'Tis the season for holiday shopping and — if you’re anything like my procrastinating self — being suuuuper stressed about what to get everyone. The pressure to find gifts for all your tias and primas can be overwhelming, especially if you’re looking to switch up your gift-giving game this year. Our approach: to shop with your giftee's personality in mind, instead of going the gift-card route yet again (hey, no judgment).
When you’re trying to find the best gifts for beauty lovers, consider their overall aesthetic first. Are they a no-makeup minimalist? Do they wear a red lip religiously? Is their smoky eye the best you’ve ever seen? Zero in on which products they use on the reg to inspire your search. You want to treat them to a gift they’ll actually incorporate into their routine, because nothing’s worse than splurging on a product only for it to be abandoned in their drawer or cabinet until they inevitably toss it.
So, to ensure that your gift doesn’t face that tragic fate, we curated a list of products from Latinx-owned brands (because, support) at Ulta Beauty that work for every beauty personality type. Click through and shop our gift picks, so you get back to focusing on more important things — like watching your favorite holiday rom-com for the millionth time.
For: The sister who likes to steal your brushes and tools
Why they’d love it: Because being hermanas doesn’t mean you have to share everything — including (and especially!) makeup applicators. Give your sis a not-so-subtle hint that it’s time for her to have her own blender for contouring and touch-ups.
Beautyblender Original Beautyblender, $, available at Ulta BeautyDesign by Elaine Ahn
For: The coworker who almost exclusively wears a no-makeup makeup look
Why they’d love it: This luxe, ultra-hydrating lip balm functions more like a gloss, giving your minimalist-leaning colleague a touch of glam without being over-the-top. Plus, papaya seed oil and acai berry oil naturally exfoliates and nourishes dry, chapped lips.
Elaluz by Camila Coelho 24K Lip Therapy, $, available at Ulta BeautyDesign by Elaine Ahn
Why they’d love it: When she wants a splash of color but doesn't want to commit to a full-on lipstick, a lip tint offers the best of both worlds. This vibrant shade is an instant head-turner that easily transitions from day to night — and even better, it can double as a blush.
Ere Perez Beetroot Cheek & Lip Tint, $, available at Ulta BeautyDesign by Elaine Ahn
Why they’d love it: Every hug from your tia is a treat — not just because you love her, but because she always smells like she just walked through the most aromatic garden. This trio of travel-sized roller perfumes will upgrade her already impressive fragrance collection.
Carolina Herrera Good Girl Rollerball Trio Gift Set, $, available at Ulta BeautyDesign by Elaine Ahn
For: The BFF who’s never not watching skin-care regimen videos
Why they’d love it: Your friend is obsessed with skin-care TikTok and is in constant pursuit of the ultimate glowy face. This lightweight oil locks in hydration and leaves skin feeling super soft and radiant, so it’s sure to become one of her new everyday faves.
Elaluz by Camila Coelho Beauty Oil, $, available at Ulta BeautyDesign by Elaine Ahn
Why they’d love it: Part detangler, part refreshing mist, this spray is a versatile essential for anyone dealing with daily curl maintenance. Infused with frizz-reducing coconut oil and moisturizing shea butter, your curly-haired prima will wonder how she went so long without it.
Rizos Curls Refresh & Detangle Spray, $, available at Ulta BeautyDesign by Elaine Ahn
For: The influencer friend who wishes she was on a beach right this minute
Why they’d love it: It’s winter, so for most people, pool and beach time have been drastically reduced. Achieving that sunkissed glow year-round is possible with this bronzer that works overnight, and is infused with eucalyptus leaf essential oil and rose scent (no gross self-tanner smells here).
Elaluz by Camila Coelho Overnight Facial Glow, $, available at Ulta BeautyDesign by Elaine Ahn
For: The beauty queen who is a master at the smoky eye
Why they’d love it: For the makeup pro whose smokey eye is truly unmatched, a classic black eyeliner is a thoughtful gift you know they’ll use all the time. Plus, the soft pencil comes in five different colors and has jojoba oil, which nourishes skin along the lashline for a gentle, high-impact finish.
Ere Perez Jojoba Eye Pencil, $, available at Ulta BeautyDesign by Elaine Ahn
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There’s something about corny Christmas movies that has me in the tightest chokehold every single year around this time, and well into January. If you need me, I’ll be on my couch bingeing every overly saccharine movie about a workaholic city woman who reluctantly goes to a small town — sometimes her hometown — during the holidays only to discover, also reluctantly, that the true meaning of the season is to fall in love with a man who works with his hands and usually wears plaid. The moral of the story is that only Scrooges care about their jobs and that Christmas is really about realizing you’re in love with someone after a few days and sharing a chaste kiss after 90 minutes of sexual tension. Not only do most of these stories go against all my beliefs and values as a workaholic woman who lives in a big city, but they also aren’t as horny as I typically prefer my movies to be. And yet, I will watch them all. For whatever reason, they hit the spot like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold, snowy, Christmas night.
The thing is, there are so many of these movies that sifting through the really bad to get to the good-bad (let’s be honest, they all fall on the so-bad-it’s-good spectrum) can be tough, and a lot of these Best Hallmark Holiday Movies roundups are as white as the snow that falls at the most romantic moments in said films. But in the past few years, we’ve seen a new crop of corny rom-com queens emerge like Kat Graham (A Christmas Calendar) Christina Millian (Memories of Christmas), Kelly Rowland (Merry Liddle Christmas), and Tia and Tamara Mowry (too many to count!). So, here’s a breakdown of the best (read: corniest, most comforting, oddly calming) Black Christmas movies of 2021.
Christmas In Harmony
(Hallmark)
We all know there’s no better Christmas music than Black Christmas music at church (The Preacher’s Wife hive, where you at?) — apologies to Mariah Carey, but you know I’m telling the truth! This corny Christmas movie is set against the backdrop of a church choir called The Holiday Chorus and two competitive exes who are thrust back into each other’s lives. Ashleigh Murray and Luke James play the exes who hit all the right notes. Michelle Williams in a diva role she was born to play (don’t sleep on Michelle’s comedic timing) and Loretta Devine being, well, divine, round out the stellar cast. Photo: Courtesy of the Hallmark Channel.
A Picture Perfect Holiday
(Lifetime)
Not all rom-com tropes are created equal. I don’t love some of them (like the heartless big city girl who needs a man to find her soul) and others I am all here for (can’t get enough of the fake romance-to-falling-in-love pipeline). A Picture Perfect Holidaystarring Tatyana Ali and Henderson Wade includes one of my favorite tropes: when two extremely hot people get stuck sharing a room against their will. Ali plays Gaby, an ambitious freelance photographer looking to move up in her industry. In order to do so, she must attend a Christmas photo retreat. Wade plays Sean, a wildlife photographer also in town for the retreat. A mixup leaves them as roommates, and as their personalities clash, they also — wait for it — fall in love! At Christmas! I haven’t actually seen the movie yet, but I think it’s a safe bet.
Miracle In Motor City
(Lifetime)
They had me at Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Mark Taylor. Not only did the two work together over two decades ago on Seventeen Again, they are also the stars of two of the most important shows from my childhood: Sister, Sister and Student Bodies (a Canadian classic) respectively. I was already sold on Miracle In Motor City based on the leads alone, but it’s also a love letter to Detroit (the city I got engaged in) and Motown (the soundtrack of my parents’ youth) featuring the one and only Smokey Robinson playing himself. Mowry-Hardrict plays Amber, a social worker who must take charge of her church’s Christmas pageant and reconnects with her ex-boyfriend Eddie (Taylor) as they attempt to stage the best pageant Motor City has ever seen. Inject it!
A Holiday Chance
(In Theatres and VOD)
What’s Christmas without some family drama? If you’re looking for a movie that digs a bit deeper than a wholesome romance and gets into the complexities of grief during the holidays with a side of sibling rivalry, the Chance family is here to deliver it all. The movie follows two sisters Noel Chance (Nafessa Williams) and Naomi Chance (Sharon Leal) who are forced to work together to save their family’s multi-million-dollar film company after a sudden tragedy. Richard Lawson (aka Miss Tina’s husband) also stars as their dad. There is drama, but you’ll also get some laughs and a little bit of romance too.
Single All The Way
(Netflix)
Yes, one half of the leading men of Single All The Way is white, but since there aren’t a lot of Black gay Christmas romances, a swirl couple is going to have to do (for now — expecting more out of this genre aside from straight Black couples next season!). Single All The Way is about Peter, played by Michael Urie, who is a perpetually single man attempting to avoid his family’s judgment during the holidays and convinces his best friend Nick to pretend to be his boyfriend. Newcomer and extremely handsome ass man Philemon Chambers plays his fake boyfriend (my favorite trope!) and I’m sure this isn’t the last we’re going to see of Chambers or his abs. When Peter’s mom sets him up on a blind date with a hot personal trainer (played by Luke Macfarlane), things don’t go exactly as planned.
Under The Christmas Tree
(Lifetime)
Another corny rom-com that doesn’t star two straight characters. It’s a Christmas miracle! Under The Christmas Tree is Lifetime’s first lesbian romance. It’s about Alma (Elise Bauman) and Charlie (Tattiawna Jones) who cross paths when Charlie finds the perfect tree for a holiday celebration in Alma’s backyard. Sparks fly instantly — just kidding, they hate each other at first, of course. The enemies-to-lovers trope is another Christmas rom-com classic. The animosity soon turns into affection and both learn to take a leap of faith for the sake of the season, and the magic of falling in love. At Christmas!
A Christmas Dance Reunion
(Lifetime)
I think about High School Musical often — way too often — and the main thing that keeps me up at night is the fact that Chad Danforth and Taylor McKessie deserved MORE. Corbin Bleu (Chad) and Monique Coleman (Taylor) were relegated to the sidekick Black best friends and didn’t get the shine they should have in HSM. Well, Bleu and Coleman are back, they’re grown, they’re THEE stars, and they’re falling in love. A Christmas Dance Reunion is about a New York attorney Lucy (Coleman) who is invited to a Christmas farewell at a resort where her family has celebrated holidays in the past where she is reunited with her childhood dance partner, Barrett (Bleu). The two get to know each other again as they plan the Christmas Dance at the resort. It’s delightful and entertaining for the entire family — not just the High School Musical stans.
A Christmas Treasure
(Hallmark)
Here’s a Christmas romance that features not one but two characters at a career crossroads, and it’s not just the workaholic woman. You know what that is? Growth. Jordin Sparks plays Lou, a woman who discovers a 100-year-old time capsule with her grandfather’s journal in it. After uncovering the relic, she questions whether she should move to New York to further her writing career or stay in her hometown, Pine Grove, to take over her family’s local newspaper. Meeting a charming chef Kyle (Michael Xavier) who is also questioning his future helps her on her journey. And so does the magic of Christmas!
Merry Liddle Christmas Baby
(Lifetime)
In the third — yes, third — installment of the Merry Liddle franchise, Kelly Rowland is back as Jacquie and Thomas Cadrot returns as Tyler, the beloved Liddles. They are gearing up for the birth of their first baby as Jacquie’s sister Treena (Latonya Williams) and her husband Julian (Jaime M Callica) are contemplating adoption. If you’re familiar with the Liddle family, you know some mischief and magic will ensue.
Christmas Deja Vu
(BET)
Give Amber Riley all the things!!! That’s it. That’s the description. OK fine, I’ll give you a bit more. Riley plays Kandi, an aspiring singer who’s still reeling from the death of her father. The holiday season isn’t looking great until all she’s ever wanted for Christmas comes true: an angel makes her dreams of becoming a singer a reality. Can a Christmas angel grant my wish of being the lead in a Christmas rom-com opposite Michael B. Jordan? I’ll take a fake dating trope please! Anyway, for now, Kandi’s Christmas miracle will have to do. Loretta Devine also blesses us with her presence in this film.
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I’m going to address you like the people of the internet do: as if you’re a singular person, a real woman. I just felt the need to offer a few words as I close out one of the most incredible chapters of my personal and professional life.
I remember when we first met. It was the summer of 2010. I had just graduated college and was interning at MSNBC. I was killing time in between broadcasts when I stumbled across your website.
In 2010, you were known for hair care and advocating that we date and marry white men. But even then, there were also glimmers of the fact that five years later, you would hold the title of the most trafficked site in Black media. I think it was your honesty. You featured pieces that examined the relationship Black women share with one another. And others that invited Black women to question the way they showed up in the world. You, more gutsy than glossy, were being presented to the world at the same time I was navigating it for the first time as a grown woman.
Luckily, our paths aligned.
After that summer internship, I took a temp job. I was so happy to be surviving in New York City that for a couple of months I lost sight of my goal of working as a writer. Thankfully, during a pensive lunch with my sister, I verbalized the fact I wasn’t living in my purpose and I started making moves.
At the end of 2010, we’d meet again on Craigslist.
I wrote an email, complete with my resume and what had to have been my 50th cover letter that year.
I said a prayer before I hit send and had a good feeling about you.
A couple weeks later, I got an interview. And days later, an offer.
When I think about how to describe the elation I felt seeing my byline, no words come to mind, just tears to my eyes.
I had gone from a child writing in a diary to being paid for my words. Even now, more than a decade after that first piece, that reality is still so delightful.
I’ll always be eternally grateful that you were the first one to show me that my talent was sufficient and my dream was possible.
The dream was made sweeter because the work we did centered and catered to Black women.
On more than one occasion, Black women have told me how you, MadameNoire, encouraged them to attend therapy, leave a relationship that no longer served them, made them laugh, or simply helped them feel seen in a world that is all too quick to disregard us.
There is no greater honor than having worked to entertain, inspire, and encourage Black women–the salt of this earth.
There were plenty of personal perks working with you as well. Because of you, I’ve been flewed out, conversed with people I greatly admire, watched some of the best artists of our time, and honed my own craft as a writer. I’ve grown as a human being in more ways than I could list.
With you, I was able to support myself in my darling and detestable New York City. I met my husband leaving you at the office one day and you gave me space to memorialize the encounter.
You and I both know that shit wasn’t always sweet though. While we both took pride in the fact that you were and have always been Black owned and operated, it was you who taught me the bitter lesson that Black folk in Black spaces also wield misogynoir as a weapon.
Thank you for that too.
Of everything you’ve given me, the greatest treasure is the group of Black women you’ve placed in my life. Through you, I was able to sustain relationships and build new ones with the only real, genuine friends I’ve made as an adult.
I’ve cried, commiserated, and straight clowned with these Black women in ways that have left an indelible mark on my heart. It’s their sisterhood I’ll take with me as I say goodbye to you.
After a year-long blur of evolving restrictions coated in copious amounts of hand sanitizer and doom scrolling, one of our main takeaways from 2021 is that there’s only so much we can do to prepare for the ups and downs of life’s path. But when it comes to climbing those proverbial mountains, fashion people know that you can at least dress the part — which explains why the hiking boot trend has officially reached its peak.
Nature looked better than ever over the course of the lockdown, and a ripple effect across wardrobes and social media feeds was quick to follow. First, the nap dress hit the style scene in 2020 in all its tiered and frothy goodness, made for afternoon snoozing and forest frolicking alike. Then, as temperatures dropped with the dawn of a new year on the horizon, what became known as cottagecore morphed into cabincore, another comfort-oriented aesthetic that favored chunky knits, tartan, quilted fabrics, and the footwear to boot: durable, lug-sole shoes designed for adventure — and now, adventurous dressing.
Even as we dust off our heels and shimmy into neglected party frocks to usher in 2022, the appeal of life in the woods has not lost its luster. In fact, it’s infiltrating other parts of our wardrobes with performance footwear leading the way.
Paule Tenaillon, co-founder of the Parisian brand Nomasei, has a similar vision for the styling potential of her label’s Slalom shoe, which she describes on the site as “all-terrain boots” inspired by her grandmother’s glamorous ski attire in the ‘70s. The boot, with two-toned double lacing, can be worn with “a daytime dress during the week” or to complement a relaxed ensemble for a countryside getaway. There’s a nostalgic quality to the design — an homage to both Tenaillon’s grandmother and to the happy childhood moments she spent in the mountains — which quickly ended up being one of Nomasei’s top sellers after they first became available for purchase in late 2019.
Maguire agrees, saying she has noticed shoppers gravitating toward versatile performance boots that can transition from day to night. Like the chunky dad sneakers of Balenciaga fame, the hiker shoe is just the right amount of ugly to add interest to even the most pedestrian outfits, yet stylish enough to not look out of place with a dress when worn with confidence. The resulting vibe is footpath-turned-catwalk.
Follow this trail trend back a bit and you’ll find yourself face-to-face with Bryan “Bryanboy” Yambao’s daring and prescient adoption of the look in the summer of 2018 when he stepped into Paris Men’s Fashion Week looking like he came straight from the French Alps (minus the trekking poles). Wearing hiking boots and thick black socks, he successfully turned the style dial up a notch with a patterned button-down, a scattering of accessories, and cargo-esque shorts. As these things go, it was only a matter of time before the look went mainstream, with the allure of #cabincore accelerating its arrival. Four years later, mountain-ready shoes are everywhere — from Prada to Ganni and everything in between.
It’s this month’s high-profile, back-to-back drops that prove the hiking boot is here to take over as winter’s biggest shoe trend. On November 1, swanky skiwear label Moncler joined forces with cult-cool sneaker brand HOKA to release a high-performance shoe meant for mastering both mountains and modern cities. Just last week, for its first-ever foray into footwear, luxury outerwear brand Canada Goose launched its Journey Boot, a design that’s informed by the technicality of arctic and alpine boots but “with versatile features that make it equally essential for city adventures,” according to a press release. With such covetable brands on board, the hiking boot has amassed a style clout of Himalayan proportions.
For the unconvinced, let us remind you of the vice-like grip that athleisure has maintained on the fashion world. Its persistent relevance is rooted in the marriage of comfort and cool — two core elements fueling the hiking shoe’s climb to industry-wide popularity. The performance boot can make you feel like you’re in the Catskills when you’re actually returned to your old Brooklyn-Manhattan commute. But, at the very least, it’s an invitation for action after far too many months spent barefoot on the couch.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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Scarves have been a favorite accessory of mine for as long as I can remember. My collection includes different lengths, textures and patterns, though the scarves I’ve been wearing the most lately include medium length silk, and oversized cashmere. Colorful, silky scarves can draw the eye in a flattering way, while knit scarves add an essential layer of warmth when it’s cold outside. If you’re on the hunt for beautiful scarves this season, here are some favorite styles to add to your collection.
This beautiful silk scarf comes n a seasonal green shade and longer length to drape over the shoulders or tie loosely so it hangs softly beneath the neckline.
Wrap yourself in this over-sized cashmere scarf when there’s a chill in the air, whether at home, on a walk, or traveling (I always carry one on plane trips!).
Recently, the American Red Cross presented the “Sickle Cell Strong” Instagram LIVE event, hosted by Rashan Ali and featuring sickle cell advocates singer Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, NFL coach Bobby Engram and his wife, Deanna, as well as Red Cross medical director Dr. Yvette Miller to help raise awareness of sickle cell disease and the critical need for blood donations from individuals within the Black community.
Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder and some of our favorite stars who are fighting this battle are raising awareness of its impact on our community. Many may not know that R&B artist Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins was told she wouldn’t live past 30 when she was diagnosed with sickle cell disease or that pro-NFL athlete and coach Bobby Engram is a sickle cell trait carrier and lost his eldest daughter to complications from the disease. Their experiences are why they are committed to sharing their stories to inspire the community to donate blood to help those fighting sickle cell who often depend on blood transfusions.
T-Boz, the queen of 90’s R&B, who lived for decades in our CD players and our hearts, was misdiagnosed at the age of seven and spent decades unsure of which type of sickle cell disease she had. While having the disease would not stop T-Boz from becoming part of TLC, one of the most iconic girl groups of all time, it would change her life and purpose forever.
“At 19 is when I got signed with TLC,” said T-Boz. “At that time, I didn’t want to tell anybody [about the disease] because I didn’t want it to stop anything, or for people to feel sorry for me, or for it to hinder anything I was trying to do. I got to the point where I said I want to fight this and not let it take over my life. We do have some days that are good. I want to take advantage of that. I also had a fear of talking in front of people – but I knew the message itself and the people I could help were bigger than my fear.”
Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins
Many Black people are secretly battling a disease that mainstream media rarely acknowledges. Sickle cell disease is a crippling illness that affects over 100,000 people in the U.S. – most of whom are of African descent. This inherited blood disorder distorts soft and round red blood cells and turns them hard and crescent-shaped, which often causes extreme pain and life-threatening complications. Moreover, symptoms vary widely across patients and those with the disease tend to have access to fewer health resources compared to individuals battling other diseases.,.
To put things into perspective, sickle cell disease occurs in 1 in every 365 births. And about 1 in 13 Black or African American babies in the U.S. is born with sickle cell trait. Many individuals are unaware if they carry this trait as sickle cell trait testing at birth was not widely provided until 2006. To provide greater health insight to those in the Black community, the Red Cross currently provides free sickle cell trait screening on all blood donations from self-identified African American donors. Health experts recommend those with sickle cell trait be aware of their status, so they can speak with a doctor about how it might impact them.
Like many, T-Boz didn’t always know how to manage the disease, landing her in hospital after hospital, missing tour dates, and contributing to a harrowing post-birth complication where she fell into a coma. Now, the four-time Grammy Award winner knows to strategically plan the timing of her tours to allow for plenty of rest, some massage therapy, and integrating a regimen of CBD. In dire cases, T-Boz has also had blood transfusions, which are an effective and proven way to treat sickle cell complications. And she’s not the only big name battling this complicated condition.
Famed NFL wide-receiver and tight ends coach for the Baltimore Ravens Bobby Engram and his wife, Deanna, are also intimately familiar with the gravity of sickle cell disease and the importance of blood transfusions. Both are Co-founders of the Bobbi Engram Foundation, a private non-profit organization named in honor of their daughter Bobbi Simone Engram – a sickle cell warrior who received blood transfusions as part of her treatment.
“We found out [we had the sickle cell trait] when we were pregnant with Bobbi. We had a blood test and were told that we had a 1 in 4 chance of having a child with sickle cell disease. But up until that point, we didn’t even know we had sickle cell trait”, Deanna shared. Two of their children were diagnosed with sickle cell disease, including their eldest, Bobbi, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 20 from sickle cell complications.
Bobby Engram
Deanna Engram
“Sickle cell patients have a good quality of life – but they also have these moments where it’s just really hard,” said Bobby Engram. “Intense bouts of pain, and there is always a low level of pain with most sickle cell patients we’ve come across, but when you go into a full-blown crisis, now you’re talking about pain that most adults haven’t experienced in their lives. You look normal, but everything you’re going through is so far from normal.”
Stories like the Engram’s remind us that despite the discovery of this disease more than a century ago, people with sickle cell disease, the majority of whom are Black, have less access to health care and experience worse health outcomes compared to similar diseases. One way our community can help those fighting the disease is by donating blood.
A single patient with sickle cell disease can require thousands of blood transfusions throughout their life. These frequent transfusions can cause patients with sickle cell disease to develop an immune response against blood from a donor that is not closely matched by the same race or similar ethnicity and blood type, leading to serious complications.
According to Dr. Yvette Miller, executive medical director at the Red Cross, “Many individuals of African descent have distinct markers or[protein] structures on their red blood cells that make their donations the most compatible blood to help patients with sickle cell disease.”
The Red Cross is continuing to expand partnerships within Black communities to engage new donors and ensure blood donation opportunities are reflective of the diverse communities they serve in order to best support patients battling sickle cell disease. The blood donation process is easy and safe. CDC-recommended protocols, such as social distancing and masks, are still in place, and people can use the Red Cross Blood Donor app to schedule an appointment and complete their health history questions the day of their appointment. At their appointment, presenting donors sign in and present their ID before going through a mini-physical where their pulse, temperature, blood pressure and hemoglobin levels are checked. Once eligible to give, donors will be seated to begin their donation, which takes about 8-10 minutes. Before leaving, donors head to the refreshment area for a snack, something to drink and a moment to relax. The entire process is typically completed in an hour.
“You are donating the gift of life to a person who may spend hours and hours of their lives in pain, ” said Dr. Miller. “The primary symptom of their disease is pain. So, [any discomfort with donating] is nothing compared to the lives of those with sickle cell disease who spend a lot of their lives in pain.”
When donors who are Black self-identify their race and ethnicity as African American, in addition to receiving health insight, they help the Red Cross better and more efficiently locate rare blood types to best meet the needs of patients with sickle cell. The Red Cross, T-Boz, and the Engrams hope that as more people know their trait status and how this invisible illness affects their community, more patients can receive the lifesaving care they need.
“We should not have to talk about our child in the past tense,” said Deanna Engram. “We’re fighting so no other parent has to go through what we’re going through.”
Blood transfusion is essential in managing the very real pain and long-term health of those with sickle cell disease. To schedule an appointment to donate blood or host a blood drive, visit RedCrossBlood.org/OurBlood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Read about another life changed by Sickle Cell, here.