On June 12, 1967, interracial marriage was made legal as a result of the historic court case Loving v. Virginia.  Since then June 12th has become LOVING DAY!  Its a day of national recognition that honors diversity consciousness, inter-racial/ethnic/religious harmony, and the right to love without limits.

Please join us as we celebrate Loving Day, at our cocktail party, tomorrow, June 10th!  A percentage of drink proceeds will be donated to Metro TeenAIDS, a DC organization that educates youth on HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness.

Friday, June 10th, 5-8pm @ Tabaq Bistro, 1336 U St, NW, Washington, DC

Do you know your status?  When’s the last time you’ve been tested?

Currently there are 11 official awareness days for HIV testing like National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, HIV Vaccine Awareness Day and National Latino AIDS Awareness Day.  Use this as a great excuse to find out your status.

Despite the upcoming 30^th anniversary of the existence of HIV, there is still no vaccine or cure for HIV/AIDS.  It’s up to us to prevent its transmission with safe behavior including condom use, frequent testing and talking candidly with your partner.

I’m Caribbean/West Indian and Caribbean American HIV Awareness Day was on June 8, 2010.  I went to BEBASHI (information below) in Philadelphia days later and dragged a few friends with me to get tested.  Not only did they provide a rapid HIV test, but they also offered a free syphilis test, gonorrhea and Chlamydia testing!

Of course you don’t need to wait for an awareness day to get tested, but the FYI, the next one is National HIV Testing Day on Sunday, June 27^th, 2010.  To find a free testing site near you, click this link http://www.hivtest.org/  and put in your zip code.  Encourage your friends and family to also participate in frequent HIV testing.

If you’re in the Philadelphia- area, BEBASHI- (Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health Issues) located at 1217 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123 (215)769-3561 offers free and anonymous HIV (rapid and blood), Chlamydia, Gonorrhea (urine sample) and Syphilis (blood) testing with results provided over the phone in 14 days.

In response to Jasminemysistahs posting,

The recent exclusive on ABC News about “Why Successful Black Women are Single” raised a lot of personal questions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i1bqLZZX4M&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_r2-2r-2-HM

What stood out to me most was this quote …

“If we put all black men into a room and took out the ones without a High School Diploma, without a job, and those between the ages of 25-34 who are in jail… this would leave only about 50% of black men eligible.”

How depressing! Not to mention if I add in some of my personal deal breakers…

Lack of an advanced degree such as Master’s, MD, JD, PhD (or definitive plans to get one), Independent, Ambitious, Caring and all of the other traits I’m seeking

Add all of that up  = Single Erin ?

In the interview, Comedian Steve Harvey asked  “If you’re a corporate exec, does he have to be a corporate exec?   You make $150,000 does he have to make $150,000?”

YES Steve, he does!  I want an equal.

But on the other hand, it does make me think.  Are my standards too high?  Am I really setting myself up for loneliness because I refuse to compromise on qualities that I feel are detrimental to building a successful relationship?  Or maybe it’s time to try “something new”?

The movie “Something New” (2006) starring Sanaa Lathan and the delicious Simon Baker entailed a successful black woman reluctantly starting a relationship with a white landscaper.  This being her first interracial relationship she was apprehensive, as many of us are. (Class also played a role in her apprehension). It was nice to see black women in an interracial relationship for a change.

Obviously, black men have no problem dating every ethnicity and nationality of women.  Why can't we do the same?  Especially with collegiate black women, the pickings are slim.  Speaking from experience, at my predominately white universities (both undergrad and grad), black women outnumbered black men at least 2 to 1.  So this meant that either half of us weren't going to be dating at school or we were all dating (and sleeping) with the same guys.  And as I enter the professional world, I expect this problem to get worse. 

Now that it’s 2010, I’m choosing to try something new.  I believe in soul mates but mine may not be the black man that I’m expecting.  I, like the women in video, want the whole package: the career and the family.  But that may not happen, if we continue stick to what we know.  It’s time to expand our horizons, whatever that may mean to you.

And as usual, regardless of whom you date and sleep with, do so safely and protect yourself!

I’m currently working on my Master’s thesis project on the topic of obesity in college students and I wondered whether obesity was caused predominately by genetics or behavior.  I thought about my own status and I would consider myself a little thick as well as many of the women on my paternal side of the family.  Black women, in general, are known for their curves: having hips, thick thighs, big butts and in my humble opinion, black women carry extra weight and thickness well.

 

However, our definition of thick and curvaceous is usually actually clinically overweight and obese.  Considering the definition of a BMI greater than 25, this puts many women of color into one of these two categories.   According to the Office of Minority Health, 4 out of 5 African American/ Black women are overweight or obese.  An overwhelming 80% of us are much heavier than we should be.  Along with our desirable curves comes, a multitude of chronic health problems that we as young women may not suffer from the effects of in our 20's, but are inevitable in our 30's, 40's, 50's and contribute to early death within our communities.

 

I came home to Brooklyn, NY for the holidays and it’s the first time that I noticed a contrast from my mostly white neighborhood in Center City, Philadelphia.  Besides the obvious racial differences, the amount of fast food restaurants in Brooklyn had grown.   McDonald’s, Burger King, Kennedy Fried Chicken are noticeably absent in many white and upper class neighborhoods, while they are planted on every block in black, Hispanic, and lower income communities.  However, just because our urban neighborhoods are overrun with greasy fast food, doesn’t mean that we have to patronize them.

 

Whether or not, we are genetically heavier than our white counterparts, we do have control over adapting healthy behaviors. As beautiful women of color, we spend hours and hundreds of dollars on our hair, now let’s take care of our bodies with the same attentiveness. 20 minutes of walking a day makes a world of a difference.   Switching to 2% milk from half and half in your coffee isn’t that noticeable in taste.   Comedian (and Golden Globe Nominee!) Monique, the Queen of "Skinny Women are Evil", has even emerged with a new talk show and 45 lbs lighter. Still a plus sized woman, she looks fabulous, curvy, beautiful and healthier.  We can be size 0 or a size 16 because beauty comes in all shapes and sizes but regardless of that size we should all have a clean bill of health.

 

As the holidays approach, enjoy the festivities and the comfort food with loved ones, but everything in moderation... Ok… Fine… eat until your heart's content for Christmas and New Year’s, but let’s start 2010 with a new appreciation for being healthy and fit.

 

Happy Holidays!