Blame for Black Obesity: a Culture of Disowned Bodies

I read and responded to this article on FaceBook. When I realized it was nearly 500 words I decided that is should also be a blog post:

The subject of African-Americans and their relationship to their bodies is something that I have been wondering about for some time. I am not so sociologist, however a friend said that if ever I needed a PhD topic this might be it. It is my opinion that many of the lasting problems faced by African-Americans stems from not really relating to our own bodies. We made a culture of separation from the corporeal to protect ourselves from the legal reality that others “owned” our bodies. I think it is crucial for us to reconnect within this generation.

http://thegrio.com/2012/07/23/is-the-black-church-partially-to-blame-for-obesity/

This is the “comment” I left:

This article is a little thin on reasoning, but I think that it is not entirely wrong in its assertion. The scientist among you will agree that environment and heredity work together to make a person obese and one's culture is a big part of their environment. Christian or not the black church is part of black culture.

What I would be more interested to hear is if obesity is, in fact, one if the lasting effects of slavery. I mean more than soul food. I assert that within a reality where ones' very body was not their own African American resorted to a culture that created a buffer from that harsh inhumane reality. The black church is an institution of this culture. Obesity is just a single symptom of this hold over.

The church seems to emphasize the disembodied afterlife of the soul, King appealed to our hearts, Dubois advised us to develop our minds. I know so many spiritual, living & educated blacks who would never think twice about their corporeal existence. 

In fact, the only persistent media image of a physically focused black person is in jail or sports, and the only fit women pictured are sexual objects. (That is another topic for another day.) I'm sure you want people to think of you as only a jock, criminal or prostitute. This is the often the image that African-Americans feel they have to fight against.

I am not a sociologist but I wonder if obesity is only one symptom, violence in the home towards children is another. Anyone ever heard the phase, "Give your heart to Jesus, because your behind is mine." it is a completely ridiculous thing to say, ones body is intact their own! And the justification the that what the sheriff (read: lynch mob) would do to a disobedient black child  would be far worse than a beating at the hands of a parent is out of date logic. Base again on the idea that the 'law' has rights to brown bodies. How does this effect violence in the community? For those of you who are blessed not to know this, you can't go jogging in a violent neighborhood.

Our disgust, disdain, closeted distance from all things sexual is yet another symptom of a culture that has yet to take full ownership our bodies. The result is HIV infection rates much higher than the general population. (Granted, incarceration also figures prominently) Why teach your son or daughter to negotiate for good-to-you good-for-you, safe(r) sex, with appropriate birth control, when you have trouble with even talking about the desires of your own beautiful blessed sacred body. Could this disembodiment be at least partially responsible for low breastfeeding rates? By the way, breastfeeding can be linked to healthier weight for mom and baby down the road.

We have trouble advocating for, protecting, and LOVING a thing with which we do not completely connect. The black body is not celebrated it is watched, raped, hunted, singled out, over sexualized, misunderstood, maligned and made fun of by the popular culture every day. No wonder we, work on our souls, and brains and communities rather than put on some shorts and go effen jog, for jogging sake. Moreover, we have cannot demand a stop to this until we ourselves value the blessing of vessels we have been given. To this end mindful eating, exercise, non-violent home life for everyone, sex education and a return of the black is beautiful mantra.

<Steps down from soap box>

Of course, I pride myself on having a non-violent home. I make it a daily point to celebrate my children everyday, especially their tangled curly hair, golden skin and brown eyes. I make sure they get to run, climb, jump and make the most of the bodies they have been given. I know they will not always eat organic food, heck, they may decide not to be vegetarian. I think that it is particularly important that they love, respect and nurture their bodies because history has not.  Do you think that there is more to African-American obesity than fried chicken and macaroni and cheese? Tell me about it.

 

Finland's Baby Box

I saw this and it brought tears to my eyes. In Finland every baby gets just a few essentials from the government. And while I know that I probably wouldn't have needed it, I received 35 green bodysuits at my baby shower from enthusiastic family and friends, the idea of a country and and a culture that starts out every life with a gift is something special. There is much debate about an the American welfare state on one hand, and even if a woman should be able to have an abortion. I can't settle this debate here, but reading about this made me cry.  What if every child entered this life know that everyone was looking out for him or her, and wanted to make sure that their first few months were at least warm and safe?  Even the box it comes in can double as a bassinet.  Its just the basic hospitality that we  could give a new life.  Most of us have friends or families that do that, or at least the wealth the buy the odd blanket or diaper.

I feel like the Finnish people fully expect each infant recipient of this grant to become and law abiding productive member of society, and imagine that there is the belief that it is the child parents that are held most responsible for this. But why not start off with a well thought out gift that says, "Hey, this is what you might need to get started; we're pulling for your success."  I got a letter stating that my insurance company was charged $2,000 for an anesthesiologist that I never saw.  I felt that our system, and my culture were saying, "Congratulations, you had a baby, now its easier for us to scam you.  Now back to work."  I think we can do that a bit better, and make stronger families and healthier happier children in the end. Its not really about being the "nanny state", it's about investing in the lives of one another.

This is what you'd find in the what's called the Maternity Package can be found here.  What did you get from you're society when you had a baby?

Vehicle Loading

"Vehicle Loading:   Every effort has been made to provide the greatest number of options  for the recreation vehicle owner. Along with these choices comes the  responsibility to manage the loads that are imposed by the choices so  that they remain within the manufacturer's specified chassis weight  limits. Do not overload the recreation vehicle."
-Airstream Marketing Material

In other words.... Don't be a j*ck *ss.  I feel like this should be the warning label on life.

The World is Opening Doors to Higher Education, what about Buffalo?

NPR and the Global University:

I have really enjoyed Joyce Kryszak ongoing articles about the University at Buffalo, and how international students and even offshore campuses have expanded our local university, I think for the best. However, last week you segment (or an ad for it) was closely followed by coverage of Buffalo Schools Superintendent James A. Williams’s convocation for this year’s public school session. He commented on the lack-luster high school graduation rates across the city and the down right deplorable odds for African-American boys in our city schools. Is it possible that a UB student is more likely to encounter someone from Singapore than a black person from University Heights neighborhood? While I am glad that UB has made the effort to distinguish itself as a diverse international institution; I am saddened that the impenetrable heart of intellectual darkness may be right across the street. I wonder what the University had done about attracting and retaining racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse students from the Western NY area and Buffalo specifically. Especially when these students may be the ones who will want to stay here, to attract employers, or become employers themselves. They could become human capital investment that Buffalo has longing for.

I did not grow up in Buffalo, but I am a UB Graduate, and UB’s graduate architecture program is one major reason that I decided to stay in Buffalo. The field of architecture is not known for its diversity, and has long been the purview of old white men. This is changing, and nearly half of my classmates were women. Because UB attracts so many international students, I had the benefit of a studio environment that included European, Canadian, and most notably Asian students. In many ways, this enriched our learning environment. However, as an African-American woman, I was nearly always the only representative of this group. In my first year, many students and sometime professors referred to me by the name of the only other African-American woman who was there, we shared no classes, and really do not look anything alike. When she graduated, at least people knew who I was; or should I say EVERYONE knew who I was, I wasn’t famous, I just stuck out. Why were there be more international architecture students than black, Hispanic, Native American, or even White students from Buffalo. This always seemed particularly hurtful to me just as I would leave south campus; I would drive through hurting neighborhoods that are in such dire need of design and of the designers who are intimate with and invested in them. I knew that many of the talented students I went to school with were going to leave not only Buffalo, but also the country when they graduated.

This is not just UB’s problem; they cannot enroll students that are not ready for higher education, nor is it just the problem of Buffalo Public schools. As we know, Buffalo is a poor city, and not yet healed from the scars and scrapes of its industrial history. The high school and college education of the not-so wealthy, and minority student is a looming community and national issue. It is be unfair to portray these students as any less hungry or knowledge than their Singaporean counterparts. Why do not UB’s globalization efforts start by reaching across Bailey Avenue? If culture, national origin, religion, even language are bridged, why not race, neighborhood, and socio-economic status? I cannot say I have an immediate solution to this complex problem, but I am interested in raising awareness, and doing what I can to contribute to its long-term solution. I think that UB has and will be a key to that solution. UB should continue to distinguish itself as a Global University, but it should also look towards the world away that is at its front door.

Pricing your own time

In every consultants life there is a time when s/he must put a dollar value to their own time. Yes every hourly employee had to decide weather or not to work for what the boss-man pays, hey some have even gone on strike over bad wages. However, when you have to pull a number out of thin air it actually takes some soul searching. For my entire working career I know I've been paid on the "no penis discount" meaning (at least in architecture) .75 Denise Scott Brown cents on every Robert Venturi $1.00. Even when I started working for a woman owned firm and got a 25% raise, I was still in the hole because i started out at a lower salary.

So now that I'm in a position to really call the shots and value my professional expertise for what it is, I'm having a little sticker shock. The thing is, so far every client has been totally on board with what I've asked. My informal market survey says that I'm definitely in the ball park. And hey who says they can't negotiate? I know its a case of wavering self-esteem. I do the things I do, it's not hard for me; it would be impossible for my clients to do. So I should charge appropriately for my time and expertise. Not to mention I have to cover the nanny/sitter's time too. (For some reason no one expects that to come out of my husbands pay, just mine but thats another blog for another day.)

Ok so as soon as I close this window I'm going to write a couple of proposals and ask for my more than fair price. Because I'm worth it. Heck after the projects done I may even color my hair.

I'm going to start this blog with the same quote that I ended my last one.

"Women constitute 50% of the world's population, do two-thirds of the world's work, and own one-tenth of the world's wealth. We are all raised in a culture that values men's work over women's work and men's lives over women's lives."


-- K. Soin, Member of Parliament, Singapore