Michelle Obama and My Teeth

The day after Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention, I was in the dentist's chair at NYU College of Dentistry. Once the student dentist completed my examination she informed me that she'd bring in a faculty member (any one that she could find that was free) so they could examine me and determine whether or not they agreed with her course of action.


My student dentist is a young Nigerian woman. The faculty member she found is a Black woman of about 50. The DDS lowered my chair, and reclined the back, so now I was practically lying flat on my back. She examined my tooth in question and the rest of my teeth -- commenting that I have nice teeth and I obviously take care of them -- and agreed with the student dentist's findings and treatment plan and signed off on it.

A Random Moment with Ijeoma Iheanacho

Ijeoma Iheanacho, fine art photographer

I answered her casting call that was posted on SocietyHAE. We've kept each other abreast on our shutterbuggery. Last spring, her series, "Faces of the Great Recession", was a featured in the Faces of the Economy show held at the Art for Change Gallery. I finally made it to the Bronx, where she was gracious enough to grant this interview.

 

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My name is Ijeoma Iheanacho. I am a fine art photographer.

How long have you been doing photography?

I’ve been doing photography since college. Graduated high school in 1996 so… ’96 to 2012… 15 years? I’m trained as an architect, I don’t do math [laughs].

Whitney, Religion and the GOP

I didn't watch Whitney Houston's funeral. I didn't have access to a feed. Over lunch, I checked my Twitter feed on my phone and saw tweets extolling on how beautiful the service was (in real-time of course), how they were being taken to "black church", how glad they were that CNN was broadcasting the service, a religious service, and that that was a good thing. Even some tweeters were pleased to the point of pissing in their pants that Jews and Muslims were being shown the ceremony and that made it a "great day for the world".


Not taking anything away from Whitney Houston's career and accolades, I understand the outpouring of affection and reverence. But it made me think about separation of church and state. There's already way too much religion in this election. The same religion that was broadcast by CNN is the same religion of Santorum. I listened to the simulcast of Face the Nation last week and was in shock at what that man was spewing. But his ideologies are the same of the church that so many on Twitter, so many Blacks, were praising. I've never quite understood Black Christians (my family included). Knowing the origin of why Blacks are Christian makes it hard for me to accept that religion as my own. Many accept it as the religion. That's their choice. I don't like it shoved down my throat.

Your Black Is Beautiful

I was contacted earlier this week about participating in an upcoming PSA and documentary, Black is Beautiful, a project created by Babatunde Odesanya of the Black and Latino Film Coalition.

"This documentary is the culmination of 100 Black and Latina women verbally celebrating the strength, power and beauty of being a person of color.  From their hair, to their features to their varied tones, these ladies will be expressing why "Black Is Beautiful" to them."

C-List Will Get You Every Time

image source

Should we feel sorry for Rep. Christopher Lee?

He trolled Craigslist. Answered an ad. Lied in his emails. Sent photos. I applaud him for not sending a dick pick first. I don't know about you, but I can't ID a man by his dick on the first date.

I've done the CL thing years ago with some very interesting results. Enough that two of the experiences are inspiration for stories in my book. I've never had any scary or dangerous situations thankfully, and got it out of my system before anything bad did happen.

Now there's buzz over the fact that the woman who revealed Lee's secret is Black.

Am I A Black Feminist?

During the week of Thanksgiving, The Lion's Historian asked for my thoughts on Black feminism in 200 - 500 words. I wasn't sure I'd get any words because I'd never thought of myself as a Black feminist. So I thought, I scribbled notes, I mused in the shower, I did some freewriting in bed, I even caught Sex in '69: History of the Sexual Revolution in America that same week.

Hottentot Makes Any Man's Eyes Pop

I found this magazine just sitting outside my apartment building last night. Just sitting there. I didn't dig in the garbage to find it. It was just there. Like a sign. Ass all over the place. I thought the timing was pretty uncanny considering I was just discussing on Twitter with @alvinthethird that I was pondering what my next erotic work of art would be because I received another request to make a sex tape and had just read some commentary on the Kim Kardashian spread in W magazine. No doubt, I want my project to be sensual as well as erotic and somewhat political -- make a statement.


I want to always be in control of my erotic art. And as an obvious extension of that, my body. If I want to pose nude, I will. If I want to sext with pics, I will. If I don't want to work with a particular photographer, I won't. It all boils down to my comfort, my mission and the joy of creating. 


Of course there were comparisons to J-Lo made with the whole Kardashian photo and whether or not a Black woman could get away with the same thing. Black women do it all the time. The question is the stigma attached to it. What made Kardashian any different? Her image is art because she didn't have a g-string disappearing between her cheeks for emphasis? We have butts. Some of us have big butts. Some of us have humongous butts. And thanks to magazines like the one pictured above, some Black women use those butts to earn a living and make a name for themselves. But what's in a name? What's behind (technically, in front of or on top of) the booty? When I was a personal trainer, I got most of my clients because of my butt. Many of them told me they wanted a butt like mine. I was never offended because they were never offensive. Sure, I had a shapely butt, but I also had the knowledge and experience to get them what they wanted or the sense to tell them it wasn't gonna happen no matter how many squats we did. 

A Brief History Of My Natural Hair

This essay was originally published in the Mahogany Soul Nappy Journey newsletter (June 2010). Subscribe and become a fan!

I didn’t have many Afro sisters back when I went natural yet I never considered being natural wouldn’t be accepted. I have been my own hairdresser for a long time, alternating between a relaxer and extensions (sometimes a year at time). When I would take out my braids or twists, I loved how full my roots felt; my natural hair and fingers massaged each other. Till one time I wondered what I would look like if I cut off my “perm”… What would I look like with just my “new growth”? I answered that question with my mother’s sewing shears 10 years ago. My BC was spontaneous; didn’t fill me with angst but excitement. (Note: I think it’s interesting that the transition is known as BC; makes me think of ancient Africa and the religious/spiritual overtones).