M. OBIAGO

162

CULTURE ON THE GO

166

RECLAIMING OUR TIME

170

INTERVIEW KAREN OKONKWO

175

EDITOR'S NOTE

When my first child was born, I was often reminded by well-meaning visitors not to get used to his beautiful— in other words, light — skin tone because it wasn’t going to last. “Look at the tips of his ears,” they would say. “That’s how dark he’ll get eventually.” It was almost as if to say, “Calm down, you didn’t win the skin lottery.” This intense, unsolicited focus on my babies’ skin color (it happened again with my second child) was a rather surprising experience for me. I wasn’t naive about colorism in the African community—the adoration and advantages reserved for the very light-skinned or biracial, our straight-faced description of some brown-skinned persons as “fair,” the incessant need to “brighten” one’s skin, and so on. But I confess, until all the attention on my own children’s skin tone, I had either forgotten or underestimated just how pervasive and deeply rooted colorism is in our society. Truth be told, women of different shades have unique experiences based on our skin tone, and these experiences influence both how we feel about ourselves and how we interact with others. With the resurgence of black pride and all things melanin (#MelaninPoppin, #BlackGirlMagic), we felt it timely and befitting for us, a magazine dedicated to the African woman, to look inward with this issue—to explore not only the war we have with our skin but also the many ways we are rising to celebrate our different hues and talents, with ourselves and with the world. And who better to embody everything that is bold and beautiful in the skin you’re in than our cover girl, Yvonne Orji! The comedian and actress on the hit HBO show Insecure is not shy about her Nigerian pride, and her story will inspire you with its unabashed, steadfast pursuit of excellence. This issue’s feature, Acupuncture, Moxibustion, and Cupping: Ancient Approaches for Modern Times, reminds us that as our largest organ, the skin can serve as a powerful therapeutic conduit for many of the ills that ail us. Also in this issue, local champ egusi delights and surprises in more ways than one. (Candied egusi over Greek yogurt? See, told ya!) You’ll also find compelling features ranging from what it’s like to be a person with albinism in Africa today, to calorie-torching elliptical workouts and yoga for everyone, to thought-provoking personal essays and inspiring interviews with some truly remarkable African women. So take time to settle in, relax, and enjoy this issue. Finally, I would be remiss to end this note without mentioning a milestone. This is, amazingly, our 10th issue! When I launched Radiant Health three and a half years ago, I could not have dreamed that I would see it now, a magazine dedicated to the wellness of African women, being sold in more than 650 stores, including the largest chain of bookstores in the U.S. It is without a doubt the greatest honor of my working life to bring this magazine into the world. I hope that seeing it on the newsstands makes every melaninated inch of you as proud as it makes us. Thank you so much for taking this journey with us. We’ve only just begun! To your health,

FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @NNENNAKALUM

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ON RADIANTHEALTHMAG.COM

Looking for more inspiring features and practical tips for living a radiant life? We have so much more for you to explore on our website.

Exclusive stories now on RadiantHealthMag.com

Swearing, Smiles, and Stand-Up: Behind the Scenes with Yvonne Orji Shut the front door! You never know what will come out of Yvonne Orji’s talented (and gorgeous) lips. But rest assured it won’t be a swear word— this feisty actress and comedian is way too strong to bend her values. And she’s a whole lot of fun. Just take a look at our exclusive behind-thescenes video from our cover shoot. RADIANTHEALTHMAG.COM/YVONNEBTS

God Wants You Well, but He’s Waiting on You Your faith keeps you upbeat; it makes you shine with a light that’s greater than you. But it doesn’t stop critical illnesses. You can say it’s “not your portion” all you want, but you still need to care for yourself. In this case, God’s waiting on you, not the other way around. Nina Dafe, author of The Ultimate Guide to Eve, breaks it down and explains how to balance health and faith according to biblical principles. RADIANTHEALTHMAG.COM/FAITH

Safe to Reuse That Leftover Oil?

Visit our online platform RadiantHealthMag.com for the latest happenings, news and inspiration.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

They say everything in moderation, so no one is judging when you indulge in deep-fried foods every now and again, especially if you prepare your faves at home to cut the other baddies from the mix. But what are you going to do with that leftover oil? You don’t really want to pour it down the drain, if for no other reason than the amount of money spent on your indulgence, but can you reuse it? Do oil filters make it safer? Is there a killer in your kitchen? The answers may just surprise you. RADIANTHEALTHMAG.COM/RESUSEOIL

ST Y L I S H LO C A L LY H A N D M A D E AC C E S S O R I E S BY I N D E P E N D E N T A RT I S A N S.

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NEWS & VIEWS

N EWS

VI EWS

YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN FOR A BUMPY YEAR WHEN IT KICKS OFF WITH MENINGITIS AND LASSA FEVER EPIDEMICS. AND SPEAKING OF BUMPS, HAVE YOU TAKEN THE TIME TO CHECK FOR THEM? IF WE’VE LEARNED ONE THING OVER THE PAST MONTHS AS THE STATE OF WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE WORLDWIDE CONTINUES TO SHIFT, IT’S THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE EXTRA VIGILANT ABOUT OUR OWN HEALTH. OF COURSE, 2017 HASN’T BEEN ALL BAD NEWS. A NIGERIAN SURGEON PERFORMED A SUCCESSFUL SURGERY ON AN UNBORN FETUS, AND WE MAY JUST HAVE A MALARIA VACCINE BY THE END OF 2018. WHILE WE STILL MAY WONDER WHETHER OUR FANTA IS SAFE TO DRINK, LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BIG HEALTH NEWS FROM THE YEAR.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

STAY IN THE KNOW

01.

02.

Know Your Lemons

Nigerian Government Mandates Free Fistula Surgery

Breast cancer is the second most prevalent form of cancer overall, and the most prevalent in the female half of the population. It’s also the fifth leading cause of death for women, with nearly two million cases diagnosed annually. Yet the five-year survival rate remains at between 80 and 90 percent when diagnosed early.

Fistula is a tear between the vagina and either the bladder or the rectum. As you can imagine, it’s both unsanitary and uncomfortable. Worse, women battling this condition are usually ostracized. The primary cause of fistula is prolonged labor without medical intervention. It occurs frequently in Nigeria, which according to the Fistula Foundation accounts for roughly half the cases worldwide.

The high survival rate for breast cancer when detected early is the motivation behind the #KnowYourLemons campaign by WORLDWIDEBREASTCANCER.ORG. Showing an egg carton stuffed with oddly-shaped lemons, the campaign’s imagery vividly depicts the different forms that breast cancer can take in the hope that women will take the time to have any unusual symptoms checked by their doctor. It’s a reminder that cancer can take many forms, and that the person most responsible for your health is you.

Nigerian hospitals face limited resources, and many of the fistula repair surgeries undertaken in the country have been funded by international donors, including the Fistula Foundation, which has completed 4,575 operations to date. In August, the federal government mandated free fistula surgery and lab work for Nigerian women at all federal and teaching hospitals across the country. The costs will be borne in part by the Fistula Care Plus Project funded by USAID. If you know someone battling fistula, it’s time to share the good news.

2017—volume 2

NEWS & VIEWS

THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT

You May Already Have Effective Birth Control in Your Handbag Your menstrual cycle is unique to your body, but there are some things that all women have in common, such as the fact that there are only six days in any cycle when you can fall pregnant. That’s right. Just six. And knowing which six will certainly help you avoid falling pregnant — or help you conceive, depending on your desired outcome. Of course, none of this is exactly new news; if you were ever taught to track your cycle, either with a paper journal or with an app on your phone, then you already have a solid understanding of your personal rhythm. But since the advent of more accurate birth control devices and methods, monthly tracking has largely gone out of style. Women have instead turned to the pill, hormonal implants, and IUDs in large numbers. However, African women don’t always have it so easy. Despite the government’s stated ambition to increase the availability of birth control, it’s hardly a secret that access to any form of healthcare in most parts of the Continent is touch and go. What if you didn’t have to rely on the pharmacy or an injection every couple of months? What if there were a totally natural method of birth control that had the same or even greater efficacy of commonly used birth control measures? And what if that solution was already in your handbag? It might be. The EU has given its seal of approval to an app that is 93 percent effective at preventing pregnancies. In case you’re wondering, that’s actually more effective than a pill that you sometimes forget to take. (If you take the pill as directed, however, it’s 99 percent effective.)

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

An app? Yes, an app. Natural Cycles (naturalcycles.com) was designed by Elina Berglund, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013. Having once used a hormonal implant to prevent pregnancy, she found herself wondering what effect hormonal manipulators might have on future pregnancies if she decided to have children in the future. As a result, she began to search for a more natural yet equally effective method for birth control. The app gets to know you quite intimately by tracking your basal body temperature. And that’s it — that one piece of information is all it needs to tell you whether it’s safe to have intercourse or if you should use an additional form of contraception. While your temperature alone is enough information for the app to go by, providing additional details, such as the dates that you get your period or have sex, can help improve the app’s accuracy, though they aren’t required. The one thing you’ll need in addition to the app is an accurate basal body thermometer. You can get one for free if you sign up for the yearly Natural Cycles subscription—and, yes, they ship to most African countries except South Africa. A yearly subscription works out to USD $6.69 per month, compared to the monthly plan of USD $9.99. But remember that we’re only talking about birth control here; you’ll need to tuck something else in your handbag if you want to prevent STDs. And if you’re not in a committed relationship, we strongly recommend doing just that.

BIRTH CONTROL APP

Natural Cycles is available both for Android and Apple phones. Visit the app store or NaturalCycles.com.

2017—volume 2

NEWS & VIEWS

03.

President Buhari Takes Extended Medical Leave

The 103 days that President Buhari spent in London in the first half of 2017 were not the first time that he traveled out of the country for medical attention—he was in the UK in 2016 for a reported ear infection—but we still don’t know what condition was being treated during his most recent lengthy absence. The irony of the situation lies in Buhari’s promise to halt medical tourism, which he delivered rather loudly and repeatedly after taking office in 2015. And the zaniness doesn’t end there. Upon his return to Nigeria, the President retook control of the government from his vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, who had maintained control of the country during Buhari’s medical leave. Shortly thereafter, Osinbajo spoke out against medical tourism, and other African leaders took time to scold African presidents for leaving the Continent for treatment. Perhaps it’s time for the government to finally allocate 15 percent of the federal budget toward medical development in the country, as was promised in the Abuja Declaration in 2001. We’d like to believe that our leaders wouldn’t need to leave the country if they could set aside more than the 6 to 8 percent annual allocation that they’ve managed to date.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

04.

05.

Malaria Vaccine May Be Available in 2018

Nigerian Doctor Operates on Unborn Fetus

It sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. A Nigerian surgeon based in Texas was a leading figure on the team that operated on a growing fetus. Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye and his partner, Dr. Darrell Cass, performed an emergency surgery to remove a life-threatening tumor from an unborn child when the mom was nearly 24 weeks pregnant.

Malaria kills more than 600,000 people annually, and preventative measures like insecticidal mosquito nets can only go so far. Early diagnosis increases the likelihood of survival, but often symptoms don’t present themselves until it is too late. Still, the United Nations has plans to eradicate the disease by 2040, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is contributing substantial funds to ensure that we get to that point. It’s an ambitious goal, but the first steps towards achieving it are already underway. Children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi will be part of a malaria vaccine clinical trial in 2018. The vaccine will be tested on 120,000 children aged five to 17 months and is hoped to prevent four out of every 10 cases of malaria. Though the RTS,S vaccine, produced by GlaxoSmithKline, doesn’t lead to total immunization, it still provides protection for some of the most vulnerable, and will certainly contribute to the goal of total eradication.

The tumor, sacrococcygeal teratoma, can develop during pregnancy on a baby’s coccyx (that’s the tailbone), competing with the growing fetus for blood supply and basically starving the child of nutrients. Though it’s the most common tumor for unborn children to develop, it’s still quite rare, with just one case in every 35,000 births. Though the operation took 5 hours, the actual removal of the tumor is only a 20-minute procedure; most of the work is to ensure that the uterus is safely repaired. LynLee was delivered safely, at full term, on June 6. Two months later, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo welcomed the Nigerian hero surgeon at the presidential villa.

2017—volume 2

NEWS & VIEWS

BUT WHAT IF…

Money Really Can Buy Happiness (If You Spend It Like This) They say that money can’t buy happiness, and that you need to focus on your own needs and desires. But where on earth will you find the time to do so? Time is an ever-dwindling resource, and the more money you earn, the less time you seem to have (which actually suggests the opposite of money buying happiness). But imagine having more time to relax, to read, to take that yoga class or meet a friend for coffee. Remember what it was like spending time soaking in the bathtub rather than cleaning it? If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do to spoil yourself? What if you could use your money to buy time? The truth is that you actually can buy yourself time, and you’ve been able to for a while. You can pay someone to handle the household chores. You can pay to have your groceries delivered to your door. It’s even possible to pay someone to pick up your kids after football practice. Probably the main reason that you aren’t doing those things is that you believe it’s a waste of money to pay someone else to do what you can easily do for free. But take a moment to remember that one thing that you never seem to have enough of— time. When you pay for these types of services, you’re not buying a way out of maintaining your home or your life; you’re buying time. And it appears that spending money in this way actually can make you happier —at least happier than spending your money on things.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

A recent study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates that people who opted to spend their money on services that saved them time reported feeling much happier than those who spent their money on things. In the first part of the study, 60 adults were given money to spend over the course of two weekends. During the first round, participants were asked to spend their money on anything that would save them time; in the next round, they were given the same amount of money to buy whatever they wanted. It was only CAD $40 each time, but participants reported significantly greater happiness when buying time as opposed to buying objects. And that’s not all; the study also looked at 60,000 adults across the US, Canada, and Europe, taking into account how much the people spent on things versus on time. It then had them rank their perceived levels of happiness on a 10-point scale. The findings? Those who spend at least some amount of money to buy time are about one point happier than those who don’t. A single point doesn’t sound like much, but remember, that’s 10 percent happier. Who doesn’t want that? And indeed, who doesn’t want more time? Just think of what you could do with it.

BUYING HAPPINESS

Rather than spend your cash on material things, buy yourself some free time to live life on your own terms by outsourcing tasks like housecleaning and grocery shopping.

2017—volume 2

NEWS & VIEWS

№6

№7

Is Nigerian Fanta Safe to Drink?

Another Case of Mind Over Body

Ever wonder how some athletes, such as gymnasts, can will their bodies into performing feats that don’t seem physically possible? It’s strength of the mind as much as the body, and your brain affects your physical health more than you might think. A study published in the journal Health Psychology demonstrates that your perception of your physical activity level affects your mortality more than actual exercise.

The high levels of sugar found in soft drinks should be enough to rule out an endorsement by any health department, but the Nigerian Health Ministry has released statements to let Nigerians know that Coca-Cola products manufactured in Nigeria are safe to drink—this despite the fact that they’re not legal for consumption in the United Kingdom, and a Nigerian judge has ruled these drinks to be poisonous. When benzoic acid, used in many soft drinks as a preservative, mixes with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), the carcinogen benzene is produced. A decade ago, a Nigerian exporter found out the hard way (when his shipment was destroyed by UK customs) that the level of benzoic acid in the Nigerian version of Fanta and other Coca-Cola products is 200 mg/kg. While less than the international safety standard of 250 mg/kg, it’s still higher than the maximum 150 mg/kg allowed by the UK. So, is it safe or not? Just consider what a can of Coke does to your teeth.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

People who perceive that they are relatively inactive—even if they’re relatively fit and maintain a healthy weight—are 18 percent more likely to face an earlier death than the general population. That number jumps to 71 percent when compared with those who believe they’re active. And before you discount the findings, you should know that the study lasted 21 years, covered more than 60,000 people, and took into account everything from age, gender, and race to smoking status, access to healthcare, and even high-risk conditions. So perhaps it’s time for you to change your mind—it might just change your life, or at least give you a little more of it.

« Your body won’t go where your mind doesn’t push it.

№8

Meningitis and Preparedness: How Ready Are We?

In November of 2016, the first cases of the latest meningitis outbreak in Nigeria were reported. In the following months, the number of suspected cases grew to 14,518 across 25 states, and the virus claimed 1,166 lives before the epidemic was declared over at the end of June 2017. This was despite a shortage of vaccine against the type C meningitis strain, which is uncommon in Nigeria. Even so, the final figures are equivalent to only roughly 10 percent of the cases and deaths experienced in the 1996 outbreak. How did the country and its ailing health facilities manage to contain the epidemic? It appears that while Nigeria may trail in many health-related indices, emergency response and preparedness is not one of them. In 2014, Nigeria was declared Ebola-free before the United States and contained the disease within a matter of weeks. And as soon as polio was discovered in Nigeria’s conflict zones, a massive immunization effort was unrolled to prevent it from spreading. While it’s impossible to predict what virus will hit next, let alone when, where, or how, Nigeria’s preparedness measures continue to expand and should be lauded.

2017—volume 2

NEWS & VIEWS

STAYING ALIVE

Your Favorite Songs Could Save a Life.

You listen to music because it makes you feel good. Maybe it gets you dancing, or maybe it just gets you through your busy day. But now there’s the possibility that music may help you to save a life. It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds; songs with between 100 and 120 beats per minute have been shown to increase the effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR uses chest compressions (sometimes combined with forced, artificial ventilation) to restart automatic blood circulation and breathing and to maintain brain function until medical help arrives. In other words, it’s a lifesaver. But the downside is that CPR is physically taxing for the person performing it, and the initial adrenaline rush can only keep a person going for so long. It’s easy for the tempo to lag, which can be detrimental to the patient. The 2-inch (5-cm) chest compressions should be performed at a rate of between 100 and 120 beats per minute. When the rate drops below 100 beats per minute, so does CPR’s efficacy and the patient’s chances of survival. So how do songs fit into the resuscitation picture? A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics detailed the results of 150 medical professionals administering CPR on pediatric mannequins. Those who performed the procedure with the assistance of a metronome—a device used by musicians to keep accurate time —achieved 22 percent higher results than those without. Of course, few people carry metronomes around with them (though you could easily download an app and just set it to 4/4 time or quarter notes at the correct tempo), and truth be told, most cardiac emergencies occur in chaotic environments where it might not even be possible to hear the beats.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

However, most of us do keep a catalogue of our favorite songs in our heads. You probably already know the rhythm and words to at least half a dozen songs with over 100 beats per minute, so get that song in your head if you ever need to perform chest compressions and you could just save a life. After one of its employees performed CPR on the subway, New York Presbyterian Hospital created a website complete with a Spotify playlist filled with songs with the correct tempo. You can find the list, as well as information on how to perform hands-only CPR at NYP.ORG/CPR. Listen to the playlist every so often to remind yourself of the songs and tempos that could save a life. Heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiac emergencies happen every day all over the world, and you’ll be better able to help if you already have a life-saving playlist in your mind. To help you prepare, we’ve put together our own playlist (head to RADIANTHEALTHMAG.COM/SPOTIFY) because African beats will work just as well as the Bee Gees’ “Staying Alive”— and maybe even better! More importantly, take a minute to understand the basics of hands-only CPR by watching the clever video on CPR.HEART.ORG, or register for a class to become CPR-certified, because your favorite songs can’t do it all on their own.

CPR

2017—volume 2

01 SUPERFOOD

SECTION

healthy eating

EGUSI

page 32.

THE FINE ART OF AFRICAN TEA A look into modern African luxe tea

page 38.

A TALK WITH TEA MAVEN SWAADY MARTIN Spreading joy one cup at a time

page 42.

LOCAL CHAMP: EGUSI A humble seed that packs a punch

page 46.

EGUSI FARE Sweet, savory and soothing egusi recipes

HEALTHY EATING

words by Katie Schenk

The Fine Art of African Tea

Imagine curling up on a cold night with a good book or (let’s be real) your favorite TV series and a hot cup of tea, the way the flavors blend and dance on your tongue delights you, warming both your hands and your soul.

Sounds like a tantalizingly decadent treat, doesn’t it? And it is. But the truth is, people don’t save tea just for special nights. Across the globe, and especially in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, tea is a daily delight. If you need at least one cup of tea a day, you’re hardly alone. After water, tea is the most consumed beverage on the planet, with an estimated 18 to 20 billion cups consumed daily. It comes as no surprise that this warming drink originated where Camellia sinensis plants grow naturally—in Asia. Legend has it that a Chinese emperor in 2737 BC first experienced tea when the leaves from a nearby plant blew into a pot of water being boiled. It’s a plausible story, and since there isn’t anyone left to discredit it, we needn’t pick it apart. Wherever and however tea first came to be, it spread throughout the world as quickly as trans-

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

THE FINE ART OF AFRICAN TEA

2017—volume 2

HEALTHY EATING

portation and trade routes allowed. Tea reached Japan somewhere around the first century AD, when Buddhist monks studying on the Continent brought it back to their islands. It became so ubiquitous in Japanese culture that traditional geisha tea ceremonies are still in demand. It took longer for tea to reach Europe, which is understandable given the sheer distance that ships had to cover or feet had to march. But arrive it did, somewhere in the 16th century. And from there, the business of colonialism ensured that tea became a part of life in every corner of the world, including Africa. Did It Really Take Colonialism for Tea to Reach Africa? Yes and no. It all depends on how elitist you want to be with your definition of tea. If you want to take the “expert” definition of tea, then yes, the Europeans brought the Camellia sinensis tree to Africa, though it probably would have also come through African trade routes eventually. And yes, there are tea experts such as former master tea buyer and blender for Twinings, Angela Pryce, who along with her fellow tea sommeliers insists that true tea can only be made from Camellia sinensis and that technically anything else, such as chamomile or rooibos, is an herbal tincture. The distinction is similar to that of champagne, which when produced in any other region is simply sparkling wine. Whether you call something tea or not depends on how seriously you take it, and South Africans take rooibos very seriously. Their red bush tea comes from a fynbos plant native to the mountains in the Western Cape. Yet according to Ernest du Toit, a spokesperson for the Rooibos Council, the more than 30 million South African tea drinkers still consume more black tea than rooibos. But consumption is growing, and more important, it’s taking off overseas too. Whether rooibos or otherwise, South Africans believe that tea is essential, even if the country doesn’t have the highest level of African tea con-

sumption (that distinction goes to Morocco). The short breaks legally instituted into working laws are called many things across the planet, but in South Africa they’re written into labor legislation as “tea breaks.” Obviously, we’re deliberately excluding any commentary on colonialism, but whichever way you want to slice it, the Camellia sinensis tree took root in Africa and has become a source of export revenue as much as a daily consumable. Kenya, for example, is responsible for at least 50 percent of the UK’s tea imports. And according to the United Nations Environment Program, East Africa accounts for more than a quarter of the world’s tea supply, as its location near the equator allows for year-round growth, making it easy to export to countries that are more dependent on the weather for their supply. East Africa isn’t alone in tea production on the Continent. While Kenya’s tea industry got started in the middle of the last century, Malawi has some of the oldest plants, which were imported a century earlier. Tea isn’t only healthy for African economies; it’s remarkably good for the body too. And not just herbal teas either—the leaves that blew into the emperor’s boiled drinking water also impart some serious bodily benefits. Filled with antioxidants, which are increasingly linked to cancer prevention, tea leaves have extra electrons that they’re willing to donate to the cells in your body that need them. And as a human in the modern world, you have plenty of cells that need them, as free radicals found in environmental and personal pollution love to steal them, making us look and feel older and more worn than we really are. That alone might get you reaching for a cup, but there’s even more to it than that. Substantial research has shown that tea drinkers may have up to a 20 percent reduction in heart attack risk and as much as a 35 percent lower risk for stroke. The major study, published

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

THE FINE ART OF AFRICAN TEA

2017—volume 2

HEALTHY EATING

in the journal Stroke, was conducted over 13 years under the direction of Dr. Yoshihiro Kokubo, chief doctor in the Department of Preventive Cardiology at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center in Osaka, Japan. Tea is also believed to have a positive impact on cholesterol levels. Though more studies are needed to confirm the preliminary findings, it appears that tea may strengthen your bones while it changes the pH level in your mouth, assisting with the prevention of cavities. Of course, the benefits of drinking tea also depend on the type of tea and the way you take it. Type of tea? Isn’t there only one true tea? Nope. Different processing and curing methods result in a variety of green, black, white, and oolong teas, even though they all come from the same plant. The Japanese study focused on the effects of green tea. White teas offer the highest concentration of health benefits, as they are unoxidized and undergo minimal processing. Then there’s green tea, with minimal oxidation, followed by oolong, and finally black tea. The black color results from a fermentation process that produces both tannins and caffeine, which create a stronger flavor and jolt but also reduces the natural healing properties of the leaves. According to the Japanese study and corresponding research, black tea doesn’t offer any significant cardiovascular benefits. Herbal teas, or tinctures, offer overlapping health benefits. Caffeine-free rooibos is considered a natural relaxant and has been shown to reduce tension headaches and stress irritations. Chamomile works to combat diabetic complications such as vision loss and kidney damage. Hibiscus (zobo) may lower blood pressure. Overall, the benefits are nothing to turn up your nose at, provided that you’re opting for the most natural teas possible. You can’t choose a sugary, premixed canned iced tea drink and think your body is reaping any benefit from it.

So, How Do You Take Your Tea? If you’re after an incredible cup of tea, you really need to consider loose leaf rather than prepackaged tea bags. They are produced differently, and the method for cutting and collecting mass market leaves tends to sacrifice quality in favor of quantity. You can begin your foray into loose-leaf tea with minimal equipment—a teapot is really enough to get you going—but it’s important to pay close attention to brew times and water temperatures. For example, white tea is best when two to three teaspoons of leaves are steeped for three minutes in a glass or porcelain teapot with a water temperature of 176–185ºF (80–85ºC). Green tea demands approximately two teaspoons of leaves, two minutes to infuse in a glass teapot, and a water temperature of 176ºF (80ºC). You’ll need three to five minutes to brew one to two teaspoons of full-leaf black tea in a porcelain pot at 203ºF (95ºC). And if you’re an oolong lover, you’ll fall somewhere between these guidelines depending on whether your tea leaves are lighter (more green) or heavier (more black). If you’re working with artisanal blends, it’s absolutely best to stick with their specific preparation instructions (seriously, tea can be that exacting). And though purists would of course avoid adding anything to their brew, there are also those who swear by a dash of honey spooned into a piping hot cup of green tea. As for the herbal teas, they’re frequently enjoyed without additives with the exception of rooibos, which is often preferred with both milk and sugar. Drink Like a Local You can take your tea any way you like, but how you drink your tea often depends on where you are. Tea rituals in Africa are as diverse as the people who drink it. In Senegal, the attaya ceremony calls for three rounds of green mint tea all boiled using the same leaves, but with the addition of some sugar

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

THE FINE ART OF AFRICAN TEA

at each stage. The first brew can be bitter, while the last is quite sweet. After steeping, the tea is poured into glasses, then back into the pot, then back into glasses and back into the pot until foam appears—the foamier, the better. And if you happen to prepare attaya in Senegal, prepare yourself for feedback both positive and negative; it’s an important part of the ceremony. If you’re in Kenya, you’re more likely to experience a derivative of the classic British high tea, in which “high” refers to its service at a table rather than in a sitting room. (Enjoying a cup of tea on the couch or in the garden would make it afternoon tea.) Either way, the tea is accompanied by cakes, scones, or sandwiches to fill that snack gap that exists even when the evening meal isn’t so late in the day.

“Of course, the benefits of drinking tea also depend on the type of tea and the way you take it.”

Across the Contient, and especially in smaller towns and countries disrupted by conflicts or natural disasters, tea is something you stop for on the street. Tea carts offer a chance to stop walking, stop working, and simply have a pleasant conversation with someone. Made in the simplest of pots and poured into glass or ceramic cups, it’s a ritual as cherished as stopping at a local café for tiny cups of espresso in Italy. Africa isn’t lagging when it comes to affluent tea ceremonies, either. You can find exclusive African blends combining Camellia sinensis with rooibos, hibiscus, mint teas, and more. Tourist hot spots and luxury hotels make a show of teatime, and you’ll find many variations depending on the number of stars attached to the establishment. In South Africa, where tea is such a critical part of the culture that it’s written into laws, you’ll also find tea in some of the most unlikely places. Unlike the high teas served in floral mugs alongside elegant cakes in the affluent areas of Johannesburg and Cape Town, Swaady Martin’s Yswara is located in the inner city, between artist workshops and street traders set up in front of graffitied walls. It’s a reminder that regardless of how it got here, there’s a special art to African tea.

2017—volume 2

HEALTHY EATING

A Talk with Tea Maven Swaady Martin

words by Katie Schenk images courtesy of Yswara

Swaady Martin is the founder and CEO of Yswara, a company dedicated to creating and curating the finest teas from across the African Continent.

You might find Swaady wearing a tracksuit and relaxing on the couch as she shares her latest Asian adventures with her family in France. Or perhaps you’ll find her strolling the vibey streets of South Africa, smiling at the life around her and stopping to take in the innocent beauty of a potted plant outside a shop door. But you’re just as likely to find her alongside a modest tea wagon in Sudan, covered from head to toe, pausing to reflect on her day, her journey.

know that Yswara isn’t a luxury brand, because that isn’t what her business is about. Yes, her teas have become a brand, and there’s no denying the luxurious quality they carry, but there’s much more to the business than an exquisite cup of tea. For Swaady, it’s all about Ubuntu, a Nguni Bantu term that’s a little difficult to translate and in fact not all that easy to define. Archbishop Desmond Tutu may have captured it best:

Swaady’s tea business and flagship store bear the name Yswara, “You are generous, you are hospitable, you are friendly and a combination of her name and the African agricultural god Ty Wara, because she didn’t want her creation to be yet another luxury caring and compassionate. You share what you have. It is to say, ‘My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in yours.’ We product sporting the name of its creator. belong in a bundle of life. We say, ‘A person is a person through And, eagerly settling into our conversation, she quickly lets me other persons.’”

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

SWAADY MARTIN TEA MAVEN

» Yswara Tea Room, spreading joy one cup at a time.

2017—volume 2

HEALTHY EATING

Swaady wants connections, and she works with people who share her values. Many of her farmers operate family businesses.

That is the heart of Yswara. Swaady isn’t trying to be exclusive; on the contrary, her business is deliberately inclusive, and she believes in “transforming African agricultural resources through Ubuntu.” This is why her company pays tea suppliers between $80 and $100 per kilo of tea leaves when the mass market producers offer as little as $1. Swaady knows that with fair payment, entire communities are transformed. With a smile in her voice that resonates from her heart, she shares the story of a Malawian supplier who provides a school, a clinic, and housing for all of his employees— a rarity on the Continent. In Rwanda, another of her producers builds a new school every year within the area around the plantation. It is the living embodiment of Ubuntu. Some Things Can’t Be Rushed While Swaady may be at the top of the Yswara pyramid, she can also be found humbly in the trenches, working with communities, creating connections, and sharing her values as well as her resources.

That’s part of the beauty of tea, she believes — it can’t be rushed. Tea isn’t about the quick jolt you get from a good cup of coffee. Instead it’s a meeting point, a calm, reflective process and a universally understood ritual that you’ll find in the kitchens of Senegal, unexpected shops in Brooklyn, and throughout the markets of Asia. And she would know. To develop the retail side of her business, Swaady travels often to 17 countries—and to the tea plantations, which always make her heart soar. “I could retire to a tea plantation almost immediately,” she muses tenderly before explaining that they embody so many of her personal values. Tea plantations are peaceful, allowing introspection and meditation, and the beautiful fields produce healthy infusions that care for the mind and soul as much as the body. It’s a Zen experience for Swaady, who finds herself more at home with an East meets Africa philosophy than with the prim and proper tea times found in wealthy British homes.

She doesn’t just take the product; instead, she takes the time.

The delight of such spaces radiates from Swaady, and although the original Yswara tea room is located in the inner city

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

of Johannesburg, it’s easy to feel it there too. You won’t find any cakes on offer as you would in an English tea house, but you will find teas called Omoluabi, Askia of Songhai, and Ubuntu. The brews may come with a higher price tag, but the people who spend Friday afternoons sipping away in Yswara’s Moroccan tea room aren’t exclusively wealthy. CEOs sit next to factory workers as both take the time to enjoy Ubuntu and what it can create. Cultivating Ubuntu It’s peaceful at Yswara, almost as far from the bustle of a busy African city as the gardens Swaady creates in her mind as she composes new tea blends. “I’d put the roses over there, and the cornflower would go just there, and these spiky plants would need to be here,” she says as she closes her eyes to visualise the greenery. “I’m like a gardener in a cup—I make a space in my mind and then I think, Now what would I like to sip?” Then she gets to work. Yswara’s ingredients are sourced from across the Continent, such as the hibiscus from Nigeria, and not from big corporations. Swaady wants connections, and she works with people who share

SWAADY MARTIN TEA MAVEN

her values. Many of her farmers operate family businesses, and most produce only a fraction of what is needed; the rest comes from smaller, independent, and equally like-minded local producers. In this way, wealth is redistributed from the top down, as Yswara’s patrons believe the premium teas are worth their cost to the last, warming drop — which they are. Swaady strives to share the beauty in every blend, creating teas that can evoke spontaneous emotions and even change the way people think about African products. Yswara teas have been enjoyed by Nelson Mandela as well as by Barack and Michelle Obama. Swaady has found herself on Oprah Winfrey’s O Power List and Archbishop Tutu’s Leadership Fellowship Programme. She’s grateful that these platforms have enabled her to share the Yswara story, but they haven’t gone to her head. “I’m no more worthy than someone on the factory floor,” she says.

uting wealth to the bottom of the pyramid through her tea company. It is Ubuntu, and that’s just who Swaady is. She is both genuine and genuinely concerned about others. Even as she laments the struggle between personal aspirations and cultural dogma that young African women must face daily, Swaady doesn’t throw her hands up and walk away from people. Instead, she embraces them, chopping onions in smokefilled kitchens and sleeping on floors on the “woman’s side” of the house in rural Africa. She’s at home wherever and with whomever she finds herself, over tea or otherwise. She knuckles down, she creates, she shares. She takes the time. If you’re in the area, you might want to take some time at Alara in Lagos. There you can sip Yswara teas in the beautiful conceptual space that is nok by Alara.

She doesn’t own the recognition as much as she shares it with everyone involved in the process of transforming the agricultural landscape, redefining African products, and redistrib-

2017—volume 2

HEALTHY EATING

Local Champ: Egusi

words by Cordialis Msora, R.D. photography by Abby Soetan

LOCAL CHAMP SERIES When British-based boxer Anthony Joshua credited OUR CELEBRATES THE DIVERSITY egusi for his boxing strength, Nigerians went ablaze, OF THE AFRICAN KITCHEN BY HIGHLIGHTING A DIFFERENT and doubtless many an aspiring athlete went out and TRADITIONAL, INDIGENOUS stocked up on the melon seed hoping to gain the same FOOD IN EACH ISSUE. physique and power as the WBA belt winner.

Probably one of the most recognizable foods out of West Africa, egusi is not only a Nigerian favorite, but a delicacy that is enjoyed in several parts of the Continent. This love is especially prevalent in West Africa, where it is known as neri in Ghana and avrouda in Benin. Whether egusi truly is a strength and fitness powerhouse remains to be seen. As with many African foods, the research on the health benefits of egusi is just starting to evolve. But from what we currently know, it has the potential to emerge as a surprisingly beneficial pantry staple.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

LOCAL CHAMP: EGUSI

2017—volume 2

HEALTHY EATING

Good Fats Galore There is a general misconception that egusi contains cholesterol and is unhealthy. The dietary sources of cholesterol include meat and animal products such as beef and full-fat dairy products. Many plant foods simply contain sterols, disease-fighting compounds shown to actually improve health. Contrary to the rumors, egusi is an excellent source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, the fats that dietitians suggest we eat more of. Though high in calories, both of these “good” fats actually improve heart health by decreasing bad cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fatty acids also have the added bonus of containing essential fatty acids, which are special substances that the body needs but cannot produce on its own. These fats help keep the arteries healthy and reduce inflammation. Bottom line, egusi contains healthy fats that lower bad cholesterol, fight inflammation, keep arteries healthy, and improve heart health. Plant Protein Power Containing almost 30 grams of protein (a little over four eggs’ worth) per 100 grams, egusi is a delicious and affordable way to get the right amount of protein in a meal without breaking the budget. Add it to vegetable stews or soups, or make egusi meatballs or patties for a veggie burger. Taste the deliciousness of plant protein! May Reduce Blood Pressure In addition to plenty of vitamin C, egusi contains important B vitamins such as niacin and thiamin and is rich in phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, all of which have been shown to be essential in the management of high blood pressure. Egusi and Aflatoxins Reports from the food export market suggest

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

there have been instances in which egusi has been banned from some markets after tested samples were shown to contain aflatoxins, naturally occurring toxins produced by certain molds. Aflatoxins are prevalent in warm, humid areas and have been proven to increase the risk of cancer, particularly of the liver. According to a July 2017 copy of Foodstuffs with Current European Union Restrictions, egusi that contains more that 20 percent aflatoxins exceeds the amount generally regarded as safe and is therefore are not allowed for import. While these findings may have slightly disrupted the international export of egusi, they have also made the general public more aware of the presence of aflatoxins and encouraged producers and suppliers to improve their adherence to food safety guidelines when harvesting and preparing egusi for sale. It is important for consumers to take the necessary precautions to reduce their risk of exposure to aflatoxins. The US Food and Drug Administration suggests buying only major commercial brands or from reputable vendors and discarding any product that looks moldy, discolored, or shriveled. Egusi in the Future Recent studies out of Ghana and Benin have shown that malnourished children experienced an improvement in nutritional status after being fed egusi. This suggests that egusi may be useful as a culturally acceptable heath food for improving nutrition in children, especially those suffering from various types of malnutrition. In addition, mainstream food manufacturers are beginning to take a closer look at egusi. What remains after the seed is ground and the fat is squeezed out is a powder that the food industry covets for its ability to thicken and stabilize processed foods, which means you may start seeing egusi seed in some of your favorite convenience foods.

LOCAL CHAMP: EGUSI

« Pictured, a bowl of traditional egusi soup. This West African superfood is packed with good fats, protein and nutrients that can reduce blood pressure.

« Whole and ground egusi seed with crushed pepper

2017—volume 2

Egusi Fare

recipes & photography by Abby Soetan

HEALTHY EATING

Egusi Shrimp Balls Serves 2 to 3 (makes 8 balls) — An appetizer probably isn’t what comes to mind when you think of egusi, but you’ll be surprised at how well it does when served to guests. The distinctive nutty flavor of the egusi pairs deliciously with shrimp, and it also makes an interesting conversation starter. Served with a pepper dipping sauce, these egusi shrimp balls are sure to be a hit.

INGREDIENTS

NUTRITION FACTS

servings: 3

PER SERVING CALORIES

total fat

% DAILY VALUE

2.7g

saturated fat

0.7g

trans fat

cholesterol

30mg

11%

sodium

355mg

15%

potassium

32mg

total carb

6.2g

dietary fiber

4.8g

17%

sugars

protein

1 cup ground egusi 1 teaspoon crushed pepper 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped spinach 2 tablespoons water 8 peeled shrimp

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. 2. Combine all the ingredients except the shrimp and stir to form a very thick paste. 3. Scoop two heaping teaspoons of the egusi paste into your hand and flatten into a circular disk.

5.9g

vitamin a

16%

vitamin c

calcium

iron

Daily percentage value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Data analyzed from verywell.com

4. Place shrimp in the middle and form the egusi paste around it into a ball and place on the baking pan. 5. Repeat until the entire mixture has been used. 6. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. 7. Serve egusi balls hot with a spicy dipping sauce.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

EGUSI RECIPE №. 1

Pair the shrimp balls with tartar sauce just as you would with shrimp cocktail. »

2017—volume 2

HEALTHY EATING

Egusi Soup Serves 4-5 — Egusi soup is a staple among many West African countries— Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Cameroon to name a few. The method of preparation varies between countries, even among villages within each country, but regardless of how it’s prepared it remains an all-time favorite.

INGREDIENTS

1/8 cup palm oil 1 cup blended tomatoes ½ medium onion, sliced 1 scotch bonnet pepper, chopped 3 tablespoons ground crayfish 1 teaspoon minced garlic ½ teaspoon grated ginger Salt to taste 1lb chicken 2 cups chicken stock (substitute: water) 2 cups egusi ¼ cup warm water (separate from above) 3 cups spinach, chopped

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

EGUSI RECIPE №. 2

NUTRITION FACTS

servings: 5

PER SERVING

% DAILY VALUE

CALORIES

243

total fat

8.2g

10%

saturated fat

3.3g

16%

trans fat

cholesterol

42mg

15%

sodium

408mg

18%

potassium

251mg

total carb

33.3g

11%

dietary fiber

2.6g

sugars

2.7g

protein

12.1g

vitamin a

69%

vitamin c

40%

calcium

iron

16%

Daily percentage value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Data analyzed from verywell.com

PREPARATION

1. Remove skin and fat from chicken and place in medium pot and add 1 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper and boil till chicken is cooked through. 2. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside broth for later use. 3. Heat oven to 400°F and bake chicken till golden brown on both sides. 4. Heat palm oil in a large pot and add onion, scotch bonnet pepper, ginger, garlic and sauté for 5 minutes 5. Add the blended tomatoes, crayfish, and cooked meats and simmer on medium-low heat for additional 15 minutes.

7. Reduce to low heat, taste for salt and adjust accordingly 8. While the sauce is cooking, combine ground egusi and water in a bowl; mix to form a smooth, thick paste 9. Spoon egusi paste into the pot and cover the pot for 15 minutes. 10. Add the rest of the chicken stock and mix the egusi to prevent burning 11. Finally, throw in the spinach and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning if required 12. Serve hot with choice of swallow

6. Add 1½ cups of chicken stock ½ cup at a time, and stir

2017—volume 2

HEALTHY EATING

NUTRITION FACTS

servings: 2

PER SERVING CALORIES

237

total fat

% DAILY VALUE

9.8g

13%

saturated fat

2.4g

12%

trans fat

cholesterol

16mg

sodium

271mg

12%

potassium

550mg

12%

total carb

32.2g

11%

dietary fiber

3.4g

12%

sugars

7.8g

protein

7.4g

vitamin a

141%

vitamin c

35%

calcium

15%

iron

Daily percentage value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Data analyzed from verywell.com

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

EGUSI RECIPE №. 3

Creamy Egusi and Potato Soup Serves 2

— If you’re used to seeing egusi soup in its traditional form, this recipe might have you scratching your head. But don’t overlook it, because once you try it, it will have you doing a double take and going for seconds. It’s perfect for cooler days, and it leaves you full without the usual heaviness, making it a great addition to your dinner table.

PREPARATION

INGREDIENTS

1. Pour olive oil in pot, place on medium heat, and sauté the onions, garlic, and carrots.

1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 small onion, diced 1 small carrot, finely diced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 small potato, diced 2 1/2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 heaping tablespoons ground egusi 6 tablespoons milk 1/2 cup milk (separate from above) Chopped parsley Bacon, fried and chopped (optional) Mozzarella cheese (optional)

2. Once the onions become translucent, add the potatoes, salt, and water (or chicken broth). 3. Cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 4. While the potatoes are cooking, mix the 6 tablespoons of milk and egusi in a separate bowl. 5. When potatoes are tender, add the egusi mixture and stir. 6. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat, then set aside. 7. Transfer half of the pot’s contents into a blender and blend until smooth. 8. Pour the purée back into the pot and place on low heat. 9. Stir in the 1/2 cup milk and parsley and allow to cook for 2 minutes. 10. Serve hot and garnish with bacon bits, cheese, and more parsley.

2017—volume 2

HEALTHY EATING

Candied Egusi/Egusi Brittle Makes approximately 40 pieces — For those with a sweet tooth and an experimental bone, this egusi dessert is especially for you. The roasted egusi seeds make a light, flavor-packed addition. Made with cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar, it’s a deliciously sweet, salty, and nutty treat. Just pair it with some low-fat ice cream or Greek yogurt and you have a match made in heaven. But beware— this recipe is so simple, you just might get hooked.

« Egusi brittle paired with Greek yogurt

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

EGUSI RECIPE №. 4

NUTRITION FACTS

servings: 8

PER SERVING

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups egusi seeds 1 1/2 cups sugar (or 2/3 cups honey for a chewy candy consistency) 1/3 cup dried cranberries (optional)

CALORIES

230

total fat

% DAILY VALUE

5.4g

saturated fat

2.9g

14%

trans fat

cholesterol

31mg

11%

sodium

161mg

potassium

16mg

total carb

44g

15%

dietary fiber

1.1g

sugars

24.3g

protein

4.6g

vitamin a

vitamin c

calcium

iron

Daily percentage value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Data analyzed from verywell.com

PREPARATION

1. Roast raw egusi seeds in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes. 2. Generously spray a large baking sheet with organic olive oil, or line with parchment paper, and set aside. 3. In a saucepan, melt butter on low heat and add salt, vanilla, cinnamon, cranberries, and egusi seeds; stir occasionally so the egusi doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan. 4. Melt sugar in a separate pot, stirring until it becomes a smooth syrup. 5. Combine the syrup and egusi mixture, working quickly so it doesn’t burn. 6. Pour immediately onto the baking sheet and spread evenly. 7. Let cool completely and break into pieces; store in an airtight container.

2017—volume 2

0 2 YOGA

ELLIPTICAL

SECTION

fitness

page 58.

YOGA FOR ALL Demystifying an ancient practice

PAGE 64.

INTERVIEW NGOZI OKORO A yogi's journey

PAGE 68.

THE SMART GIRL’S GUIDE TO ELLIPTICAL TRAINERS Pros, cons and workout tips

FITNESS

words by Danielle L’Ami photography by Ahmad Barber styled by Ray C'Mone make-up by Christine Donpier modeled by Jaycina

Yoga for All DEMYSTIFYING AN ANCIENT PRACTICE

My journey into yoga did not begin with me purposely intending to take a yoga class. I had joined a gym and tried a variety of their classes, and yoga just happened to be one of them. Life changes fast, and since joining my gym, I have given birth to two beautiful boys. But even with this life-altering change, which often limits my appearance at the gym, I always find ways to go to my favorite class: yoga. Although I have other ways of exercising— I like to walk and play soccer— yoga is the one constant in my life because it does so much more for me than anything else. If you had asked me 10 years ago “What is yoga?” I would have responded that it’s a bunch of skinny women standing on their heads and doing the splits. However, throughout my years of practice and research into the topic, I have discovered that yoga is so much more. Let me explain.

Another false belief is that yoga is a religion, and that if you practice it you are taking away from your own religious views. I won’t lie to you, yoga is without a doubt spiritual, but it is also a practice into which you can bring your own spiritual beliefs. In the words of Amit Ray, a spiritual master and yoga teacher, “Yoga is not a religion. It is a science—science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind, and soul.” Understanding what yoga is— and isn’t—is key to following the practice. When you think of yoga, are you picturing a woman sitting in a cross-legged position, chanting? Or maybe you envision a woman standing on her head? In yoga there are eight limbs, and the poses we so often see in magazines or on social media are only one of them. Different Paths

Clearing Up the Untruths There are a lot of misconceptions about yoga that may make it intimidating for some to try. One of the first impressions that someone might have about yoga is that you have to be flexible in order to do it. With yoga, wherever you are, that is where you begin; what I am saying is, you don’t need to already be good at it in order to do it. Strength, balance, and flexibility will all come in time through your practice.

There also isn’t just one type of yoga that everyone must do if they want to enter this path of well-being. I advise you not to give up if you only have had a small taste of this practice. In fact, you should try more than one style, as there are about 14 variations of yoga divided up into distinct styles. You may be seeking a restorative yoga class to ease your stress, or one that is more spiritual

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

YOGA FOR ALL

In addition to improving strength and flexibility, yoga tones the body and helps cultivate long, lean muscles. Yoga has also been known to relieve pain and lower stress levels.

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and allows you to connect deeper with your God and inner self, or maybe you want a challenging whole-body workout. Whatever the case, there is a yoga path for everyone. Keep in mind that nowhere is it written that you have to love all types of yoga. Nor do you have to give up on your religion, become Hindu, avoid eating all meat and dairy products, and become a hermit on a hilltop somewhere as gongs clang in the background. I am willing to bet that if you are willing to open yourself up to some of the different variations of yoga, with the understanding that it is your journey alone, you too will discover how much yoga is capable of bringing to your life. Is It Enough Of a Workout? I can hear you asking, “But is yoga enough to get me fit?” So here’s the deal: at the start, when you are a beginner, I would say that you will need yoga, a healthy lifestyle, plus some other exercise. That other exercise can be walking, running, swimming, stepping, spinning, or any other type of physical activity you enjoy. As you progress on your journey, you will find your body becoming more proficient both within and outside of yoga. At this point, the need to do other exercises, such as weight-training and endurance workouts, becomes less necessary. The poses in yoga become more difficult, and you will rise to these challenges as you improve in your practice. What to Expect What often isn’t mentioned about yoga is that when you decide to enter this world, there is a

self-love that is created that affects how you view your body. The benefits that you receive extend beyond the mat. Yes, you get an amazing workout, but you will also find that the way you treat your body changes as well. Yogis follow the path of Ahimsa, a principle of not doing harm, and above all else, not doing harm to oneself. For me, this principle affected the way I viewed myself tremendously. It is easy to be influenced by the flood of images and negative conversations about women’s bodies and to beat ourselves up over those things that make us incredible women or even just human. The path of yoga teaches us to love and appreciate our bodies for what they are capable of, and this love and appreciation only grows as our abilities within yoga increase. In the beginning, when you take your first few steps on your yoga journey, you will notice small changes within your life. Having children can wreak havoc on our bodies, and carrying them around on our hips and having them crawl all over us like we are their own personal playground doesn’t help either. Over the course of my childrearing years, I developed a pain in my sciatic nerve which I don’t have to tell you drove me nuts, especially when I was trying to sleep. I turned to yoga to help me through this agonizing time and my pain is now gone. I have also found that my ability to focus on small tasks has increased. I am calmer in situations that are beyond my control, and I have a newfound strength and confidence in my body. If you are still skeptical, don’t just take my word for it—try it out for yourself. Give yourself the chance to become capable of all challenges, both on and off the mat.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

YOGA FOR ALL

But before you can experience all that yoga has to offer, you may still have some uncertainties and questions about what to expect if you choose to attend a class or follow a sequence online. Here are some guidelines and tips to help you be prepared for your journey into the practice of yoga.

« Forward Fold

1. Familiarize Yourself with Some Key Terms Yes, the teacher may use terms you are unfamiliar with, and at first you will not know what to do. But with patience and practice, you will learn the terms and won’t have to think twice about them. To help you get started, here are some of the most important ones: pp SUN SALUTATION This is a typical way to open up a yoga practice. In often includes, but is not limited to, Mountain, Forward Fold, Downward Dog, Chaturanga, and Cobra. Child's Pose

« pp CHILD’S POSE If at any time you feel that it is too much and you need to rest, you may return to Child’s Pose. Child’s Pose is accomplished by beginning on your hands and knees. Exhale and lower your hips down to your heels and place your forehead on the mat; your back will be rounded. Your arms can either be outstretched in front of you, laid alongside your body, or placed under your forehead for added support. pp SAVASANA Also known as Corpse Pose, it serves a purpose and is an important pose to end your class with. This pose can last anywhere from a few minutes to a longer period of time, depending on the type of class you are attending.

Forward Fold, Downward Dog and Child's Pose are all key poses to know and practice.

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Remember, there is no wrong way to do yoga, and no one can tell you what needs to be done.

2. What to Bring to Class One of the greatest aspects of yoga is that all you really need is yourself (and a mat if you don’t want to look out of place). You may be tempted to purchase everything in the store, but all you need in the beginning are the basics. Many classes will have extra bolsters, blocks, and straps to use, so feel free to help yourself.

Focus on yourself and go at your own pace; you are there to learn, so don’t be afraid to move up to the front of the class and talk to the teacher afterward if you have questions. Listen to the modifications and use them as needed. 5. Bring a Friend

Don’t worry if you don’t have yoga pants or a matching top. A comfortable pair of pants and a non-baggy shirt (so that it doesn’t fly over your head every time you attempt an inversion pose) are both acceptable to wear to class. Water for after your session and a comfortable sweater along with some cozy socks to keep you warm during Savasana also help.

If you are really nervous about attending your first yoga class, then bring a friend along to help you through. Chances are they are just as curious as you are about trying out a new class. If you’re lucky, they might already know about yoga and can help guide you on your journey. Make a day of it and promise to go out for some lattes after class; nothing helps keep you motivated like having a friend along for the ride.

3. Class Etiquette

6. Physical Nourishment

Remember your days in school when the teacher wanted your undivided attention? The same can be said for attending a yoga class; goofing off and making a lot of noise is disrespectful and distracting to the rest of the class. So if you do show up to a class, make sure you are there to learn.

Although the expectation is to attend class on an empty stomach, this isn’t always possible or practical. Sometimes the classes are held early in the morning, and if you’re like me, your body may not perform well if you haven’t eaten since the night before.

This includes following through with the poses that the teacher is telling the class to do and not trying to do your own thing; staying until the end of the class and not getting up in the middle of Savasana; not bringing a cell phone, even if it is just to check the time; and returning any borrowed equipment—in clean condition—after use.

Use your best judgment and either eat a small breakfast, such as some yogurt and fruit, to tide you over for an hour, or aim to attend a class in between meals. It may take some time working around your eating schedule, but you will get the hang of it and be thankful that you did. Some yoga poses, particularly those that compress and twist the body, do not feel good on a full stomach.

4. Start at the Beginning There are many beginning yoga classes, so if you are new to the practice, this is where you should start. And though you may find a seasoned Yogi in there just wanting to show off, I assure you the teacher won’t be impressed and neither will the rest of the class.

7. Don’t Be Late Arrive on time to secure a good spot. This is especially important if you are newer to the practice and want to select a spot close to the teacher. It is also disruptive to arrive five minutes into a class that has already started.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

YOGA FOR ALL

through the pain just to get to a pose that much quicker. You will get there in time and with some practice, I promise. 9. If You Happen to Fall Asleep Yes, there have been cases where people have fallen asleep at the end of their practice. Keep in mind, however, that this typically happens in yoga classes that are meant for relaxation in which the participants have spent considerable time lying on the floor in a much longer Savasana. In your first few classes, you will likely be more on edge and paying extra attention to everything that is going on, so just listen to the teacher and you will be fine. 10. Namaste

Downward Dog

By arriving a little early, you also give yourself the benefit of seeing how the teacher and the other participants set up their areas, specifically their mats. Also, sometimes the teacher will place a couple of blocks by her mat for students to use with any modifications she may suggest. 8. Listen to Your Body

It is important to seal the end of your practice and acknowledge your teacher, otherwise known as Namaste. This generally means “the light in me salutes the light in you” and is accomplished by simply pressing your palms together with a slight bow toward the front of the class as you complete your practice. Once you perform this final part of the class, you will feel accomplished and ready to take on the rest of your day. It is a feeling like no other, and can only be experienced if you give it a try.

Just because the teacher and possibly everyone else in the class can bend over and touch their toes while keeping their legs straight does not mean that you need to do the same. If your body screams at you that it isn’t comfortable, listen to it and bend your knees.

Remember, there is no wrong way to do yoga, and no one can tell you what needs to be done— once you decide to take up the practice it becomes your journey and yours alone. To enter the world of yoga is to undertake a path of self-discovery.

In time, you will find that you may not need to modify your poses as often as you become stronger and more flexible—and believe me, you will. Being somewhat uncomfortable with the poses is perfectly acceptable; pain is not. Don’t push

I feel it is safe to say that if I had never tried yoga, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. It has forever changed me and the way I view the world, but most importantly, it has changed the way I view myself.

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RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

MY YOGA JOURNEY

I DID IT

Dr. Ngozi Okoro: Harnessing the Power of Yoga For many, practicing yoga is not only a form of exercise, but a lifestyle as well. While the tight spandex, chanting, and slow movements might seem a far cry from traditional fitness exercises, yoga has the power to transform the body as well as the mind. Gastroenterologist Dr. Ngozi Okoro shares her journey toward a lifetime of yoga and talks about how the practice has become her ultimate happy place.

RADIANT HEALTH How did you become

interested in yoga? DR. NGOZI OKORO In 2008, I finished my medical residency at Emory University and got accepted to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. As I was finishing work one day, I noticed that there was a gym attached to the hospital. Now, I’ve never been an exercise junkie; I had never joined a gym, and I haven’t been on a treadmill more than twice because I’m afraid of falling. I figured that there has to be an easier way to exercise that doesn’t involve killing myself. So, I decided to stop by and see what was going on at the gym. I entered, and lo and behold — everybody in Rochester was there!

There was a long line in front of one of the rooms inside, and it ended up being a yoga class. I set up in the back of the room, and by the end of the class I was already thinking: I’m going to be the lady still standing on her head when she’s 95 years old. When I see something that I like, I’m very consistent. Since that day I’ve done yoga, except on vacation, an average of five to six times a week. RH What were some of the challenges you experienced on your yoga journey? DR. OKORO When I was just getting started

in Minnesota, I did a more athletic form of yoga that was very fast-paced. When I moved back to Atlanta in 2011, my main challenge was to find a class that I could get to after work without having to battle traffic. Luckily, there was a gym across the street from my new hospital, but the yoga

that they practiced was Iyengar, a much slower pace than I was used to. It worried me that I didn’t even break a sweat in this new class. RH What misconceptions did you have about yoga? DR. OKORO I didn’t know what yoga was all about. I was the proverbial blank slate. A few years ago, I had read an article about how Jennifer Anniston had explained that her practice kept her youthful, and I thought it would be cool to try.

But common misconceptions I’ve heard from people are things like “I’m not flexible”; I tell them that’s what yoga is for. They tell me it’s not a real workout, and I tell them “Look at your instructor’s physique.” They think it’s “just for women,” and I say, “Every good thing was discovered by a woman first” (laughs). Yoga is very personalized; it gives you what your body needs at whatever time. You get stronger, you look different, you even walk differently. It’s a whole mind-body experience. The speed at which you do it doesn’t really matter as long as you’re committed to it and you’re paying attention. RH Are there any common misconceptions that fellow Nigerians/Africans have about yoga that you’ve heard? DR. OKORO My friends always tell me, “Oh, it’s so boring.” They don’t think it’s a workout. They think we’re just sitting there breathing and stretching. For an exercise to be complete, it needs to have

interview by Chinyere Amobi photography by Ahmad Barber

three components: strength, flexibility, and aerobics. Yoga is complete in that way. If you’re a runner, you get an aerobic exercise and strength but no flexibility. If you do yoga well, it’s something that will get you stronger, and the flexibility can protect your body from getting injured when doing other things. Most Nigerians might not want to try yoga because it doesn’t look exciting, no one is screaming at you, and there’s no bumping music; it’s more calming and soothing. It’s also associated with women, so for guys it’s a chick thing unless you’re looking for a girlfriend. RH Do you do other workouts besides yoga? Is it enough for you to stay so fit? DR. OKORO I do yoga 6-7 hours a week. What else would I have time to do (laughs)? As a physician, I have a challenging schedule. I practice yoga every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday Iyengar style at the gym near my work. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday I just go to LA Fitness, which will have whatever flavor of yoga that the teacher has in mind. On Friday evenings, I take 30- to 45-minute walks in my neighborhood as well.

There are people who will run on the treadmill five days a week, and that’s where they get their workout. That doesn’t do it for me. For others, I suggest finding something that doesn’t injure you and that makes you feel good afterwards. If it feels like a chore, choose something more fun. You don’t have to do yoga.

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RH Can you describe your diet for us? DR. OKORO I eat everything, but I try to eat things that are good for me. In the pursuit of feeling good, if I eat something and it makes me feel bad, I’ll eat less of it next time or not at all. I try to be good to myself. I noticed that when I started yoga it was easier for me to make those choices, just automatically.

When you’re fit and you feel good, you want to continue that feelgood experience, so your mind makes an automatic connection with foods that help rather than harm you. This makes it easier for you to make educated choices. When I go out, I’m more likely to get the fish and rice than the huge burger will all the cheese sticking out and 10 onion rings. It’s the feeling rather than the taste that I go after. RH Some say yoga is a spiritual experience. Does this ring true to you, and if so, can you explain? DR. OKORO Not for me, unless you call feeling good after class a

spiritual experience, in which case I’m down with that! I have a good friend from high school, and we’re both Christian. She will go to the gym with me, but never a yoga class, because she feels that yoga is some woo-woo thing. I don’t serve any other God; I’m very serious about my Christianity. Yoga is a way to take care of my body and mind. I don’t do any chanting—it’s simply exercise number one. RH How has yoga affected how you view yourself and your body? DR. OKORO This is going to sound crazy, but sometimes I wake up and feel that I can just take off and fly, like a plane! I do yoga for the feeling I get afterwards. It has nothing to do with how I look—it’s really about how I feel. It makes me look forward to the day, and I feel like I’m giving myself a gift. That’s what I tell my patients. Whatever exercise you do, find something soothing that you enjoy and that at the end of the day makes you happy.

When I first went into yoga I got stronger and my body got more toned. I gained five pounds from muscle weight, and even looked different. Yoga kind of redistributes your body—your muscles are different, the fat goes to areas that make your muscles look nice, and it’s really amazing. When I had to switch to what I thought was a less athletic form of yoga, I was scared this would make a difference in how my body looks or the results of my practice, and it really hasn’t. I didn’t know that. RH What would you say to someone who is considering yoga, but needs that extra push, or is too scared or embarrassed to put themselves out there? DR. OKORO Basically, I tell them what I told my patient who even-

tually stopped drinking alcohol. You can do anything for a month,

right? His drinking was affecting his liver, so I asked him to try to quit drinking for a month, after which he could fall into a barrel of wine if he wanted to. He agreed. At the end of that month he came back, had lost all this weight, and looked great. He came back the next month and still hadn’t drunk, because he felt so good. He hasn’t had a drink in three years. It depends on how motivated you are. People don’t change if they’re very functional and basically happy with their life—there’s no stimulus to transform. But if you come to me and say you want to do something different, I say just try it for a month and see if there’s anything there. If not, then do something else. RH Can you share some ways that yoga has changed your mindset outside of the gym, in terms of mental health and well-being? DR. OKORO I’m more inclusive, and I’m easier and kinder to people. When you’re happy in your mind it’s easier to be kind. What I’ve learned is you can have two people who do the same job and one person’s views can be radically different from the other person’s. We all have the same internal urges. Yoga doesn’t make us immune to the usual annoyances of life, but can give us more energy and stamina and enable us be kinder and more loving. When we do this enough times, we become happier.

I deal with negative emotions in a more mature, forgiving manner because I’m a happier person. I won’t give all the credit to yoga. First of all, I’m Christian. I know who holds the future. But apart from that, health loves health. I’m a Christian, I do yoga, I love myself, and I eat well. It’s a whole group of things you do to maintain your equilibrium on a day-to-day basis. Yoga is a big part of this. RH In closing, thanks for sharing such a positive perspective with our audience! Last question: What does being Radiant mean to you? DR. OKORO Glowing skin (laughs). I believe we are born with a sense of joy, eagerness, and wonder—the right mindset to lead a rewarding life. Somewhere along the way, you may have had major disappointments, your soul may not have been nurtured, and your joy may have been stolen. No one is immune to this.

Every day requires a lot of work to retain my sense of self and my joy. I can have a terrible day and upsetting experiences but still retain the essence of who I am and my optimism for living. I discovered that self care is a powerful tool for giving our soul everything it needs to thrive: eating right, drinking water, sleeping well, and associating with people who edify my spirit—who I can turn to when I’m having a bad day. While I was born a happy person, becoming a happy person in adulthood is no accident! It’s a very intentional life that I lead every day, and yoga plays an important role in nourishing my soul.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

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The Smart Girl’s Guide to Elliptical Trainers IS YOUR ELLIPTICAL WORKOUT TOO EASY?

words by Patrick Dale

SEVERAL MISCONCEPTIONS COMMONLY PERSIST REGARDING ELLIPTICAL TRAINERS: pp They’re boring. pp They’re too easy and therefore ineffective.

pp They aren’t “functional”.

If your gym has an elliptical trainer, you already know how immensely popular these machines are. People love the elliptical; pp Treadmills, rowers, bikes, and others burn more calories. they’re simple to use and provide an instant workout because there are no tricky techniques to learn. You just hop on and get to work. pp They won’t get you as fit as other methods.

But despite their best efforts, many people fail to get all of the benefits possible from their elliptical workout. Some people even ignore ellipticals in favor of treadmills, bikes, or rowing machines. In reality, research reveals that elliptical trainers are every bit as effective as treadmills for improving fitness and burning calories, and both the American Council on Exercise and the world-famous Mayo Clinic are very much in favor of the use of elliptical trainers. Of course, the benefits you’ll get from using an elliptical trainer very much depend on how you use it! Discover the all the pros and cons of the elliptical trainer for yourself, and learn how to get the best possible results from your workout.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

ELLIPTICAL TRAINERS GUIDE

The Pros of Using an Elliptical Trainer

The Cons of Using an Elliptical Trainer

Elliptical trainers have a lot going for them; here are just a few of their benefits.

While elliptical trainers offer many benefits, there are a few drawbacks too.

EFFECTIVE CARDIO Elliptical trainers offer an effective cardiovascular workout, which means they work your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Cardiovascular fitness is inextricably linked to improved cardiovascular health, and most exercise authorities recommend you do at least 20 minutes of cardio three times a week.

IT’S EASY TO CHEAT To make an elliptical workout effective, you

LOW-IMPACT WORKOUT Unlike running on a treadmill, elliptical

trainers provide a low-impact workout, making them ideal for heavier exercisers and anyone with ankle, knee, hip, or lower-back aches and pains. When you run, your feet hit the floor with an impact of as much as three times your weight; that’s a lot of force. Because they are low impact, elliptical trainers provide a much less stressful workout. FULL-BODY WORKOUT Most elliptical trainers have handles so that you can work your upper body and your legs at the same time. This allows you to tone and strengthen your arms, back, shoulders, and chest as well as your legs. CALORIE BURNING Because elliptical trainers work all of your

major muscles simultaneously, they have superior calorie-burning potential. However, the number of calories burned depends on how hard you exercise. To maximize calorie burning, you must actively push and pull with your arms, not just cruise through your workout. WEIGHT BEARING Weight-bearing activities involve supporting a

large percentage of your weight on your legs and feet. This helps keep your bones strong and may help reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis, a serious medical condition characterized by brittle, porous bones that are prone to fracture. Exercise bikes and rowing machines, as well as activities like swimming, involve minimal weight bearing. In contrast, elliptical trainers qualify as a weight-bearing activity that can increase bone mass.

need to consciously push and pull the handles and put plenty of effort into driving the pedals around. If you don’t, it’s very easy to cheat and just cruise through your workout. LESS FITNESS CROSSOVER TO OTHER ACTIVITIES The action of the elliptical trainer is unique, and there are no other exercises quite like it. Because of this, fitness developed on an elliptical may not always cross over to other types of exercise. If you want to get fit for running but still want to exercise inside, you will get better results from using a treadmill. POOR POSTURE It’s all too easy to hunch over and exercise with poor posture when using an elliptical trainer. Most of us already spend too much time hunched over our desks and in our cars; the last thing we need is to exercise with bad posture too. Poor posture can lead to back and neck pain, and also makes your stomach bow outward. LIMITED RANGE OF MOVEMENT Elliptical trainers lock your arms and legs into a very limited range of motion. You can’t take longer strides or move your arms more, as everything is fixed. This can lead to muscle tightness, though this is easily remedied with stretching after your workout. COST If you want an elliptical trainer for your home, expect to pay quite a lot of money for a good one. Exercise bikes and rowers are generally cheaper. Of course, this is not a problem if you use an elliptical at a gym.

SIMPLE TO USE Elliptical trainers are very easy to use, and you don’t need to learn any special techniques to get a good, safe workout. This makes them ideal for beginners and those who prefer to “switch off” during their workout to watch TV or listen to music. In contrast, it’s all too easy to fall off a treadmill if you stop paying attention.

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Getting the Most From the Elliptical Trainer Get the most from your elliptical workouts by putting these simple tips into practice: TURN UP THE RESISTANCE It may be tempting to leave the re-

sistance setting on low for an easy workout, but don’t! Turn the resistance up so that you have to actively use your arms and legs to keep the pedals and handles moving. If you feel like you are “freewheeling,” you won’t get much benefit from your workouts, if any.

FIVE ELLIPTICAL WORKOUTS

Most elliptical trainers have built-in workouts for you to follow. However, once you’ve done them a few times, you might be glad to have a few new workouts to try. Here are five effective, time-efficient workouts to add to your exercise repertoire.

STAND UP TALL Imagine that your head is full of helium and is floating up toward the ceiling. With this image in mind, stand up tall, lift your chest, and keep your shoulders down, back, and relaxed. Engage your core too. Better posture will take years off your appearance and produce a better workout that burns more calories. MIX IT UP Don’t just hop on your elliptical trainer and go forward; go backward too. This helps prevent boredom and also changes which muscles are working. While going forward emphasizes your quadriceps, the muscles on the front of your thighs, going backward uses more hamstrings and glutes, the muscles on the back of your thighs and hips. MOVE YOUR FEET Don’t just lock your feet into one position. Not only will they fall asleep and go numb, you’ll also limit the muscles you are using during your workout. Periodically move your feet forward and backward, and shift your weight from the balls of your feet to your heels. DON’T BE AN ELLIPTICAL JUNKIE Elliptical trainers provide a good workout, but if you always do the same exercise, you limit the benefits of your workout. Your body is amazingly adaptive and soon gets used to whatever type of exercise you choose to do. Use an elliptical as part of a balanced workout routine that involves other cardio machines as well as strength training, core work, and stretching.

1. Tabata Training This workout only lasts 10 minutes, but don’t let the brevity fool you—it’s an effective fitness builder and fat burner. Warm up for 3 to 4 minutes at an easy pace. Increase the resistance gradually over that time. Increase the resistance to approximately 50 to 70 percent. Go as fast as you can for 20 seconds, and then take it easy for 10 seconds. Repeat eight times to total four minutes. Cool down for 2 to 3 minutes, reducing the resistance gradually over that time.

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ELLIPTICAL TRAINERS GUIDE

2. Candy Bar Calorie Time Trial

5. 15-Minute Pyramid

Grab your favorite candy bar and check the nutrition label to see how many calories it contains. Next, hop on your elliptical and see how fast you can burn off that many calories.

This short but sharp workout involves changes of speed, resistance, and direction. If you only have 15 minutes for exercise, this is the workout for you. You could also do it before a strength-training workout as part of your warm up, or afterward as part of your cool down.

The average calorie bar contains around 300 calories, so this workout should help illustrate just how much exercise you need to do if you eat too much candy! 3. 20-Minute Mix-It-Up For this workout, adjust the resistance and your speed according to the chart below: MINUTES

RESISTANCE

SPEED

0-2

Low

Moderate

3-6

High

Low

7-8

MIN.

RESISTANCE

SPEED

DIRECTION

0-3

Low

High

4-6

Low

High

7-8

Medium

9-10

Medium

High

Low

High

Low

13-15

Low

Easy Recovery

9-12

Moderate

13-14

Moderate

Easy Recovery

15-18

Low

19-20

High

Easy Cool Down

4. Alternating Intervals This is another 20-minute workout designed to provide lots of benefits in a relatively short time. Mixing speeds, resistance levels, and direction will ensure that you don’t get bored and that no fitness stone is left unturned. MIN.

RESISTANCE

SPEED

DIRECTION

0-2

Low

Medium

3-4

Medium

5-6

High

Low

7-8

Low

High

9-10

Medium

11-12

High

Low

13-14

Low

High

15-16

Medium

17-18

High

Low

19-20

Low

Note: » : forward « : backward

If you want to get the most from the elliptical, don’t just hop on and do the same workout over and over again. Instead, concentrate on exercising with good technique, and mix up your workouts so you don’t get bored. The elliptical trainer can help you lose weight and get fit, but only if you use it properly, incorporating both variety and intensity into your workouts.

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feature

page 74.

YVONNE ORJI — A TRUE STAND UP KIND OF LADY

A close-up look at the blossoming star

COLORISM

PAGE 86.

ALBINISM IN AFRICA TODAY

The true experience of persons with albinism

PAGE 92.

CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARD ALBINISM

RADIANCE

Inside the Onome Akinlolu Majaro Foundation

PAGE 98.

INTERVIEW DAMILOLA OGUNSI

A chat with a dream chaser

PAGE 102.

A MODERN MANIFESTO ON COLORISM

One writer tells it like it shouldn't be, but is

PAGE 108.

INTERVIEW DR. OMA NNENNA AGBAI

A dermatologist weighs in

words by Nikki Igbo photography by Ahmad Barber styled by Ray C'Mone makeup by Keya DeLarge hair by Shanna Anise

Yvonne Orji a True Stand-Up Kind of Lady

Pantsuit by Sandro, earrings by Anthropologie.

FEATURE

Yvonne Orji is having the time of her life, and it is about time the world took notice. A Naija-proud comic on the rise, a beloved co-star on HBO’s critically-acclaimed Insecure, and the creator and producer of a highly anticipated show on the African immigrant experience—all that in addition to being a degreed public-health professional intent on leaving the world better than how she found it. We had the opportunity to chat with this blossoming luminary, and our fandom for Yvonne couldn’t be greater.

Crazy, Amazing, Humbling, Crazy Fresh from opening for Chris Rock two nights in a row to sold-out crowds at Atlanta’s Fox Theater, “crazy, amazing, humbling, crazy” is how Yvonne describes the experience of performing her stand-up comedy in front of the largest crowds of her comedic career. “So many feelings,” she humbly confesses, as hair and makeup professionals swarm around her in preparation for her Radiant Health cover shoot. “The fact that he [Chris Rock] would trust me with this opportunity… it was so beautiful, that feeling of doing what I know I’m supposed to be doing. It was awesome.”

I asked Yvonne how she’s managed to maintain her down-to-earth attitude. Until recently, she’d been driving the same car for the last four years, a 2001 Honda accord—complete with a tape deck. And as of the time of our interview, she still lives with her longtime roommate who's seen her through seasons of hardship and celebration. A big part of her groundedness comes from her dedication to her faith and a strong desire to be her best version of herself. She begins each morning with a praise and worship session to what she calls her “morning glory” playlist, which includes such gospel favorites as Travis Greene and Tye Tribbett. She also practices a daily devotional, “I Declare” with Joel Osteen.

Amen, I thought to myself. In just the few “A lot of the things around me that sustained moments we’d spent together after her arrival me during the struggle and the come-up are still at our studio, I’d immediately recognized the around me, so I think that helps me see the busichill, laid-back, totally relatable, “that’s-my-girl” ness but also reminds me of what really matters,” essence of Yvonne Orji. No wonder the audience Yvonne explains. “When I get frustrated or antsy loved her. She’s the kind of young lady who or I’m trying to make something happen in my doesn’t take herself too seriously, although she is life, I take the time to tap back into the spirit and serious about being excellent in all that she does. remind myself to go back to the basics of being She gives compliments far more easily than she centered in my faith. I also have good people accepts them. She is prone to breaking into the around. So I praise and pray and take a moment vernacular to reference her strong and proud ties to breathe in knowing that these friendships, to Nigeria. She really is the type of person other these opportunities to serve, these opportunities people love being with. And still she is modest. to give is my normal. This is true, this is lasting. Everything else is just icing on the cake.”

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» Here, Yvonne has on an Alaïa Paris body-con dress paired with a matching pullover, also by Alaïa; complimented with a gold hat and gold earrings by Anthropologie.

FEATURE

“I want to do what ever I can. There are multiple ways to fix an issue even A Heroine’s Journey if you’re not on the But then organic chemistry happened. As she says with a As a stand-up comic, Yvonne is ground literally laugh in her Nigerian accent, well aware of the importance of doing it with a “Well you know, everyone cantiming when it comes to setting not succeed at everything. All up and delivering knee-slap- scalpel.” ping punch lines. And she understands how timing has also played a key role throughout her life, shaping and molding her into the person she is today. When she was much younger, her parents had decided that she would become a doctor. Yvonne recalls visiting Nigeria around the age of 12 and being spurred by the events of that trip to diligently fulfill her parent’s wishes. “My aunt was pregnant and my parents and I went back to the village for a week, and everything and everyone was in disarray,” says Yvonne. “It turned out that my aunt was having an ectopic pregnancy and her doctor refused to perform surgery on her because he didn’t know if she would be able to pay for it. Meanwhile, my dad is a chief, my mom is a nurse, and we were definitely in a position to help.” Sadly, her aunt lost the baby and hasn’t given birth to any children since. It bothered Yvonne that the doctor, who could have done more, wouldn’t just go ahead and do whatever it took to save both her aunt and the baby’s life. “That was one of those moments where I said to myself, ‘Not on my watch.’ I vowed that if I had the ability and the power to help and didn’t do so because of finances, then that was a poor, poor excuse. It was a real driving force for me trying to be a doctor.”

things are lawful but not all things are permissible.” Still, the timing of that experience, paired with a sincere desire to make a difference, stuck with her even as she discovered her latent writing, speaking, and artistic talents. After earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in global health and global health promotion at George Washington University, it still wasn’t quite the right time to share with her parents that her career as a doctor was not going to happen. So she went to Liberia instead. “Liberia was amazing. It was one of those experiences of me trying to flee from the inevitable—of breaking my parents’ hearts in telling them that they were not going to have their doctor. I did go to a war-torn country rather than having that conversation with them.” And while some may consider that a rather extreme choice, all that Yvonne learned and experienced in Liberia could not have been more perfectly ordered. With no familiarity with the country, nor any contacts on the ground, Yvonne had to prove to herself that she could still succeed, make friends, and be okay in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable place. While in Liberia, she worked for Population Services International (PSI), a nonprofit global health organization with pro-

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grams and initiatives targeted at combating malaria, promoting child survival, educating about and preventing HIV, and supporting reproductive health. “I worked with a group of kids who ran a radio station which was artistic in nature and we did social marketing. Essentially, we used big corporate ideologies to market healthy behaviors. For example, if we wanted a specific population to adopt the use of mosquito netting to prevent malaria then we would implement a campaign—or rather, produce a play—to reach and touch people on a level they can understand to spread health messaging that is both entertaining and informative.” Also during her time in Liberia, Yvonne launched a girl’s mentoring program designed to help young women acknowledge and gain confidence in their inherent abilities, intelligence, and beauty in order to overcome any challenges they might face. “That’s really my heartbeat— to not let dire situations cause anyone to make dire decisions. Often youth are receiving such hopeless and dismal messaging. These girls in particular would end up not going to school and simply hook up with some expat and use their bodies to get financial support. I want to reach people at those impressionable ages and let them know that they can do something amazing although their situation may appear bleak. I want them to know that they can overcome and make it to go back and help their parents and siblings.”

Derek Lam yellow wideleg pants; Stella McCartney pink silk blouse with neck detail; Anthropologie chandelier earring

YVONNE ORJI

Yvonne realized that she still had the power to effect positive change in the world. Even if she wasn’t going to be a doctor, she could still use her gifts and whatever resources at hand to go back to her home country of Nigeria and prevent the kind of tragedy she had witnessed with her aunt.

a huge impact in educating broad audiences on both the black and African immigrant experience. And once again, the timing is right for her to do just that, given the recent explosion and success of film and television productions featuring allblack casts.

“I want to do whatever I can. There are multiple ways to fix an issue even if you’re not on the ground literally doing it with a scalpel. Are you sending money? Are you going on the medical missions? Are you lending your platform as an ambassador for a non-profit? However I can use whatever platform I’ve been given to assist in improving people’s lives, that's where my passion lies.”

With Insecure in particular, Yvonne and her fellow cast members aren’t just portraying the hijinks of two young black women in Southern California trying to make sense of their romantic and professional lives. The show also tackles the subtleties of racism, sexual identity, gender roles, self-discovery, and all the many facets of what it means to be black in America, and it does so in an intelligent and provocative way. Buoyed by the show’s success, Yvonne knows that audiences are ripe for the kind of messaging she wishes to impart in her own First Gen project.

Oge Chi ka mma, God’s Time is the Best Yvonne soon discovered that just as with her work in Liberia, her stand-up work, the creation of her original comedy series First Gen, and her starring role on Insecure all have the potential to make

“In a time when we’re seeing and hearing so many negative portrayals of immigrants, I think this is a fine time to actually see what immigrants

2017—volume 2

FEATURE

“I was bullied for my accent and called an African booty scratcher.”

do. We get the job done, to quote the infamous line from the hit Broadway production, Hamilton. We see what needs to be done, we make it happen, and we do it well. Part of me wanting to tell the story is that most Americans have never seen Africa represented in a way where Africans are just normal neighbors next door. We’re always seen as either a caricature, as in Coming to America, or we’re seen as fleeing a desperate situation, as in Hotel Rwanda. I think the environment is ready for a show like First Gen.” First Gen is right on the cusp of becoming a reality. More and more of Yvonne’s fans are learning about First Gen through various online articles and promotional videos posted on YouTube, and Yvonne is diligently working behind the scenes to continue to write, develop, and pitch it to a network. In addition, David Oyelowo has signed on as one of the show’s executive producers. “The stories are endless and they keep writing themselves,” says Yvonne. “Even without a writers’ room or a network picking up, we could have the first season; we already know what it’s going to be.” And although First Gen has been in the works long before she started taping Insecure, Yvonne clearly hasn’t lost any energy or excitement over the future show. She’s simply taking the project and all she’s learned about creating a television

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show in stride. “Oge Chi ka mma,” she says, flashing her signature million-dollar smile. And to her I reply, “Jisie Ike, oh!” More Than Ready for Her Close-Up Yvonne’s pride and adoration for her Nigerian heritage is both intoxicating and inspiring. It underscores her evident drive to remain steadfast in her pursuits while simultaneously keeping her even-keeled and downright pleasant. It’s the kind of self-appreciation I want to see in every person of color I meet and in any soul who has ever been told that they don’t measure up to whatever arbitrary standard this world has the audacity to set. “If you have Nigerian parents, even if you have never been to Nigeria, you have enough of the culture in you,” says Yvonne. “You have a certain work ethic and drive because of your parents. You embody all those stereotypes we have, and I’m loving those stereotypes of being smart and business savvy and so on. I am always encouraging young people to love the culture because it really sets us apart.” This pride is evident as she poses for the camera to a free-flowing soundtrack of Beyoncé hits courtesy of Yvonne’s beloved Beats Pill speaker.

Fendi pink silk Dress with pleat and bow detail; Anthropologie earring

Elie Tahari transparent jacket; Fendi navy pants

FEATURE

CATCH YVONNE ON THE FIRST TWO SEASONS OF INSECURE CURRENTLY STREAMING ON HBO GO AND AVAILABLE ON DEMAND. LOOK FOR YVONNE IN HER FIRST FEATURE FILM, NIGHT SCHOOL ALSO STARRING KEVIN HART AND TIFFANY HADDISH.

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YVONNE ORJI

Shot after shot is punctuated by her brilliant mega smile, the same smile she was once teased for when she first arrived in America at the age of six. “I was bullied for my accent and called an African booty scratcher and ‘soup coolers’ because of my big lips. I’m sure I didn’t make matters any better by dousing my face with baby powder and Vaseline and pretty much making myself look ashy,” says Yvonne, who is currently single. “But now my lips are amazing. Yes, my eyes are gargantuan, but they help me play to an audience when I’m doing my stand-up. This—all of this—is what I’m supposed to look like. And one day, someone is going to love it.” One of the reasons I adore watching Yvonne Orji on Insecure is that she is a brown-skinned sister who epitomizes beauty and class. Her skin tone is gorgeous, and the very fact that she is a television star tells so many other brown-skinned girls that their color is an enhancement that should be a celebrated, not an impediment that ought to be altered. “When I go home [to Nigeria] and see the bleaching, I just can’t believe we’re still doing this in 2017. Why? I think every society has their thing. Like in America, there are the butt implants because it is a belief that this is what guys like. I want every woman to know, regardless of skin tone or body type, that they’re beautiful.” Yvonne’s concern for overall Nigerian health and well-being isn’t just skin deep, and she’s not afraid to call it like she sees it, though I can also tell that her criticism comes from a sincere place of love for and allegiance to her roots. “There are so many doctors that are born from Nigerian heritage,” says Yvonne. “Our medical system should not be in the shape

that it’s in. We produce so many lawyers and engineers, we should not still need NEPA. We should not still need generators. There are enough engineers in America of Nigerian descent who can singlehandedly tell Nigeria how to fix the power problem or how to fix the refinery situation. We can come together and make us so much better. My question is, if it’s not the ability, then what is it? I think we just have to get sick and tired of being sick and tired for change to happen. But it’s gradual, and it will come, and it takes every new generation to want to make it happen.” It is safe to say that Yvonne is definitely putting her generation on the map and is eager to take on more opportunities in the name of building, growing, and improving to truly make the world a better place. As I bid her goodbye and thank her for such an awesome conversation, I know her day is far from over. She still has another couple of outfit and hairstyle changes, with a few casual snapshots mixed in for posting to Instagram. Following the official wrap of the shoot, she’ll still need to hustle back to her hotel, pack her things, get to the airport to make her flight back to Southern California, and be fresh and ready for an early-morning call on the set of Insecure. On top of all that, I know she will be thinking about how she can improve upon her recent comedic performances, or how she can use the experience to strengthen her plans for First Gen, or her portrayal on Insecure, or countless other ways simply to achieve more. Still, when we exchange pleasantries as if we were long lost friends, her smile is bright and sincere and her embrace is warm and firm. I can’t help but think that though perhaps the medical industry is being shorted a remarkable soul, the rest of us sure are in luck.

2017—volume 2

Neria is wearing a white Sandro Paris dress from Bloomingdales.

photography by Ahmad Barber | styled by Ray C'Mone | hair and makeup by Christine Dompier | modeled by Neria

FEATURE

Being a Person With Albinism in Africa Today The deadly discrimination against Africans with albinism

words by Temitayo Olofinula

Every day Seyi Ogunsi steps out of her house in Lagos, she has to deal with three things. The first is the biting rays of the sun. As a person with albinism (PWA)—the term preferred over “albino” by those affected with the condition—melanin is absent from her skin, eyes, and hair. This means that exposure to the sun will cause sunburn and dark spots, and prolonged exposure could lead to skin cancer. To protect herself, Seyi wears clothes that cover her skin, travels by car, applies sunscreen, and uses an umbrella for protection whenever she is outside.

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ALBINISM IN AFRICA TODAY

« Tanzanian mother and son. » Tanzanian albino girl and her friend. Many traditional healers have been arrested in Tanzania because of pwa murders.

The second thing she must deal with is unwanted stares and name-calling. In Nigeria, a country whose people are predominantly known to have dark skin, her light skin attracts attention and people stare at her. Seyi is used to this. “It is your eyes. You are not borrowing my eyes. Sometimes I ask them, ‘will you take a picture so that when I am gone you can continue looking at it?’” Her light skin is thick enough to withstand the name-calling as well as the staring. Every ethnic group in Nigeria has an arsenal of words for her condition: afin in Yoruba, anyale in Delta, and orisa (the Yoruba word for “gods”). More troubling is owo re, a Yoruba phrase meaning “This is money!” in reference to the potential riches from rituals performed using the body parts of PWA. Others will call a PWA an “unfortunate European,” and in some rural parts of the country, children will follow the person, clapping and singing while calling out the name.

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FEATURE

“Sometimes I ask myself, if I was a dark-skinned person who had interactions with albinos and I did not know what I know now, how would I react? Do I really feel that I will be better than everybody?„

Of course, name-calling is not limited to Nigeria. In Zimbabwe, PWA are called sope, a derogatory term which means “possessed by evil spirits.” In Tanzania they are called nguruwe, which means “pig,” or zeru—“ghost.” In Malawi they are called “millions millions,” also referring to the monetary value of PWA. The third and worst thing Seyi has to deal with is unwanted touching, which can happen anywhere and by anyone, male or female. Though it is common to be touched, pushed, and shoved by sellers in many Nigerian open markets, it is a different experience for many PWA. Many people touch them to feel the texture of their skin. It is the touching that she most despises, and it is another reason she covers her body when she goes to markets. One time at a market, a male vendor touched her and she screamed at him so much that he was shocked. “The man just started begging, ‘Aunty no vex! I only wanted you to buy from me!’” says Seyi. “I do not like being touched.” Seyi’s other concern is her eyesight. The lack of melanin in the eyes results in many PWA having some level of vision impairment, such as reduced visual acuity, sensitivity to light, erratic eye movements, and eye misalignment. Often, the eyes of PWA are unsteady in their sockets, making it difficult for them to focus. Seyi says that despite repeated visits to the ophthalmologist and her diligent use of eyeglasses, she is still unable to see faraway objects. “This eyesight challenge is quite different from those faced by people who are either long or short sighted,” says Seyi. “In many cases, our eyes are underdeveloped.” She has learned to deal with this challenge over the course of her life. In secondary school, she had to copy notes from her seatmate, and at the university, the notes were dictated and she listened and wrote them down. An English graduate who loves to read, Seyi sometimes has to hold books close to her eyes to see the words. Her ophthalmologist has advised her not to drive, a warning she rues, though she knows it is for her own good. “When I am sitting beside someone who is driving and the person stops, it takes a while before I know the reason they stopped, before I see that the traffic light is red,” she says. “Or someone is waving to me on the other side of the road but I am unable to see their face.” Seyi, who is the creative director of Evonpink Accessories, notices that she gets migraines from eye strain when she works long hours to meet exhibition targets. “I feel generally as if I am missing out a lot on life because perfect eyesight makes you function optimally,” she says. For her, this is the main challenge that comes with albinism. When Your Skin Stands in Your Way “We are sorry but we don’t want an albino here,” Sharon Orjiako was told when she applied for a job at a secondary school in Lagos. The 26-year-old Nigerian graduate was shocked that the color of her skin had deprived her of a position she was qualified for. Sharon thinks that perhaps the school had fears of how students and parents would perceive a teacher with albinism. She laments that in addition to dealing with the challenges of the poor eyesight and sunburns that come with albinism, she also must deal with disappointments surrounding employment opportunities. Many PWA take their lack of melanin into account before applying for jobs. Many prefer indoor jobs

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ALBINISM IN AFRICA TODAY

to those that would expose them to the sun. As a result, many PWA do not apply for marketing jobs, as those usually require extensive travel, sometimes in the sun, which can be hazardous to their skin. Sharon once applied for a job with the Nigerian Navy, not knowing the application tests would be so rigorous. There were no special provisions for PWA, and she stood in the hot sun for hours. She was sunburned by evening when she took the written exam. After several failed attempts to gain employment, Orjiako was sponsored by the Onome Akinlolu Foundation to learn baking at a catering school. Today she runs her own baking business, Diamond Cakes. On the other hand, Sharon says that she once got a writing job because of her albinism. “An employer told me to my face: ‘I am employing you because you are an albino. I am employing you because you are so confident. I admire the fact that you had the guts to come out.’” When Your Color Keeps People Away Sharon Orjiako says, “Sometimes some men ask me out and I say no, they use my albinism against me. They say: ‘who will marry you? You, this albino!’” When it comes to relationships, many people do not want to be associated with people with albinism. Sharon separates attitudes about albinism into three categories. In the first category are those who do not care and do not mind. The second category consists of people who do care and do mind, and are not comfortable going around with PWA because of the kind of attention they draw. And the third category is made up of those who want nothing to do with PWA at all. Still, Sharon seems understanding of people’s choice. “Sometimes I ask myself, if I was a dark-skinned person who had interactions with albinos and I did not know what I know now, how would I react? Do I really feel that I will be better than everybody?” Seyi Ogunsi and Sharon Orjiako are both PWA who have each faced their own unique challenges beyond their albinism. But there are some PWA whose lives are cut short in their prime, and others who never make it beyond infancy. Jake Epelle, founder of The Albinism Foundation (TAF), says that in 2011 there was a reported case of infanticide in Makurdi in which a mother killed her baby with albinism, and in 2014 a woman with albinism in Delta State was murdered and her body parts harvested. Thankfully, such cases are few and far between in Nigeria.

The Fear Of Rituals In many African countries, the fear of kidnapping and mutilation follows PWA everywhere. East African countries such as Rwanda, Tanzania, and Malawi have witnessed repeated attacks on PWA. These attacks are based on myths that PWA have supernatural powers. Some believe that sex with a PWA will cure them of HIV/AIDS. And in some cases, witch doctors have reportedly conspired with families of PWA to harvest their body parts for rituals. In 2017, the International Bar Association for Human Rights Abuses (IBAHRA) estimates that there have been more than 600 reported cases of killings or mutilations of persons with albinism across 28 African countries over the past decade. These cases include 187 killings and more than 250 instances of other physical attacks. Such attacks, including other forms of abuse and harassment of PWA, are considered human rights abuses by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (OHCR). The Challenge of Prosecution While many African countries do not have any specific laws designed to tackle human rights abuses against PWA, others are slowly making progress. In 2008, Tanzania set up special task forces to investigate and prosecute human rights abuses involving PWA. In Malawi, laws have been passed to protect PWA by targeting the trafficking of body parts. And in Nigeria, there is a National Policy on Albinism which among other things seeks to protect the fundamental human rights of PWA. The wheels of justice grind slowly, however, and prosecutions are rarely secured. Some reported incidents are thrown out due to insufficient evidence, gaps in the laws are often exploited, and there is even complicity among family members in some cases. There is also a dearth of needed skills, such as DNA and forensic know-how. The IBRHA 2017 report on the human rights of PWA also indicates cases of collusion between legal practitioners and police officers spurred by prejudice against PWA. The OHCR works toward improving human rights conditions in a number of countries by supporting the establishment and execution of favorable laws for PWA. In 2015, Ikponwosa Ero, a PWA herself, was made a UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism. Since then, she has visited many of these countries, mobilizing support for PWA. She says that most international and national laws are geared toward ending trade in organs and whole persons, but that the trafficking of body parts of people with albinism involves limbs, hair, and fingers. For this reason, it is important to execute laws that can actually lead to prosecution in order to deter people from perpetrating these acts.

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For any society to progress, all individuals must be able to perform at their best in an environment that is conducive to them; for pwa, this means an environment that respects their basic human rights. 90

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ALBINISM IN AFRICA TODAY

« Onome Okagbare-Majaro, a PWA, is the face of fashion brand Muse Factory’s 2017 summer collection.

Aside from the laws, violence against PWA is largely met with silence in many African societies. The abuses do not generate enough outcry to force the hands of the law and compel the prosecution of the perpetrators. This is one of the reasons that the Albino Foundation in Nigeria launched the Albino Rights Project on September 12, 2017. The project is using a three-pronged approach to sensitizing the society as a whole on the rights of PWA. First, it will educate teachers on the fundamental rights of PWA and provide basic information about albinism. Second, it will engage law enforcement agencies, police officers, lawyers, and others on the issues around albinism, as some judiciary and law enforcement personnel are unaware of the challenges faced by PWA. Third, the project will provide trainings for leaders across Nigeria, beginning with the North Central region, on advocacy intervention around reporting issues having to do with albinism. Meeting Healthcare Needs Many African countries do not provide special health considerations for PWA, offering neither the specialized care they require for their skin and eyes nor the psychosocial support to help them face the challenges that they will inevitable encounter in society. Instead, it is individual organizations in different countries that are working to make life better for PWA. In Nigeria, the Albinism Foundation works with the Nigerian government to help provide treatment for PWA exhibiting signs of skin cancer. There is no data on the exact number of PWA affected by skin cancer in Nigeria, but TAF estimates there could be as many as 27,000 cases. In 2007, Nigeria launched a healthcare project for the treatment of PWA exhibiting signs of skin cancer. Through the project, which was executed by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the National Hospital, TAF referred approximately 3,800 persons for treatment at the National Hospital. The scope of care included free testing, chemotherapy, drugs, and dermatological and surgical services. Recently, however, many of the patients have been forced to pay for their drugs themselves. “The project is not consistent,” says Jake Epelle. “Whenever the hospital is low on cash, it affects the project.” He says that the project has cost the hospital about 70 million naira.

In addition, the service is available only in Abuja, whereas PWA are spread across the country. In contrast, if there were a national health policy with a focus on PWA, the service could be made available countrywide. In early 2017, Jake took part in a National Cancer Control Plan review meeting in which six types of cancer were selected to be focused on; skin cancer was not one of them. After he intervened with statistics on PWA, who are prone to skin cancer, and the simple fact that the skin is the largest organ of the body, skin cancer was included as a focus area. The Road to a More Inclusive Africa for PWA The UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals aim to leave no one behind, and even if it is a slow process, there is hope for progress toward creating a better society for persons with albinism in Africa. Nations continue moving forward, one law after the other, and there are a number of efforts designed to encourage the increased inclusion of PWA in society. Recently a major international beverage brand featured a person with albinism in its outdoor campaign. In 2016, Kenya held the world’s first beauty pageant for people with albinism. Onome Okagbare-Majaro, a PWA, is the face of fashion brand Muse Factory’s 2017 summer collection. And in September 2017, award-winning African filmmaker Kunle Afolayan premiered his movie The Tribunal with Damilola Ogunsi, a PWA, as its protagonist. Damilola believes that more campaigns and collaborations like these will go a long way in increasing acceptance in African societies. He also encourages PWA to actively advocate for their rights: “Persons with albinism also need to step up and utilize our skills and talents to build the life we want. It won’t be easy. Successful PWA too should also be a ladder to help others climb up till we have a generation of fearless soldiers.” As with every cause, more needs to be done. For any society to progress, all individuals must be able to perform at their best in an environment that is conducive to them; for PWA, this means an environment that respects their basic human rights. For this to become a reality in Africa, all hands must be on deck, with governments, organizations, and individuals working together to make Africa truly inclusive to persons with albinism.

2017—volume 2

words by Temitayo Olofinula images courtesy of OAM Foundation

Onome Akinlolu Majaro Foundation

Changing Attitudes Toward Albinism

OAM FOUNDATION

« Onome Okagbare-Majaro, founder of OAM foundation

On April 25, 2015, Onome Okagbare married the love of her life, Akinlolu Majaro. Pictures from the wedding were splashed across social media. About a year later, pictures from their child dedication followed. And with these pictures came comments—of how some liked the texture of Onome’s skin, of the cute baby, of the lovely family. Onome Okagbare-Majaro is a person with albinism (PWA); her husband and her son are not. One common challenge for many pwa in Nigeria is stigmatization. And this is what Onome seeks to change, both through her social media shares and her organization, the Onome Akinlolu Majaro (OAM) Foundation.

Albinism is an inherited genetic condition that reduces the amount of melanin (pigment) formed in the skin, hair, and eyes. The condition occurs across all racial and ethnic groups worldwide. In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated albinism rates at between 1 in 5,000 and 1 in 15,000 people, based on a public survey conducted in African countries. This data indicates that there are tens of thousands of people with albinism in Africa, and Nigeria’s enormous population of over 180 million has one of the highest concentrations of PWA on the Continent. Early Acceptance is Key In many parts of Africa, persons with albinism and their parents experience stigmatization. As soon as a child with albinism is born, before they even have an idea of what they look like, the stigmatization begins. Many wonder what offense the parents committed to give birth to that kind of child. Sometimes the blame is placed on the mother, who is accused of infidelity and making the child’s father abandon them. Other people are just curious and want to look at the “white baby.” Rita Okagbare, Onome Okagbare-Majaro’s mother, remembers how, when she gave birth to Onome, children in her village would gather and clap and shout anyale, a derogatory word for albinos.

She says she cried, but she also prayed and promised to raise the best person with albinism in her part of the world. It was a tough promise to fulfill. “We prioritized everything that had to do with Onome,” says Rita. “Whenever we travelled during summer, we bought her cream first before any other thing.” Rita says that she first had to accept her child before others started accepting her. Today the elder Okagbare, now the director of the OAM Foundation, encourages parents of children with albinism to accept their children. This education is important both for parents and PWA, as a child’s upbringing is directly connected to their self esteem when they are grown. Rita has met mothers who were abandoned by their children’s fathers, and she has seen women send their children to the village to be raised by relatives. “If you cannot stand your own child, how do you expect someone else to accept her?” she asks. Rita also says that while it is important for the parents and society to accept PWA, self-love is important. “Love yourself. Do not allow your skin tone to define you. Have dreams. Achieve them,” she advises.

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FEATURE

After Onome’s wedding, her inbox was full of questions. Some of the questions were based on deep-seated societal myths about albinism, such as if PWA consume salt, they will develop spots on their skin; or that their skin cannot be smooth; or that they cannot get married; and so on. In responding to these questions, Onome saw a glaring lack of awareness about albinism and a need for education. That was when she felt a tug in her heart to do more, so she started the OAM Foundation in October of 2015 to reshape the narrative around albinism in Nigeria. Promoting Proper Skin Care “Every day I hear stories from people living with albinism that move me to speak out and create more awareness,” says Onome, who was fortunate enough to have had supportive parents who gave her the best upbringing to help her deal with the challenges of living with albinism. “As a child, my mum did not let me participate in many outdoor activities like marching,”she recounts. “I did not understand this initially—until I did and I got sunburnt.” Onome says that as a child she was like her mother’s handbag, as her mum took her everywhere she went so that Onome would get used to the stares and name-calling. “She used to tell me that people will stare because I am different. She called me names that people would normally use to spite albinos, like afin, yellow, oyinbo pepper, so that I would develop a thick skin and get used to it,” she recalls.

“Depending on the kind of sunscreen you use and how often you apply it, you may be able to stay under the sun for one hour before you get sunburnt,” says Onome, adding that Nigeria’s sun

condition. She carries umbrellas around so much that she is called “umbrella girl,” wears her eyeglasses everywhere so that she will not squint, and uses sunscreen religiously in order to avoid getting sunburned. The OAM Foundation is self-funded, but still aims to assist PWA who reach out to them for necessities such as sunscreen, and has provided sunscreen to several PWA to date. However, educating PWA on the need for skin protection is more cost-effective, so OAM does this as much as possible. Onome says she looks forward to a time when sunscreens will be more affordable and available in Nigeria. Combating Stigmatization Even hotter than the heat of the African sun to PWA is the stigmatization they must deal with on a daily basis. The stigma of albinism is deeply rooted in several myths about albinism. These myths range from superstitions that salt consumption leads to dark spots on the skin of PWA, to beliefs that PWA are unintelligent, to believing that PWA are actually spirits with spiritual powers. This last misguided belief has led to kidnappings and murders of albinos for ritual purposes in parts of Southern and Eastern Africa. Onome Okagbare-Majaro hopes to shatter these myths through the OAM Foundation’s media campaigns. “In the two years that we have worked, we have organized several campaigns aimed at changing deep-seated beliefs about albinism. We believe that if these myths change, the way people see albinos will change, and this will lead to better acceptance by the society,” Onome says. Some of the campaigns include Angels among Men, a photography campaign that highlights the beauty of albinos, and OneofUs and Beyond the Complexion, which aim to humanize albinos through photos and profiles that tell their stories. “Through these campaigns, albinos begin to believe that their dreams are valid,” says Onome.

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Onome says that the condition makes being outdoors challenging, as the skin must always be protected from the sun. Consequently, many PWA must use sunscreens and umbrellas. A month’s supply of sunscreen costs approximately 5,000 naira, which is expensive for the average Nigerian family.

Onome says that as a child she was like her mother’s handbag, as her mum took her is so harsh that if an albino stays under it unpro- everywhere she tected for only 10 minutes, they will start turning pink. Onome has built her lifestyle around her went…

Onome and her mother.

OAM FOUNDATION

Raising Awareness and Sustaining Support Each year on June 13, the OAM Foundation celebrates International Albinism Awareness Day. Last year it conducted a medical outreach that consisted of health talks and screenings, and this year it created an online media campaign dealing with the myths and facts about albinism. The two-year-old OAM Foundation is growing; with five directors and six ambassadors, the self-funded organization has reached more than 1,000 people through its physical meetings, and many thousands more online. The Foundation also provides yearly academic and training scholarships to PWA in need. One of the recipients, Divine Udochukwu, is a brilliant nine-year-old girl with albinism who was out of school because her parents were having financial challenges. “The scholarship has helped us keep Divine in school and gives her the promise of a better future,” says Divine’s mum, Happiness Udochukwu, who is excited that her daughter will soon proceed to primary 3. Few PWA are seen in the limelight in Nigeria, but the OAM Foundation is changing this by showing albinos succeeding in their different careers through their Beyond the Complexion campaign. Case in point, Nigerian fashion house The Muse Factory has made Onome the face of its 2017 Freedom Collection. Onome Okagbare-Majaro has big dreams for the OAM Foundation going forward: “We hope to do more awareness campaigns, on a larger scale, across different forms of advertising. We also hope to empower more people living with albinism and give more scholarships.”

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* Albinism Myths and Facts courtesy of the OAM Foundation

The Truth About Albinism: Separating Myth from Fact*

FEATURE

MYTH People with albinism are less intelligent than others. FACT Albinism has no impact on a person’s intelligence whatsoever. It affects only the level of melanin in the body, and has nothing to do with the brain. MYTH The body parts of people with albinism make potent charms that can make people rich and successful. FACT This dangerous lie is spread by witch doctors in order to enrich themselves at the expense of others. MYTH Albinism is contagious. FACT Albinism is a genetic condition passed on by both parents. Each parent must be a carrier, and both must pass on an albinism gene for a baby to be born with the condition. MYTH Albinism is a curse or a punishment. FACT Albinism is neither a curse nor a punishment. It is a genetic condition that results in a lack or total absence of melanin (pigment) in the body. MYTH People with albinism are evil. FACT People with albinism are not evil. They are just like everyone else and deserve to be treated with respect. MYTH People with albinism are sterile. FACT Albinism does not cause sterility, and many people with albinism have children. MYTH People living with albinism cannot see during the day but see well at night. FACT People living with albinism have vision problems due to a lack of melanin in the retina. They can see during the day and also at night, but they may be nearsighted or farsighted and many require specialized vision wear. MYTH A person with albinism cannot have dark-skinned children. FACT People with albinism can give birth to dark-skinned children if their partner is not a carrier of a similar recessive gene for albinism. The dark-skinned children may be carriers of the recessive gene, but it will not manifest in them.

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ALBINISM MYTHS DEBUNKED

MYTH People with albinism don’t die, they simply vanish. FACT People with albinism live and die just like pigmented people do. There’s no such thing as “vanishing.” MYTH A person may encounter bad luck if they touch the skin of a person with albinism. FACT There is no bad luck on the skin of people with albinism. They deserve love, touch, and hugs just like every other person. MYTH People with albinism are the result of inbreeding or incest. FACT Albinism is not caused by inbreeding or incest. It is a genetic condition that is passed from parents to their children. MYTH The mother of a person living with albinism slept with a white man. FACT Children born with albinism may look “white” due to their reduced pigmentation, but this does not mean that they are the product of interracial relationships. MYTH A person living with albinism is an orisa, or “small god.” FACT People living with albinism are simply human beings, not gods. MYTH Salt causes dark spots on people with albinism, so they shouldn’t consume salt. FACT The dark spots that sometimes appear on the faces of people with albinism are caused by sunburn, not salt. Just like the rest of the population, people with albinism should use salt in moderation, as it is a necessary mineral that helps regulate water balance and nerve and muscle impulses. MYTH People with albinism have red eyes. FACT While certain lighting conditions can allow the blood vessels at the back of the eye to be seen, causing the eyes to appear reddish in pictures, most people living with albinism have hazel or brown eyes.

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FEATURE

words by Temitayo Olofinula images courtesy of Damilola Ogunsi

Beyond Appearances: An Interview with Damilola Ogunsi

Damilola Ogunsi is an actor, events host, and media entrepreneur who quit his banking job to follow his passion for acting. He recently spoke with Radiant Health about his role in the movie The Tribunal, which focuses on the challenges a person with albinism faces at work. 98

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DAMILOLA OGUNSI

RADIANT HEALTH When did you realize that your complexion was different? What was growing up like?

school, she just hoped for the best. I played with all the other boys as they played—ran, rode bikes, and rolled tires.

RH Some consider albinism a disability while others consider it as just a condition—how do you view it?

DAMILOLA OGUNSI I was about four or five years old. I remember my mum always smothering my skin with different lotions before school. It didn’t really register until I was much older, though. I was treated like my other siblings. My friends didn’t treat me differently either. We grew up in an estate with lots of white people, so I guess maybe I blended well. By secondary school—I attended FGC Ogbomoso —it became crystal clear. The real teasing showed up there, but I was already a tough cookie and I was one of the best rappers in school then, so I was well received.

My mum also treated me like all my other black siblings. We all shared house chores. She beat me the same. I even suspect she beat me more, as I was very mischievous. Even after my kid sister came along, we were treated like everyone else. So we didn’t grow up feeling any different from others. I thank my parents for that.

DO As a blessing. I won’t call it a condition. Nothing do me. All albinos grew up to discover they have a different skin tone. No one’s fault—I guess this is God’s way of showing variety and having some fun.

Growing up was quite good for me. It seemed my mother understood that my difference was only in the skin and I was like all other boys. She didn’t hinder me and since she wasn’t with me throughout

RH What would you consider to be the biggest myth about albinism? DO That albinos see well at night! That’s just seriously ridiculous! Is it that albinos have infrared vision, or how does anyone see better in darkness? Though I think it’s because albinos squint in the afternoon sun but can really open up their eyes at night when the intensity of the light is lower.

RH Persons with albinism (PWA) are not a common sight in the entertainment industry. Why did you choose the field? DO Life has taught me to chase my dreams. The same laws of life apply to everyone, no matter your skin color. If you want something, go for it and be the best at it. I have always wanted to be an actor. I usually see myself acting nearly every action role, especially James Bond roles or car action sequences. I have looked past my skin and focused on my goals.

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“Be loving, supportive, nice, and get knowledge. Treat pwa in your family equally so they grow up feeling same as everyone. Please get glasses early.”

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I have always enjoyed American movies and I have been fascinated by the depth of acting I see. If you want to do something, why not be the best at it by learning the best way to do it? So, I decided to go to the New York Film Academy; I was at the Hollywood campus. I wanted to go the highest level to be certain if this is what I really want to do, and yes, I got to realize there isn’t anything I want to do with the rest of my life than act in movies. So I came back to Nigeria and decided to start my dream from here, knowing without a doubt that I shall get to Hollywood — and all other woods on this planet.

and treated me as an equal on the set. I connected with everyone, and Kunle Afolayan’s crew were just plain awesome to work with. When you know what you’re doing, you can dine with kings. RH What are the biggest challenges you face in life as a PWA? DO Always having to slap on sunscreen is work. Wearing a hat, drinking buckets of water, all for skin maintenance. It is not easy but it has to be done. I’m high-maintenance, I must confess.

RH What important health choices do you make? RH If you were to speak to your thirteen-year-old self, what

would you tell him? DO The world is yours, young man. Be the best you can be, because you’re the best.

RH Which of your works are you most proud of? DO The Tribunal. It was exciting to act in a movie with people I’ve always dreamt of: Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Carol king, Ade Laoye, Nobert Young, Bimbo Manuel, ace Yoruba actor Funsho Adeolu. And as if this isn’t enough, the movie is directed by Kunle Afolayan.

RH We saw the call for auditions for someone living with albinism; what was the journey to getting your role in The Tribunal like? DO I’d

just returned from the film school. I was so inspired. I wanted to be careful with the kind of script I would work on. So a friend of mine, Debo Johnson, sent me the audition notice. I got an invite a few days later. Then, I was still working with Stanbic IBTC Bank. So I got a day off, flew to Lagos from Abuja for the auditions. I met other albino actors there as well. I was hungry for the role, so I went in and gave it my all. A few agonizing weeks later, I got the mail to tell me I was successful. RH What lessons did you learn as part of the cast?

DO Stay away from the sun. Stay hydrated. Slap on sunblock with high sun-protection factor. I do all other things and eat everything I like normally.

RH Media is powerful and can be a useful tool in changing perceptions. How can Nollywood be used to break the stereotypes around albinism? DO More sensitization on the issue may help. Movies like The Tribunal may help. I also think that we pwa need to step up and utilize our skills and talents to build the life we want. It won’t be easy; some pwa are so scared of the public. Successful albinos too should also be a ladder to help others climb up till we have a generation of fearless soldiers.

RH What needs to be done to make life better for PWA by family, government, and PWA themselves? DO Family, be loving, supportive, nice, and get knowledge. Treat pwa in your family equally so they grow up feeling same as everyone. Please get glasses early.

Government, give special grants for pwa, especially those in the rural areas who are incapable of adequate care for their albino wards. PWA themselves, be positive. Everything works for good. You have too much potential but one life to live. Make it count.

DO It is better to be respected than liked. If you get both, awesome. I worked with top-line professionals; they were so cordial

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C O O L S C U L PT I N G

SKIN TIGHTENING

amachimedspa.com

H Y D R O FAC I A L

FEATURE

A Modern Manifesto on the Realities of Colorism

I look like my mother, and the older I get, the more the resemblance intensifies. Growing up in Lagos as my parents’ only daughter, it was natural for friends and relatives to follow the tradition of dutifully pointing out all the physical traits I inherited. I had almost all of my mother’s features except that her skin was considerably lighter than mine. Alas, the combination of both my parents produced a dark-brown template, and despite being reminded of this in casual settings, I never considered it a handicap. I also can’t downplay my mother’s relentless ability to boost my self-esteem. She seized every opportunity to convince me of my #BlackGirlMagic long before hashtags were invented. She pampered me through elaborate sessions of caring for my massively thick tresses and taught me how to care for myself with dignity, respect, and mindful adherence to the fact that my uniqueness would be my winning card. I was one of the lucky ones, but there is no way to ignore that as people of color, our history has subjected us to a perpetual state of vulnerability as we constantly grapple with the fear that we will never be worthy. Taught the Value of Not Being Black The aftermath of slavery continues to permeate the veins of later generations.They may seem like they’re free, but the tragedy of tainted legacy never dissolves without consequences. The fact that black people were separated based on skin tone is really the basis for why so many of us are allergic to our own personalized covering. The lighter-skinned slaves were treated differently and at the expense of their darker-skinned counterparts, who observed how the misfortune of not being “light enough”could literally mean the difference between life and death. Toiling away for the benefit of masters who treat you with marked callousness based on the belief that you are not human enough to escape such punishment is not a disposition that can suddenly evaporate over time and distance.

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words by Ezinne Ukoha

A MODERN MANIFESTO

When you consider the physical and mental assaults of the past, it’s hard not to be flexible with the present as you observe how hating the skin you’re in goes beyond just cosmetic goals.

The period of captivity taught black people the value of not being black. There was the acceptance that if we had once been subjected to cruel treatment for the unfathomable sin of possessing less than ideal characteristics, then perhaps we needed to use our “freedom”as the perfect excuse to demonstrate the lifelong effects of enslavement. As a youngster in Nigeria, it was hard to escape the sentiment assigned to those with light skin—particularly anyone of mixed race. While attending Queens College in the heart of Lagos, there were a fair share of biracial students who typically had white mothers of British descent and Nigerian fathers. The consensus was that these girls, with their fair skin, loose curls, and delicate features, were far superior to those of us with nothing to offer as a competitive edge. The only way to stand out in a crowd of Black bodies was to be the special one with the skin tone that glowed and automatically secured entry without prejudice. Hating The Skin You’re In When you consider the physical and mental assaults of the past, it’s hard not to be flexible with the present as you observe how hating the skin you’re in goes beyond just cosmetic goals, but is rather a symptom of a virus that may never be cured. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria is in crisis mode when it comes to the skin-bleaching epidemic that also targets other parts of the world, including India, Latin America, the Philippines, and Korea—basically any location where colorism is actively implemented. An article about the bleaching epidemic appeared on BBC.COM some years ago which stated that “77 percent of women in Nigeria use skin-lightening products.” When researchers queried willing participants about their addiction to skin lighteners, the answer always echoed their need to be “more beautiful” or to have “whiter skin.” We are chained to the idea that our darker hues represent something that needs tobewhitewashed to garner the respect and privilege we still haven’t fully regained. Before the invasion that tore thriving cultures asunder, the idea that we would find fault with the most basic identifier that lauds what we are would be unfathomable. But unfortunately, the treatment of being separated by the sickness of colorism continues to wreck our self-esteem. The Lighter the Better I became a pro at recognizing the women who bleached their skin. The most damning signs are dark-as-night knuckles, knees, elbows, toes, or any area of the body requiring skin tough enough to reject the toxic effects of products that do a lot more than whiten. The lighteners that were popular in my heyday weren’t deemed harsh—in fact, they carried a level of notoriety that made them permissible and readily accessible. “Skin discoloration” was the basis for using these revered ointments without guilt or shame. The idea was that you could get away with “bleaching without shame” if you used the products that didn’t contain the harsh chemicals that others sold under the

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radar possessed. Based on my experience, in order to garner the dramatic results that most yearn for, you have to find products that contain a high dose of the key ingredients that have been selected to ensure that your darkness will turn to lightness sooner rather than later. The women and men who indulge in this damaging practice do so at their own risk. Especially in Nigeria, where street vendors are surrounded with bags bursting with powders and ointments from cardboard boxes, there is immense concern that these products are unlabeled for a reason. There is no way the vendors would be allowed to sell these poisonous items if Nigeria had a more efficient system of regulation in place. Since that isn’t the case, potent merchandise exchanges hands, and the buyer could be applying a lotion that contains mercury, which isn’t the sort of thing any of us would want to slather our skin with, but it is the main agent that gets the job done. Mercury halts the production of melanin—the primary cause of our darker hue. The other, more serious reason why skin bleaching shouldn’t be encouraged is the awful way in which a person’s health degenerates after a long a period of use. There is the threat of kidney failure due to mercury found in the majority of skin lighteners, as well as a host of skin infections ranging from eczema to other more paralyzing conditions. And, of course being diagnosed with cancer is a possibility. We Bought the Lie In addition to physical atrocities, there is the nagging realization that the practice of erasing the black to reveal the white still remains the enduring legacy of what happens when white tries to convince black that it’s better. We bought the lie, but not without resistance. We still fight to uphold the power of what makes us uniquely valuable both within and outside our community. But the psychological damage is a maze that will take forever to vanquish. We can’t fully deny the elements that rage around us, carrying messages that don’t resonate with our favor. Dark-skinned women feel inadequate compared to light-skinned women. Some of our men make it clear that when they are ready to settle down with a mate who satisfies all requirements, the end result has to be a woman who is lighter than they are or straight-up white. She can be somewhat darker, but that can only be admissible if her grade of hair proves her exotic tendencies. Others are proud to admit that they can’t work hard for the money and bring home a regular black girl as the prize and future mother of his kids. What will the kids look like if they have two parents with nappy hair and skin color that doesn’t inspire comparisons to daylight? Who Are We? It’s easy to quote statistics and scold the weak among us who can’t resist the temptation of using their template as the coloring book of dreams and aspirations. But our portrayal in the media only confirms that the alternative is being nothing at all. The entertainment and fashion industries have contributed to the erasure and

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A MODERN MANIFESTO

degradation of features that don’t quite give studio executives or fashion editors the incentive to sell the desirability of ethnicity at its highest. We are smothered with Beyoncés, Rihannas, and prototypes earnestly cut from the same cloth. The media gives the coveted spots to white women who bought black features and perfected them for gain. National campaigns that depict beautiful women in commercials who give men reason to catch their breath don’t typically showcase black women with darker hues—it’s not sexy or marketable. When actress and beauty brand ambassador Lupita Nyong’o landed her much-heralded gig with European-based cosmetic powerhouse Maison Lancôme back in 2014, she became the unequivocal symbol of all the reasons why being darkskinned was finally en vogue. And when a globally renowned cosmetic house that has spent decades celebrating the aesthetics of white beauty with no detour abruptly ends that tradition by championing a beautiful Black woman—who happens to be the “It” girl of a movement that now reaps attention—it’s quite obvious that the motivation wasn’t uncalculated. Yes, she was picked as the poster girl for black women with darker-than-night skin hues—but it wasn’t because we’ve finally reached the realization that beauty comes in all shades and sizes. It’s all about the movement—the “natural hair movement” that propels us to join the thought process of loving your kinks no matter what. It’s the anthem of #BlackGirlMagic, #MelaninPoppin, and all the other hashtags that aim to boost the current mood of magical blackness and refined excellence, with the coils to boot. But are we really that? Or are we abundantly sharing the lies of the powers that be to maintain the narrative of how being “dark and nappy” requires superhuman tendencies in order to activate the #Magic? And the Struggle Continues As human beings, we need to feel included in the global narrative. When that becomes a tedious quest, the only thing left to do is to change whatever is preventing entry. It’s appalling and sad that anyone should feel compelled to choose between the essence of their being and acceptance as a full member of humanity. The Kardashian women continue to welcome millions into their fold based on their immaculate makeovers, which kept them light-skinned with swollen body parts. They are allowed to be as flexible as they need to be for public consumption. Black women with dark skin are stuck. It’s either you do what you can to escape the darkness or you stubbornly reject the notion of inferiority and celebrate the parts of you that aren’t readily celebrated. The struggle continues with no end in sight. The art of bleaching away the darkness to reveal the clean layer of whiteness underneath is a sport that shows no sign of fading, regardless of oftentimes dire consequences.

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Staying Safe in the Skin You're In an interview with dermatologist Dr. Oma Nnenna Agbai

Radiant Health sat down with Dr. Oma Nnenna Agbai, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California, Davis, to discuss skin bleaching in the Black community. Dr. Agbai specializes in multicultural pigmentation disorders and has made it her mission to bring greater awareness to disorders that afflict darker skin tones, a specialty that has only recently gained momentum. We chatted with Dr. Agbai about the appropriate and inappropriate uses of skin-lightening creams, how Eurocentric beauty standards are leading many Black women down a potentially dangerous and irreversible path, and safe ways to look your best in the skin you were born in.

RH Can you tell me a bit more about your path to dermatology,

and the subspecialty of darker skin tones? DR. OMA NNENNA AGBAI I’ve always been interested in conditions of the skin. When I was in med school, I found dermatology to be the most interesting specialty to me in terms of the kinds of conditions that get treated. The fact that you and your patient can actually see skin conditions get better before your eyes creates a more dynamic partnership between the doctor and the patient.

I did some research at an institution that had a lot of expertise in the area of skin of color, and I spent some time doing a research fellowship where there was a lot of emphasis on ethnic skin and hair. That really piqued my interest, and I was able to fine-tune my own expertise through my clinical experience.

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words by Chinyere Amobi image courtesy of Dr. Agbai

Historically speaking, skin problems in people of color have led to delayed diagnoses and increased morbidity, meaning that people were not getting accurate diagnoses as early as their Caucasian counterparts. Sometimes that led to more symptoms and prolonged suffering in people of darker skin types. That’s what the skin of color movement came out of — the desire to provide equal dermatological care for people of color when compared to other skin types. And that’s also something that inspired me to want to pursue that subspecialty of dermatology.

RH How does your identity as a Black and African woman figure into your consulting with patients? Do you think it’s important for women of color to seek out dermatologists with their skin tone?

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STAY SAFE IN YOUR SKIN

I absolutely feel that it gives me an advantage, because the things that I study and research I can also demonstrate on my own skin, and patients have expressed to me that they feel that I understand them and their skin better because of that aspect of my background.

side effects that come from the improper use of skin-lightening agents. RH Have you treated many patients with

skin bleaching?

DR. AGBAI So, skin bleaching has a couple

up a lot among you and your colleagues?

different connotations. One is for cosmetic purposes, and I never recommend that without any evidence of hyperpigmentation disorders. However, I do have patients with hyperpigmentation, melasma, and similar disorders who need a prescription skin-lightening product. Those are the patients for whom I recommend skin-lightening products.

DR. AGBAI I know that it’s something that’s very widely discussed and very controversial in social media and through media outlets, but it’s not a topic that’s necessarily brought up very often in the medical field. That’s unfortunate, because there are dangerous

Cosmetic lightening is not something that my own patients necessarily approach me for a lot because of the social stigma around it. Patients who are lightening their skin may not want to tell their dermatologist about it, even though the best

I think it’s important for more dermatologists of all skin tones, not just those of color, to educate themselves on conditions that are unique to patients of color, or that present in specific ways in darker skin tones. RH Does the issue of skin bleaching come

thing for them would be honesty so that a professional who is aware of what they’re doing is better able to address their skin care concerns.

RH Are bleaching creams harmful, and if so, what’s in them that makes them harmful? DR. AGBAI There are several different kinds

of skin-lightening creams. The most commonly used prescription is called hydroquinone. It’s considered one of the more controversial types, because when it’s ingested by certain animals in large quantities, there have been reports of tumors being formed. However, human beings don’t eat hydroquinone, so that risk doesn’t transcribe to topical use. In terms of the possible side effects of hydroquinone, things like allergic reactions are the most common. There’s also a side

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“There are a lot of good treatment options for evening out skin tones, including topical creams, chemical peels, and laser treatments.”

effect called ochronosis, where instead of evening out dark spots, the cream causes the skin to darken. It can cause a brownish-gray type of discoloration that’s very difficult and often impossible to treat, even with extensive laser treatments. However, if you use hydroquinone correctly under the guidance of a dermatologist, it reduces the risk of this happening. Also, I mentioned that hydroquinone is a prescription in a particular concentration, but it’s also available over the counter in a lower concentration. So people should keep that in mind; even when shopping for over-the-counter skin-lightening creams, you can still have negative reactions. If you’re using an over-the-counter skin-lightening cream with a topical steroid in it, you might develop steroid acne or skin thinning; those can take a long time to reverse, if they ever do. We don’t have a lot of long-term information in terms of the safety and efficacy for these methods, so I try to encourage people not to use those kinds of products, because the truth is you never know what’s in them and what could be truly harmful to you. RH Could you speak about the dangers of some of the more serious ingredients found in some skin-lightening products? DR. AGBAI It is true that some skin products can contain the toxin mercury, which is why it is very important to read the ingredient labels for “anti-aging” or “skin-lightening” cosmetic products. Clues that mercury is in the product include ingredients such as “mercurous chloride,” “calomel,” “mercuric,” “mercurio,” or “mercury.”

Possible side effects of mercury toxicity include irritability, tremors, changes in vision or hearing, memory problems, depression, or numbness or tingling around the hands/mouth. If you use a cream with mercury, others who come in contact with you could be at risk for mercury poisoning, such as children or pregnant women, who are especially susceptible to mercury toxicity. RH What are some appropriate uses for skin-lightening products? DR. AGBAI Under the guidance of a dermatologist, skin-lightening creams can be used to blend the skin and help it appear more even in cases of hyperpigmentation, such as melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Melasma is a skin condition that’s fairly common among people with darker skin, where brown to gray-

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brown patches of discoloration form, usually on the cheeks, nose bridge, forehead, and chin, though it can appear in other areas as well. Potential causes for melasma include hormonal influences (which is why it can develop in pregnant women or women on oral contraceptive pills), genetics, and sun exposure. Causes for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation include previous acne or rashes that healed with dark spots. Sun exposure can worsen many disorders of hyperpigmentation. The important thing is to talk to your dermatologist about your discoloration problems. There are a lot of good treatment options for evening out skin tones, including topical creams, chemical peels, and laser treatments. Dermatologists are specialized to treat these types of concerns. For women of darker skin types, it’s important to find a dermatologist who is familiar with darker skin of color because they would offer the widest and best range of treatment options. RH You have great skin! Could you give our readers some insight into your skin care routine, and what practices they can incorporate into their lifestyle for healthier skin? DR. AGBAI Thank you! I think most people are able to improve

the tone and texture of their skin by doing some very basic things consistently. One product that was a game-changer for me was the use of a topical retinoid like Retin-A, which you can have prescribed by your doctor or dermatologist. It causes the skin to gently turn over and peel in a way that you can’t really notice under makeup or a moisturizing cream. So when my patients say they want to make their skin smoother or more even-toned, in addition to wearing sunscreen 365 days a year I typically recommend Retin-A, because it’s what I use myself. The precaution is that you shouldn’t use it when you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Otherwise it’s considered safe when used under the guidance of a medical professional. Moisturizing is very important as well. I recommend a fragrance-free, noncomedogenic moisturizing cream. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive; your typical drug store will have plenty of options. This is really important, because dry skin can show more visible fine lines and wrinkles as we become older. Also, keep your face very clean; going to sleep with makeup is not good for your skin.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

STAY SAFE IN YOUR SKIN

» Properly cleansing and moisturizing is vital to healthy skin.

RH Any natural remedies? DR. AGBAI There are several botanical agents, and I co-authored a

review on this in the medical literature, with a big table with different options. The catch is that none of them have proven to work as well as hydroquinone. There’s an antioxidant called Heliocare that you can take by mouth, and it helps to stabilize your pigment cells so that they don’t end up turning too reactive and causing or worsening disorders of hyperpigmentation. RH What would you say to a patient who tells you she wants

to try skin bleaching because she believes lighter skin is more beautiful? DR. AGBAI Well, I would question why they think lighter skin is more beautiful and try to figure out the root of that belief. In a lot of cases it’s because of Eurocentric beauty standards, so it’s important to identify that as the source and to emphasize that that’s not true, that there isn’t just one type of skin tone that’s beautiful, and that all skin tones should be celebrated. So, I would try to encourage that frame of thinking and also try to find out if there were any particular medical skin concerns involving hyperpigmentation that the patient is concerned about that can be addressed more appropriately.

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health & wellness

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ACCUPUNCTURE, MOXIBUSTION & CUPPING Ancient approaches for modern times

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THROUGH OTHER EYES Reflections on race and friendship

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5 COMMON SKIN CONDITIONS Rashes & dark skin—when to worry

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Public domain: circa 1880 – 1940, Horn of Africa

Acupuncture, Moxibustion, and Cupping Ancient Approaches for Modern Times

words by Zola DeGrandpre, ND, MS

Your Health, Your Skin, and TCM Techniques Your skin really is the largest organ of your body! Besides providing your face to the world, it helps support your internal organs, maintains your body temperature and fluid levels, and excretes toxins through sweating. Acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping are methods used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to address a person’s overall health using acupuncture points on the skin as a route to accessing deeper issues. Traditional Chinese Medicine In Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture is used by practitioners to balance the life-force energy known as Qi (sometimes spelled “chi”). Qi is pronounced “chee.” In acupuncture, very fine needles are inserted at specific points on the body. The needles

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are literally as thin as hair. For most people, the insertion of these needles is nearly painless. Acupuncture can be used to treat many types of pain, including lower back pain, jaw pain (TMJ), labor pain, neck pain, and pain associated with menstrual cramps, arthritis, sprains, and other injuries. It is also used to treat nausea (including chemotherapy-induced nausea and post-operative nausea), headaches, fibromyalgia, insomnia, menopausal symptoms, high blood pressure, indigestion, addiction, asthma, and depression. Acupressure is similar to acupuncture but uses pressure, or a “mini-massage,” rather than needles to get the Qi flowing. Acupressure is a viable alternative to acupuncture, especially if the idea of needles bothers you. The Basics In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qi flows throughout

the body through channels, or meridians. These meridians have been mapped over the centuries and have a variety of fascinating names that are often based on the functions they affect. There is the “Triple Heater” meridian, the “Conception Vessel,” and the “Governing Vessel,” as well as some less interesting but precise names, such as the lung, large intestine, stomach, gall bladder, heart, and liver meridians. All along each meridian, there are specific numbered points. In all, there are eight “extraordinary meridians” and 12 “primary meridians.” There are “yin” meridians and “yang” meridians, dual aspects of function that interact and balance each other, and neither of which can exist alone. For example, heat is a yang feature, while cold is a yin feature, and warm temperatures can be considered a mixture of yin and yang. During an acupuncture session, the underlying goal is to

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

ACUPUNCTURE AND CUPPING

Cupping has been around as long as acupuncture, and is also found in traditional African medicine. Ancient practictioners would use hollowed-out animal horns for cups.

use the acupuncture needling technique to rebalance the yin and the yang, because in TCM, diseases or disorders are considered to be caused by an imbalance of the yin and yang energies. The Case for Acupuncture Studies backing the effectiveness of acupuncture have researched its use in the treatment of many different types of chronic pain, including lower back pain, neck pain, headaches and knee pain from arthritis. Acupuncture has also been used to treat acute pain. A recent large review from New Zealand and the UK found that acupuncture provided short-term improvement in pain levels for lower back pain, as well as improved function. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that acupuncture performed better than many commonly used pain-relieving drugs such as NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, and other pain relievers. And a review in the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine journal on the effect of acupuncture on osteoarthritic pain found that acupuncture could decrease pain and improve both functionality and overall quality of life. In other words, people using acupuncture for the pain of osteoarthritis felt less pain, were able to move better, and were happier about their lives overall. Acupuncture has also been used for many centuries in the treatment of menopause. Menopause is often described as though it were a disease, which it is not. It can, however, be extremely uncomfortable for some women, and acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating the effects of menopause. In a recent study from the University of Taipei in Taiwan and published in Menopause, a large analysis concluded that acupuncture can be used to treat menopause by reducing both the frequency and intensity of hot flashes, improving sleep quality and quantity, and regulating mood swings. A recent review in the Journal of Pain Research found that acupuncture was a safe and effective approach in treating endometriosis, a condition in which an overgrowth of cells from the uterine lining causes painful menstruation, painful sexual intercourse, painful bowel movements and urination, and infertility. Acupuncture has also successfully been used to treat digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic diarrhea, and chronic constipation. How Does Acupuncture Work? While the body of research showing acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating a wide variety of conditions continues to grow, there is still no absolute answer to the question of how acupuncture actually works.

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Acupuncture is based on Chinese philosophy, and as previously mentioned, the Chinese believe that the needles help to rebalance the Qi. Western medicine does not yet have a good answer as to why acupuncture works — we just know that it does. The research is ongoing, but according to the Cleveland Clinic, some of the more popular theories about the link between acupuncture and pain reduction suggest that acupuncture: pp stimulates the nerves that send signals to the brain and spinal cord;

ture. The Japanese style generally uses fewer needles than TCM while the Korean style uses more needles. Some Korean acupuncturists focus on hand points, whereas points on the scalp are often important for Japanese acupuncture. Beyond the different styles of acupuncture, some treatments may use additional areas of the body, such as points on the ear. This is known as auricular acupuncture and is often used in the treatment of drug, alcohol, and tobacco addictions. In the last few decades, electroacupuncture has also become more common. This method uses electrodes which produce a small electrical stimulus thought by some to improve response. Some people will experience a light tingling sensation with electroacupuncture. Is Acupuncture Safe? There are very few reports of complications or side effects from acupuncture. The needles should of course be sterile (you can tell because they come prepackaged). The most common problems —the use of unsterile needles or the improper placement of needles—can be easily avoided by doing a bit of research and seeing only a fully trained and licensed acupuncturist.

pp stimulates natural substances known as endorphins that reduce pain; pp boosts the immune system; pp activates one of the central hormonal control pathways, the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis; or pp works through a combination of some or all of these mechanisms. Forms of Acupuncture The traditional acupuncturist will insert the needles and sometimes “twirl” them for a minute or so. At other times, once the needle has been placed, nothing more is done except to wait. There are other forms of acupuncture based on where in Asia they developed, including Japanese and Korean acupunc-

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You can find a licensed and certified acupuncturist at the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). NCCAOM certification is based on completion of an accredited acupuncture educational program and passing the certification exam. Most people find that the insertion of the needles is essentially painless or that the pain is minimal. It may feel like a slight prick when the needle is inserted. A “heavy” or numb feeling is usually considered to be a sign that the needle has been correctly placed. The length of time that the needles are left in the skin can vary; most sessions last 20 to 30 minutes, but they can also be as little as 5 to 10 minutes. During treatment, it is best to lie still and use the time to relax.

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ACUPUNCTURE AND CUPPING

Cupping is considered safe, but can leave circular bruises that may be considered unsightly. Moxibustion Moxibustion is another technique that is often used in conjunction with acupuncture. Moxa is the Chinese name for the herb mugwort (common wormwood), with the botanical name Artemesia vulgaris. In direct moxibustion, a small cone of moxa is burned on top of the acupuncture point, but this method can burn and scar the skin and is never recommended. Instead, indirect moxibustion is much safer, and while you might feel significant heat, it will not burn or scar your skin like direct moxibustion. In the indirect form of moxibustion, a “moxa stick” is lit and held near the acupuncture point until that area heats up. Alternatively, a small piece of moxa can be attached to the acupuncture needle and lit after the needle is placed. Moxibustion is usually used for a diagnosis of “cold” or “stasis” in TCM, in which the burning moxa is used to warm the area and get the Qi flowing more evenly or smoothly. Moxibustion is considered very safe, but you should know that it involves large amounts of very pungent smoke, so if you don’t want to breathe in the smoke, or if you have any sensitivities to members of the daisy family, you should avoid moxibustion. It is also extremely important to avoid moxibustion if you are pregnant; mugwort is used by herbalists and midwives

to stimulate labor because it causes uterine contractions. If you are menstruating, mugwort could increase cramping as well. Only licensed acupuncturists are allowed to use moxibustion. Cupping You may have seen pictures of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and Olympic gymnast Alex Naddour with round, reddened, or darkened areas on their backs. These marks are the result of traditional cupping treatments. Cupping has been around as long as acupuncture, and is also found in traditional African medicine. Ancient practitioners would use hollowed-out animal horns for cups. In cupping, glass cups are warmed from the inside with a burning cotton ball soaked in alcohol or by holding the cup over a candle. After the cup is warmed, it is immediately placed upside down over the area to be treated, creating a vacuum. The skin is pulled up into the cup, and it is believed that this action opens pores, increases circulation, decreases any stagnancy (stasis), and allows toxins to be drawn out of the skin. As the largest organ of the body, the skin is one of the main detoxifying organs. Some acupuncturists will also use a lancet, similar to those used by diabetics to test their blood sugar, to pierce the skin and allow a small amount

of blood to flow— this is also believed to help detoxify. The practitioner may use one, a few, or many cups, which are left on the person for about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the condition being treated. The back, abdomen, and legs are areas commonly used for cupping. Traditionally, cupping is used to treat respiratory conditions such as colds, bronchitis, asthma, and other types of lung congestion. Cupping is considered safe, but can leave circular bruises that may be considered unsightly. You should not have cupping done on any inflamed skin, and pregnant women should not have their lower back or abdomen cupped. Taking Care of Yourself with TCM Acupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion, and cupping are all time-tested ways to take care of yourself using TCM. If you are interested, work with your healthcare provider to find and partner with a licensed acupuncturist. You may even find acupuncture sessions to be relaxing and restorative, as most sessions are conducted in quiet rooms with candles and soft music, all designed to allow your life energy — your Qi — to flow smoothly and freely.

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RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

ON RACE & FRIENDSHIP

words by Nina Dafe

Through Other Eyes: Reflections on Race and Friendship

This October will mark the tenth anniversary of my friendship with Camille. That’s ten years of laughing until we cry, of eclectic music and euphoric release through dance. That’s ten years of attending events together, traveling, enjoying food and cocktails. It’s also ten years of being each other’s support system, shoulder to cry on, and adopted family. But most of all, this October will mark ten years of being each other’s sounding board through conversation — deep, probing, analytical conversation that challenges social norms and expectations, particularly as it pertains to us and our many intersectional identities. When we became friends at university, it was before the existence of Instagram and #squadgoals, but that ideology was already presenting itself among our peers. We noticed that people would dutifully document every experience with their friendship groups on Facebook, which still reigned supreme at that time. Thus, this became the socially acceptable way to stake your claim on another person and mark them as your “best friend,” or “boo” if there was romantic intent there. Camille and I didn’t do that, though. For the first few months, we simply lived our lives, going quietly about the business of enjoying the other’s company and getting to know each other. Howev-

er, the more that people noticed our blossoming friendship, the more we noticed (by their puzzled looks and line of questioning) that people seemed confused by it. This of course resulted in one of our debriefings. Through it, we realized that this confusion was not just due to the low-key way that we navigated our friendship. It was also because of the many other superficial ways in which our friendship “broke the rules.” For one thing, I am two years Camille’s senior, which in some people’s mind was just cause to snub her. We have different body types (me being the bigger one). And as Camille so eloquently put it in her dorm room all those years ago: “I’m West Indian and you’re African.” “Yup! That in itself is supposed to be a deal breaker!” I said, rolling my eyes. We both laughed. “Plus, there’s the whole dark-skinned versus light-skinned thing,” I added, continuing to laugh. That is, until I realized that Camille had stopped. I tried to gauge her expression. Ok, you haven’t offended her, I thought to myself, but — "What do you mean?” she asked, cutting into my thoughts.

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“Erm…” By now, we both wore matching “funny,” unpronounceable name. It was to speak looks of confusion. “If there was a spectrum, with an accent, and — perhaps because it was the I’d be on the darker end of it, and you’d be most obvious thing, being harder to conceal or disguise — it was to be dark-skinned. on the lighter end.” “Really?! I never thought of myself as ‘lightskinned,’ and I wouldn’t have called you ‘dark.’ You’re just… brown. The average color of a black person, if you get what I mean,” she said, blinking. Now I was more confused than Camille! I had never met a person of color who didn’t know about “the spectrum” and, most important, where they sat on it. “No,” Camille told me. “Growing up, I went to a Saturday school where they taught us all about black history and unity. Plus, as far as my mum was concerned, we’re all black or worse when encountering someone who’s prejudiced. Was it not like that for you?” “No...” I said, before beginning to explain to her how and why. What It Was Like When I was growing up in the East End of London in the early 90s, there was no African renaissance such as we are experiencing now. As such, African culture was not fashionable. In fact, it was quite the opposite. For much of mainstream society, Africa was still “the heart of darkness” shrouded in mystery, savagery, and witchcraft. For others, Africa was a backwards place riddled with poverty and disease thanks to those infamous charity adverts, which featured sad music, malnourished children, and flies. Being African at that time was also to represent everything that countered European ideals and beauty aesthetics. It was to have “picky” (the UK equivalent of the term “nappy”) hair and a

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I and my African peers therefore grew up being taunted as “Afs” or “African boo-boos.” I used to think that it was ironic that our biggest tormentors were not the Caucasian children but West Indians. Now I realize that this was probably their way of disassociating and differentiating themselves from us. By directing insults our way and pointing out our “inferiorities,” they hoped to raise their social standing. “But,” Camille interrupted, “to white people it makes no difference. Light-skinned, darkskinned, African, or West Indian — we’re all black and therefore the same. That was my experience at primary school. I was one of very few black children, so there was no place for ‘us and them.’ We were almost forced to stick together because there was no other choice. That’s how we survived.” “I agree and that makes sense,” I said, then began telling her more. Not All the Same Going to school where there was a much higher population of black people, color biases were implicit in the everyday experiences and conversations that occurred around me. With dark skin being synonymous with being African, I witnessed many cousins and friends who don’t fit that stereotype being met with “but you don’t look African!” Likewise, I noticed that any dissent within the West Indian camp usually came as a result of colorism, with those considered light-skinned feeling superior to those who were not.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

ON RACE & FRIENDSHIP

I am now ashamed to say that I and my African whom I especially despised growing up because peers played into this too. The bullying was not she was so conceited. She went out of her way to always totally one-sided, as the playground was make me and my playmates feel less-than. Yet in brutal. The best defense was offense, so making any altercation it was I, not she, who was typically references to another’s physical features, includ- viewed as the aggressor and scolded. ing “rubber lips,” “monkey face,” and skin tone, As a teenager, I heard boys and girls alike prowas not off limits to me either. And things didn’t change much as I reached secondary school. It claim that they didn’t like anybody who was too was an all-girls school this time, but the same “blick,” a UK slang term for an especially darkskinned person. Light skin therefore made one mentality was prevalent, if not worse. desirable and popular by default, and being in “Where did these attitudes come from, do you their inner circle, whether through friendship or a relationship, had the power to raise a person’s think,” Camille probed, “especially in children?” social status. That question caught me off guard. I thought This was part of the reason I had been shocked for a while and then I answered. by Camille’s ignorance of “the spectrum,” something I had just assumed she would have known Learning About the Spectrum about by being a beneficiary of it. For me, I can’t say that I got these ideas from “No wonder you’re so down to earth,” I rememmy parents. I don’t really remember them talking about my skin tone in a derogatory way. How- ber telling her when I realized this wasn’t the case. ever, they were not able to shield me from these “That was one of the things that endeared me to things as a result of outside influences and issues you when I first met you. You’re just...cool, not big-headed at all!” of representation. The desirability of light skin was reinforced For example, as a child, I noticed that lightskinned and mixed-race children tended to be outside of school too. It was seeing that the fawned over by the adults at school. I would be “pretty girl” on most TV shows or films with an lying if I didn’t say that I felt that there was favor- all-black cast was typically light-skinned or of itism there. There was one mixed-race little girl mixed heritage.

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It was noticing that this permeated ad campaigns, magazines, and music as well. It was being an adolescent girl asking an older woman’s opinion on what hair extensions would suit me during an indecisive moment at a hair shop one Saturday and being told to go with one color over the other because it would “bright” me. It was also hearing my mum lament to one aunty or another that “so-and-so” had spoiled their skin by bleaching, and then seeing what my mum meant by “spoiled” skin. She often decried this habit as one of foolish vanity, but I will forever have a visual of women with an unnatural reddish undertone to their skin and black patches where they had become marked by a lifetime of skin bleaching. I conformed to Eurocentric ideals with my hair until my early 20s, but knowing the dangers, I never considered assimilation to the point of altering my skin tone. Liberated by Knowledge Recently Camille and I revisited this conversation over cocktails. I wish that I could say that ten years on it had filled with us expressing relief that colorism was no longer an issue, but that was not the case because it is. Instead, we reminisced about Camille’s initial shock at being considered “a lightie” and her naiveté about how she could be perceived as a result. Knowing that I had initially been shocked that Camille could not be tarred with the same brush as the people who had tormented me growing up, I said, “I think that [skin tone] was half the trouble that you had with some of the other girls

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at uni, you know? But if they’d gotten to know you, they’d have realized you’re not like that.” “I know,” she said, rolling her eyes as someone now fully aware of the spectrum through personal experience. Needless to say, our friendship has taught me that the grass was and is not always greener on the other side. We also reflected on the fact that I had not questioned color biases until then, simply accepting them as just the way things were. “I think what helped me to stop doing that was educating myself,” I said. Growing up, I had always known about the physical effects of slavery — the displacement, brutality, and so forth. What I had underestimated was the mental abuse that went along with it. Discovering through research that a caste system based on color was a colonial concept was, for me, the liberating factor. It was liberating because it helped me to see where all of the ideas that I had surrounding beauty came from. Understanding that these were used as systems of control and oppression to literally divide and conquer our people helped me to understand where the root of a lot of the disunity and ill-treatment that I had experienced came from as well. This knowledge helped me to achieve the paradigm shift I needed to reject them, both internally and externally, as I realized that perpetuating these ideas would mean that I would continue to be mentally enslaved, despite being physically free.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

HARMFUL SKIN CONDITIONS

Common Skin Conditions That Can Harm Dark Skin

words by Deyo Famuboni, MD

Hotter days mean more skin exposure, which in turn makes us more aware of the condition our skin is in. Be it dry skin, a sudden rash, or a chronic skin condition, nothing makes people more self-conscious than having a skin problem, especially when it’s on display. With the different tones of black skin, and our tendency to use the term “crawcraw” for all types of skin issues, it is important to differentiate between rashes; they may look similar on different skin tones, and it is important that each rash receives the appropriate treatment.

And contrary to popular belief, most skin rashes do not indicate a need for increased cleansing; in fact, excessive scrubbing with antiseptics such as Dettol can often strip the skin of its natural oils and protective barrier. So let’s take a look at a few of the skin conditions that can affect dark-skinned people. Skin Cancer Use sunscreen! Dark-skinned people need more sun exposure to get vitamin D, but

we also need to protect our skin from the harmful effects of solar radiation. Skin cancer can absolutely affect darkskinned people, especially around moles, fingernails, the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet. Skin cancer accounts for approximately 2 percent of all cancers in black people, and when it occurs, the odds of successful treatment are often low because it is typically diagnosed late. If you have a lot of moles, or are seeing new moles appear, make sure to get them checked out by the doctor. You can also monitor your moles by taking pictures of them at regular

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intervals and observing any changes. There are different types of skin cancer, so while it is important to monitor moles, it is also crucial to have a doctor examine any unusual spots or slowly healing wounds, as these can also be signs of skin cancer. Eczema Eczema is neither an infection nor contagious. While many people refer to any angry-looking or inflamed rash as eczema, it is actually a specific type of rash, also called dermatitis. Eczema is often brought on by an allergic reaction, either internal or external, that causes the skin to become itchy, scaly, and sometimes hot to the touch. Eczema is one of the most common rashes affecting dark skin in urban environments, though interestingly, it is much less prevalent in less-developed countries. A hygiene-related hypothesis has been linked to this, as the cleaner urban areas mean that children have less exposure to a wide range of microorganisms thought to help build a strong immune system that is less reactive to environmental triggers. Because the natural barrier of the skin is broken in an eczema outbreak, there is a risk of infection, which can cause painful swelling of the skin as well as crusting or yellow discharge. If not treated promptly, eczema can cause skin pigment changes, particularly if the itching leads to scratching, which only makes the rash worse. The scars can remain long after the eczema has gone. Depending on the cause of the eczema, various treatments are available, such as topical creams. Patients can also take preventative measures, including avoiding potential triggers, strengthening the immune system, and maintaining the natural protective layer of the skin. Seeing your doctor for an early diagnosis and treatment is vital. And if you are pregnant, consider breast feeding for as long as possible, as it is associated with a decrease in allergies in children. The use of probiotics has also been linked to preventing eczema and is worth discussing with your healthcare provider. Adult Acne

Adult acne can be especially disheartening to those who already had to live with acne in their teenage years. It is even harder when it appears on the face, which cannot be hidden like the back or the arms. Finding the root cause sooner rather than later can help mitigate the severity of the acne and direct you to the right treatment. Acne forms when the oil glands become blocked with excess oil, skin debris, and sometimes bacteria, causing raised bumps or spots under the skin. In dark skin, acne can easily lead to scarring and pigment changes, so it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Adult acne is often caused by the hormone imbalances that occur with pregnancy and menopause, causing the skin to increase oil production. There is also some evidence suggesting a link between acne and a diet high in simple sugars, foods high on the glycemic index, and dairy products. The exact association is not known, but may be related to the foods’ influence on hormone levels. It may be helpful to keep a food diary and discuss it with your doctor. Treatments do exist to decrease the appearance of acne, including topical creams, antibiotics, and birth control pills for women. But as with most things in life, patience is required, as it can take up to two months to see an effect. In addition, certain treatments can cause skin pigment changes, which tend to be more obvious with dark skin, so be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any type of treatment. Vitiligo Appearing in the form of white patches on different parts of the body as the skin loses its pigment, vitiligo is widely thought to be an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks itself. Some forms of vitiligo have been linked to specific inherited genes and other autoimmune conditions, such as thyroid problems. Vitiligo is not contagious or infectious. With vitiligo, the skin still feels the same, though it may appear pale or white and will sunburn easily. Vitiligo is much more obvious on dark skin and tends to present in a similar pattern on both sides of the body. The depigmentation often occurs around the mouth, nostrils, eyes, hands, body folds, and face. When it occurs by hair

HARMFUL SKIN CONDITIONS

follicles, it can cause gray hair at any age. Though no cure for vitiligo is currently available, and it may sometimes disappear on its own, it is worthwhile getting the condition checked out, as there may be treatments to slow its progression. The use of sunscreen and protecting exposed areas with clothing is important. In addition, low sun exposure may put you at risk for vitamin-D deficiency, so discuss with your doctor whether you should be taking a supplement. Psoriasis The skin typically renews itself every 28 days. But with psoriasis, this renewal tends to occur every two to four days, causing a buildup of excess skin material (hyperproliferation) and inflammation that tends to be raised and scaly like a plaque on the skin. Psoriasis often appears on the joints, such as the knees and elbows, though it can occur anywhere on the body, including the fingernails. Psoriasis, which appears to be an inherited condition, is not infectious or contagious. However, if psoriasis presents as small dots all over the body, it may be linked to a recent throat infection, which is one of many psoriasis triggers. Other common triggers include stress, alcohol, and smoking. The psoriasis rash itself is not infected. Having psoriasis increases a person’s risk of developing arthritis, heart problems, diabetes, anxiety, and depression. These risks can be reduced by treating the psoriasis and making lifestyle changes such as limiting alcohol, exercising regularly, managing stress levels, and maintaining a healthy weight. It is important that individuals discuss their condition in depth with their doctor or dermatologist and set a treatment plan with milestones to ensure that other related medical conditions do not develop. The skin is the largest organ in the body, and it can tell us when the body is not working as it should by developing different rashes, which are very often not infectious or contagious, and certainly not due to poor hygiene. Recognizing and treating these rashes early is vital in preventing long-term or even permanent skin pigment changes, particularly in dark-skinned people. So stay vigilant, but rest assured that effective treatment is readily available.

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Raven is wearing a Sandro Paris dress from Bloomingdales Atlanta.

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MINIMALISM

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THE CAPSULE WARDROBE Minimalist dressing made easy

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INTERVIEW EVA SONAIKE On contemporary African-inspired décor

STYLE

The Capsule Wardrobe: Minimalist Dressing Made Easy

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words by Emily Rubin photography by Ahmad Barber styled by Christopher Payne

CAPSULE WARDROBE

Feng shui, KonMari, and now capsule. In our hyperpaced world, where the to-dos seem to multiply as quickly as we can clear them and clutter both mental and physical overtakes our personal and professional lives, people are looking for solutions. Whether it’s tidying a space for increased simplicity, organizing for improved functionality, or shopping for maximum efficiency, minimalism is in — and it’s not likely to be going anywhere anytime soon!

The concept of the capsule wardrobe is straightforward. Keep key, timeless, staple pieces for each season, and mix and match to create new looks. Eliminate the kind of wardrobe that demands your energy when getting ready, overtakes your hamper, and often leaves old favorites by the wayside. Invest instead in good pieces that will endure, great accessories that can elevate, and most importantly — rid yourself of all the things you’re not wearing. The final step is to swap your closet from season to season. No need to keep July’s shorts in your December view! The capsule wardrobe first came about in the 1970s in London. A store owner by the name of Susie Faux coined the term while selling pieces in her shop, Wardrobe, which reflected the ideology. It wasn’t until 1985 that the concept truly blew up in the hands of American fashion designer Donna Karan. She staged a spectacle of a runway show with eight models in bodysuits and tights who dressed and transformed in real time using only a mix-matched seven-piece collection. From that point, the “capsule wardrobe” became popular with fashionistas, fashion media, and anyone who ever suffered from a fashion-related brain freeze or a limited shopping budget. But how does one accomplish the perfect capsule wardrobe? The answer is with a commitment to simplicity, patience in sourcing the right pieces, and a keen self-awareness. Let’s dig a little deeper. What Do You Like to Wear? If you’re going to take your wardrobe down from heaps of slovenly stacked remnants of the past decade down to a solid 20 to 40 piece set, you’re going to have to start with a bit of a self-assessment. What do you really like to wear? If you’re a lover of a narrow-cut trouser and that’s what you tend to gravitate toward, then it’s time to dispense with the idea of keeping the four-year-old, still-with-tags bootcut trousers (or any close facsimile) in your wardrobe. Ask yourself which pieces you consistently reach for and why. Do the work upfront and it will be sure to save you money, time, and space.

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A sample closet for cold-weather dwellers might look something like the following, while someone in a warmer climate could do without the warmer gear.

2 PAIRS OF TROUSERS

2 PAIRS OF JEANS

1 PAIR OF SHORTS

(1 DARK WASH & 1 LIGHT)

2 WORKOUT TOPS 2 WORKOUT BOTTOMS 1 PAIR OF RUNNING SHOES

2 SHIRTS IN SEASONAL

2 CAMISOLES IN SEASONAL

COLORS AND SILHOUETTES

2 SWEATERS

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1 PERFECT-FITTING WHITE T-SHIRT

CAPSULE WARDROBE

1 LITTLE BLACK DRESS

1 FALL COAT

(SIMPLE SILHOUETTE,

1 CASUAL DRESS

1 WINTER COAT

TRENCH OR ANORAK RECOMMENDED)

1 SKIRT

1 PAIR OF HEELS

1 PAIR OF BOOTS

1 PAIR OF FLATS

1 PAIR OF WINTER

EVENING)

1 PAIR OF SANDALS

BOOTS

1 CROSSBODY BAG

1 CLUTCH (ELEGANT ENOUGH FOR

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What Does Your Life Demand? You may hate running shoes, but if you’re going to catch that 7:30 a.m. spin class, you’re going to need to keep them around! Consider the needs of your wardrobe before you come to your final list of items. Do you attend a lot of events with recurring crowds? Do you predominantly spend your summers indoors? Do you work in a conventional office setting? Think hard about your personal needs before you begin to build your collection. How Do You Do It? Before you hit the shops, let’s consider the two equally important sides of your cart—your neutral-colored staple pieces and your accent-colored swap pieces. The neutral pieces must be higher quality, as these are investments that should carry you for many seasons to come. Many of them will even be worn year-round. These include items such as your skinny jeans, tailored trousers, blazer, little black dress, and so forth. Go for fabrics that wear well, neutrals that complement your complexion (all neutrals have hints of color, so consider which notes—yellow, pink, blue, etc. — work best with your skin tone), and shapes that work with your body type. Next, choose one to three accent colors that inspire you and work well together. The hunt for these pieces doesn’t need to be quite as extensive and the quality needn’t be as high since these will be less used seasonal items. Pieces such as camisoles, thin sweaters, and any true base layering pieces will fall into this category. Playing with color trends is a wonderful way to capture the essence of the runways without having to resort to using your oven for extra storage. What Should It Look Like? The collection size will vary from woman to woman, and that’s okay—minimalism means something a little different to everyone. For some, such as Faux herself, it may mean bare bones, with 12 clothing items per season, while others will keep a bit of a longer list due to personal preference or professional and lifestyle requirements. The idea is to cut back on clutter and on the time spent trying on clothes only to dump them in a dissatisfied pile on the floor.

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CAPSULE WARDROBE

« Back to basics — the clean and timeless minimalist wardrobe

There’s a bit more latitude when it comes to your accessories. A few colorful scarves, belts, jewelry — this is where you’ll have some room to play around with! Are There Any Exceptions? You should be able to dress using your capsule wardrobe with success 98 percent of the time. However, if your best friend is getting married, you are not expected to shun the bridesmaid invite to forgo the dress. Practice logic and self-control, but allow yourself to sneak an extra piece in here or there if you’re feeling stuck. Just make sure that the piece still works within the parameters of your collection and color scheme. How Do You Avoid Repetition? Neutrals don’t command as much attention as statement pieces, so if you do yourself up to the nines, the key takeaway will be how you look rather than the specifics of what you wore. The quickest way to alter a look is always to accessorize! A good chunky necklace can change the look of a dress, a scarf can put a playful spin on your basic white tee, and a killer lipstick will win them over time and time again. In addition, never overlook the impact of a hair switchover, and remember that the perfect outfit is simply one that fits to flatter and is worn with the utmost confidence. In the capsule wardrobe, fit and quality reign supreme, so there’s no need to be distracted with what’s “new and now.” Not only can the capsule wardrobe reduce the daily stresses of dressing, but it’s also widely considered to be one of the chicest ways to dress for the woman who wants to always look put together. And while cutting back on unnecessary items may require a bit of an attitude adjustment, the benefits will come back tenfold. Simplify your closet and simplify your life!

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# W I T H LOV E F R O M A F R I C A

A U T H E N T I C H A N D M A D E A P PA R E L A N D AC C E S S O R I E S N OW AVA I L A B L E AT

www.mkeita.com

instagram

facebook

twitter

@wearemkeita

@mkeitaworldwide

@wearemkeita

photography by Ahmad Barber | styled by Ray C'Mone | hair and makeup by Christine Dompier | model: Raven of Kevlar Rose Model

Top and bottom by Maje from Bloomingdales.

STYLE

Eva Sonaike’s gorgeous African-inspired interior design elements are bringing a deeper understanding and appreciation of African style into homes worldwide. 138

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AFRICAN-INSPIRED DÉCOR

words by Nikki Igbo images courtesy of Eva Sonaike

In High Style: Contemporary African-Inspired Décor

For the past decade, Eva Sonaike and the all-African team behind the Eva Sonaike luxury African interior and lifestyle brand has been introducing the African aesthetic to the world of home décor. Instead of merely offering earth tones and safari motifs, Eva Sonaike makes sure that her brand reveals the colorful, creative, enduringly excellent, and luxurious truth of what African style is all about. “There was always a negative connotation with everything in relation to Africa. Poverty, war, disease, corruption, you name it. But there is a luxury side to Africa,” says Eva. “We Africans are incredibly stylish, incredibly elegant, incredibly fashion-conscious, style-conscious, design-conscious — and the Eva Sonaike brand is about bringing the beautiful, quality, high-end side of Africa to your home.” Browse the brand’s website and you’ll recognize the vibe of the textiles right away. Prints in rich reds, brilliant yellows, and lush greens reminiscent of a favorite ipele. Plump aso-oke’ cushions flaunting Yoruba finery. Each bag, notebook, lampshade, and footstool is designed with grace, precision, and an obvious admiration of the African perspective.

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STYLE Eva Sonaike's collection brings the African aesthetic home.

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AFRICAN-INSPIRED DÉCOR

Eva says, “I’m Nigerian. I’m West African and that is where I find my inspiration. Home is my inner peace. Lagos is a lively, hectic, overcrowded, constantly buzzing place, but it is where I find my inner connection. That is represented in my designs. That’s all I am. That’s what I want to bring across.” The world is taking notice. Her London-based goods can be found in high-end boutiques in Switzerland, Lagos, New York, and Hong Kong. And as the brand and its demand grows, so grows the awareness of what it means to be African. “People really see our power and our strength and I think everyone is interested in it. There is something very desirable about African culture and African people, and others now understand. There is such a strong voice among African people all over the world now, and people are getting it.” A Dollhouse and a Designing Eye Some pursuits take shape over time, like turning a house into a home. Elements that transform four walls into charming, comfortable spaces are accumulated over a lifetime. A knickknack from a vacation to Greece on the mantel. A portrait of the kids above

the couch in a frame found at an antique store. An orange rug in the front parlor gifted from an adoring aunt. Eva Sonaike too is a collection of experiences beautifully brought together… beginning with a dollhouse. “When I was a girl, having a dollhouse was the greatest thing for me. Not playing with the dolls in the house — yes, I did that as well — but I rearranged the rooms, repositioned the furniture, painted the walls. When I was a school girl, especially as a teen, my room changed colors. I loved going to Ikea and sifting through their catalog.” And then Eva, whose dad was an artist and whose mom was a doctor and a property developer, became a ballerina — which actually makes a lot of sense. For though she was not able to become a Misty Copeland, her training in classical ballet gave her an appreciation for the aesthetics, precision, and flow of the dance. Eva then turned to her love of writing and trained in journalism, working as a television producer and director for four years before becoming a deputy editor at BOLZ fashion magazine. Eva returned to school at the London College of Fashion, where she received an MA in fashion journalism before becoming the UK

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“It is important to stay positive and think positive, not just about my work but everyone who’s coming from a similar background, who is designing from the African Continent and African diaspora.”

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fashion editor for Hubert Burda Media. During the years she spent in fashion journalism, she was exposed to myriad designers and creators doing exactly what she is doing now. “When I had the idea for the brand, I was working a big fashion show in 2005 called African Love. Back then the African style market was established internationally, but it was very raw. I was pregnant again and had my first baby, and I wanted to set up the crib for my child. I only saw Winnie the Pooh and Disney characters in the shop. And I went from mainstream to high-end, and it was all pink and baby blue. I wanted something different for my child.” Preparing a nursery expanded into redecorating her entire flat while on maternity leave. Eva couldn’t find anything of luxury quality with an African aesthetic, so she started sewing her own things. It was from this realization that there was a gap in the marketplace for high-quality, high-end African interior styles that the Eva Sonaike brand was born. Eva’s revelation paired with the business exposure she’d gained throughout her journalistic career made for one stylishly delicious aha moment. But Eva remains humble about how she managed to

launch and build a luxury brand as a busy wife and mother of two very young children at the time. “I have a friend who had three children in three years and she has a much bigger business than me. For me, my kids were an opportunity. I could have gone back to my other job — which I loved — and I would have had to have a nanny. My grandmother was in Nigeria running a market store with eight kids. There was no maternity leave. When she had the kids, the next day she was back at work. The kids were nursed under the table and she managed. Her life was harder than mine. So, of course, I can do it.” One might even say that she has simply returned to her dollhouse, now on a global scale. One Pouffe, Two Pouffe, Red Pouffe, Blue Pouffe With ten years under her belt, Eva is very much looking forward to where Eva Sonaike is headed. “We are still growing massively as a brand,” she says. “We’re looking to improve our distribution channels and increase our availability in major markets.”

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Her zeal is palpable, and the inspiration that has driven her to create a new collection each year for the past decade is a force in and of itself, though Eva is looking to change things up a bit. “I’m not producing a new collection for 2018, but I will be coming up with new color wave changes for existing collections. We’ll also create new products such as wallpaper and rugs. We want to improve on what we currently have and release a brand new collection in 2019.” While looking to refresh her offerings, Eva is always moved and stimulated by what else is going on in the industry and encourages others who appreciate the power and brilliance of African design to also savor the changing marketplace. “It is important to stay positive and think positive, not just about my work but everyone who’s coming from a similar background, who is designing from the African Continent and African diaspora. There is so much positive imagery. There are amazing brands and amazing designers with blogs, websites, and Instagram pages. There is so much of it out there. Look at what’s going on in the world and support others who are doing African and African-inspired design. We need to support them and buy their products. We need to support each other.” Eva’s eyes are now on the West, and it’s safe to say that wherever she looks, the brand and its popularity will follow. Again, it is no wonder why. Africa and its people are emerging and exploding onto the world stage and it’s high time more attention is paid. Of course, Eva knows this, and she’s pirouetting quickly toward a magnificent future with each hand-crafted tray, shopper bag, and pouffe designed and sold. “I want to have complete living solutions offered, including furnishings,” says Eva. “We want to become household names. You give me five years and we’ll definitely grow bigger by the time my kids are old enough to take over.”

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NATURAL

GLOW

SECTION

beauty

page 148.

READY SET GLOW Skincare 101 for everyone

page 152.

INTERVIEW ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO The inclusive indulgence of Malée

Skin Care 101 for Everyone

Ready Set Sara has on a moonstone sequin top by Needle & Thread and white bell bottom by Alexis, both from Tootsies

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Glow!

NO MAKEUP MAKEUP

You Too Can Join the No-Makeup Movement!

words by Oby Nwaogbe photography by Ahmad Barber styling by Ray C'Mone make up by Erica Bogart hair by Andy Buckmire model Sara N. of Ursula Weidmann Models

Recently we’ve seen a few celebrities take to social media to post a selfie of themselves sans makeup. It’s already a big deal when celebrities post pictures of themselves, but sharing photos taken without the help of a makeup artist is a bold act — it makes them suddenly human and relatable, and we love it! The good news is that you too can achieve that minimal to no-makeup look. First off, with or without makeup, great skin starts with a good skin care routine. CLEANSER It is important to cleanse your skin morning and night with a gentle cleanser and a cleansing brush if you have one. Tools such as the Clarisonic are 10 times more effective than washing your face with bare hands. For help finding a cleanser that is suitable for your skin, keep reading, as we will be discussing the best ingredients for different skin types. TONER This is an important step that often gets overlooked. Using a toner after cleansing balances the pH of the skin while

also removing excess oil and cleanser residue. When purchasing a toner, look for one that contains eucalyptus, bergamot, or rose water. EXFOLIATION The importance of exfoliating cannot be over-emphasized. A lack of exfoliation leaves the skin looking dull and lackluster. Even if you are using the best products on the market, they won’t penetrate the epidermis if there are dead skin cells on the surface of the skin.

Consider this, a baby’s skin renews itself every 14 days, but once we hit our 20s and 30s, this process decreases to every 28 days. And by age 40 and above, it slows to every 45 days. Because of this, we must exfoliate at least once or twice a week to expedite the process. What is the best method of exfoliation? Stay away from scrubs and anything with rough beads or granules, because they can result in broken capillaries or breakouts, and in some cases cause the skin to overcompensate and become either too oily or too dry. For best results, use natural enzyme masks, such as those made from pumpkin or cranberry. SERUMS Investing money in quality skin

care products can be daunting, but when it comes to serums, don’t try to cut corners. A good serum is a gift that keeps on giving. Serums have extremely small molecules which allow them to penetrate the epidermis and do their work. Keep reading to find out more about which serums will work best for your particular skin type. EYE CREAMS Eye creams are often hit or miss, meaning they can cost a lot of money and still not work. But if you find the right one, it can help with wrinkles, fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles under the eyes. When looking for an eye cream, look for ones that contain vitamins A, C, E, and K. MOISTURIZERS If you’re a regular Radiant Health reader, you already know how we feel about moisturizers and sun protection factor (SPF). It is crucial to wear a moisturizer with at least SPF 30 daily. It is also important to use a separate moisturizer at night, be it for hydration, boosting collagen, firming, combating dryness or sensitivity, etc. But with so many skincare products vying for a woman’s attention, it is hard to know exactly what products work without the help of a dermatologist or a licensed skin therapist. So let’s start by discussing the various skin types and the ingredients that work best for each.

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DEHYDRATED SKIN

If you have dry skin that lacks oil, or dehydrated skin that needs water, you want to look for cleansers with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as lactic and glycolic acids, which slough off the dull, rough skin and promote smooth, clear skin. Also look for moisturizers that contain hyaluronic acid, which helps bind moisture in the skin; ceramides to help hold skin cells together; vitamins A and E for added moisture and anti-aging properties; and rose, one of the most common ingredients used to treat dry, dehydrated, and aging skin. AHAs also help to combat wrinkles, but if your skin is on the dry side, you should exfoliate only once a week. Characteristics of dry or dehydrated skin

Skin feels dry, flaky, rough, or tight; is taut immediately after cleansing; lacks elasticity, is prone to wrinkles, and doesn’t absorb products easily.

OILY SKIN

If you are prone to acne, you most likely have oily skin. Look pp Salicylic acid to absorb exfor products containing beta cess oil from the skin. Both salihydroxy acids (BHA) to im- cylic and glycolic acid should be prove skin tone, such as salicylic used sparingly to avoid dryness. acid, which helps exfoliate and unclog pores. BHAs are less pp Eucalyptus for its antiseptic, irritating to the skin than AHAs antimicrobial, and astringent and can penetrate more quickly properties. into the epidermis to treat acne. pp Tea tree oil for use as an antiseptic and antibacterial. There are a number of ingredients to look for when treating oily and acne-prone skin: Characteristics of oily skin Clogged pores; medium to pp Glycolic acid to reduce large pore size; acne prone; excessive oils and prevent the may have a shiny T-zone and clogging of pores. hyperpigmentation. pp Hyaluronic acid to prevent skin from becoming dehydrated. Look for this ingredient in an oil-free moisturizer.

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pp Retinol to help tighten pores and curtail shine.

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Serums have extremely small molecules which allow them to penetrate the epidermis and do their work. SENSITIVE SKIN

NORMAL OR COMBINATION SKIN

If you have sensitive skin, it is important that you avoid applying any harsh chemicals to your skin, including AHAs or BHAs. Look instead for enzyme-based exfoliants such as pumpkin, pineapple, papaya, and others which are less irritating to sensitive skin. Here are some ingredients to look for in products for sensitive skin:

If you have normal or combination skin, you are in luck because you can use it all — AHAs, BHAs, and any other mild exfoliants. Just be sure not to over-exfoliate in order to avoid sending your skin into overdrive.

pp Chamomile, a plant extract used to soothe sensitive skin. pp Calendula to help soothe itching, swelling, and redness. pp Azulene, a calming extract derived from the chamomile plant. pp Eucalyptus, a versatile antiseptic, antimicrobial, and astringent. pp Lavender for its soothing, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties. pp Soy, which offers both anti-inflammatory and moisturizing benefits. pp Olive for its moisturizing and calming effect. pp Oatmeal, which is good for skin irritation, rashes, and sunburns. It is also soothing, anti-inflammatory, and helps promote healing.

Here are a few ingredients to look for when dealing with normal or combination skin types:

Characteristics of combo skin

May have oily T-zone, enlarged pores, blackheads, blemishes, hyper-pigmentation; may be dry or dehydrated in some areas, acne-prone in others. Characteristics of normal skin

Neither dry nor oily; normalsized pores; may or may not develop blackheads or blemishes.

pp Pineapple, which contains bromelain, an enzyme with stimulating and antiseptic properties. It is effective both for exfoliation and for treating blemishes. pp Peppermint to cool the skin and constrict capillaries. It also helps reduce irritation and itching. pp Licorice, an anti-inflammatory that also inhibits melanin production. Often used to lighten surface hyperpigmentation. pp Hyaluronic acid to bind moisture in the skin. pp Retinol to help tighten pores and curtail shine. p p Kojic acid, a tyrosinase inhibitor used as a skin-lightening agent for hyperpigmentation.

Finally, as a licensed skin therapist, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the importance of visiting your skin therapist/ esthetician at least once every four to six weeks for a deep pore cleansing, which will help you to keep your natural glow— without the need for makeup!

Characteristics of sensitive skin

May apppear red or irritated, with blemishes, inflammation, or rosacea.

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LUXE BODY CARE

Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao’s African-Inspired Luxe Body Care

words by Nikki Igbo

The inclusive indulgence of Malée

Long before Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao created her luxury body care line Malée Natural Science, she would request that her father always return with “certain things” for her from his travels. Those things usually included stationary, lip gloss, and anything else that was cute, pampering, and beautiful.

Now the brand has been made available throughout South Africa, the United Kingdom, Europe, and most recently the United States. Zeze actively designs the unisex line to be inclusive of all skin types, shades, and ethnicities because she feels it is a reflection of Africa’s character.

Years later, Zeze’s undeniable passion for cosmetics would lead her to move to South Africa from London. Jobless and without a single acquaintance in the new country, she was equipped only with a master’s degree in international business, a degree in informatics, and a fearless penchant for expression. She felt she had nothing to lose.

“Africans are inclusive people in our nature,” says Zeze. “We invite everyone into our homes; we share our culture. I wanted Malée to be everything that is Africa. We don’t see color in the way that the Western world does. Malée is not about a particular race; it is about the people, the place, and the sharing of Africa. The happiness of men, women, and children who reside there. The sensation of going into the bush or spending balmy evenings under a night-flowering tree. That feeling, those experiences don’t exclude anyone.”

Today Zeze works personally and tirelessly to create each product in her increasingly popular line, harnessing those special things that are positioning her brand to appeal to the world—two of which are her heart and soul. Africa is for Everyone Malée Natural Science, based in South Africa, has used all-natural African ingredients since 2009. The socially conscious, vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, silicone-free skin and body care line began as a personal answer to protecting Zeze’s skin from South Africa’s dry climate. It then grew to become the toiletry collection featured in the Singita Group’s luxury hotels.

Bathroom Cabinets Are for Cosmetics If you were to visit Zeze’s home and sneak a peek into her bathroom cabinet, you’d find a startling collection of cosmetics and nothing else—a fact that her husband often grumbles about, but it can’t be helped. “I am always developing stuff and trying new formulations,” Zeze laughs. “I am committed to using my own products, so I always have samples to try and to give to others. I also take time to discuss the way the products work with those

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who try the samples so I can determine how to market them.” This collecting, experimenting, and sampling habit is nothing new. As early as the age of five, Zeze stored her various creams, assorted cosmetics, and hand-medown perfume bottles on her dresser. She saved her money to buy scented body lotion and often mixed her various purchases, combining items to achieve the perfect combination of scent and texture. It was an activity that delighted her to no end, and she is still fascinated today with new formulas and the magic of what goes into her products. “There are reasons why our ancestors used certain ingredients, and scientifically those reasons are sound. The combination of them at high quantities and great quality makes for very unique products that do things a lot of other brands haven’t considered,” says Zeze. “Our body cream performs very differently than any other cream out there on the market. It has the texture of a butter but absorbs in a similar way to a very light lotion. It’s a rather unexpected experience, but it will moisturize you better than a normal butter.” This admitted obsession is beyond chemistry—it is Zeze’s personal art form. “I spend most of my time on curating each and every product and the packaging and the inspiration behind the stories and the embossing with the tribal markings that have or had meaning… It’s a drug; I can’t stop. In the same way as artists think, Malée for me is really an expression.”

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“I am committed to using my own products, so I always have samples to try and to give to others. I also take time to discuss the way the products work with those who try the samples so I can determine how to market them.”

Self-Indulgence Is A Necessity Zeze owes her glowing skin to Malée, as she uses her own crafted products in her regular beauty routine, in particular the conditioning body scrub, a variety of creams, and the moisturizing oil. Zeze also makes “me time” a regular habit. She says, “I take time out for myself, whether that is listening to a podcast or a favorite playlist. I run myself a bath, give myself a scrub, and I take time out just for me. Being indulgent in ourselves, as women, is needed. Looking at a lot of African tribes, taking time for yourself with grooming is part of the culture. And doing that with leisure and enjoyment is something that is important because it gives me balance.” To be clear, the beauty industry is booming, and those fledgling companies with great potential quickly rise within it—which is why Zeze has been approached with multiple offers of buyouts, retail partnerships, and franchise opportunities. But she’s chosen to take her time and follow only the path that feels right for her. “I don’t have a previous career in retail or the hospitality industry,” she says. “It’s been genuinely meeting people, being authentic about the brand and our capabilities, and others finding the value of that in their businesses. It’s been knowing that we put 100 percent into our relationships and that the quality of our products is undisputed. I am always trying to build my business around the things that I know, and I take the time to learn what I ought to know.”

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LUXE BODY CARE

Whimsy Paired With Mastery Can Go A Long Way Malée means “gracious, learned woman,” so it makes sense that Zeze’s journey toward her goal of creating the African L'Oréal is powered by a pursuit of mastery. “You have to be a master at your own business and at your own craft,” says Zeze. “I’ve definitely done my research and worked hard. I’ve had executive MBA students come in and help me assess the size of the market and add in that broader thinking in terms of what the global marketplace looks like so that I don’t lose sight of the goal.” Her whimsical enthusiasm is ever-present, as is her desire to create something that smells sweet, feels rich, and represents something greater than herself. “People feel the soul in each product,” she says with an unmistakable genuineness. Zeze also understands the wider implications of a business like Malée. “Thinking of the business in a macro sense has helped inform the choices I’ve made. I realize the responsibility I have as an African with a business like mine and what that means to lots of people and to the industry in Africa,” says Zeze. “The African market is young, and young enough that if I’m able to make a success of Malée and we can grow into a larger brand, then ultimately I would like to help other niche African brands like mine succeed in the global marketplace.”

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Un-free, circa 2017, Photo transfer collage and pen drawing on paper, 47 x 39 cm, by Taiye Idahor.

DIASPORA

ARTISTRY

SECTION

7 0

culture

page 158.

INTERVIEW AINA FADINA Cultural anatomist at large

page 162.

INTERVIEW SANDRA MBANEFO OBIAGO On Nigeria's contemporary art scene

page 166.

CULTURE ON THE GO Check out the latest on the African culture scene

AINA FADINA

words by Nikki Igbo images courtesy of Aina Fadina

Aina Fadina: Cultural Anatomist at Large The African diaspora is in many ways comparable to the movement of blood through the body — bursting forth from a central source, traveling outward along different pathways, and leaving life-affirming gifts throughout its environment before returning once again to its origins. With each new generation, the process repeats itself. Aina Fadina has discovered this truth firsthand through her own meandering path from aspiring healthcare professional to fashion model to media entrepreneur. And with the creation and release of her ongoing web series, I of Africa, she’s eager to promote the flow. Art As Industry, Scientifically Speaking “I always thought I was an analytical person,” says Aina Fadina, laughing, and not a soul would disagree. Anyone who graduates university at the age of 20 obviously has a gift. Yet instead of using that gift to pursue the business aspects of the healthcare industry as she had originally intended, Aina discovered a passion for the physics of the fashion industry. Following an unexpected offer to model in a show, Aina quickly adapted to going on calls and castings between biotech jobs. The more she learned about the fashion industry, the more intrigued she became. The operations and logistics. The costs involved with models, food, fabric, production, and location. The importance of price points, varying market behavior, competition, and consumer response. All of it revealed something deeper than just a nice shirt for sale at a boutique.

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“I worked with every aspect of the business, from sketch to fabrication to target audience, and realized there’s a science and engineering to fashion,” Aina says. “I saw the art behind it and the fact that it was intellectual property. It took every single person from seamstress to designer to marketing person to model to salesperson before a consumer sees the clothes and buys them. I saw things from a global perspective and what it took to serve consumers around the world.” This realization activated a different part of her brain and ignited a fire within her. She began working full time as a model, which afforded her access to other creative industries, such as music, film, fine art, and design. She found that the same dynamics of the fashion business also applied to other creative pursuits, and she appreciated all of the people of color leading lives and pursuing careers in the mix. “You go to New York and you’re seeing all levels of blackness, meaning socioeconomic, meaning nationalities,” says Aina. “We’re all together at these places partying, hanging out together, and having interesting conversations about the work that we do.” Aina sensed that the world should be seeing what she was seeing, and hearing what she was hearing. Microscopic Details, Macroscopic Possibilities The concept for I of Africa arose organically as Aina’s journey unfolded. The seed was planted in the 90s when she first arrived in America from Nigeria and was confronted with media images of blackness that did not reflect The Cosby Show or The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air she had watched back home. “There was a negative connotation to being black, and I wondered why I was seeing this stuff,” says Aina. “I realized those were the images the media chose to portray because it instills fear, and the easiest way to oppress a marginalized people is to somehow psychologically pit them against each other.” But she also saw how the internet provided both the access and the opportunity for black people all over the globe to create their own narratives. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter became platforms for open dialogue across Continents and oceans. Streaming services provided quick and easy access for Afro-beats in America and soulful sounds in Africa. YouTube made it possible for words and sound to converge with visuals and create content independent of mainstream media. Senegalese-American Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl web series and its explosive popularity became an example and an inspiration to present all that she admired and enjoyed about Africa and its descendants working in creative capacities. Motivated by her own black pride, Aina self-funded, directed, produced, and starred in multiple seasons of I of Africa. And she’s told the kind of stories that have caught the attention of the mainstream media, even being featured on CNN. Stories such as how sound artist Emeka Ogboh emotionally reconnects immigrants in New York with the familiar tones of Lagos motion. Or designer

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Tsemaye Binitie’s pursuit to become Nigeria’s Dolce and Gabana. Or filmmaker Andy Amadi Okoroafor’s careful curation of images that reflect a love and appreciation of his heritage. Arguably one of the most profound stories of I of Africa is Aina’s discovery of her own history and how it has influenced the evolution of the web series. One of Aina’s ancestors on her father’s maternal side, Reverend Franklin, was a victim of the transatlantic slave trade, but he escaped and returned to Africa. By using the clue of his tribal markings, Reverend Franklin was able to find his way back to his people in Nigeria. “We don’t hear how slavery affected those in Africa,” Aina explains. “There are many West

ZEZE'S 4 CERTAIN THINGS

“The last few years have been a renaissance of what’s happened politically in the 60s, and for a long time we’ve had a disconnection to that. We should ask ourselves why…”

Africans with a similar history that has been lost because it has not been written but rather told and forgotten. How do we connect the dots and build bridges where Africans have been placed either willingly or unwillingly? What are we documenting and archiving? How will I pass information down to my nephew, whose father is a black American and whose mother is Nigerian? I want to inspire others to use technology like their smartphones to document their living ancestors and pass our history to the next generation.” Symptoms of Something Greater I of Africa has appeared at a time when social reconciliation is urgently needed. Tensions brought on by issues of power, wealth, race, and color demand that we all rise to the occasion — and Aina has broadened the scope of the series accordingly. “The last few years have been a renaissance of what’s happened politically in the 60s, and for a long time we’ve had a disconnection to that. We should ask ourselves why,” says Aina. “That sense of international and global black pride is happening culturally and politically now. We have 15 new episodes where we go into technology, innovation, entrepreneurship. I interview designers, an Olympic fencer, an African-American woman who is the largest importer of wines from black-owned vineyards around the world. The series has morphed into looking at the global diasporan narrative. I wanted to diversify the content and tell where we are in the world.” Viewers can look forward to Jidenna talking about the priv-

ilege of being a light-skinned man versus the experience of a darker-skinned man, as well as his time spent at two of the most prestigious schools in the world. There will also be discussions on Black Lives Matter and raising capital as a black person — but not all those featured on the show will be black. “I’ve chosen not to keep it all African and all black,” says Aina. “I’ve chosen to keep it all open because it is easy for us to sit there and say how we feel as black Africans, but we don’t know what it’s like to be in others’ shoes. It’s about trying to create a dialogue about the Continent. Because Africa and African history isn’t just one thing, neither is the I of Africa brand.” Aina is evolving as well. To keep I of Africa alive, she’s sought and gained outside capital. She’s launched AFAD & Co., which creates digital content for clients. She uses her fashion business acumen as a brand consultant, teaching new lines how to shape their companies. And she’s producing a feature film — all on top of studying for her MBA in the hope of gaining more knowledge, positioning, and connections to do more and build more. Her ultimate goal is to promote the health and well-being of the entire body of Africans and diasporans worldwide.” "With an MBA, it’s amazing how doors have opened,” says Aina. “I want to be in a position to invest in other creatives, to fund ventures for them and help them think about the business and scaling and grooming their creative process to do exactly what they’re attempting to accomplish. I want to be able to give other creatives instrumental tools to produce for a global market.”

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words by Nikki Igbo images courtesy of Sandra Mbanefo Obiago

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Sandra Mbanefo Obiago isn’t simply an art enthusiast. Decades from now, when critics and collectors look back on the origins of Nigeria’s flourishing contemporary art scene, they will surely credit her for her role in revitalizing the world’s appreciation for African art.

CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN ART

As humble as she is, Sandra Mbanefo Obiago would be the last person to mention her impact on Nigeria’s creative community. Instead, the social activist/art collector/poet/filmmaker attributes any artistic cultural progress to teamwork and collaboration. And while there is truth to this, Sandra is also modestly understating her significant contributions. “There weren’t many support structures for artists in Nigeria. Very few galleries,” Sandra acknowledges. “Museums were not presenting contemporary art. We dedicated ourselves to not only collecting but also supporting artists and becoming agents.” Already revered for her documentary filmmaking and instruction efforts, which led to Nigeria’s law against female genital mutilation, Sandra has taken on a new challenge. In an effort to strengthen Nigeria’s visual arts scene and creative industries, Sandra and her husband opened their home to fellow art collectors and an art group of 17 students from the Universal Studios of Arts. Students presented their works while collectors discussed how they could develop exhibition platforms, art awareness, and educational opportunities. When an acquaintance opened a highend boutique hotel in Lagos and contacted her to purchase art for the new venture, Sandra had the idea of using the hotel as a curated exhibition destination. “It’s a public space,” Sandra explains. “It’s not traditionally a gallery or museum. Not only would it bring interested guests to the hotel, but we would also provide our international clientele an opportunity to see some of the best of Nigerian creativity while visiting the country.”

Sandra’s concept grew into SMO Contemporary Art, an organization dedicated to showcasing and supporting contemporary art through creative collaboration and nontraditional exhibition. smo now regularly curates art exhibitions and shows featuring poetry, dance, and music at the Wheatbaker Lagos, the Lagos Court of Arbitration, and Temple Muse. The company offers artist talks with each presentation, organizes fundraisers for art restoration, trains youth to work as tour guides, engages with art schools, and provides opportunities for artists to learn how to properly present and promote themselves. And Sandra’s work is beginning to take flight. “It’s given me a lot of joy because I’ve seen other hotels taking on — really with a passion — the whole concept of supporting art in very strategic and structured ways. And a lot of artists who did their first show at the Wheatbaker are today almost household names. So we’ve done a great thing in providing a great platform for emerging artists and artists from the diaspora.” Considering the implications of what a well-supported artistic platform can do for Nigeria, “great” is also an understatement. Art's Inherent Value The value of artistic creativity doesn’t reside simply in the price of a painting or in the ambience that a sculpture brings to a space. “Art is part of our collective oxygen. We need art to be healthy,” says Sandra. “When you are able to express creativity through song, dance, painting, photography, cooking, or even mathematics, it helps our feeling of contentment and well-being.”

Sandra grew up with a deep appreciation for artistic expression. Her father practiced design through architecture, while her mother regularly collected art. When Sandra met her husband, she saw in him that same passion and they began to collect art as a team. But Sandra is an artist in her own right and her relationship with art is personal, intense. “When I write, when I do my photography, I feel elated,” says Sandra. “Art gives me strength in my step, joy in my day. When you behold something beautiful, or when you are in a beautiful space, you automatically get that excitement. Art gives me that energy.” Those sensations, those patterns of personal creativity are amplified by the purpose behind Sandra’s endeavors, as her efforts to develop Nigeria’s art scene also stand to enhance the nation’s economy. “If creative industries, knowledge-based industries — from design to computers to architecture to art to theater — are properly channeled and supported, it is a path to development, and wealth can be built,” she explains. “The most valuable and sustainable capital is the talent and innovation of the people. These are industries where people are the most precious commodity.” Nigeria need look no further than its filmmaking industry to see this phenomenon in action. In 2015, Nollywood became a $3 billion industry, surpassing Hollywood as the world’s second-largest movie industry by volume. “Film projects generate numerous jobs, from carpenters to build sets to caterers to feed the crew to lawyers who review con-

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Crowd Commotion » circa 2016-2017 Plastic sachets & Electric cable by Olumide Onadipe Sandra with artist Taiye Idahor »

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CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN ART

tracts. Make-up artists can make between 30,000 to 50,000 naira per day. Just one film creates a massive ripple effect of people who can gain a livelihood,” says Sandra. Neither Nigerian creativity nor African creativity as a whole begins and ends with filmmaking. As the world takes note of the Continent’s natural flair for clothing and accessories, the fashion industry also exhibits great potential, as does the visual art scene. “Look at the early modern artists of Europe, like Picasso, like Dali, like so many of that generation,” says Sandra. “They were all inspired by African symbols and masks, and that very strong and beautiful creative lineage.” And yet, Picasso’s and Dali’s creations fetch millions at auction and stimulate the economy in myriad ways whenever they are exhibited, while their original sources have long been underappreciated. “The prices that our art is going for represents only about 1 percent of the global art market,” says Sandra. “But slowly, with international auction houses also being very interested in African art, like Bonhams, Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and so on, there is a strengthening of appreciation for art coming out of Africa, but more needs to be done.” Recognizing the Artistry Within Ourselves It has been said that great talent finds its happiness in execution. Perhaps this is the reason that African art and traditions are so misunderstood, even by the very cultures that created them. Why get excited over something so familiar, so intrinsic? We have regarded ourselves without truly seeing. Think uli tattoos, Ibibio tombstones, the Benin bronzes, the Igbo-Ukwu statues. All of it is amazing. All of it is art. And all of it came quite naturally from the African peoples who now call themselves Nigerian. We just need to see it from a new perspective.

“There is not enough being taught about the power, beauty, and intricacy of those art forms. The old wall of Benin City was bigger and more intricate than the Great Wall of China,” says Sandra. “But today only the moat is left, only a little bit of the wall remains. If we don’t tell those stories, our youth will not be able to appreciate the incredible ingenuity and creative innovation that went into some of these engineering feats and architecture.” Just as European art movements were influenced by African art, contemporary African artists are now being influenced by longstanding traditions that are no longer being taken for granted. “Through educational exposure, we remind our artistic youth and artists to connect the dots between our traditional culture, legacy, and heritage and then present it to a contemporary aesthetic.” This is but the first step in raising African art to its rightful place in the global art collective. “I can’t overemphasize the fact that there are not enough opportunities for artists,” Sandra laments. “We don’t have a National Endowment for Arts. We still need proper museums. Museums are the highest forms of validation in the international art hierarchy. When an artist has a museum exhibition, they have arrived. We need to document those artists who were a part of previous movements so that their story becomes a part of Nigerian artistic history.” There is much work to be done, but Sandra remains motivated. “I’m an optimist,” she says, “and every day I’m humbled by people who are so inspirational and energized and helpful. In the last two years, it’s just amazing how many young artistic people have initiatives, spaces, projects that have taken off and are doing extremely well. Today in Lagos, every weekend there are all kinds of artistic events happening. And you read about them, and people tweet about them, and before you know, they’ve gone viral. Young people are using innovation and technology and art to solve our problems, to cultivate positive and productive change.”

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Culture On The Go

GO WATCH

African Film Festival New Zealand (AFFNZ) Auckland, New Zealand: April 5–15, 2018 Wellington, New Zealand: May 2–6, 2018

Put on by a multi-ethnic group of cinephiles from all backgrounds, AFFNZ is dedicated to advancing African culture and African filmmakers in New Zealand. Featured in two cities, the festival aims to use films to provide a contextual foundation for the latest headlines coming out of the Continent. AFRICANFILMFESTIVALNZ.ORG.NZ

Accra Fashion Week Accra, Ghana: March 29–April 1, 2018

There’s nothing like watching models slay in uniquely, fabulously African gear. The Chilly/ Rainy 2018 edition of this hugely popular fashion show in Ghana will offer just that as it showcases clothing by designers who have created lines made specifically for the rainy season. ACCRAFASHIONWEEK.ORG

GO BEHOLD

SMO Contemporary Art Exhibitions — Lagos, Nigeria Held in various nontraditional locales throughout Lagos, SMO Contemporary Art specifically showcases works created by established and emerging African artists such as Constance Swaniker, Fidelis Odogwu, and Nnena Okore. SMOCONTEMPORARYART.COM

Gallery of African Art — London, England Olayanju Dada, Marius Dansou, and Mimi Shodeinde are just a few of the artists this London gallery has showcased. Specializing in 20th-century and contemporary art from Africa and the diaspora, the gallery is open Monday through Saturday. GAFRAART.COM

West Africa Film Festival (WAFF)

First Floor Gallery —Harare, Zimbabwe

Houston, Texas: February 1–15, 2018

Southeast Texas is the site of this movie extravaganza featuring films about West African life and culture by West African artists. The festival also includes a spirited mix of guest speakers, student events, Q&A sessions, musical performances, and cultural presentations.

Found in 2009, First Floor Gallery is Zimbabwe’s first independently run contemporary gallery managed by emerging artists. The gallery hosts fine art, music, and poetry events. Promoting rising Zimbabwean artists, past exhibitions have included works by Mavis Tauzeni, Wycliffe Mundopa, and Moffat Takadiwa.

WESTAFRICANFF.ORG

FIRSTFLOORGALLERYHARARE.COM

THE LATEST ON THE AFRICAN CULTURAL SCENE

As the African diaspora continues to proliferate around the globe, so does the undeniable allure of African culture. A healthy dose of African flavor can be sampled in just about every corner of the world. We invite you to get up and go take a taste.

GO LISTEN

Osapettoy Lagos, Nigeria: December 25, 2017, 6:00 p.m.

For 10 years, Osapettoy has cemented his reputation around the world as an accomplished jazz guitarist, music instructor, and the creator of “sop jazz.” Catch him and his creative musical genius at the Lagos Civic Centre. REVERBNATION.COM/PETEROSAS GO READ

Lagos Arts and Book Festival (LABAF) 2018 Lagos, Nigeria: November 9–12, 2017

Launched in 1999 to aid in the cultivation of a politically free Nigeria, the theme of the 19th LABAF is Eruptions: Global FRACTURES & Collective Humanism. This year’s event is also dedicated to famed poet laureate Professor Niyi Osundare and will be held at its traditional venue of Freedom Park. LAGOSBOOKARTFESTIVAL.ORG

Speak No Evil: A Novel by Uzodinma Iweala Forthcoming in March 2018

Two privileged teenagers from divergent backgrounds and a revelation between them triggers a devastatingly consequential chain of events. This second offering from the author of Beasts of No Nation promises to be yet another heartbreakingly excellent page-turner. HARPERCOLLINS.COM

Strut by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie Forthcoming in May 2018

A deep engagement with issues arising out of our current global social landscape — genocide, capitalism, racism, sexism, and mental illness — informs this second book of poetry from Tallie. Themes include ancestry, survival, sensuality, and self-acceptance. SUNDRESSPUBLICATIONS.COM/AGAPE

Club Ballatou — Montreal, Canada World music takes front and center stage at this 30-year-old birthplace of the International Festival Nuits d’Afrique where such luminaries as Miriam Makaba, Femi Kuti, and Youssou N’Dour have rocked the crowd. Dancing nights feature a heady mix of Soca, Zouk, Reggae, Coupé-Décalé, Rumba, and more. BALATTOU.COM/EN

Afro Funke’ — Los Angeles Afro Roots star Rocky Dawuni created this periodic musical event to finally give L.A. the outstanding platform for African music, culture, and art the city so desperately needed. Check out the website to keep tabs on the next Afro Funke’ movement. AFROFUNKE.COM

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FOCUS

SECTION

body&mind

08 page 170.

RECLAIMING YOUR TIME Taking a break from social media

PAGE 175.

INTERVIEW KAREN OKONKWO True color: stock images for the real world

BODY & MIND

Reclaiming Your Time: Taking a Break from Social Media words by Yvonne Ibifuro Whitelaw MD, MPH

“We spend so much time looking into our palms, we have forgotten what it means to look into one another’s eyes.” — Jonathan Fields

THE MOM SOBBED SOFTLY as she spoke to the preschool director. The

parking lot. An improbable sight — a tall blonde woman crying on the

office door was closed, but I could see them through the glass wall, seat-

shoulders of a shorter me, chocolate-skinned with locs.

ed across from each other. The director was listening patiently. Though

I continued to hold her, speaking soft, soothing words, assuring

the mom’s words were undecipherable, I could tell from the director’s

her she would be okay. She began to calm down and her sobs becoming

face that this was a heartbreaking conversation.

less frequent.

I finished signing my daughter in to the school’s computer system and headed out of the preschool. As I opened my car door, I saw the new

“I am Yvonne, by the way. What’s your name?” I asked, smiling and extending my hand. She told me her name and wiped her face, smiling now. “Oh, this

mom quickly walk out and get in her car. I was just about to start my car when I heard it.

is so hard… Why is this so hard?” She looked at me, her eyes bloodshot

Go ask her if she wants a hug.

and questioning. “I know… I have felt the same way. It is hard. I am sorry.” She had

I was immediately incredulous. “Uh, are you serious? Right now? She’s a stranger. I have never

a four year old who was starting at the preschool. I told her I also had a

seen her before and she is probably going to think I am crazy. I haven’t

four year old daughter at the school. She felt encouraged and said she

showered from working out and I smell kinda funky. I should not be giv-

hoped our kids would be in the same class. We laughed and said our

ing out hugs right now. And see, she’s about to drive off. She’s wearing

goodbyes. She thanked me again. I went back to my car, waved at her,

scrubs, too. She’s probably late for work at some hospital!”

and then drove off. The encounter had taken no longer than about eight minutes.

But I knew the voice of my intuition very well and knew better than

As I drove to my office, I reflected on the experience. It struck

to ignore it. Sighing, I got out of the car and walked across the parking lot, half wishing she would drive away and prove my excuses right. No, the car did not move. I could see her wiping her tears, trying

me deeply how many moments and opportunities for connection I would have missed if I hadn’t been fully present that morning. If I had been on my phone checking my email or social media, I would have missed

unsuccessfully to calm down. I knocked on her car window. She rolled it down.

the crying stranger in the office, and I would have missed my intuition’s

“Hi, would you like a hug?”

whisper to offer a hug. I definitely would not have crossed the parking lot

“Yes, please! Thank you so much!”

to offer that hug, nor lingered a little longer to make sure she was okay.

Her tears were flowing freely now. I stood there holding her in the

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RECLAIMING YOUR TIME

Driven to Distraction A few years ago, I decided to be more intentional about being present and doing one thing at a time. I realized how often I was filling the in-between moments of my life with something. It is becoming increasingly difficult for many of us to be alone with our thoughts. Waiting seems especially hard, and we numb the seemingly mundane activities of life such as waiting in line, riding the subway, or even crossing the street with distractions like reading the news on the phone, checking Facebook, and listening to audiobooks. Now, I am not a saint by any stretch of the imagination. But I think we miss these sliding door moments, these opportunities for empathy and connection, whenever we choose to escape our lives by not paying attention or being fully present. I have often struggled with this, even as someone who has built a life on cultivating practices that help me show up more fully and authentically. As an empath — one who deeply experiences the energy around me, including emotions and physical sensations — I often find myself overstimulated by the constant stream of input and distractions, especially from social media. Why am I spending hours I don’t have learning the intimate details of someone I vaguely know while ignoring those I love who are right in front of me? Even my kids have lost their tempers at me a few times, yelling, “Mummy, you are always on the phone!” as they try to insert their cute little faces between me and the culprit screen. I find myself craving space, seeking relief from all the noise, and yearning to declutter from all the agendas others are dumping into my life. This is why I take regular social media and digital fasts. Taking these breaks creates space for my thoughts, my intuition, the sliding door moments, the Godwinks and whispers. Paying attention to the world within and around me became a lifesaver. In fact, my first social media fast was so powerful, I decided to build more into my life. I had felt so tested in this, I knew I had to step it up. Now I have a regular practice of social media fasts and digital unplugs. Breaks can last anywhere from a few hours to a day, a weekend, 40 days (like my last one), or months. Why Breaking Up Is So Hard to Do Putting down the phone should be as easy as ABC, right? If so, then why do so many of us struggle with separation anxiety when it comes to digital and social media breaks?

If you feel like an addict when it comes to your phone and social media, you are normal. You are feeling exactly what you have been programmed to feel. It is called gamification. The social media apps, notifications, and even emails are designed to use the principles of video games to accomplish one thing only: to get you hooked. Remember Pavlov’s dog? Remember how the dog salivated (the response) every time he heard the bell (the stimulus) because he had come to associate the bell with a treat (the reward)? We have all become like Pavlov’s dog. The designers of the apps want us to respond, to check our apps incessantly and uncontrollably. They have trained us with great precision and deliberation. Here is how it happens. Whenever you get a notification (stimulus), check your Facebook (response), and see a like for your post (reward), your body gets a shot of dopamine. And when you hear an email beep (stimulus), check your email (response), and see a message waiting (reward), your body gets a shot of dopamine. Dopamine is the hormone that makes you feel rewarded. We feel good whenever we get those likes or messages, and we get addicted to that feeling. When the rewards are planned and expected, your body anticipates the reward. We check our email or Facebook and there is a like or a message waiting for us. When the reward doesn’t come as expected, you find yourself in withdrawal. Withdrawal from dopamine causes us to feel sad and blue or frustrated, which is why you feel a bit depressed when you don’t get those expected likes or emails. You keep checking and checking until you finally get a random, intermittent like or email message. Intermittent rewards create addiction. These rewards are unplanned and unexpected, so they give you a surprise dopamine hit. You start checking your email or Facebook or Twitter over and over so you can get that same feeling. This is the cycle of addiction. You depend more and more on your device, and need more and more use to get the same feeling. And many of us find that we can’t function without it. Treat Yourself Like an Addict The three Cs of addiction are loss of control over the amount and frequency of use, craving and compulsive using, and continued use in the face of adverse consequences.

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One of the key symptoms dicted to it, and this addiction of addiction is an eye open- comes at a high cost. Research er — the need to use the on social media has found that substance first thing in the merely having a smartphone in morning. For example, needing a room lowers both empathy a cigarette or an alcoholic drink and IQ levels. We actually beas soon as one wakes up. A Ver- come dumber and our converizon Wireless report aptly titled sations become shallower in the “True Wireless Confessions: presence of our mobile devices. How People Really Use Their Mobile Devices” found that 77 “Reclaiming My Time!” percent of us check our phones first thing before anything else I am a little obsessed with Rep. Maxine Waters of California, in the morning. who has become somewhat of In terms of craving and an internet meme queen. Her compulsive using, the report latest, a repeated pronouncefound that 90 percent of peo- ment of “Reclaiming my time” ple use their phones in the during a hearing, went viral bathroom. On that same note, in the summer of 2017 and a 2015 Survey Monkey study became a rallying cry for overfound that 44 percent of re- worked and overlooked women spondents have heard a toilet everywhere. It has become flush at the end of a phone call. mine too. Every day, when I find myself distracted I want Say it with me: Ewwww! to shout, “Reclaiming my time! And even in the face of ad- Reclaiming my time!” verse consequences, whether So how do I find my way in relationships or at work, many find that they are unable back to being present? Often to stop using or checking their by facing the truth and explorphones compulsively. This de- ing what it is that I am avoiding, spite the fact that 80 percent of which is usually the emotional us get offended when someone messiness of life. I recommit we are talking to stops to use daily to presence; in addition to their phone and 82 percent of daily meditation, I have alarms us still check our phones when which remind me to be present. talking to someone else, even I also practice new behaviors, when we know it is offensive. such as keeping my phone in Our fear of missing out is another room or calling instead making us digital junkies, hy- of texting. I focus on being mindful, address conflicts headperconnected yet lonely. on, and take care of my needs I know this information is for sleep, rest, and connection. sobering and even overwhelmI also use my favorite app, ing to think about. It is hard because this technology has Forest, to keep me focused become an integral part of our and present. With the Forest lives. We use it to improve our app, you plant a virtual tree to productivity, but we are also ad- grow for a set amount of time

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in order to keep you from using your phone. If you check your phone before the time is up, your tree withers. The more trees you plant, the more points you get, as well as a wider variety of trees to choose from. My kids love this app because I will often ask them to help me pick the type of tree they want me to plant. But even better, Mummy is free to play a game of chess or Enchanted Cupcake Party! Besides having more free time to be with your children and loved ones, here are some other benefits you can expect from taking social media breaks. EMOTIONAL

LIGHTNESS

Studies have shown that social media consumption makes us more depressed as we compare ourselves to others. According to a recent study by the UK disability charity Scope, 62 percent of the 1,500 Facebook and Twitter users surveyed reported feeling inadequate and 60 percent reported feelings of jealousy as a result of comparing themselves to other users. I love celebrating others, especially when they succeed, and I am an enthusiastic encourager, the kind of person who loves to cheer on others and inspire them to reach their goals. I genuinely feel happy for other people. But I notice that even I, especially when having a bad day, can feel like a loser after getting on Facebook and seeing so many highlight reels of weddings, vacations in exotic places, and amazing accomplishments.

RECLAIMING YOUR TIME

Social media and digital devices are also simply tools. They are not inherently bad or good; they are only what you make of them. You have the power to choose how you will make them work for you in a way that aligns with the life you want.

Usually I am inspired by what others are doing, but on an off day off the personal pages and will still participate in FB groups for I can find myself wondering why the heck I can’t get my act togeth- work? Are you going on a complete digital fast? Are you unpluger when it seems everyone else is having the time of their lives with ging all of your devices or just certain ones? their perfectly manicured lawns and their beautiful, Photoshopped families. Taking a social media break helps me remember what is pp Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. Do a countdown and let your friends and family know you are going on a social important and relieves the burden of comparison. media break a few days before you actually take it. Announcing your break primes you for the separation and eases the anxiety. In MENTAL CLARITY Taking a break stops the steady influx of menpositive psychology, mentally rehearsing and envisioning an event tal clutter that destroys our attention. With all that compulsive increases one’s chances of success. checking and scrolling out of the picture, we have the benefit of more time to do what we want and focus on what is really import- pp Announcing your break ahead of time also offers you accountant to us. ability; if your integrity is important to you, following through with your announcement will be critical for your sense of well-beThis means we are also able to tap into presence. Being off the ing. But if announcing your break feels like too much pressure phone means being more present in your life and cultivating a or is just not your style, you can also just quietly exit without richer life. Looking into the eyes of your loved ones creates closer the fanfare. This is your break. You can pick what resonates most relationships, as you are able to notice more of everything and deeply for you. everyone around you. I notice that when I am unplugged, people reach out and engage with me more, since I am more approachable pp Log out, block, and/or unplug. If you are taking a social media break, log out and commit to not logging back in until the desigand accessible. nated end of the break. If this proves to be too much of a pain, there And finally, creating all that space and time leads to increased are apps that will block a specified list of social media sites for a calm. Less stimulation means calmer nerves. We are not as frazzled selected amount of time. and overwhelmed. This leads to less reactivity and more responpp Turn off notifications. Get some relief from the hypervigilance siveness in ways that are aligned with our values. and overstimulation that comes from responding to the beeps of our devices. Detox 101: How to Take a Social Media Fast pp Deactivate your accounts. For those who have reached the last Clarify your intention for the fast. Why are you doing a social straw, deactivation is the only solution that will satisfy. Thankfulmedia fast? When we know our reason for doing anything, we are ly, deactivation does not have to be a permanent solution. If you more likely to stick to the plan. What is your intention? What do decide to return at a later time, as long as it is within the site’s you hope to accomplish with this fast? Your vision and mission for specified timeframe, you can reverse the deactivation. Find out the the fast will help you stick to it when the going gets tough. details before your break. pp Set the times and duration of the fast. When are you going to take a social media break? For how long? Pick a date and determine how long your fast will be. Don’t choose a time that will be hard to stick to. For example, I love holidays and birthdays on Facebook. Because words of affirmation are my second most important love language, receiving well wishes on my birthday fills my love tank to overflowing. So if you really want to stay connected during an important celebration, pick another time. pp Decide what type of social media break you are taking. Are you off Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter completely? Or are you only

Mindful Re-Entry After a Social Media Fast pp PLAN Decide what your boundaries are before you return. Decide how much time you will spend on social media going forward and commit to it. Use alarms and timers if necessary. pp PRIORITIZE Focus on the important things in your life. There is rarely anything urgent on social media, so get on with the positive impact you are here to make in the real world.

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BODY & MIND

pp PRACTICE ABUNDANCE Ditch the FOMO (“fear of missing out,” for those who are wondering). Have an abundant mindset. You have enough time and you are enough, right where you are. The distractions and stimulation will always be there. You can get to them later.

pp CONNECT IN REAL LIFE. Instead of using social media, choose to connect with someone in real time. Call a friend or actually meet up with them for lunch! Hugs and personal time together releases the bonding hormone oxytocin and makes us feel more connected to each other.

pp PRACTICE SELF-COMPASSION Be gentle and kind to yourself. Returning after a break can feel overwhelming, and you can find yourself swept back into the tsunami of your Facebook feed and email updates. Be gentle and kind to yourself, and if you get sucked in, don’t beat yourself up. If you make a mistake, treat yourself like someone you love. Take your time. Get back up and try again.

pp DO ONE THING AT A TIME. Don’t check your phone while walking (especially not while crossing the street!), eating, pooping, or making love. Yes, studies have reported that people actually check their phones while making love. Imagine!

pp POWER UP WITH YOUR PEOPLE Let people know that you are back from your fast, that you need their support as you return, and that you will not be able to answer every message or update. And ease your way slowly back into things. pp PROPEL FORWARD WITH PURPOSE Choose not to go back to your previous intensity and frequency of use. Keep your notifications off. Focus on your life’s mission and on cultivating purposeful, nurturing relationships in real life. 7 Guidelines for Cultivating More Space in Your Life pp CREATE A MANTRA. What is important to you and why do you need to create space in your life? Write a short statement that you can say to remind yourself to stay on track. For example, I say, “I am here to serve. I intend to be fully present so I can be my best self and make a positive impact in the world.” pp SET YOUR GUIDELINES AND BOUNDARIES. Get some tools to help you stay offline or keep track of your time online. You can use your regular alarm clock or apps such as Forest, RescueTime, Focus Keeper, or one of the Pomodoro timer apps. pp CULTIVATE A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE. Now is the time to begin meditation. No need to complicate it — it can be as simple as choosing to sit alone in silence for 5 to 10 minutes before starting your day. You are even invited to join our Radiant Health Magazine group on the Insight Timer app, where we recommend a few select meditation guides to get you started and also help you to cultivate consistency through accountability. (We do not intend this to be a social interaction app; it is solely for accountability and guidance.) pp CREATE PERMANENT WHITE SPACE IN YOUR LIFE. Schedule one hour of time a week on your calendar and protect it just as you would an important meeting or doctor’s appointment. Do not clean or work on your to-do list. Get quiet. If this makes you feel like jumping out of your skin, welcome to the club. You are not alone. It just means you need more practice.

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pp QUESTION YOURSELF. Question your intentions for being on the phone. Ask yourself, “What am I avoiding?” “Why am I distracting myself?” “What do I really need?” Take care of the real need you are distracting yourself from, be it rest, sleep, food, exercise, creativity, love, or conflict resolution. Whew! I know this seems like a lot of information, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed. But my intention here is to share the resources and options you have available to you. Don’t worry about doing everything. Be gentle and kind to yourself, and go slowly and intentionally. Pick one or two key takeaways that deeply resonate with you and go from there. Yes, it is ironic that we are recommending apps to help with your social media detox, but again, we are not pushing for perfection here; we’re just sharing tools that may be useful and supportive to your detox. Social media and digital devices are also simply tools. They are not inherently bad or good; they are only what you make of them. You have the power to choose how you will make them work for you in a way that aligns with the life you want. We live in exciting times. There is always the temptation to get swept up in the distractions and stimulations of life, and now more than ever we need to create space so we can be fully present in our lives. I deeply believe that in order to “hear” the guidance we seek in uncertain times, we need to be able to trust our intuition and have faith to carry on with the mission we are here to accomplish. As women, we know the power of intuition, and while many of us have squelched that voice, it is never too late to rediscover it. That deep knowing and willingness to trust in ways that we can’t explain is a gift. If this is hard to grasp, consider the idea of being open to possibility and serendipity and having the courage to lean into this space so you can hear yourself. And hearing yourself begins with daring to put down the phone! You are brave and worthy of the life you want.

RADIANT HEALTH № 10 The Melanin Issue

KAREN OKONKWO

Radiant Woman Watch: Karen Okonkwo Based in Seattle, Karen Okonkwo is on a mission to present a more colorful and inclusive view of the world and its people. Together with New York-based photographer Joshua Kissi, Karen created the stock photo site tonl. On tonl, you’ll find a cache of stock images of people of color doing everything from slicing a melon to reading a book to getting married to enjoying a cocktail on the beach. But tonl isn’t where Karen’s brilliance begins, nor where it ends. RADIANT HEALTH You’ve been described as a “serial entrepreneur.” Tell us about the businesses you’ve built and the motivations behind them.

When I moved to Seattle in 2011, I didn’t know anyone, so I started my own Meetup group. I started to put on events for the women I met, and that extended into planning birthday and bachelorette parties. People were so impressed with my skill set that they started to pay me. And so I turned it into an actual business and named it Party with a K. Then I segued into blogging and started a blog with my two sorority sisters called Sorority Secrets. KAREN

OKONKWO

Her Big Day came from the idea that there are a lot of first-generation Americans who want to connect their culture to their wedding but just don’t know how because the resources to do so are sporadic. My business partners and I decided to come together and be a one-stop shop for cultural brides and have a wedding show with bridal vendors who also cater to cultural weddings. I’m

currently working on TONL.CO, and it was inspired by Sorority Secrets. I basically reached out to Josh and told him about my experience and how we really are lacking imagery online. I questioned if Josh ever thought of segueing into stock photography.

Josh only wanted to do it if I agreed to partner with him in it, and I didn’t have time with my other businesses. Six months later, unfortunately, we had a lot of killings in the black community by police, and the narrative of black people was very false—it was just us with mug shots. I did this project called the Black Obituary Project. All of us submitted our headshots and sent in our obituary. It sounds morbid, but it was trying to convey our own story and beat them to it, because most of the time it is a mug shot with a negative story about the black community. All of that was in the back of my mind and I just prayed to God and asked for Him to reveal to me what would make the most sense. And He told me that TONL made sense. RH You recently launched TONL. What’s been going on so far with the site and its response? KO It has been amazing. We have received a lot of messages from people really thanking us for this platform. There are various images that have been purchased a lot. One thing that has been brought to our attention is that a lot of people are looking for people of color who are using technology, using computers, using cell phones; those images are practically nonexistent.

words by Nikki Igbo

We’ve had a lot of big businesses reach out to us very early on. Two weeks into launching our site and your favorite household business has probably reached out to us. And it just proves how strong of a need this is. I think people would be very surprised to hear that our largest audience is actually people who identify as white. So clearly they too are fed up with what they’re seeing online.

RH TONL is not only about

images, it’s also about giving added dimension to the concept of diversity by revealing the humanity in the subjects of these images. Why is this such an important aspect of TONL? KO A part of our marketing campaign is to create stories around the images we display so everyone can get to know our subjects better. It’s basically the root of why we started TONL. The driving force is that we really did not see imagery online that is positive — let alone even there. It’s cool to take a picture and use it for whatever project needed, but there has to be an education behind it because right now there is not.

People are associating a lot of negativity to a lot of groups. We really have to change the narrative when we say “retrain your eye.” Africans and Asians, in terms of global population numbers, are actually the

majority, but you only see the world as white, which should really give everyone pause. RH I’m sure you are anxious to grow TONL, but going back to your entrepreneurial trait, what else can we look forward to from Karen Okonkwo? KO In December of 2014, I hosted a brunch. It’s curated toward helping women sit down and identify who they are, what their purpose is, and how they want to live that out. And also a part of it is to leverage the people in the room and build a bridge, or connection, which is why I call it Building Bridges Brunch. Since then, I’ve been able to do this brunch in Phoenix, Los Angeles, two in Seattle, and I’m doing another one very soon. My hope is to be able to do four brunches a year throughout the nation, throughout the world, and help women really identify with their authentic self.

RH What does it mean to you to be a RADIANT woman? KO To be radiant is to be your authentic self, and that is to live in your truth, and that dives deeper into being a sound spiritual being and connecting yourself to God and all of your life’s purposes. So really it is receiving the gifts God has given you and sharing it with the world authentically.

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Perhaps, we should fiercely, that when know exactly how

love ourselves so others see us they it should be done.

Rudy Francisco

radianthealthmag.com

Radiant Health is the healthy living guide for today’s African woman. We began as Nigeria’s first women’s health magazine and have grown globally to reach African women on the Continent and across the diaspora as Africa’s leading health magazine. Radiant is dedicated to the discerning African woman and her journey to wellness through health, beauty and culture. We believe that actions speak louder than words, even when they're beautifully written and printed. To this end we have partnered with Mirabel Center Lagos and committed to donate a portion of our magazine sales to its mission. Your purchase of Radiant Health Magazine enables Mirabel, the only organization of its kind in Nigeria, to provide rape and sexual assault victims free forensic medical and counseling services.

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