No More Breast Cancer - One Simple Way To Make A Difference @BreastMilkLab

 

Each year, 19,000 new cases of breast cancer occur among African American women. That’s 19,000 too many. 

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate of breast cancer for African American women is 77%, compared to white women's rate of 90%. In addition, African American women are more likely to develop breast cancer at a younger age, and we tend to develop more aggressive tumors, which are harder and more expensive to treat.

Enter Dr. Kathleen Arcaro from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She studies breast cancer by studying breastmilk, which is full of breast cells key in figuring out how breast cancer develops. Over the past ten years she's worked to improve our understanding of breast cancer risk, and her findings may lead to new screening, prevention, and treatment strategies. 

The problem? Black women are underrepresented in the research. As a result, findings that work for white women or women with less aggressive forms of breast cancer, don’t work for the majority of black women grappling with the disease. 

To ensure her findings are applicable to women of all races, she has been working to recruit African American women for the Love/Avon Army of Women, a project aiming to recruit one million women to sign up to participate in breast cancer research (if they choose to do so). By signing up, participants will receive an email newsletter with breast cancer research opportunities. Some research is as simple as a questionnaire or a phone interview. 

Having African American women well represented in the breast cancer research is key, for her research and many others.’ So Dr. Arcaro hopes black women will sign up for the Army of Women (and be sure to select “breast milk study” as the referral type to help track the impact). 

You can learn more about Dr. Arcaro’s work, and see if you or other women you know might qualify for one of her studies, at the website of the UMass Breastmilk Lab, and follow the lab on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

The "N" Word: What We Prefer To Be Called

My former boss cornered me in my cubical, looked into my eyes and asked me what I preferred to be called. She is a tall, lanky, pretty white woman whose hair curls in the southern humidity. I hesitated before responding to her question. My childhood facial expressions told on me, moments later when I still hadn’t responded. “Called?” I said. My frown lines deepened in-between my un-plucked naturally shaped brows.

Bashful but determined she whispered in my ear “Black” or “African American?” I could tell that she had summoned up the courage to ask me this very important question. I couldn’t bear to see her sweat any longer and replied, “Either is fine, just don’t call me a Negro.” I flashed my right dimple and smiled. Unexpectedly, she became stiff; while I became confused. “I’m just kidding,” I said and calmed her nervousness. She exhaled from relief.

She was undoubtedly nervous, but in retrospect also brave. Many times people are too afraid to ask questions regarding the touchy subject of “race.” Little did she know that her question lifted the veil of pain from my childhood from being called the wrong name.

Everyone remembers the first time that they were discriminated against. Whether it was because of your race, sex, class, or sexual orientation. My first encounter with racism was when I was five years old at a magical theme park in Anaheim, CA. While crossing the juggle gym, I encountered another child head-on. He was about my age, white, with red freckles and matching hair. Unable to get around me he yelled in my face with an evil snarl, “Move Nigger.” We both knew the history of that word’s pain. I grasped onto the net and held on tightly trying not to brush his shoulder as he crawled pass me. I wanted to defend myself, but was left speechless.

I am a daughter of a former field worker. My mom picked cotton just 45 minutes outside of Atlanta in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. My straightened hair, shaved legs and Master’s degree fool people about my roots. My hardships are no where like my moms and my memories of childhood segregation are not the depictions of “Black” and “White” drinking fountains and bathrooms. However, it is the feeling of subtle and invisible racism that plagues my past.

Being called out of your name at a young age is unbelievably painful and memorable. Truthfully, the terms African American and Black are so interchangeable that most Blacks won’t be offended which term you used to describe them. As long as you don’t refer to them as a Negro or God forbid the N-word.

Children talk about race and the color of their pigmentation, as they hold their arms up to one another’s in comparison. My son will know what’s in a name, in the history and meaning of terms used to describe his ethnicity. He will also have the wisdom, like his mother to educate those that are fearful to ask the questions about race.

Originally published 2/19/2010. 

Rappers: Pants on the Ground and Tatted Up

 











The only thing conservative about me is the way that I dress.  That's it.  It's my own personal preference not to show cleavage at work, wear short shorts, and pierce my navel.  I am a fan of self-expression, and have seen it all.

However, as a parent to two young African American boys, I'm not a fan of the recent trends that I’ve seen popping up among some Black artists, who many young African Americans look up to as role models.  The most common trend is sagging pants and the latest trend is getting tattoos on the face. 

To defend my first point of sagging one's pants, last year's American Idol, Larry Platt, became famous for singing “Pants on the Ground” and argued that men should pull up their pants, rather than let them sag.  It seems that since this song hit the airwaves, a lot of men have sagged their pants even lower.  Pants are so low on the ground these days, that you might as well walk in your draws.  


(Quick rant.) "Yes, take them off and walk in your underwear.  I think I would prefer seeing that, than you trying to stumble up the street, while holding your pants.  What is the point in wearing a belt if your pants are way below your waistline and tucked under your butt.  Not to mention if they are skinny jeans." Exhaled. 

Mashaun D. Simon wrote an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution about dress code entitled, "Morehouse dress code seeks to ‘get back to legacy.’"  In the article, he quoted Dr. William Bynum, vice president of the Office of Student Services, as saying, “We know the challenges that young African-American men face.  We know that how a student dresses has nothing to do with what is in their head, but first impressions mean everything.”

There's got to be a limit or intervention with what is and isn't appropriate and what some would deem "cute," "funny," and representing the "streets."  Now, the latest fad is to get "tatted up."  Recently, Atlanta rapper Yung LA had the internet buzzing about his Duck tattoo on his face.  He recorded one hit song, wasn't yet signed to a label and went out and got "tatted up."  Facial tattoos are becoming a fad. 

I'm calling on young Black male artists, sports figures, fathers, and professionals to set the standard for what is and isn't appropriate.  You can wear your pants a certain way and not be seen as Steve Erkel.  I also believe it takes a village to raise a child, and when I see young brothers sagging their pants, I become embarrassed.  I want to pull up their pants for them.  It's not cute or professional.  It’s tacky.  In 2009, Pharrell Williams, the lead singer of N.E.R.D., began removing his tattoos and concealing his body art in order to become more marketable. Recently, Rapper 50 Cent has been quoted in several publications on how ridiculous it is for young people to get tattoos on their faces because they become less attractive to advertisers.

I understand that at ages 15 and 16, you're trying to fit in with what's hot.  I had a Jehri Curl when I was younger, wore different color socks, backwards clothes, and big hoop earrings.  Getting a tattoo on your face is permanent, and it will limit the job opportunities that young folks may receive in the future.  I'd encourage kids to slap a fake tattoo on their faces, just to see what it would look like before getting a permanent one. Please tell your children not to let a fad label them or pigeon hole their success.

Visit my blog Married with Two Boys follow me on Twitter like me on Facebook and connect with me on LinkedIn. 

Photo (Top): http://rapfix.mtv.com
Photo (Yung LA): http://theurbandaily.com

FB Status Updates to Make You Laugh

1 - Stay-At-Work Mom: I need a reminder to take my head scarf off before coming to work.

2 - Stay-At-Work Mom: Getting ready for work in Savannah and missing my 3 favorite guys and my electric pump. @ Target - Why did I buy a handheld pump! I think I'm developing Carpal tunnel syndrome.

3 - Marable Family: FB Marable's are all related both black and white. I'm about 99.99% sure that we're kin. Another indication would be skinny legs.

4 - Me + Hubby: Steppin' out with Hubby this weekend! Quick Shout-Out to the best Mother-in-Law in the WORLD for keeping the little ones. Getting ready to teach 'em how to dougie. Movin' the moves from the living room to the club! It's been a long time CAU!

5 - Married w/ 2 Boys: Football players wear "uniforms" not "outfits!"