I always like to tell myself, if I were rich, I would live in a relatively modern and plush home, but instead of cars and Hummercopters, I’d spend my money on traveling and donating to charity. As it is right now in my check-to-check state of this-ain’t-livin’, I wish I could donate to charities more. But I can’t afford to give a lot, or to promise a regular donation to any organization right now. So I try my best to do what I can when I can by donating small amounts (hello, Barack Obama car magnet!), and by buying products that I yearn for that also support organizations I can get behind. Here’s a few I’ve been checking out.

For product junkie bellas like myself who are always looking for the most amazing hair stuff on the market, but also want that feeling of self-satisfaction that comes from making a donation, I definitely recommend investing in some Ojon. I’m a new believer, bellas. If you’ve been on a hunt for THE product that will nourish and strengthen your thirsty curls, and you’ve been wondering, is this stuff worth shelling out $55 for a tub of Restorative Hair Treatment? I’d say yes, it’s worth it. Especially when you consider that the purchase of items from this incredible hair product line directly supports the Tawira tribe in Honduras.

Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment absorbed easily and made my hair super strong — this may have been the toughest comb-through hair conditioning product I’ve tried yet. But by the end of the Ojon ritual — restorative treatment, ultra moisturizing shampoo, and ultra hydrating conditioner — I was ready to preach the gospel. Ojon left my hair shiny, defined, and strong. If your hair is breaking or damaged, I think this could definitely make a difference — but click here to read The Beauty Brains breakdown first, if you don’t have deep pockets. Ojon rocks, but it ain’t cheap. If you want to wade into the brand without shelling out $100 for a full size range of products, I recommend the Try Me Kit. It comes with everything you need to figure out whether or not the line is for you or not, and knowing that you’re simultaneously donating to the scholarship fund of underprivileged youths is definitely a reassuring incentive.

After you’ve pampered and nourished your tresses, you can continue the charity supporting trend when you style your hair. Bellas, allow me to introduce you to Kudu Klips, a collection of gorgeous, beaded hair clips that are produced in South Africa, mostly by single mothers.

I was lucky enough to meet the owner of the company last week at the super fun Shop Miami event, and I was very impressed by the quality and beauty of these clips. I was pretty damn skeptical about them though — the sweetheart of a lady at the booth was white with long, straight hair, like the women used in the online demos. The clip looked gorgeous on her, but I instantly assumed the Kudu Klip wouldn’t work as neatly or easily in my thick, short mop of kinks and coils that only touches the top of the back of my neck. “Of course it will!” she assured me, before slipping the long metal spikes through my hair, close to the scalp. “Because of the way it clips in, it’ll actually make your hair look longer,” she said. And lo and behold, she was right. I wish I had a photo — I was already sipping cocktails at this crowded social event at this point, so that didn’t occur to me. But the illusion of an updo with a few escaping tendrils around the clip at the back, did indeed make it appear as though my hair was longer than it actually is. This will work even better for you bellas with hair that touches the middle of your neck, or longer. Kudu Klips retail for $35, and these are some of the poor and physically disabled folks who proudly make them.

Read the rest of this entry »

I never met him, never knew him, but I miss him. Luther Vandross was a rare artist, a man with a golden voice, and from all appearances, a golden personality. Having grown up on his music — raise your hand if you had a copy of The Best of Luther Vandross at your crib! — I associate Luther Vandross songs with key moments in my life.

Here and Now will forever remind me of my brother Clint’s wedding — that was the song he and his wife danced to. A House Is Not A Home takes me back to Sunday mornings at my home in Trinidad, when my father would enlist all of us to help with the housecleaning. Loud music was a must to complete the task, and Luther was often in the mix. I knew Luther’s version of Superstar long before I knew who The Carpenters were (and long, LONG before I heard Sonic Youth’s version which is so different from Luther’s. Proof that that song is timeless). But Luther’s like Aretha Franklin in that sense — once he covered your song, it was HIS. Forever. His voice is so often imitated, but there will never, ever be another Luther Vandross.

We’re rapidly approaching the anniversary of his passing — I still remember exactly where I was when I first heard the news. The news left me so sad and so shocked — especially when I realized he was only 54 years old. On July 1, 2005, Luther Vandross passed away from causes that were never publicly released, although it was well known that he dealt with weight loss and food issues. Luther’s weight vacillated greatly throughout his career, and he was known for moments of tremendous indulgence. All of the reports about Luther’s death addressed his health issues — he suffered with hereditary diabetes and hypertension, and had a stroke in 2003 days before his 52nd birthday. He never fully recovered from the effects of that, although he went on to release the poignant Dance With My Father shortly afterwards. He won four Grammys, but he was unable to celebrate the victory. Luther won song of the year for the song, Dance With My Father — the video for which, like Aaliyah’s Miss You, brings me practically to tears every time I watch it. Luther described that song as his “Piano Man,” and it’s heartbreaking that he isn’t around to perform it today.

Luther’s life and music inspire me creatively, his music stirs my soul and can bring prickly tears to the back of my eyes. But the circumstances of his passing inspire me in another way — Luther Vandross succumbed too young, to health conditions that are too common in America. Especially in the African American community. These are health conditions that plague my own family. If you’re like me, you’ve probably got some diabetes somewhere in the fam, and in my case, high blood pressure definitely runs close in the blood. I am doing everything I can now, while I can, to keep the health issues that simmer in my bloodstream at bay. It’s a daily struggle, one that I’m going to be writing about more often.

Luther Vandross left this world too soon, but he left us with such a glorious gift. So much great music, so many wonderful songs. What’s my favorite Luther song? That’s easy. Never Too Much! Oh, how I love that song. It showcases his voice’s incredible range and ability so perfectly, IMO.

Here’s Luther LIVE on The Early Show in 2000.

Look at how rapt that audience is. Listen to how flawless his voice is. Wow. I wish I could have been there.

Do you have a favorite Luther song? Did you love Luther’s spirit? Tell me how he made you feel. And happy Thursday — it’s almost the weekend!

This is a little product review follow-up to yesterday’s post… so many of you had such great suggestions for young C. One thing that kept coming up is towel use on curly natural hair…. and I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned this product before. I use it on the daily!

My curls absolutely despise heavy terry towels — I inevitably wind up with more shedding than I want. Which led me on a wild goose chase for the perfect hair towel. Currently I’m using CurlEase, a super thin, super absorbent “towel” that soaks up the water from my thirsty hair in no time at all. If I knew exactly what kind of cloth this was, I’d tell ya to go to Joann’s and by yourself some… but I honestly have not a clue. It’s as thin and light as linen or cheesecloth, but definitely way more absorbent.

I got my Curlease towel at Bed, Bath, and Beyond — gotta love those 20% off discount coupons you get in the mail! But you can also get yours from the sistas at Sistas Place, or Canadian bellas can try Honey Fig.

Some bellas find that Curlease isn’t quite absorbent enough, and a microfiber towel is also a great investment — get one here on Amazon — some bellas love them, others say that they feel like velcro on their hair and actually create more frizz. I don’t know, because I’ve never tried one. Have you?

What kind of towel do you dry your natural tresses with?

I keep an open mind and an open heart in general, and I hope you all know — readers of all ethnicities, hair textures, beliefs, and genders are welcomed warmly here at Afrobella. I think we can all learn from and support each other. I certainly learned alot in trying to answer this Ask Afrobella question, which truly came as a surprise. Here goes.

Hi Afrobella,

Thankyou
C

And C sent a photo which is absolutely so adorable. I wish I could share — but I can’t, so I’ll describe. C has a glorious, big head of hair that he wears pulled back in a puff, and the texture looks to be around a 3c/4a.

Let me just state off the bat, I immediately contacted C to let him know that I was down to answer his Ask Afrobella question, and I was happy to hear from him as a reader. And he wrote back the sweetest thing — “I really appreciate that you’re so enthusiastic; after all, I could have sent an email to a closet bigot – unlikely, based on the content of your website, but you never know. So, thankyou for being so lovely in your answer – it really makes me feel good that a complete stranger can be so understanding.”

It is my pleasure and privilege, C. Growing up in the Caribbean and having more than a few gay relatives and friends — most notably, Bruno, who I sincerely miss — made me realize in no uncertain terms how big and important a decision coming out can be. It certainly isn’t an easy road — on either side of the path you’re going to find people who are judging you and criticizing you, and often making life harder for you than it should be. Sometimes these people will be your relatives, or your friends, schoolmates, or co-workers. As the beauty blogger you’ve contacted with such a big question — it is my responsibility to find the best possible answer for you, and I’m gonna do just that.

If you happen to be a homophobic reader, you might as well stop reading right now — this post is all love.

C’s question was too big for me to answer alone. I turned to two friends of mine, with opinions I trust.

First of all, there’s Larramy, master of the DevaCurl curl cut. Larramy’s initial response was “Oh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Not because he doesn’t understand what you’re feeling, C — he does. He just wants to make sure you’ve really thought out this decision, the pros, the cons, the potential effects and ramifications. Larramy wanted to make sure that you are planning to express your burgeoning femininity for the right reasons. Not for shock value, or to make a statement you aren’t fully ready to make. Now, let’s talk hair.

Read the rest of this entry »

You know how much I love an inspiring story about bellas making their way in the world…

Meet Window Snyder, head afrobella in charge of security at Mozilla Firefox. Her Kenyan-born mother, Wayua Muasa, taught her to program the early computer programming language Basic, when she was five years old. When I was five, I was all about Smurfs and Fraggle Rock. Go figure.

I love that Window is doing great work for my internet browser of choice, and knocking down doors within her field. That’s my kinda lady. (Thanks to Nichelle, by way of Talking Stuff for that one!)

Did your high school have a debate team? Mine did not, but I’ve always been fascinated by the art form — it’s a world that I simply don’t understand, where speed speaking and conviction are necessary tools for victory. HBO is screening an incredible array of documentaries every Monday this summer, and last week’s screening, Resolved, gave amazing insight to the stories of two debate teams — Matt and Sam from a rich Texas burb, versus Richard and Louis, two inner-city debaters from Long Beach, California with crazy skills. This documentary made me laugh, cry, and admire the discipline debate requires from its contestants. All of the debaters were great, but Richard and Louis are especially amazing to watch. I sincerely hope they take the opportunities they’ve been given, and go far in life.

I haven’t yet watched this week’s doc, Hard Times at Douglass High: A No Child Left Behind Report Card, which I know will just break my heart. The series continues through August, and I’m already setting my DVR for The Black List, which includes insightful interviews with Toni Morrison, Suzan-Lori Parks, and Thelma Golden, among others.

Even if you don’t have premium cable, you too can get an excellent documentary fix this week when CNN’s Black in America hits the screen. Soledad O’Brien’s six-hour television event promises to examine the issues, successes and struggles of black men, women and families.

I’m definitely looking forward to that. It premieres in a month — Monday July 23rd and Tuesday July 24th at 9pmET/PT.

I find it kind of interesting that there’s this recent uptick in multifaceted documentaries about African American life, and such a dismal lack of diversity on television sitcoms and dramas. Click here to read an interesting piece about the lack of black people on TV for the upcoming schedule of new network programs, and what the NAACP is trying to do about it. I find it extremely disconcerting that Cleveland Brown is being described as “television’s great black hope for the 2008-09 season,” and I agree with Racialicious– my WTF-o-meter went wayyyyy off when I heard that news and saw the photo of the cast. But maybe that’s just because deep down, I’m a South Park fan.

I say, meh. What say you, bellas and fellas?

Wow. 2008 is shaping up to be a terrible year for celebrity deaths. The last thing I expected when I turned on the news this morning, was to learn that legendary comedian George Carlin was dead.

Carlin, age 71, succumbed to heart failure on Sunday evening.

Angry, biting, but always funny — the man who hosted the very first episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975 was the consummate counterculture touring comedian. It’s one of my regrets that I never saw him perform live, although his 14 HBO comedy specials took his profane performances into homes throughout the US and around the world — including my own in Trinidad, where our family always enjoyed his work. I admired his dazzling wordplay, his outspoken opinions, and his take-no-prisoners, tell it like it is attitude to life (although he would probably take umbrage with my no-cursing policy… the man who dared to utter the seven words you can’t say on television didn’t take kindly to censorship of any form).

There’s a surfeit of stellar George Carlin clips on YouTube to enjoy, so click here for a great mix of his classic and more recent material.

George Carlin wasn’t known for holding any kind of religious belief — he was actually pretty anti-religion, so his attitude towards death was as curmudgeonly as you might expect… but as he said, he didn’t believe in an “up there,” where people could smile down on living people. Wherever he winds up — if there is in fact an afterlife — I hope Mr. Carlin can relax and take a harp lesson.