Hasta La Gadget!

Contrary to the stereotypes and data culled over the years, black women do breastfeed their babies. And three black moms want to highlight that simple fact with the creation of Black Breastfeeding Week. 

The week, which kicks off Thursday and is now in its fourth year, has helped to mobilize support for and created a community of black mothers. 

Co-founder Anayah Sangodele-Ayoka told The Huffington Post that she and her co-founders Kimberley Seals Allers and Kiddada Green created the week as a way to promote breastfeeding and let black moms know they’re not alone.

“World Breastfeeding Week is typically at the beginning of National Breastfeeding Month [which] had already existed for a few years to be the entirety of the month,” Sangodele-Ayoka told The Huffington Post. “So we said, ‘You know what, we don’t need anybody’s permission. We’re just going to take the final week and let everybody know now that’s Black Breastfeeding Week and go from there.’ And that’s how it happened.”

There’s been a nationwide movement of sorts, thanks to organizations like Normalize Breastfeeding and celebrity moms like Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis, to ensure moms aren’t shamed for nursing their babies in public. Still, the faces of this effort have mostly been white.  

For years it’s been shown that black women are less likely to initiate breastfeeding than other races. From 2000 to 2008, only 58.9 percent of black women initiated breastfeeding compared to the 75.2 percent of white women and 80 percent of Hispanics, according to the latest data from the CDC. As Black Breastfeeding Week notes on its site, there’s also some suggestion that increased breastfeeding could help lower infant mortality rates. 

“We noticed that as breastfeeding promotion increased, the face of it was still very white and every year we’re still having more research come out showing that there’s a disparity in support for breastfeeding for black women,” Sangodele-Ayoka said. The CDC suggested in 2013 that black moms may need more targeted and direct support so that they can not only initiate but also continue breastfeeding. 

“What we really found was that for black women, in particular, peer support models tend to be a lot more effective when there’s a sort of affinity culturally, racially between people there tends to be better support for breastfeeding,” explained Sangodele-Ayoka.

For those reasons, Black Breastfeeding Week is all about encouraging black women to keep breastfeeding, connect with other breastfeeding moms, post breastfeeding selfies and more. This year, Black Breastfeeding Week includes a Twitter chat on Thursday, a lactation hotline online with both peer and professional lactation supporters available all week and events planned by breastfeeding organizations throughout the U.S. 

Sangodele-Ayoka said that ultimately the week is all about celebrating the act of breastfeeding and being able to “take a step back and just sort of fly the flag for black breastfeeding, fly the flag for all the people who are doing the work, fly the flag for the moms and say, ‘You are so great, you are so beautiful and what you do is important.’” 

Black Breastfeeding Week runs from Aug. 25-Aug. 31. Find out more information about the group and events here.

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If you’re like me, you have no idea what ASMR is. A quick search on YouTube will turn up plenty of clips of young women whispering to their camera in a stream of constant speech. At first glance it can feel intimate, almost flirtatious, but that isn’t the point. It’s not sexual, not even close, actually. If you’re a person who experiences Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) you’ll already know this.

ASMR is a tricky feeling to describe (especially since I don’t experience it). My co-worker (who is currently watching an ASMR video) describes it as “A tingly euphoria triggered by certain sensory experience. It usually starts at your head and makes it way through your body.” This tingle seems to send people into a blissfully peaceful meditative state, which is why they seek it out on YouTube.

Not everyone experiences ASMR and while some people just “get” the feeling most need external “triggers” to start the process. Triggers can include pretty much anything from getting a haircut, to hearing someone chew gum, to pretending you’re the Tinman getting oiled up by Dorothy.

To learn more about the process, and the approach behind making ASMR videos, we sat down with ASMR YouTuber, British Primrose to talk about the sensation, the confused sexual nature of the phenomena, and the strange world of ASMR roleplays.

What was your first introduction to ASMR? How would you personally describe the phenomenon?

I discovered ASMR online nearly four years ago by accident, whilst searching through Youtube videos. I found Heather Feathers ‘Comprehensive Physical Examination,’ and was fascinated with the concept. I soon learnt about ASMR, which is a phenomenon that still scientists are baffled with and is commonly described as a physical sensation that you can feel anywhere on your body, but is mostly felt on your scalp. This can be through touch, whisper, soft speaking or role playing. The brain is such a fascinating organ and tool, the feeling of ASMR to me produces life like endorphins that relaxes you through times of stress and anxiety.

What’s the first thing you’d mention to someone who doesn’t experience ASMR?

Definitely take the time to watch different styles of ASMR and find one that suits your preference. The community has tripled since I first discovered it, and there are a lot of passionate and creative men and women who create videos for different audiences. If you don’t experience ASMR, then that is ok! It isn’t for everybody, and I wouldn’t pressure a person to do so. If you are curious about ASMR, research it yourself, not what others have told you good or bad. It is a very personal thing once you’ve found the creators that do relax you.

What are your thoughts on the confused sexual nature of ASMR? How does ASMR differ from experiencing arousal?

I’ve watched and read many articles that first describe ASMR as some sort of sexual nature which in the past, has given ASMR a bad name for itself and a topic of discussion and laughter. Personally, I associate ASMR as something that relaxes you and helps you fall asleep, not anything of sexual nature. I have a seen a few creators who have gone down that road, and have become popular through it, and if men or women experience arousal through it, it is fine and is their choice, but to me, sex is a completely different experience altogether and I think ASMR should be separate from that.

Why do you believe there are more women making ASMR videos than men?

I have spoken to men who have told me they watch ASMR videos in secret and haven’t told anybody about it because they are ashamed of it. That could be one of many reasons as to why women make more ASMR videos than men. I could also say women tend to be more competitive with each other, but I think that would be absurd to agree to, but not impossible. It isn’t something I have ever thought about really. Whilst thinking about it now, women do tend to have different highs and lows to their voices and that gives ASMR a broader spectrum for the community. I hope more men get involved creating ASMR in the future, most men have crisp, low tones and I love that.

What do you think has lead to the recent boom in ASMR’s popularity and research?

It comes down to mental health. A lot of viewers experience anxiety, panic attacks, stress and many other disorders that have and do help by watching ASMR itself. The amount of those who have admitted this, is most likely the biggest reason why. Mental health doesn’t get researched and taken seriously enough, and that is very concerning. Considering we live in modern times, a lot more people are unfortunately going through it, and from what I’ve read of viewers on all sorts of videos, ASMR has been successful and continues to be.

The more successful videos on your channel are all role plays. What do you think it is about role plays that prove to be more stimulating than the more simplified ASMR approach like gum chewing?

In real life, going to the Doctor or Dentist can be quite daunting and many people can become quite stressed and anxious in these situations. Many people complain that their appointments are very quick, and they don’t feel cared for. I have always loved acting, and is one of the reasons I began my channel. Acting in a role play and generally caring for the viewer who is watching, gives them that sense of feeling respected and more calm and collected when they do actually go through these real life challenges. It is also the same if one feels lonely or is having a hard time, having that ability to help a viewer feel like they have a friend and are there for them, is a lovely feeling to experience and you really do appreciate it for them and yourself.

Is the commitment to realism important when doing an ASMR role play? What do you get out of it?

I try to make my role plays as real as possible and cooperate them with different accents. My channel is mostly role plays and I wanted to give people the opportunity to feel like they are really there and research as much as I can prior, so there is quite a commitment to it and scripting. I get to showcase my acting to the world as well as helping viewers and I am extremely grateful and happy to be able to.

Do you personally experience ASMR and if so what is your most vivid memory of the experience outside of YouTube? Do you get ASMR from your own videos?

One thinks of ASMR as if you were watching your favourite musician live and experience that high when they reach a note on the piano or a voice that covers your upper body in goosebumps and the hairs on your arms raise. It is very rare that I experience ASMR from the way I described it watching online videos. However ASMR to me, makes me feel very relaxed and very sleepy, which is great if you don’t sleep well. I also enjoy watching the videos themselves, seeing what creators have come up with and how they act. A vivid memory I have of ASMR that I experienced outside of Youtube definitely brings me back to my childhood. I loved my hair being played with, and I still do now. Whether that is brushing my hair with your hands, massaging it or styling, I never want it to end. I also had a very odd experience where I loved going to the Dentist, the feeling of gloves and tools in my mouth made me feel relaxed. I can’t say that is the same feeling for me now that I am older.

Would you Do ASMR role plays in person, or would that weird you out?

I actually had a discussion about this with a friend not so long ago. I’d love to see a business invest in a facility that specializes in a theater arts ASMR. I can imagine actors or even people who are retired in these roles, given the chance to make something realistic and those who do experience ASMR have the opportunity to see an acting Doctor, Dentist, Nurse etc who will take their time with you in the exact same way a person role plays online in the ASMR community. Maybe one day, I’ll invest in something like this myself. For now, I am happy with filming online.

For more from British Primrose ASMR subscribe to her YouTube channel.

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Today, the nation will celebrate one of our country’s crowning achievements, the centennial of the National Park Service, and a model of conservation and preservation now used all over the world.

For myself and some of my colleagues, that celebration will take place at the Roosevelt Arch at the North Gate of Yellowstone National Park, our nation’s first national park. Inscribed across the arch that greets visitors to Yellowstone is a quote from the law that created the park, stating the purpose of protecting this remarkable landscape was “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.”

Those words are the guiding principle of our National Park Service’s mission, to protect the natural, historical and cultural sites that together help tell the American story. But even as record-breaking crowds visit American icons like Yosemite, the Great Smokies, and Gettysburg, our parks and the agency entrusted with their care have never been more challenged.

Many of these challenges may not occur to the average visitor who see these places as pinnacles of natural grandeur and windows into our past.

When visitors walk the wooded trails of Shenandoah or the stone steps of the Lincoln Memorial, they may not notice that there are far fewer rangers than in years past, meaning fewer rangers to protect wildlife, maintain our trails, and teach us about our history.

When visitors climb the peaks of Rocky Mountain or walk the Freedom Trail in Boston, they may not realize that that shuttered building or closed trail is actually just one part of our park system’s $12 billion repair backlog, a backlog that the Congress normally gives just half of the money the Park Service needs to keep that number growing every year.

When visitors step into our nation’s beginnings at Jamestown or take in the majestic mountains of the Grand Tetons, they don’t realize that destructive development may soon occur just outside those parks’ borders that, if allowed to move forward, would forever mar these treasured places.

And when visitors are quick to snap a picture of a distant Grizzly bear in Glacier or dive into the sparkling blue waters of Biscayne, they may not think of the repeated attempts by many in Congress to weaken or remove the protections our parks’ wildlife, water, and other resources depend on.

These are just some of the challenges our national parks face as they head into their second century, but it is also not the first time parks have faced these challenges. The difference is that when we have faced these challenges in the past, those across the political spectrum came together to overcome them.

When visitor centers and other park facilities were at the verge of collapse in the 1950s, we came together to pursue Mission 66, a 10-year infrastructure effort to modernize the visitor experience. When we saw the threats our country’s air, water, and wildlife face both in and outside our parks, we passed protections such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. And for more than a century, presidents of both parties have used tools such as the Antiquities Act to protect important pieces of our shared heritage like the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty.

Faced with the challenges before us today, the decisions we make now will have profound effects on our parks for decades to come. Now cannot be the time we decide to turn our backs on our parks. Not on our watch.

We need a renewed commitment as a country to our parks, a commitment that goes beyond a supportive tweet and a selfie. It must be a Congress that will preserve those protections our parks rely on and gets our Park Service the resources and funding it needs to tackle parks’ challenges.

It must be a president who understands the vital role of parks in our society, and is committed to working with members of all parties to support our parks and ensure more pieces of the American story are added to our Park System.

And it must be members of the public who will not only continue visiting national parks, but the day after they visit commit to helping that park our by volunteering, writing a letter to the editor, or calling their member of Congress demanding we do more for our parks.

Our parks faces many challenges, but overcoming challenges is part of the American story, a story told through our national parks. In this, their centennial year, let’s recommend to ensuring a brighter future for America’s favorite places. They deserve no less.

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When the Olympics ended on Sunday so did a multi-million dollar assault on democracy. From the start of the games in Rio to the closing ceremony, television viewers in Massachusetts had been bombarded with a $2.3 million ad campaign funded by Wall Street.

What does Wall Street want in Massachusetts? Not the normal stuff, like financial deregulation or lower taxes. They want more charter schools.

November’s election is pivotal for public education in Massachusetts. That’s because the state’s residents will decide whether to add more charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately operated. And a coalition of organizations backed by hedge fund investors and billionaires just spent millions during the Olympics to convince them to say “yes.”

Why charter schools? Because there’s big money at stake. Billionaire Rupert Murdoch, who has given money to one of the organizations that funded the Olympics ad campaign, once told reporters, “When it comes to K through 12 education, we see a $500 billion sector in the U.S. alone.”

But Wall Street can’t buy facts.

Allowing more charter schools without serious planning and strong oversight is threatening public school districts across the country, most notably in Los Angeles and Detroit. In Massachusetts, neighborhood schools are projected to lose over $450 million in funding to charter schools this school year alone. Adding more would further destabilize school districts across the state.

And a new study of one of the states with the most charter schools, Texas, just found that while the best performing charter schools improve test scores, they don’t seem to help kids get better jobs or earn more money in the long run.

But there’s hope. In Nashville earlier this month, we shut out Wall Street. The pro-charter organization Stand for Children, which has received money from private equity investors including Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital, spent $750,000 to back four pro-charter school board candidates. All four lost.

More and more people are starting to wake up to the problems with unregulated charter schools. On Sunday, HBO’s John Oliver, who’s gone after Big Tobacco and Donald Trump, took on the charter school industry. In a searing 18-minute segment, he highlighted the waste, fraud, and abuse far too common in charter schools.

Charter school planning must take into account all children in a school district, and the schools themselves should be held to the standards we expect of any publicly funded institution.

But most of all, public education must be centered on the needs of students, not Wall Street.

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Here’s an excellent re-imagination of two of the most famous depictions of artificial intelligence in film, HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Samantha from Her. Tillmann Ohm stitched together the actual dialogue from the films to construct a new conversation between the two. It flows rather well.

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