theroot--2020-11-04--The LGBTQ Community Will Usher In a New Era After Big Wins on Election Night

While it might ’ ve been an anxiety-ridden election night for most of us , for the LGBTQ community it was a historic night of triumph .
Throughout the country , gay , queer , trans and non-binary candidates racked up congressional win after congressional win , prevailing over years of discrimination in order to put Black excellence at the forefront .
In New York , Buzzfeed News reports that Democratic Reps.-elect Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones will become the first openly gay Black men to serve in Congress .
They ’ re set to make their grand debuts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prior to his win , Jones addressed the magnitude of the moment with CBS .
“ It is a lot of responsibility , ” he said .
“ I ’ m happy to be providing that kind of representation for so many young people and older people all throughout my district and all throughout this country who have reached out to me and said , ‘ I ’ m so inspired by what you ’ re doing .
You give me hope and I can be my authentic self in a world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s really an honor to be able to do that.
” Torres is no stranger to breaking barriers either .
At the age of 25 , he became the first openly gay elected official from the Bronx when he was elected to the New York City Council .
He ’ s also been open in advocating for mental health while disclosing his own battles with depression .
“ I think my own acknowledgment of struggling with depression flows naturally from the experience of coming out , ” he told Buzzfeed News .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the integrity that it demands from you [ … ] has taught me how to be more open and honest about my struggle with depression .
It teaches you an ethic of radical authenticity.
” In Florida , Michele Rayner-Goolsby became the first Black queer woman elected to Florida ’ s House of Representatives .
A self-described “ unapologetic Black woman , ” Metro Weekly and the Advocate report that the civil rights attorney won the Democratic primary with approximately 30 percent of the vote .
In August , she celebrated the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a Black woman ” and “ anchored by women and women of color.
” “ We won because we defined ourselves for ourselves , ” she tweeted .
Now she has even more to celebrate .
“ We ’ ve run a campaign focused on putting people over politics and that ’ s rooted in a commitment to working with and for residents until the change they seek is a reality , ” she said in a statement .
“ This win proves that this community is [ … ] tired [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for change , and I ’ m so grateful and humbled that the voters of District 70 have elected me to represent them in Tallahassee to move us closer to the change we all deserve.
” Rayner-Goolsby wasn ’ t the only LGBTQ winner in the Sunshine State , however , as Democrat Shevrin Jones became Florida ’ s first openly gay state senator .
“ I ’ m humbled to have earned the trust of the people of SD 35 , ” he tweeted on Tuesday night .
“ I am looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate .
Thank YOU !
# WEthePEOPLE ” “ Shevrin shattered a long-standing political barrier for LGBTQ candidates in Florida and his victory will resonate far beyond the boundaries of his state , ” Annise Parker , president of the LGBTQ Victory Fund , which endorsed Jones and Rayner , said in a statement .
“ Shevrin has led on justice-related issues in the state House and his victory is certain to inspire more Black LGBTQ leaders to choose elected office as a way to make change .
The politics of division and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to a government that is more representative of the people it serves.
” Another one of our own who made history Tuesday night is Mauree Turner , who became the first openly non-binary person ever elected to a state legislature in the United States , according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund .
Turner won a state House seat in Oklahoma and also becomes the first Muslim to ever serve in the state ’ s legislature .
A Democratic community organizer whose platform focused on criminal justice reform , a higher minimum wage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News reports that the 27-year-old newcomer stomped out Republican Kelly Barlean with a projected 71 percent of the vote in order to win District 88 in Oklahoma City .
“ I ’ m Black , Muslim , femme , queer , born and raised in Oklahoma—politics was the last thing in my crosshairs , ” Turner told Huffington Post prior to their win .
“ Oklahomans have representation that doesn ’ t have our shared lived experience—that hasn ’ t been in a family that had to live off SNAP benefits , [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parent was incarcerated .
That was my upbringing , and it ’ s not a unique one.
” In Georgia , social justice advocate and Episcopal priest Kim Jackson enjoyed a decisive victory for a state Senate seat , according to Pink News .
Since moving to Georgia a decade ago from a rural town in South Carolina , Jackson has championed criminal justice reform , bringing an end to the death penalty and equality for the LGBTQ community .
“ Kim shattered a lavender ceiling and is paving the way for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people it serves , ” Parker said in a statement on behalf of the LGBTQ Victory Fund .
“ The energy and enthusiasm generated for Kim ’ s race will inevitably encourage more LGBTQ women and people of color to recognize their own viability and make the decision to run .
[ ... ] Kim ’ s victory ensures our community has a voice at the table and gives hope that more are on the way.
” Jabari Brisport , a public school teacher and third-generation Caribbean-American , was elected to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be representing Brooklyn ’ s 25th District .
As the first-ever Black LGBTQ person elected to the New York state legislature , he ’ s been hailed by Pink News as “ the next AOC ” and “ will provide an essential perspective that has never been represented in the New York state legislature ” according to Parker .
In Tennessee , 29-year-old Torrey Harris became the youngest openly gay state lawmaker in the history of Nashville after beating out incumbent John Deberry in the race for a seat in Tennessee ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serves as a board member for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition , Friends for Life Corporation HIV/AIDS Care & Prevention Services , and other groups according to The Advocate , won with nearly 80 percent of the vote .
“ I ’ m just very excited that we finally have a representative in the state of Tennessee for district 90 who ’ s going to listen , in power and serve not just some of district 90 , but all of the Tennesseans .
We ’ ve worked very hard , ” Harris told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t African American , we still want to shout out Sarah McBride , who will become the highest-ranking transgender official in the country on Tuesday night after winning her Delaware state senate race .
Prior to launching her congressional campaign , McBride interned with the Obama administration and was a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign , an LGBTQ advocacy group .
“ We did it , we won the general election , ” she tweeted .
“ I hope tonight shows an LGBTQ kid that our democracy is big enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the LGBTQ community to make history on Tuesday night include Charmaine McGuffey , who became both the first woman and the first open LGBTQ Sheriff in Hamilton County , Ohio ; Brianna Titone , the transgender lawmaker who was re-elected to Colorado ’ s 27th House District ; and Stephanie Byers , who became the first transgender representative in the history of the Kansas state legislature after winning a seat in the state House .

While it might’ve been an anxiety-ridden election night for most of us, for the LGBTQ community it was a historic night of triumph. Throughout the country, gay, queer, trans and non-binary candidates racked up congressional win after congressional win, prevailing over years of discrimination in order to put Black excellence at the forefront.
In New York, Buzzfeed News reports that Democratic Reps.-elect Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones will become the first openly gay Black men to serve in Congress. They’re set to make their grand debuts in the U.S. House of Representatives in January.
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Prior to his win, Jones addressed the magnitude of the moment with CBS.
“It is a lot of responsibility,” he said. “I’m happy to be providing that kind of representation for so many young people and older people all throughout my district and all throughout this country who have reached out to me and said, ‘I’m so inspired by what you’re doing. You give me hope and I can be my authentic self in a world filled with so much injustice.’ It’s really an honor to be able to do that.”
Here Are Some of Election Night 2020's Black History Makers
Torres is no stranger to breaking barriers either. At the age of 25, he became the first openly gay elected official from the Bronx when he was elected to the New York City Council. He’s also been open in advocating for mental health while disclosing his own battles with depression.
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“I think my own acknowledgment of struggling with depression flows naturally from the experience of coming out,” he told Buzzfeed News. “The process of coming out, the integrity that it demands from you […] has taught me how to be more open and honest about my struggle with depression. It teaches you an ethic of radical authenticity.”
In Florida, Michele Rayner-Goolsby became the first Black queer woman elected to Florida’s House of Representatives. A self-described “unapologetic Black woman,” Metro Weekly and the Advocate report that the civil rights attorney won the Democratic primary with approximately 30 percent of the vote. In August, she celebrated the fact that her team was “was led by a Black woman” and “anchored by women and women of color.”
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“We won because we defined ourselves for ourselves,” she tweeted.
Now she has even more to celebrate.
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“We’ve run a campaign focused on putting people over politics and that’s rooted in a commitment to working with and for residents until the change they seek is a reality,” she said in a statement. “This win proves that this community is […] tired [of] business as usual and ready for change, and I’m so grateful and humbled that the voters of District 70 have elected me to represent them in Tallahassee to move us closer to the change we all deserve.”
Rayner-Goolsby wasn’t the only LGBTQ winner in the Sunshine State, however, as Democrat Shevrin Jones became Florida’s first openly gay state senator.
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“I’m humbled to have earned the trust of the people of SD 35,” he tweeted on Tuesday night. “I am looking forward to serving you in the Florida Senate. Thank YOU! #WEthePEOPLE”
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“Shevrin shattered a long-standing political barrier for LGBTQ candidates in Florida and his victory will resonate far beyond the boundaries of his state,” Annise Parker, president of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which endorsed Jones and Rayner, said in a statement. “Shevrin has led on justice-related issues in the state House and his victory is certain to inspire more Black LGBTQ leaders to choose elected office as a way to make change. The politics of division and hatred failed in this race and gave way to a government that is more representative of the people it serves.”
Another one of our own who made history Tuesday night is Mauree Turner, who became the first openly non-binary person ever elected to a state legislature in the United States, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund. Turner won a state House seat in Oklahoma and also becomes the first Muslim to ever serve in the state’s legislature.
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A Democratic community organizer whose platform focused on criminal justice reform, a higher minimum wage and access to affordable healthcare, Pink News reports that the 27-year-old newcomer stomped out Republican Kelly Barlean with a projected 71 percent of the vote in order to win District 88 in Oklahoma City.
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“I’m Black, Muslim, femme, queer, born and raised in Oklahoma—politics was the last thing in my crosshairs,” Turner told Huffington Post prior to their win. “Oklahomans have representation that doesn’t have our shared lived experience—that hasn’t been in a family that had to live off SNAP benefits, [or] a single-parent household because one parent was incarcerated. That was my upbringing, and it’s not a unique one.”
In Georgia, social justice advocate and Episcopal priest Kim Jackson enjoyed a decisive victory for a state Senate seat, according to Pink News. Since moving to Georgia a decade ago from a rural town in South Carolina, Jackson has championed criminal justice reform, bringing an end to the death penalty and equality for the LGBTQ community.
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“Kim shattered a lavender ceiling and is paving the way for a state government that is more representative of the people it serves,” Parker said in a statement on behalf of the LGBTQ Victory Fund. “The energy and enthusiasm generated for Kim’s race will inevitably encourage more LGBTQ women and people of color to recognize their own viability and make the decision to run. [...] Kim’s victory ensures our community has a voice at the table and gives hope that more are on the way.”
Advertisement
Jabari Brisport, a public school teacher and third-generation Caribbean-American, was elected to the New York state senate. He’ll be representing Brooklyn’s 25th District. As the first-ever Black LGBTQ person elected to the New York state legislature, he’s been hailed by Pink News as “the next AOC” and “will provide an essential perspective that has never been represented in the New York state legislature” according to Parker.
In Tennessee, 29-year-old Torrey Harris became the youngest openly gay state lawmaker in the history of Nashville after beating out incumbent John Deberry in the race for a seat in Tennessee’s State House. Harris, who serves as a board member for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Friends for Life Corporation HIV/AIDS Care & Prevention Services, and other groups according to The Advocate, won with nearly 80 percent of the vote.
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“I’m just very excited that we finally have a representative in the state of Tennessee for district 90 who’s going to listen, in power and serve not just some of district 90, but all of the Tennesseans. We’ve worked very hard,” Harris told WMC5 Action News.
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And though she isn’t African American, we still want to shout out Sarah McBride, who will become the highest-ranking transgender official in the country on Tuesday night after winning her Delaware state senate race. Prior to launching her congressional campaign, McBride interned with the Obama administration and was a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group.
“We did it, we won the general election,” she tweeted. “I hope tonight shows an LGBTQ kid that our democracy is big enough for them too.”
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Other non-Black members of the LGBTQ community to make history on Tuesday night include Charmaine McGuffey, who became both the first woman and the first open LGBTQ Sheriff in Hamilton County, Ohio; Brianna Titone, the transgender lawmaker who was re-elected to Colorado’s 27th House District; and Stephanie Byers, who became the first transgender representative in the history of the Kansas state legislature after winning a seat in the state House.
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Congrats to everyone.


theroot--2020-11-04--Wesley Snipes Denies Claim That He 'Tried to Strangle' Blade: Trinity Director, Says It 'Never Happe

Wesley Snipes Denies Claim That He 'Tried to Strangle' Blade: Trinity Director, Says It 'Never Happened'

Wesley Snipes is setting a rumored record straight .
The 58-year-old actor has denied the claim that he tried to strangle Blade : Trinity director David Goyer .
“ Let me tell you one thing .
If I had tried to strangle David Goyer , you probably wouldn ’ t be talking to me now , ” Snipes told The Guardian in a recent interview , where he also discussed his 2008 prison stint for tax evasion .
“ A Black guy with muscles strangling the director of a movie is going to jail , I guarantee you ... Did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Never happened.
” This long-standing claim came from a 2012 interview with the film ’ s co-star Patton Oswalt conducted by our G/O Media cousin , A.V .
Club .
And he tried to strangle the director , David Goyer .
So later that night , Ron Perlman was in the city .
Everyone who makes movies in Vancouver stays in the same hotel .
It ’ s like an episode of The Love Boat .
Every time the elevator stops , you ’ ve got a different celebrity getting on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hey , now we ’ ve got Danny Glover !
” So we went out that night to some strip club , and we were all drinking .
And there were a bunch of bikers there , so David says to them , “ I ’ ll pay for all your drinks if you show up to set tomorrow and pretend to be my security.
” Wesley freaked out and went back to his trailer .
[ Laughs . ]
And the next day , Wesley sat down with David and was like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quit .
You ’ re detrimental to this movie.
” And David was like , “ Why don ’ t you quit ?
We ’ ve got all your close-ups , and we could shoot the rest with your stand-in.
” And that freaked Wesley out so much that , for the rest of the production , he would only communicate with the director through Post-it notes .
And he would sign each Post-it note “ From Blade.
” [ Laughs . ]
“ Why do people believe this guy ’ s version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Snipes added .
“ This is part of the challenges that we as African Americans face here in America—these microaggressions .
The presumption that one white guy can make a statement and that statement stands as true !
Why would people believe his version is true ?
Because they are predisposed to believing the Black guy is always the problem.
” Snipes has made the news for an alleged assault claim before when Christopher Williams claimed in 2004 that Snipes was the one that beat Halle Berry so severely that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right year .
Berry herself hasn ’ t named her attacker from the previous relationship .
So , Williams divulged that it was Snipes since people were assuming it was Williams ( also an ex of Berry ’ s ) .
“ The stuff they wrote about [ me ] and Halle was totally false , ” he said at the time .
“ They said something like I busted her eardrum , and I ’ m tired of it .
I never said it [ before ] but I ’ m so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the guy [ who did it ] .
Wesley Snipes busted her eardrum , not me.
” As for the character of Blade , Marvel will be reviving the film with a new lead—Mahershala Ali .

Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by Tonja Renée Stidhum to The Root

Wesley Snipes is setting a rumored record straight. The 58-year-old actor has denied the claim that he tried to strangle Blade: Trinity director David Goyer.
“Let me tell you one thing. If I had tried to strangle David Goyer, you probably wouldn’t be talking to me now,” Snipes told The Guardian in a recent interview, where he also discussed his 2008 prison stint for tax evasion. “A Black guy with muscles strangling the director of a movie is going to jail, I guarantee you...Did I go to jail for strangling him? Never happened.”
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This long-standing claim came from a 2012 interview with the film’s co-star Patton Oswalt conducted by our G/O Media cousin, A.V. Club.
In the A.V. Club interview, Oswalt said:
And he tried to strangle the director, David Goyer. So later that night, Ron Perlman was in the city. Everyone who makes movies in Vancouver stays in the same hotel. It’s like an episode of The Love Boat. Every time the elevator stops, you’ve got a different celebrity getting on. Like, [announcer voice] “Hey, now we’ve got Danny Glover!” So we went out that night to some strip club, and we were all drinking. And there were a bunch of bikers there, so David says to them, “I’ll pay for all your drinks if you show up to set tomorrow and pretend to be my security.” Wesley freaked out and went back to his trailer. [Laughs.] And the next day, Wesley sat down with David and was like, “I think you need to quit. You’re detrimental to this movie.” And David was like, “Why don’t you quit? We’ve got all your close-ups, and we could shoot the rest with your stand-in.” And that freaked Wesley out so much that, for the rest of the production, he would only communicate with the director through Post-it notes. And he would sign each Post-it note “From Blade.” [Laughs.]
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“Why do people believe this guy’s version of this story? Answer me that,” Snipes added. “This is part of the challenges that we as African Americans face here in America—these microaggressions. The presumption that one white guy can make a statement and that statement stands as true! Why would people believe his version is true? Because they are predisposed to believing the Black guy is always the problem.”
Snipes has made the news for an alleged assault claim before when Christopher Williams claimed in 2004 that Snipes was the one that beat Halle Berry so severely that she lost most of her hearing in her right year. Berry herself hasn’t named her attacker from the previous relationship. So, Williams divulged that it was Snipes since people were assuming it was Williams (also an ex of Berry’s).
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“The stuff they wrote about [me] and Halle was totally false,” he said at the time. “They said something like I busted her eardrum, and I’m tired of it. I never said it [before] but I’m so tired of people thinking I’m the guy [who did it]. Wesley Snipes busted her eardrum, not me.”
As for the character of Blade, Marvel will be reviving the film with a new lead—Mahershala Ali.


theroot--2020-11-04--The Winner of the 2020 Election Was Drug Reform

The clear victor on election night was neither President Donald Trump nor Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden—it was drugs .
Voters in six states across the country backed more progressive drug laws , continuing a long march toward legalization .
Among them are New Jersey , Arizona , Montana and South Dakota , who each voted to legalize recreational marijuana , and Mississippi , where voters passed a ballot measure that legalized cannabis for medical use .
But the standout of the night was Oregon , which became the first state to legalize small amounts of hard drugs such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is significant because Oregon has been hit hard by both the opioid and meth epidemics , with meth being the leading cause of drug-related deaths among Oregonians last year .
The new drug initiative means that the state won ’ t try to treat this problem through the criminal justice system .
As the Associated Press reports , the new law will permit people arrested with small amounts of hard drugs to avoid jail time and criminal trials by paying a $ 100 fine and attending an addiction recovery program .
Those programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from legalized marijuana revenues .
But while the changes across the different states are welcome—particularly for criminal justice reform advocates—state officials and local organizers are still figuring out how recent legalization efforts can directly benefit the people most impacted by the nation ’ s decades-long “ War on Drugs ” —a massive , multi-agency effort that led to disparate spikes in incarceration rates , particularly among Black , Latinx and low-income communities .
In New Jersey , for instance , the recently passed ballot measure requires a commission to be put in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be enacted so that the main benefactors include the very households and communities decimated by federal and state drug policies .
In total , the sweep of new drug laws mean that a third of Americans now live in states where the sale of recreational marijuana is legal , Market Watch reports .

The clear victor on election night was neither President Donald Trump nor Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden—it was drugs.
Voters in six states across the country backed more progressive drug laws, continuing a long march toward legalization. Among them are New Jersey, Arizona, Montana and South Dakota, who each voted to legalize recreational marijuana, and Mississippi, where voters passed a ballot measure that legalized cannabis for medical use.
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But the standout of the night was Oregon, which became the first state to legalize small amounts of hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.
This is significant because Oregon has been hit hard by both the opioid and meth epidemics, with meth being the leading cause of drug-related deaths among Oregonians last year. The new drug initiative means that the state won’t try to treat this problem through the criminal justice system. As the Associated Press reports, the new law will permit people arrested with small amounts of hard drugs to avoid jail time and criminal trials by paying a $100 fine and attending an addiction recovery program.
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Those programs will be provided by treatment centers funded from legalized marijuana revenues.
But while the changes across the different states are welcome—particularly for criminal justice reform advocates—state officials and local organizers are still figuring out how recent legalization efforts can directly benefit the people most impacted by the nation’s decades-long “War on Drugs”—a massive, multi-agency effort that led to disparate spikes in incarceration rates, particularly among Black, Latinx and low-income communities. In New Jersey, for instance, the recently passed ballot measure requires a commission to be put in place to study and propose how cannabis laws can be enacted so that the main benefactors include the very households and communities decimated by federal and state drug policies.
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In total, the sweep of new drug laws mean that a third of Americans now live in states where the sale of recreational marijuana is legal, Market Watch reports.


theroot--2020-11-04--This Japanese Beauty Product Removes Dry-Ass Skin to Make Your Feet Baby Soft

It ’ s almost winter .
That inevitably means dry skin , specifically on our legs and feet .
Plus , with Ms. Rona still on all our backs , you might be skeptical of getting a pedicure at a local hair salon .
Don ’ t worry , I was too .
Backstory—my skin is always ashy in the winter .
Especially my feet .
I ’ m not ashamed to admit it because knowing the truth allows me to moisturize the hell out of my body , even in the summer .
Without monthly pedicures , my feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s , which isn ’ t a good look .
Months had gone by during the pandemic and my feet communicated to me that they were tripping , which led me to treat myself to some good ol ’ fashioned self-care .
So , with a little research and recommendations from some of my beauty editor friends , I decided on Baby Foot .
It ’ s a Japanese beauty product designed to slowly peel dead skin from your feet over the span of five to eight days .
Sure , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s experiences , but I honestly thought it wouldn ’ t be that dramatic , and right after , they would go back to being ashy as hell .
I ordered the package off Amazon , and while I don ’ t endorse billionaires like Jeff Bezos , the convenience of free , two-day shipping doesn ’ t elude me .
When you first open the package you ’ ll get two plastic booties filled with serum—specifically a blend of fruit acid extracts that include camomile , lemon , and grapefruit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ naturally break through barriers of dry , dead skin and exfoliate , which will , in time , peel layers upon layers to reveal soft-ass feet !
But the process is long as hell .
After “ soaking ” my feet in these plastic booties for about an hour , you ’ ll have to rinse them with soap and water and then put some socks on .
I swear , if you don ’ t heed any other advice , listen to this—please , please , please find your favorite pair of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duration of the five to eight days .
Over the week , my skin peeled like a snake , I ’ m talking layers .
I almost felt like Ruby from Lovecraft Country whenever she transforms back into a Black woman , but with less blood and guts .
Dead skin was everywhere—my rug , my wood floors , and because I ’ m not a weirdo and don ’ t sleep with socks , my bed !
The cleanup of the skin was grosser than the actual process .
But eventually , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ all , when I say I wanted to keep touching my heels and toes ?
They were that soft .
And also easier to moisturize .
My best beauty guess is because the layers of skin shed , the combination of lotion and oil I used was able to penetrate the skin barrier , leading to smooth and silky feet !
So far , it ’ s been a couple of months since the whole transformative process , and my foot skin is still going strong on the moisturizing front .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baby Foot to any girl , guy , or non-binary person who suffers from dry-ass skin .
It ’ s good for folks with sensitive skin prone to irritation .
So if you aren ’ t ready to take the leap out of lockdown to get your feet scrubbed at the nail salon , here ’ s a DIY alternative .
Just please , for the sake of yourself and others , wear the damn socks !

Ignacia on The Inventory, shared by Ignacia to The Root

Baby Foot Exfoliating Foot Peel | $25 | Amazon
It’s almost winter. That inevitably means dry skin, specifically on our legs and feet. Plus, with Ms. Rona still on all our backs, you might be skeptical of getting a pedicure at a local hair salon. Don’t worry, I was too.
Backstory—my skin is always ashy in the winter. Especially my feet. I’m not ashamed to admit it because knowing the truth allows me to moisturize the hell out of my body, even in the summer. Without monthly pedicures, my feet are just as calloused as Fred Flintstone’s, which isn’t a good look. Months had gone by during the pandemic and my feet communicated to me that they were tripping, which led me to treat myself to some good ol’ fashioned self-care.
So, with a little research and recommendations from some of my beauty editor friends, I decided on Baby Foot. It’s a Japanese beauty product designed to slowly peel dead skin from your feet over the span of five to eight days. Sure, I’ve seen the videos of people’s experiences, but I honestly thought it wouldn’t be that dramatic, and right after, they would go back to being ashy as hell.
I ordered the package off Amazon, and while I don’t endorse billionaires like Jeff Bezos, the convenience of free, two-day shipping doesn’t elude me. When you first open the package you’ll get two plastic booties filled with serum—specifically a blend of fruit acid extracts that include camomile, lemon, and grapefruit. The goal is to let these ingredients naturally break through barriers of dry, dead skin and exfoliate, which will, in time, peel layers upon layers to reveal soft-ass feet!
Advertisement
But the process is long as hell. After “soaking” my feet in these plastic booties for about an hour, you’ll have to rinse them with soap and water and then put some socks on. I swear, if you don’t heed any other advice, listen to this—please, please, please find your favorite pair of socks and keep them on for the duration of the five to eight days. Over the week, my skin peeled like a snake, I’m talking layers. I almost felt like Ruby from Lovecraft Country whenever she transforms back into a Black woman, but with less blood and guts. Dead skin was everywhere—my rug, my wood floors, and because I’m not a weirdo and don’t sleep with socks, my bed! The cleanup of the skin was grosser than the actual process.
But eventually, my feet stopped peeling, and y’all, when I say I wanted to keep touching my heels and toes? They were that soft. And also easier to moisturize. My best beauty guess is because the layers of skin shed, the combination of lotion and oil I used was able to penetrate the skin barrier, leading to smooth and silky feet! So far, it’s been a couple of months since the whole transformative process, and my foot skin is still going strong on the moisturizing front.
Advertisement Advertisement
All in all, I’d recommend Baby Foot to any girl, guy, or non-binary person who suffers from dry-ass skin. It’s good for folks with sensitive skin prone to irritation. So if you aren’t ready to take the leap out of lockdown to get your feet scrubbed at the nail salon, here’s a DIY alternative. Just please, for the sake of yourself and others, wear the damn socks!


theroot--2020-11-04--Because We All Need Some Joy Today, Mark Cuban Shares Photos of Delante West's Progress After Enteri

Because We All Need Some Joy Today, Mark Cuban Shares Photos of Delante West's Progress After Entering Rehab

The last 24 hours have been emotionally draining for all of us , but thankfully Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has blessed us all with a little bit of good news to lift our spirits .
Former NBA player Delonte West has been through hell and back since his days of knocking down three-pointers in the NBA .
And after battling homelessness , a bi-polar diagnosis , financial strife and other personal challenges , as we previously reported at The Root , Cuban picked him up at a gas station in September in order to help him get his life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we got a much-anticipated update from Cuban , who took to Twitter to share pictures of Delonte ’ s continued progress at an undisclosed recovery center .
“ Because we all want something to feel great about today , here is your Delonte West update , ” Cuban tweeted .
“ It ’ s still an uphill battle , but he is climbing !
” As we previously reported at The Root , Cuban took it upon himself to intervene after West ’ s mother , Delphina Addison , asked him to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only obliged but after locating West and picking him up from a Dallas-area gas station himself , Cuban has also offered to cover any costs associated with treatment that would help West get his life back on track .
Cuban has been extremely protective of West ’ s privacy in the time since only admitting that he ’ s offered his help and has left it to West ’ s family to provide any further details to the public .
“ I can just confirm that I found him and helped him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in September .
“ The rest is up to Delonte and his family to tell.
” These are the types of feel-good stories we definitely need more of , so we wish Delonte well on his recovery .

The last 24 hours have been emotionally draining for all of us, but thankfully Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has blessed us all with a little bit of good news to lift our spirits.
Former NBA player Delonte West has been through hell and back since his days of knocking down three-pointers in the NBA. And after battling homelessness, a bi-polar diagnosis, financial strife and other personal challenges, as we previously reported at The Root, Cuban picked him up at a gas station in September in order to help him get his life back on track.
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On Tuesday, we got a much-anticipated update from Cuban, who took to Twitter to share pictures of Delonte’s continued progress at an undisclosed recovery center.
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“Because we all want something to feel great about today, here is your Delonte West update,” Cuban tweeted. “It’s still an uphill battle, but he is climbing!”
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As we previously reported at The Root, Cuban took it upon himself to intervene after West’s mother, Delphina Addison, asked him to help her track down her son. Cuban not only obliged but after locating West and picking him up from a Dallas-area gas station himself, Cuban has also offered to cover any costs associated with treatment that would help West get his life back on track. Cuban has been extremely protective of West’s privacy in the time since only admitting that he’s offered his help and has left it to West’s family to provide any further details to the public.
“I can just confirm that I found him and helped him,” Cuban told The Washington Post in September. “The rest is up to Delonte and his family to tell.”
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These are the types of feel-good stories we definitely need more of, so we wish Delonte well on his recovery.


theroot--2020-11-04--Joe Biden Might Still Win, But White Supremacy is Undefeated

If you extract yourself from your body and the present and view America as a single , 401-year-long continuum , the only aspect of our nation that has remained static through our existence is white supremacy .
It is both the threading fabric connecting 1619 to 1776 to 1863 to 1956 to 2016 and the amniotic fluid greasing our gears .
The few times America has achieved some level of what we ’ ve branded racial progress occurs only when a large enough minority of white people align with us and are able to nullify the white majority .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise solid crease .
Joe Biden—who still might actually win the presidency—is a reluctant concession to this reality .
He is a deeply problematic white man who generates no enthusiasm with the electorate but was chosen as the Democratic nominee on a wager .
Maybe , we collectively decided , if we choose one of their own , enough white people will decide to choose an average white man instead of the worst white man .
Maybe enough white people will prioritize their actual lives over the retention of whiteness ’ s status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ ll see .
But that this contest is even close , is even a fucking contest , is a reminder of a reality we know in our bones but are still reminded of each election season .
Most white Americans are either unflinchingly anti-Black or are fine with anti-Blackness , which ultimately is a useless distinction .
Regardless of where you exist in America—New York , Mississippi , Oregon , California , wherever the fuck—once you inch outside of a major metropolitan area , you will be in a place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live there value whiteness more than survival .
( And the “ safety ” of cities for us is both relative and a mirage . )
It ’ s foolish and goofy as fuck to pretend—as many of us do—that the southern states are uniquely racist .
The only major electoral difference between Pennsylvania and Alabama is that the biggest cities in PA are large enough to possibly ( hopefully ) nullify the rest of the state .
We are , and have always been , the United Sundown States of America .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ supremacy is , and what it does , what it definitely ain ’ t is inevitable .
Or unbeatable .
We will still fight it , we will still trick it , we will still ridicule it , we will still tell it to go fuck itself , we will still find truth in contrast to white America ’ s pathological myopia , and we will still locate and conjure space within this motherfucker to breathe and to dream and to live and to love .
It might be undefeated , but so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fuck are we .

Damon Young on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Damon Young to The Root

If you extract yourself from your body and the present and view America as a single, 401-year-long continuum, the only aspect of our nation that has remained static through our existence is white supremacy. It is both the threading fabric connecting 1619 to 1776 to 1863 to 1956 to 2016 and the amniotic fluid greasing our gears. The few times America has achieved some level of what we’ve branded racial progress occurs only when a large enough minority of white people align with us and are able to nullify the white majority. And these instances are anomalies—slight wrinkles on an otherwise solid crease.
Joe Biden—who still might actually win the presidency—is a reluctant concession to this reality. He is a deeply problematic white man who generates no enthusiasm with the electorate but was chosen as the Democratic nominee on a wager. Maybe, we collectively decided, if we choose one of their own, enough white people will decide to choose an average white man instead of the worst white man. Maybe enough white people will prioritize their actual lives over the retention of whiteness’s status.
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Maybe the bet will pay off. We’ll see. But that this contest is even close, is even a fucking contest, is a reminder of a reality we know in our bones but are still reminded of each election season. Most white Americans are either unflinchingly anti-Black or are fine with anti-Blackness, which ultimately is a useless distinction. Regardless of where you exist in America—New York, Mississippi, Oregon, California, wherever the fuck—once you inch outside of a major metropolitan area, you will be in a place where most of the white people who live there value whiteness more than survival. (And the “safety” of cities for us is both relative and a mirage.) It’s foolish and goofy as fuck to pretend—as many of us do—that the southern states are uniquely racist. The only major electoral difference between Pennsylvania and Alabama is that the biggest cities in PA are large enough to possibly (hopefully) nullify the rest of the state. We are, and have always been, the United Sundown States of America.
Still, although we know what white supremacy is, and what it does, what it definitely ain’t is inevitable. Or unbeatable. We will still fight it, we will still trick it, we will still ridicule it, we will still tell it to go fuck itself, we will still find truth in contrast to white America’s pathological myopia, and we will still locate and conjure space within this motherfucker to breathe and to dream and to live and to love. It might be undefeated, but so the fuck were our ancestors. So the fuck are we.