Along with it being National Stress Awareness Month, April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month which is a cause that I’ve been passionate about for years. While risk reduction strategies are helpful they are absolutely not the end all be all way to prevent sexual assault (i.e. people need to stop sexually assaulting people).  But, human trafficking is also a HUGE issue worldwide so I’m all about anything that promotes safety.  And with many men and women being subjected to these sort of horrible crimes everyday, I thinks it’s all our responsibility to keep our loved ones safe in whatever way we can.  That being said, I find it important to spread the word about this app called bSafe that could potentially save your life.

The bSafe app is a tremendous tool for personal safety.  First off, it’s free to download.  But most importantly,  the app includes a digital SOS alarm that when pushed sends out your GPS location to a “guardian” and automatically contacts 911.  With the free version of the app, you can set 1 guardian who be notified when your SOS is triggered.  I did a test run myself with a friend and it completely freaked her out how accurate and thorough the app is.

Let’s say you’re in trouble and not able to speak to your friend after you trigger the alarm, no problem.  bSafe also alerts 911 and places a phone call to your guardian automatically, all the while recording evidence (with the paid version).  It also comes with an audible SOS alarm (and flashlight via your camera’s phone) which may help deter criminal activity when it’s triggered.

In less pressing situations, you can decide to send yourself a fake phone call (10 minutes from now, for example) from anyone to get out of an uncomfortable situation before it goes bad.  And what if you’re walking home late at night and want to let someone know? You can send the guardian a note that you want them to track you and once you’re safe all you have to do is hit the “I’m here” button.  Seriously, this app is legit.

Right now, for $30 you can get an unlimited number of guardians for a whole two years, which could help you feel more comfortable traveling alone no matter who you are. The paid versions include the real-time tracking and evidence recording that I previously mentioned, proving that this app really just might save your life.

March is Women’s History Month and to honor our sisters from other misters, here is an abbreviated men’s guide to some of the notable achievements throughout Women’s History:

• The fifth pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, Hatshepsut, is the only female pharaoh in history (Mastersdegree.net).
• Marie Curie is the only woman to have won two Nobel Prizes (Mastersdegree.net).
• Stagecoach Mary (Mary Fields) becomes known for her precise shooting skills and driving of the U.S. mail route by stagecoach (TheRoot.com)
• In the 1600s, Elizabeth Key sues for  freedom from slavery after the death of her master and wins (TheRoot.com).
• In 1839 Mississippi grants women the right to own property in their own names (Diversity, Inc).
• Susan B. Anthony is arrested while trying to vote in 1872 (Diversity, Inc.)
• In 1903, Madame CJ Walker (Sarah Breedlove Walker) begins her hair care business targeting the needs of Black women (About.com).
• Students at Howard University in 1908 form the first sorority for Black women, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority Inc (About.com)
• 1920, women suffragist succeed in getting women the right to vote via the 19th Amendment (Diversity, Inc.)
• 1980, Angela Davis runs for Vice President on a Communist Party ticket (About.com).
• In 2011, women outnumbered men in the United States by 158.3 million to 153.3 million (Newsroom, Census.gov)
• In 1932, Amelie Earhart flies across the Atlantic Ocean solo (Diversity, Inc).
• The Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) guarantees a minimum wage without regard to gender (Diversity, Inc.)
• Gwendolyn Brooks makes history as the first Black woman to win a Pulitzer Prize (About.com).
• Rosa Parks is arrested in 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on a bus, igniting the Montgomery Bus Boycott (About.com).
• In 1957, Althea Gibson becomes the first Black woman to win a Wimbledon singles title (NYTimes.com).
• Virnie “Jackie” Mitchell, the first woman in professional baseball, struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (Mastersdegree.net)!
• The National Organization for Women (NOW) is founded in 1966 by Betty Friedan (Diversity, Inc.).
• Shirley Chisholm is elected to the House of Representatives in 1968 (About.com).
• In 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor becomes the first female U.S. Supreme Court Justice (Diversity, Inc.)
• In 1990, Roselyn Payne Epps becomes the first female president of the American Medical Association (About.com).
• Two women hold the highest IQs according to modern standardized testing (Mastersdegree.net).
• The U.S. Congress legalizes abortions in 1973 with the case Roe v. Wade (NYTimes.com).
• In 1997, Black female leaders organize the Million Woman March in Philadelphia to raise public awareness about women’s issues in the U.S. (CNN.com).
• In the year 2000, Venus Williams becomes the second Black woman in history to win a single Wimbledon title (About.com).
• In 2002, Halle Berry wins a Best Actress Oscar, becoming the first Black woman to win the award (About.com).
• Sonia Sotomayor becomes the first Latina U.S. Supreme Court Justice in 2009 (Diversity, Inc.)

I didn’t try the food at Pranna but the drinks were decent, although a bit pricey, but I heard more than a few folks praise the food.  Check it out if you’re in the Murray Hill/Gramercy area and in the mood for a cool and sophisticated lounge. Thanks to Kisha (pictured far left) for sending the picture along!

Kisha, Me, and Curly Nikki!

I realize that I did not have many of the experiences a lot of you had when it came to your hair.  I did not get as much positive affirmation or nearly as much discouragement.  I didn’t sit in between my mother’s legs and cry from all the pulling and tugging on my hair and scalp.  I’ve never even gotten my hair braided or gotten headaches from having my hair pulled so taut.  I’ve never had a comb break in my hair (wait…yeah that definitely happened once!).  Images in the media absolutely hit me in a very different, and arguably in a less pointed, way.  I never second guessed why I wore my hair the way I did.  I just always assumed guys were supposed to wear short hair so that’s what I did.

I had a chemical process once, a few years ago, when I first came to NY.  I texturized my hair to get a different look, but didn’t like it enough to stick with it. I also realized that keeping up something like that would be way too intensive for me.  So I went back to my regular routine of getting hair cuts every few weeks.  Fast forward to today and I have been wearing my fro for two years now.  I like having a new style, a new edge, and I recognize that I have a new sense of confidence in myself.  There’s a bit of freedom in wearing my hair whatever way I want, no matter what other people have to say about it.

I don’t see the natural hair movement as only a women’s issue. I see it as a self-esteem issue. If embracing your curls in their natural state gives you a sense of freedom and confidence then I fully support anyone who makes that decision.  If you choose to relax or straighten your hair, then my hope is that you do it as safely as possible because I believe no one should be sacrificing their health for a good-looking head of hair.  In the end, I believe we’re all entitled to express ourselves as we see fit. In the grand scheme of things, it is just hair but at the same time I know when I’m not feeling my hair it’s generally not the best of days.

All things considered, I have to say that seeing women wearing curly hair, locs and fros has inspired me to do whatever I want with my hair and judging from the (re)emergence of these styles among other men, I feel comfortable saying that the boys are following suit.  As the years go by I hope that other men and boys will support the women in their lives and their decisions about their hair (and bodies).  If this happens, then I think you will probably see more boys and men feeling comfortable enough to take their own risks with their image and hair.  We’ve got a lot to learn and I want to keep learning and spreading the word!

Sincerely,

Mane Man