Advocacy Through Sisterhood
Our Collective Calling
The defense and prevalence of human rights must always be at the forefront of our society, and yet, many have went without these basic protections for so long. These Injustices are directed toward minorities, women, and children through the means of racism, inequality, and human trafficking. These disparities effect strangers around the world and our very own sisters, mothers, daughters, family, and friends here at home. They continue to exist regardless of media coverage; Open your eyes, ears, and hearts to the state of our world—it is our responsibility to listen and do better.
As we work together to amend these injustices, we must remember true sisterhood is supporting our fellow woman even when she doesn’t share the same point of view; not tearing her down because she has experienced different emotions related to the subject or event. We must also remember to be truly inclusive means not rejecting someone because they are inconvenient, uncomfortable, look, or think differently. Always leave space for ideas and concepts to be shared instead of forcing opinions. Real change doesn’t come through virtue signaling, philosophical debates on social media, or unfriending people you care about, it comes from the heart. (thats not to say—healthy boundaries aren’t important— because they are, but that’s a whole other topic)
Change Within The Hair Industry:
Within our hair community and the hair industry as a whole, we believe these changes start in education. Receiving and sharing diverse curly education normalizes and celebrates all hair types. This creates an accumulative effect with more diverse training—more service providers, more service options, more job opportunities, and more products available to minorities. We must continue creating space where diversity is not only welcome, but encouraged. Using our words and resources to create a better, fairer, and more just world. Just as there is not one skin color, there is not one hair type, and all are deserving of the same amount of education, attention, and dedication.
How To Be Part Of The Solution
Commit yourself to be part of the change—whether that’s through petitions, donations, protests, social advocacy, dinner table conversations, or educating yourself on factual history. Be open to tough conversations, be willing to listen, and use your resources, opportunities, and your voice to elevate the voices of the oppressed. The more you listen, the better you are at understanding how much you have yet to learn. Register to VOTE and elect individuals who share your compassion. Lets begin changing laws to empower women and minorities.
Always remember to replenish your own vitality during the seasons of life that require extra energy.(more info about this in our February Self Care Blog) It’s crucial to guard your own mental energy by limiting your time on social media, consider fact checking information before clicking the “Share” button to help decrease the spread of misinformation. Always use your voice to share truth and resources to help others find it.
Advocacy isn’t always flashy. It’s more about encouraging voices to be heard and people to become involved in their communities—coming from a place of love, inclusion, and understanding. The conversation is long from over as there is much work yet to be done.
Keep learning, caring & fighting for humanity.
If you are looking for meaningful and easy ways to make a difference we have collected some valuable resources below ↓
Vote The Change You Want To See In The World
To register to VOTE, receive absentee ballot,
and receive text message reminders for all of your local elections.
Petitioning For Change
Begin building a profile by signing petitions and track your impact on
IJM
Slavery still exists. As the second largest criminal industry in the world. Working together with local justice officials, community partners, advocates, and people like you to end it for good.
International Sponsorship
Consider sponsoring a child or children through compassion International.
The Lower Eastside Girls Club
Connects girls and young women to healthy and successful futures.
https://www.girlsclub.org/donate/
RAINN
The Nations Largest Anti-Sexual Violence Organization
Black Visions Collective
Creating the conditions for longterm success and transformation. Believing in a future where all black people have autonomy, safety is community-led, and we are in the right relationship with our ecosystems.
https://www.blackvisionsmn.org
Protect Our Defenders (POD)
national organization solely dedicated to ending the epidemic of rape and sexual assault in the military and to combating a culture of pervasive misogyny, sexual harassment, and retribution against victims.
https://www.protectourdefenders.com/factsheet/
Courage World Wide
Our vision at Courage Worldwide is big and bold. We want to build a Courage House in every city that needs one so rescued children will have a safe place to call home.
Traffic 911
Helping survivors embrace healing and freedom by building trust-based relationships and providing ongoing field-based support.
WPA
Works with women at all stages of criminal justice involvement. They promote alternatives to incarceration and help women living in the community to avoid arrest or incarceration by making positive changes in their lives.
PCC MENTORING PROJECT
Local mentoring program connecting high school students to a successful future.
Professional Beauty Association Charities including:
CUT IT OUT: The Beauty Community Against Domestic Violence, the Disaster Relief Fund, educational scholarships for beauty students and professionals, and heritage initiatives which preserve the beauty industry's history, archives and artifacts.
https://www.probeauty.org/pba-charities/donate
Campaign Zero
The comprehensive platform of research-based policy solutions to end police brutality in America
https://www.joincampaignzero.org/
(List will be updated as new resources are discovered. If you have any ideas or resources you think would be helpful we would love to hear them. Drop a comment below or shoot us an email. We’d love to hear from you!)
Photo by Omar Lopez