Dear John,
Will you contribute $25 to support our #CareForBlackHair campaign calling on companies to stop profiting by poisoning our skin and hair with harmful products and to start working with Black stylists who possess the knowledge and skills to keep our skin and hair clean, healthy and vibrant?
With Mother’s Day approaching, many of us are reflecting on our fondest memories with our mothers. And for many Black women, these memories often relate to our hair — from spending hours together experimenting with new hair trends to engaging in salon gossip when we were finally old enough for an appointment. But on this Mother’s Day, these memories feel bittersweet. The products we once used and loved actually contain cancer-causing and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Product manufacturers and major retailers alike know this, yet continue to market and sell these products to Black mothers and daughters across the country.
Chip in $25, John!
Black mothers are exceptional advocates for their daughters and families. But corporate enablers have refused to listen. L'Oréal’s SoftSheen-Carson Optimum Amla Legend relaxer caught the attention of several Black women who claimed that the product caused burning and bald spots.1 Despite being informed about the problems, the so-called "world leader in beauty" refused to modify its ingredients.Last fall, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences announced a definitive connection between chemical hair straighteners and higher rates of uterine cancer among Black women, building on years of research and advocacy led by women of color.2 But major retailers refused to review the hair products they sell or demand better from their suppliers. Exploiting the sanctity of Black hair traditions and cutting corners on safety seems to be the choice of these corporations.
So, John, as you celebrate Mother’s Day, will you also power COC member-led efforts to hold greedy corporations accountable for poisoning Black women and girls? We are calling for a review of hair care products and removal of cancer-causing ingredients altogether!
Power our #CareForBlackHair campaign initiatives!
Until justice is real,
Jade Magnus Ogunnaike
Color Of Change
References
1. Jennifer Ford, “Woman involved in L’Oreal lawsuit shared photos of devastating hair damage,” Essence, October 26, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/388937?t=9&akid=56902%2E4731121%2ED_6pP6.
2. Robin Mackar, “Hair Straightening Chemicals Associated with Higher Uterine Cancer Risk,” National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, October 17, 2022, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/379893?t=11&akid=56902%2E4731121%2ED_6pP6.
