We've all been dealing with a menstrual period for quite some time, and many of us know a lot about the best pads, tampons, and cups that work for our cycles and respective lifestyles. But did you know that a Black woman actually revolutionized the menstrual pad in its early inception and was able to patent five inventions, more than any other African-American woman in history?
Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner, who grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and inventors, bought her first patent, which was for the sanitary belt, in the 1950s---well before disposable pads would become the norm. It featured a "moisture-proof napkin pocket" that would help women avoid leaks that ruin their clothes. Discrimination would keep Kenner from becoming rich from her pursuits, according to reports, but she did it for the love and was still a pioneer as a Black female patent-holding inventor.
Here are five other Black women who have been leaders in the realm of women's menstrual health and have empowered Black women around the world to take charge of their own reproductive advocacy:
Crystal Etienne, Founder, Ruby Love
Crystal Etienne founded this company, formerly known as PantyProp, to offer undergarments with absorbancy that gets rid of the need for tampons or pads. The brand is even one of the first to offer swimwear (I live!) and has an amazing backstory of entrepreneurial triumph. Etienne took $25,000 to start the company in her home in 2015 and reportedly made $300,000 in its first year.
It would eventually see sales upwards of $10 million by its third year. Along with period underwear, the brand has period kits, activewear, and double-sided pads, and it recently landed a $15 million investment deal to continue the company's expansion.
Beatrice Dixon, Founder, The Honey Pot Co.
This brand includes tampons and pads that are chemical-free, 100% cotton, and herbal-infused. They also have feminine care systems (with the same awesome qualities) that feature wipes and washes to cleanse, refresh, soothe, and balance, and you can take a quiz to figure out what system works for your needs. Beatrice Dixon founded the company after struggling with bacterial vaginosis---a common condition that affects 29% of women ages 14-49 and has a higher prevalence among Black women (51%) than their white counterparts (23%).
After not being able to find remedies that were natural and effective, she decided to be the change she wanted to see. After "an ancestor" visited her in a dream, she worked to formulate plant-based products for the nether regions, and The Honey Pot Co. was born.
Linda Goler Blount, President & CEO, Black Women's Health Imperative (BWHI)
Linda Goler Blount oversees the strategy and implementation of this organization's initiatives which work toward health equity and reproductive justice for Black women. Last year, the BWHI launched an initiative called the Positive Period! Campaign, raising funds to provide 2,000 menstrual cups for women and girls in Kigali, Rwanda, and Atlanta, Ga. in partnership with the Freedom Cup Company. Purchases of the cups will be matched 3-to-1.
The organization has also hosted talks with women in an effort to lift the shame related to menstruation and reproductive health issues in the Black community and has forged relationships with other diaspora communities to open dialogue on the issue, raise awareness for more advanced gynecological and reproductive healthcare resources and research for Black women.
Tanika Gray Valbrun, Founder, The White Dress Project
This founder suffered from excessive bleeding and other symptoms of uterine fibroids and decided to start her own organization where women could find information, sisterhood, and advocacy. She was also able to rally for the passing of a resolution to make July Fibroids Awareness Month in Georgia, and the campaign continues for other states. Fibroids, benign tumors that cause heavy bleeding and pain and can lead to infertility, are more prevalent among Black women (with studies showing that 60% will have them by 35).
They can wreak havoc on your menstrual cycle, self-esteem, and overall quality of life, so having resources that centralize support for black women is key especially since there are still disparities for us in terms of healthcare resources and treatment related to our reproductive systems and maternal health. The White Dress Project sponsors events where women wear white to lift the shame and honor healthcare leaders as well as other fibroid survivors including Real Housewives of Atlanta's Cynthia Bailey.
Shanicia Boswell, Founder, Black Moms Blog
Shanicia Boswell's platform isn't totally dedicated to menstrual health but Boswell covers issues like "free bleeding" and reproductive health for Black women, along with content that advocates for African American maternity health and parenting resources. She even hosted a "Period Party" in Atlanta last month as an "educational celebration on period health, fibroid prevention, and natural family planning."
She's used her platform to promote its "Menstrual Drives" where donations of tampons, pads, and cups are given to local homeless women. She also sheds light on stories of Black women entrepreneurs and innovators who promote healthy living for Black women.
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For Us, By Us: How HBCU Alumni Are Building Legacies Through Entrepreneurship
Homecoming season is here, and alumni are returning to the yard to celebrate with their friends and family at the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that have changed their lives forever.
No matter where their life journeys have taken them, for HBCU students from near and far, returning to where it all started can invoke feelings of nostalgia, appreciation for the past, and inspiration for the future.
The seeds for these entrepreneurs were planted during their time as students at schools like Spelman, North Carolina A&T, and more, which is why xoNecole caught up with Look Good Live Well’s Ariane Turner, HBCU Buzz’s Luke Lawal and Morehouse Senior Director of Marketing and Comms and Press Secretary Jasmine Gurley to highlight the role their HBCU roots play in their work as entrepreneurs, the legacy they aim to leave behind through the work that they do, and more as a part of Hyundai’s Best In Class initiative.
On Honoring HBCU Roots To Create Something That Is For Us, By Us
Ariane Turner
Courtesy
When Ariane Turner launched Look Good, Live Well, she created it with Black and brown people in mind, especially those with sensitive skin more prone to dryness and skin conditions like acne and eczema.
The Florida A&M University graduate launched her business to create something that addressed topical skin care needs and was intentional about its approach without negative terminology.
Turner shared that it is important to steer clear of language often adopted by more prominent brands, such as “banishing breakouts” or “correcting the skin,” because, in reality, Turner says there is nothing wrong with the way that our skin and bodies react to various life changes.
“I think what I have taken with me regarding my HBCU experience and translated to my entrepreneurial experience is the importance of not just networking,” Turner, the founder and CEO of Look Good, Live Well, tellls xoNecole.
“We hear that in business all the time, your network is your net worth, but family, there’s a thing at FAMU that we call FAMU-lee instead of family, and it’s very much a thing. What that taught me is the importance of not just making relationships and not just making that connection, but truly working on deepening them, and so being intentional about connecting with people initially, but staying connected and building and deepening those relationships, and that has served me tremendously in business, whether it’s being able to reach back to other classmates who I went to school with, or just networking in general.”
She adds, “I don’t come from a business background. As soon as I finished school, I continued with my entrepreneurial journey, and so there’s a lot of that traditional business act and the networking, those soft skills that I just don’t have, but I will say that just understanding how to leverage and network community and to build intentional relationships is something that has taken me far and I definitely got those roots while attending FAMU.”
On Solving A Very Specific Need For The Community
Luke Lawal Jr.
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When Luke Lawal Jr. launched HBCU Buzz, his main focus was to represent his community, using the platform to lift as they climbed by creating an outlet dedicated to celebrating the achievements and positive news affecting the 107 historically HBCUs nationwide.
By spotlighting the wonderful things that come from the HBCU community and coupling it with what he learned during his time at Bowie State University, Lawal used that knowledge to propel himself as an entrepreneur while also providing his people with accurate representation across the internet.
“The specific problem in 2011 when I started HBCU Buzz was more so around the fact that mainstream media always depict HBCUs as negative,” Lawal says. “You would only see HBCUs in the mainstream media when someone died, or the university president or someone was stepping down. It was always bad news, but they never shed light on all the wonderful things from our community."
So, I started HBCU Buzz to ensure the world saw the good things that come from our space. And they knew that HBCUs grew some of the brightest people in the world, and just trying to figure out ways to make sure our platform was a pedestal for all the students that come through our institutions.”
“The biggest goal is to continue to solve problems, continue to create brands that solve the problems of our communities, and make sure that our products, our brands, our companies, and institutions are of value and they’re helping our community,” he continues. “That they’re solving problems that propel our space forward.”
On How Being An HBCU Alum Impacts The Way One Shows Up In The World
Jasmine Gurley
Courtesy
Jasmine Gurley is a proud North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alum. She is even more delighted with her current role, which enables her to give back to current HBCU students as the Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Communications and official press secretary at Morehouse College.
“It was a formative experience where I really was able to come into my own and say yes to all the opportunities that were presented to me, and because of that, it’s been able to open the doors later in life too,” says Gurley of her experience at North Carolina A&T. “One thing I love about many HBCUs is that we are required to learn way more about African American history than you do in your typical K through 12 or even at the higher ed level."
She adds, “It allowed us to have a better understanding of where we came from, and so for me, because I’m a storyteller, I’m a history person, I’m very sensitive to life in general, being able to listen to the stories and the trials that our ancestors overcame, put the battery pack in my back to say, ‘Oh nothing can stop me. Absolutely nothing can stop me. I know where I came from, so I can overcome something and try anything. And I have an obligation to be my ancestors’ wildest dreams. Simultaneously, I also have a responsibility to help others realize that greatness.
Gurley does not take her position at an HBCU, now as a leader, lightly.
“People think I’m joking when I say I’m living the dream, but I really am,” she notes. “So I wake up every day and know that the work that I do matters, no matter how hard it might be, how frustrating it may be, and challenging it. I know the ripple effect of my work, my team, and what this institution does also matter. The trajectory of Black male experiences, community, history, and then just American advancement just in general.”
On the other hand, through her business, Sankofa Public Relations, Gurley is also on a mission to uplift brands in their quest to help their respective communities. Since its inception in 2017, Sankofa PR has been on a mission to “reach back and reclaim local, national, and global communities by helping those actively working to move” various areas of the world, focusing on pushing things forward for the better.
“Through Sankofa, we’ve worked with all different types of organizational brands and individuals in several different industries, but I would think of them as mission-based,” says Gurley.
“So with that, it’s an opportunity to help people who are trying to do good in the world, and they are passionate about what they’re doing. They just need help with marketing issues, storytelling, and branding, and that’s when my expertise can come into play. Help them get to that moment where they can tell their story through me or another platform, and that’s been super fulfilling.”
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
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The Beauty Practices Tia Mowry Swears By For Managing Eczema In Her 40s
Whether it's about the growing pains of major life transitions or her health and wellness journey, Tia Mowry isn't one to shy away from keeping it real. In a recent interview with The Zoe Report, the actor opened up about living with eczema—a condition that has challenged her since childhood.
Partnering with AbbVie for the Eczema Experience, Tia shed light on her experience with the chronic skin condition affecting over 31 million people in the U.S. alone. She revealed that her symptoms were often dismissed and minimized, referred to as mere "sunspots" until she was formally diagnosed with eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, in her late 20s. "I wasn't diagnosed until I was like 26 or 27 years old, so I suffered in silence," Tia told the publication.
Reflecting on the "embarrassing flare-ups" she endured well into her 30s, Tia, now 46, emphasized that her approach to managing eczema is rooted in a harmonious blend of wellness, self-care, and mindful beauty practices. Keep reading to learn her holistic approach to beauty that keeps her eczema flare-ups at bay.
Healthy Lifestyle = Healthy Skin
Tia admitted to TZR that she used to feel like the answer to healthier skin was all about her product line-up. Over the years, she's changed her tune and realized the importance of great skin being an inside job with a side of mindfulness practices.
"Stress and certain foods are triggers for me, so I’m doing things like meditating, journaling, and being mindful of what I eat — I think sometimes these things get overlooked," she shared. Another way she manages her stress levels is by "constantly listening to positive affirmations."
Drinking Her Water, Minding Her Biz
Water is the elixir of life and Tia swears by it to keep her skin on 10. "Drinking water to help flush out toxins has also been extremely beneficial for my skin," the reality star revealed.
Breaking Up With Harmful Personal Care Products
Tia has walked us through her 10-step everyday skincare routine in a 2023 Reel she shared on her Instagram. In her interview with The Zoe Report, the beauty founder touched on the importance of gravitating towards "less toxic" ingredient lists for the products that make it into her beauty routine when managing her eczema.
"Leaning more towards products, whether for my hair, body, or face, that are less toxic has been helpful for me."
Treating Her Skin to the Red Light Special
When it comes to at-home beauty treatments, red light therapy has become that girl. Celebs like Kelly Rowland and Halle Berry have sung its praises, and with good reason. In addition to benefits like boosting collagen and reducing inflammation, The Game alum is a fan of red light therapy because "it helps soothe my skin, leaving my complexion looking more even and radiant."
Lift, Sculpt, and Repeat
Flawless skin aside, the actor has let it be known that she likes to embrace aging. In her 40s, she is all about keeping things as natural as possible but did share a couple of her skin tightening and sculpting techniques. Tia told the publication that she loves to ice her face with DIY green tea ice cubes and that she does gua sha too.
Read more of her interview with TZR here.
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