Mentee Alum Publishes Opinion Essay for the Women’s Media Center

Mentee alum Ifeoma Okwuka publishes an opinion essay for the Women’s Media Center about the dangers of hair straightening products and her experience using them as a Black woman.

New York, NY – January 11, 2024

In an article for the Women’s Media Center, mentee alum Ifeoma Okwuka recently wrote about the dangers associated with hair straightening products and her experience using them as a Black woman. In the essay, Okwuka argues that the FDA’s proposed ban on styling products containing formaldehyde is a step in the right direction. She cites a study pulled from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) that discovered that hair-straightening chemicals increase uterine cancer risk, but acknowledges that the discontinuation of such products is not easy for all Black women. “Statistics from the CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study reveal that Black women are 54% more likely to believe they must wear their hair straight to a job interview to succeed,” writes Okwuka.

Under no circumstances should beauty equate to pain. Over the years, I’ve slowly dissociated myself from harmful styling practices and believe that more Black women should, too. Learning to love my afro and prioritize healthy styling habits taught me the essence of embracing beauty in the absence of discomfort.

Ifeoma Okwuka, Mentee Alum

Read the full article below.