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Publishing giant Simon & Schuster is facing criticism and outrage after it was reported that one of the company’s distribution clients is publishing a book by Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, one of the officers who shot Breonna Taylor during a March 2020 raid in Louisville, KY. The book, titled The Fight for Truth: The Inside Story Behind the Breonna Taylor Tragedy, is set for publication this fall. But following backlash, Simon & Schuster announced that it would not be involved in the book’s distribution.

As of Friday, though, the book will still be published by Post Hill Press, a Tennessee-based publishing house that specializes in Christian and conservative books. In an initial response, Simon & Schuster said that it has no editorial control over the books published by clients like Post Hill Press. Hours later, the company released a second statement: “Like much of the American public, earlier today Simon & Schuster learned of plans by distribution client Post Hill Press to publish a book by Jonathan Mattingly. We have subsequently decided not to be involved in the distribution of this book.”

Kelsey Merritt, a spokesperson for Post Hill Press, told The New York Times that the publisher stands by its decision to uplift Mattingly’s voice. “In the case of Sergeant Mattingly, the mainstream media narrative has been entirely one-sided related to this story and we feel that he deserves to have his account of the tragic events heard publicly, as well,” Merritt said.

All of this isn’t exactly out of character for the massive publishing house, or for its distribution client. Post Hill Press has published many questionable titles, including Trump and Reagan: Defenders of America, Grow Up and Vote for Trump: Why 2020 Is Your Last Chance to Become an Adult, and Elizabeth Warren: How Her Presidency Would Destroy the Middle Class and the American Dream. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who currently stands accused of sex trafficking underage girls, also published his book through Post Hill Press.

Simon & Schuster has previously faced similar criticism for taking on authors including Sen. Josh Hawley, who promoted Trump’s baseless theories about election fraud, and right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos. (Both were dropped before publication.) And, earlier this month, former Vice President Mike Pence signed on to publish two books through Simon & Schuster. And although the company has chosen to distance itself from the Mattingly title, it hasn’t yet severed its distribution deal with Post Hill Press — which means it is not only choosing to amplify the voice of one of Taylor’s killers, but attempting to profit off of her murder. (Refinery29 has reached out to Simon & Schuster for comment.)

Mattingly was one of seven officers who broke into Taylor’s home, and he fired at least one of the shots that killed her. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker — who was inside the apartment and believed this was a home intrusion — shot at Mattingly’s leg during the raid. Two of the three officers who opened fire during the attack were dismissed from the Louisville Police Department, but none were directly charged for their role in her murder. (Brett Hankison, who also shot into a neighboring apartment, was charged with wanton endangerment.) Mattingly later sued Walker for “emotional distress.”

Of all the officers involved in Taylor’s murder, Mattingly has been the most vocal. He gave an interview in October, in which he told Taylor’s mother that “no one should have to go through” what she did, but failed to apologize, and asserted that her death was “not a race thing.” And then, there was his meandering, six-paragraph email sent to around 1,000 officers in September 2020. 

“You DO NOT DESERVE to be in this position. The position that allows thugs to get in your face and yell, curse and degrade you,” Mattingly wrote, according to a screenshot first obtained by Vice correspondent Roberto Aram Ferdman. “Regardless of the outcome today or Wednesday, I know we did the legal, moral and ethical thing that night. It’s sad how the good guys are demonized, and criminals are canonized.” 

Mattingly later claimed that he wasn’t discussing Taylor’s death when referred to doing the “moral and ethical thing,” but to his job overall. Although he was reprimanded by the Louisville Police Chief for the email, he still remains employed.

This speaks to the most disturbing part of the controversy: Post Hill Press believes that Mattingly deserves to share “his side of the story,” as if his side isn’t that he’s currently alive, employed, and cleared of all charges. And in the wake of other police shootings just this week, the decision to give a platform to Mattingly only reminds us that the police continue to move on from, and even profit off of, the deaths that happen at their hands. Because the side of the story we should be hearing is Breonna Taylor’s — however, she was killed while sleeping in her home at 26 years old. She’ll never be able to tell it.

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On Thursday, Chicago officials released bodycam footage of the fatal March 29 shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo. The graphic video (which Refinery29 is not linking directly to in this article) shows a police officer chasing the 7th grader down an alleyway. The officer is heard yelling, “Stop right there!” then cursing as he screams at Toledo to show him his hands. Toledo then stops, turns towards the officer, and puts his hands up. Not even two seconds later, the officer fatally shoots the child in the chest.

The bodycam footage that was released includes a series of 17 videos, which together show exactly how Toledo was killed. And these videos are circulating rapidly in the wake of the fatal police shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright and during the ongoing trial of Derek Chauvin, who killed George Floyd. Prior to the release of the bodycam footage, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot attempted to quell the justifiable outrage of the shooting of a child by a member of law enforcement: “We all must proceed with deep empathy and calm, and importantly, peace,” she said. “No family should ever have a video broadcast widely of their child’s last moments, much less be placed in the terrible situation of  losing their child in the first place.”

However, no family should be lied to about the death of their child, either — and it seems law enforcement and the District Attorney (DA) were not forthcoming about the events that took place late last month before the footage was released.

Toledo was chased by police after local officers were dispatched and alerted of gunfire in the area around 2:36 a.m. on March 29. The teenager ran from officers, who were also chasing (and eventually captured) 21-year-old Ruben Roman. At 2:46 a.m., only ten minutes after the initial dispatch, Toledo was pronounced dead.

In the aftermath, officers and public officials painted Toledo as an armed threat. During a bond hearing for Roman, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy claimed Toledo had “a gun in his right hand” when he turned toward the officer. But the now-released footage shows otherwise: Toledo was unarmed, had his hand raised, complied with the officer’s order to stop, and was still gunned down so quickly, he wasn’t even given a chance.

In response to backlash toward Chicago police and officials for concealing details, Sarah Sinovic, a spokesperson for Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, told Chicago news station WGN Investigates that “an attorney who works in this office failed to fully inform himself before speaking in court.”

But the alleged mistake here raises additional questions as to how far police officers, district attorneys, and others in positions of power will go not just to avoid holding police departments accountable for the continued murder of Black and brown people, but the efforts they’ll make to cover for one another.

The shooting also calls into question how even bodycam footage fails to hold law enforcement accountable for their use of violence. “The police officer was put in this split-second situation where he has to make a decision,” Timothy Grace, a lawyer representing the Fraternal Order of Police in Chicago, said. Despite Grace’s statement, the fact that there is footage of a 13-year-old child being gunned down by police appears to, at this moment, be of no consequence.

Whether or not Toledo had a gun in his hand at the point of confrontation is irrelevant. Possessing a firearm, even illegally, is not an offense punishable by death, and police officers are not meant to be judges — or executioners. And if he did have a weapon on him at that moment, what he needed was support and safety — help to address why he would feel the need to supposedly brandish a firearm; accountability on behalf of those who helped him allegedly obtain a weapon; more common-sense gun laws that would close any loopholes that make it possible for young people to get their hands on deadly weapons. 

What the 7th grader — who was goofy, curious, and loved zombie movies, according to his grieving mother — did not need, was a bullet in his chest. 

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

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SheaMoisture’s New Collection for Wigs and Weaves is Here to Protect Your Crown!

In true #BlackGirlMagic fashion, Black female entrepreneurs are completely disrupting the wig and weave game. They are serving up higher quality extensions that more accurately reflect our range of natural textures and rich colors–heightening our incomparable swag.

We are so here for this new generation of wigs and weaves making good on its promise of providing natural hair protection, trend-setting cuts and styles, and hair color versatility for women of color.

But we forget that even protective styles require regular maintenance. Similar to keeping that fresh blowout or curly hair routine that matches your hair type, it takes just as much time, preparation, and specialty products to keep extensions looking fresh.

But as per usual, SheaMoisture has pulled all the way up to protect our edges, our time, and our crowns. Check out how top content creators, beauty gurus, and hairstylists are using the new SheaMoisture Wig & Weave Collection to slay!

Jazmin Rudolph (@allthatjazzglam) is a beauty and cosmetics entrepreneur and hairstylist. She is best known for her beautiful, custom-made lace-front wigs. In this video, she braids up her gorgeous, natural curls, to install a flawless silky unit. But first, she carefully and thoroughly applies SheaMoisture’s Wig & Weave Tea Tree & Borage Seed Oil Scalp Soother to the parts between each braid to ensure a healthy and happy scalp. This necessary step helps to alleviate scalp tension and discomfort associated with protective styles and moisturizes the skin with nourishing aloe vera.

 

Angela C. Stevens (@angelacstyles) is an Emmy award winning hairstylist, author, beauty consultant, and founder of Conscious Curls Hair. Angela has built her career around her passion to educate women by offering style solutions and hair care tips for extensions wearers and naturals alike throughout her 15 year career. Watch as she executes a flawless, curly look by defining and blending her partial leave-out with SheaMoisture’s Wig & Weave Tea Tree & Borage Seed Oil Flyaway & Wrap Mousse! 

 

Nne Aderonke (@nnestyledyou) is an entrepreneur and hairstylist who specializes in lace sew-in installments, custom units, and natural hair care. Her clientele includes R&B singer Ari Lennox and rapper Rico Na$ty. In this video, she’s rocking a rich and shiny burgundy lace front unit. To achieve the same high shine, voluminous finish, without any of the heavy, greasy feel, apply SheaMoisture’s Wig & Weave Tea Tree & Borage Seed Oil Shine Spray. Remember that a little goes a long way! 

 

If you’re new to this, we got you! Here’s a quick look at how to install a lace front unit at home: 

Step 1. Prep your natural hair by cleansing, conditioning, moisturizing, and bonnet drying before cornrowing and donning a stocking or wig cap. This protects your real hair and creates a smooth surface for the unit application. 

Step 2. Place the wig on your head to test the fit and to carefully cut away extra lace from the wig’s hairline using sharp scissors. Remove the wig and place it to the side for now. 

Step 3. Apply SheaMoisture’s Wig & Weave Tea Tree & Borage Seed Oil Bond Glue around your entire hairline, making sure to avoid your actual hair. Allow the glue to dry down and become tacky. This edge-friendly formula, enriched with tea tree oil, borage seed oil, and aloe vera, is water-based so it’s gentle on sensitive skin. The moisturizing glue helps you avoid the usual dryness and breakage experienced at the hairline from harsh adhesives. 

Step 4. Position the unit in place, matching up your hairline with its hairline, and press it against the tacky glue, working your way slowly around the entire hairline until it is completely secured. 

Step 5. Lay them baby hairs with SheaMoisture’s Wig & Weave Tea Tree & Borage Seed Oil Flyaway & Wrap Mousse, wrap your hairline until dry, style the length, and GO! 

Check out the complete SheaMoisture Wig & Weave Collection at Target and beauty supply stores! 

Do you wear Wigs and Weaves?

Have you tried the SheaMoisture Wig & Weave Collection yet?

Share your experience in the comments below! 

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curlynikki, Khareem Sudlow

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Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

Today: a finance associate who makes $250,000 and spends some of her money this week on a Pura.

Occupation: Associate
Industry: Finance
Age: 25
Location: New York, NY
Salary: $250,000 ($115,000 base salary with $135,000 annual bonus last year)
Net Worth: ~$300,000 ($95,000 in an employer-sponsored 401(k), $68,000 in a personal investment account, $22,000 in a personal retirement account (IRA), $13,000 in Fundrise (real estate ETF), $102,000 in a high yield savings account (Currently an anomaly, I try to keep ~$10,000 here as an emergency fund, but my year-end bonus is currently sitting in this account as I decide how to invest it).)
Debt: $0
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $3,000
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $2,050 for my half of a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan that I share with my roommate, L.
Utilities: $150
Spotify: 10
Netflix: $14 (A group of friends and family exchange access to some of their streaming services)
Scribd: $11 (to read books and magazines on my iPad)
Misfits Market: $53 (I’m on a bi-weekly subscription, I get a box once a month and donate the other)
Apple Storage: $1
Renters Insurance: $7
Donations: $255 (Kids in Need of Defense, Planned Parenthood, City Harvest, and Wikipedia)
Fitness: Pre-COVID, I paid $87 a month for Classpass. Now, I pay ~$150 a month for classes (some livestream, some virtual) at my favorite fitness studios still operating. Because several of my favorite studios have had to shutter permanently during COVID, I feel like this is worth it to support my favorite instructors and studios.

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, growing up in a second/third-generation immigrant family, there was always a strong focus on education as *the* key to achievement in the U.S. My grandparents paid for all four of their children’s college and higher education on store clerk salaries (a testament to the fact that a few decades ago, service jobs used to actually provide a living wage). With the combination of my parents and grandparents saving for my college education while I was growing up and in-state tuition to a state school, I graduated from college debt-free.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
My parents always emphasized the importance of saving more than you spend, spending wisely, and being generous with money when it matters (particularly to support family and friends in need). They also made sure I was financially literate from a young age. They discussed budgeting, tax preparation, how credit cards work, etc. They never discussed exactly how much money they made, but just communicated that financially, we were “comfortably middle class” or “upper-middle class.” In high school, my mom set up a credit card for me that she co-signed for so that I would begin to build credit.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was babysitting for my neighbors when I was a teenager. In retrospect, I was a pretty bad babysitter, but I guess the parents just appreciated the fact that I lived down the street and could be at their house on very short notice. The money I earned was entirely spending money for myself. At some point in high school, the expectation between myself and my parents became that they would pay for my groceries and shelter and I would pay for my own clothes, personal care, entertainment, etc.

Did you worry about money growing up?
Thankfully no. The most I ever remember being worried was during the 2007 – 2008 Great Recession. I was in middle school, but I heard (on the radio, news, school, etc.) about how the American middle class was being gutted and people were losing all of their savings. I distinctly remember asking my mom during a car ride what that meant for her and us. And her response was that her investment (e.g. her retirement, my college savings) accounts would be impacted, but that day-to-day, our lives were fine and we were a lot luckier than most.

Do you worry about money now?
No. I’m incredibly lucky to be working at a high-paying job where I can save about as much as I spend.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially independent when I graduated college and started working an investment banking job. I was (and am still) on my parents’ phone plan, but I direct deposit them quarterly for my portion of the bill.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No.

Day One

8:30 a.m. — Wake up and eat yogurt and make matcha tea for breakfast. Today’s President’s Day and because I’m off of work, I’m volunteering at a local food pantry/soup kitchen. I end up spending three hours packaging pecans and cookies into ~500 individual portions. This place serves around 700 meals to hungry and homeless New Yorkers every weekday. Since the COVID-pandemic set in, they’ve been offering food “to-go.” It takes an incredible amount of coordination from the staff and volunteers to make this happen every day.

12:30 p.m. — The volunteers have lunch together after shift, which ends up being fish, rice, and veggies. Delicious.

1 p.m. — Back home. I sign into my email, respond to a few things, and then take a nap.

5 p.m. — After a relaxing, lazy afternoon, I decide to sign up for a 6:30 barre class ($37). I walk there and back. $37

8 p.m. — Back home after barre, I heat up some leftovers I made over the weekend (salmon and pasta) and eat it with some chips and salsa.

9 p.m. — Tomorrow is one of my best friend’s (P.) birthdays and I’ve forgotten to get her something. Given that I haven’t seen her in over a year (because of COVID) and she lives in a different state, I feel like thoughtful birthday gifts are a nice way to share something tangible when everything else in our lives is virtual. I quickly scramble, text our other friend (N.) and we end up sending her some Compartes chocolate for her birthday ($25 for my half). It’ll end up arriving late, but P. isn’t currently at home anyways so hopefully, it arrives before she gets back. $25

Daily Total: $62

Day Two

9 a.m. — Wake up and make a smoothie for breakfast. Smoothies have been a cornerstone of my breakfast routine since high school (non-dairy unsweetened yogurt, frozen fruit, spinach, non-dairy milk, and whatever protein powders/seeds/oils my roommate L. or I have around).

1 p.m. — My workplace is allowing us to expense meals while working from home, which is very generous. I Seamless some roast chicken from a nearby gourmet grocery store ($18 with delivery cost and tip — expensed). I make a quick salad with mixed greens, avocado, macadamia nuts, and a dijon/apple cider vinegar/avocado oil dressing to eat with the chicken. ($18 expensed)

2 p.m. — I work through the afternoon, trying to sneak bites of roasted edamame beans between Zoom calls.

9 p.m. — Decide I’m done with work for the day, just in time to put on real pants and a little makeup before going out to dinner with my roommate, L. We both miss our pre-COVID lives where we would go out and see big groups of friends regularly and realize it’s going to be a long time before we are allowed to/feel comfortable to be hanging out with strangers at a crowded bar again. We agreed that we just need to spend more time and energy enjoying what we can in NYC, especially now that indoor dining just reopened. We snag a 9:30 reservation at an Italian restaurant. Thankfully, L. and I both love food and like to eat the same things, that’s probably 70% of why we get along as roommates. The veal and tiramisu and vibes are phenomenal. I really missed sitting indoors at restaurants and people watching the other diners and servers and bartenders, so tonight feels great. L.. and I split the bill — $100.10 for my portion. $110.10

11 p.m. — Do 20 minutes of half-assed, slightly tipsy yoga before bed.

Daily Total: $110.10

Day Three

9:30 a.m. — I go back and forth about whether or not I like working from home. I miss my cubicle space and being around other people while I work. But the one undeniable benefit is sleeping in every day. My first Zoom call today isn’t until 10, so I get to sleep in until 9:30. After answering a few quick emails, I make a matcha latte and change my nighttime pajamas into my marginally more professional daytime pajamas.

11 a.m. — I order a breakfast sandwich for a weekday brunch. It’s delicious even though I wolf it down in a few minutes between calls. ($24 expensed)

1:30 p.m. — I have four straight hours of Zoom after this, so I make a quick salad (just lettuce, oil, and vinegar) and get some water before sitting down again.

4 p.m. — Snack on some roasted edamame that I drunkenly purchased on Amazon but are actually pretty good.

7 p.m. — Going to be working late tonight, so I order dinner. I get some vegan dry pot from a Chinese restaurant. ($32.25 expensed)

11:30 p.m. — Finally done with work. I think work culture during the pandemic has overall gotten worse because items that used to be handled by quickly popping into someone’s office for ten minutes now take at least 30 minutes of back and forth over email. I manage to sign off and quickly get ready for bed.

Daily Total: $0

Day Four

8:50 a.m. — Roll out of bed, wash my face and throw on a collared shirt before my 9 a.m. Zoom meeting. It’s supposed to snow all day in New York.

10 a.m. — Two meetings/calls down. I make a matcha latte and smoothie (today it’s mango, pineapple, almond yogurt, collagen powder, and flax milk).

1 p.m. — Eat my leftover dry pot and cook some mushrooms for lunch.

3 p.m. — One of my prized possessions in life/most ridiculous purchase is my Philips Sonicare DiamondClean toothbrush. It was unreasonably expensive but has a ton of features that I actually use, namely an app that tracks how often I brush my teeth and areas of my mouth I tend to miss. It also lets me know if I’m brushing with too much pressure or going too quickly. I fully realize that these features are unnecessary, but believe me when I say they changed my life. I’m out of replacement heads so I buy some on Amazon. $48.56

7 p.m. — I roast the last of my veggies from my latest Misfits Markets box — some butternut squash and two red potatoes. I like Misfits and I generally choose the components of my box ahead of time. But the quantity of each fruit/veggie is always a surprise to me. Sometimes I’ll get two potatoes, sometimes I’ll get one carrot, sometimes I’ll get six beets. You really never know. L. and I eat the veggies with some salad for dinner.

8 p.m. — After dinner, I take a break to relax on the couch and watch Netflix before doing one last hour of work.

10 p.m. — Feeling a little achy from sitting all day, so I do 30 minutes of yoga with the Down Dog app before bed.

12 a.m. — Accidentally fall into an Instagram/TikTok hole instead of showering and getting ready for bed. Whoops.

Daily Total: $48.56

Day Five

8:30 a.m. — I have a three-hour Zoom this morning so I wake up early enough to fully get ready and eat breakfast before starting my day.

10 a.m. — I get a reminder email about a friend’s virtual baby shower in a few weeks. She has a registry, but most of the items have been purchased so I send an Amazon gift card so she and her husband can buy whatever they need. $200

12 p.m. — L. makes pasta and veggies for lunch for both of us.

6 p.m. — Grocery store to get supplies for a dinner I’m having with a few friends at my apartment tonight. We’re a “pod” that has been hanging out together for months at this point. We’re essentially having a cheese plate for dinner. I also get some groceries for the week. I buy crackers, several kinds of cheese including vegan cheese (shoutout Miyoko brand), olives, sweet jarred peppers, raspberries, spinach, cucumbers, bell peppers, limes, Topo Chico mineral water, oat milk, noodles, and pasta. $69.92

8 p.m. — My friends (N. and S. plus L.) show up and we set up our cheese board and pop open some sparkling wine. Love this group, I can already tell it’s going to be a long night of eating, drinking, chatting, and listening to music. I very much miss going out to bars and meeting new people, but hanging out with this group on the weekends makes me very happy. And I know I will never again take for granted hanging out in a bar at 2 a.m.

1:30 a.m. — My friends leave and I clean up. Thankfully, our apartment has a dishwasher so I can pretty much put everything in there and figure out the rest tomorrow.

Daily Total: $269.92

Day Six

10 a.m. — Wake up with a hangover and stomachache, honestly the cheese and wine last night was still worth it. I’m going back home to my parents’ house today outside of the city, so I get up and go to Penn Station.

11 a.m. — I am a little worried about taking the train, but it ends up being a pretty normal experience. It’s not very crowded so I get a section to myself, show my e-ticket to the conductor, and settle in. My ticket costs $19.50 for a round-trip. $19.50

12 p.m. — My mom picks me up from the train station and we head to one of our favorite restaurants to pick up lunch. She orders pasta, a pizza, and a few soups/sides. I run inside to get the food and pay. $59.93

12:30 p.m. — We drive to my grandma’s apartment to eat. I’m excited to see her because we’re pretty close but haven’t been able to see each other as much since the onset of the pandemic. She’s also technologically challenged and pretty deaf, so speaking to her on the phone or via FaceTime can be challenging. She is recently fully vaccinated, and while we still keep our distance (wear masks when we aren’t actively eating, don’t hug), knowing that she’s vaccinated makes me feel much safer about seeing her in person. She also gives me a whole fish to take home that she prepared my favorite way (a belated-Lunar New Year gift, sort of). I’m a little worried about how to transport it back home, but my mom does that mom-magic thing where she manages to get it into a sealed Tupperware and wrap it in a bag so it won’t smell on the hour-plus trip back home.

4 p.m. — Time for me to go back home. My mom drops me off at the train station. I’m very sleepy after lunch and doze off a little on the train.

6 p.m. — At home, I make a quick dinner — noodles with veggies and the fish from my grandma.

8 p.m. — L. and I watch old episodes of New Girl and relax on the couch for the night.

Daily Total: $79.43

Day Seven

10 a.m. — I signed up for a morning Solidcore workout and it’s with my favorite instructor. I love Solidcore and think it’s truly the hardest workout class that I’ve tried yet. I’m always very sore the next day. It’s also very doable with a mask on because the workout is entirely comprised of small push-pull movements versus cardio. I previously purchased a package of classes for Solidcore, but right now each class is ~$40 to purchase individually.

11 a.m. — Confirmed I’m barely able to walk out of class. I head to a nearby coffee shop for a chai tea latte. My favorite barista is there and it’s not very busy so we chat for a little before I head out to the park to enjoy my latte around the company of dogs and families. $6

11:30 a.m. — I take the long way home and stop by a cute bookstore. I end up picking up a copy of My Year Abroad by Chang-Rae Lee. It ends up being a signed copy which is pretty cool. $30.49

12 p.m. — Home, I make some eggs with spinach, butternut squash, and roasted garlic and a sandwich with leftover cheese, peppers, and veggies.

1 p.m. — I take a shower and do a full skincare/haircare routine including hair mask, skin mask, and exfoliation.

3 p.m. — I see an ad for Pura, which is a Bluetooth-enabled plug-in scent diffuser. The reviews look great and they’ve partnered with some great fragrance brands to create scents. I’ve been looking for a good alternative to candles for a while now so I decide to buy it and try it out. I buy the device as well as three scents. $78.18

7:15 p.m. — Take the subway to meet a friend, D., for dinner near where he lives uptown. I haven’t taken the subway very much since the onset of the pandemic, but I am starting to feel more comfortable doing this again. $2.75

7:30 p.m. — Meet D. uptown. The restaurant is pretty much empty so we feel comfortable sitting indoors. We get drinks and share a bunch of Turkish food including flatbread, zucchini fritters, salad, lamb, and manti. D. and I have hooked up in the past and sometimes I feel like we have weird ~vibes~. I’m not interested in ~seeing~ him right now so I insist on splitting the bill and casually let him know I’m taking a Lyft home. $73.26

9:30 p.m. — As promised, I take a Lyft home. Already feeling sore from Solidcore this morning so I wash up, get ready for bed, and brace myself for another work week starting tomorrow. $15.11

Daily Total: $205.79

Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual’s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29’s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.

The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here.

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7 Foods to Avoid If You’re Trying to Grow Longer Natural Hair

By Jacqueline Samaroo

It’s pretty safe to assume that any foods that are good for the rest of your body are good for your hair, too. In that case, you might be surprised by a couple of the entries on the list of foods to avoid for the sake of your natural hair.

Here are seven foods that can stand in your way on your journey to healthy, longer hair.

Sugar

You already have plenty of good reasons to avoid excess or added sugar and now you can add hair loss to the list. Why? It’s simple, really: your hair is more than 90% protein and sugar interferes with protein absorption. It does this by increasing your androgen (male hormone) levels. One androgen, called DHT, affects natural hair growth and is a major player in male-pattern baldness.

Refined grains

Over-processed and refined starches are easily converted to sugar in the body. That brings us right back to the sugar problem we just spoke about. Avoid white rice, white flour, white bread, and most cereals. Go for whole-grain options, instead. They are much better at helping you to grow longer natural hair.

Some kinds of fish

Hair loss is among the health issues linked to mercury exposure. Fish, in particular, large fish, is the main way we are exposed to mercury. Swordfish, tuna, king mackerel, and shark are the major culprits and the FDA advises that we should avoid some of these altogether. Others should be limited to just one 4-ounce serving per week. You can check out the FDA’s recommendations here.

Junk Food

Junk food tends to be greasy food that’s chock full of unhealthy fats and oils. Among the many ways in which junk food is bad for your hair is that the grease from these foods can end up as grease on your scalp. All that excess grease clogs up your pores, affecting hair health and natural hair growth.

Soda

The problem with sodas is twofold. In the first instance, they tend to be quite sugary. Since you have read this far into the article, you already know how high sugar intake affects your hair. In the second instance, sodas are acidic and acidic foods can lead to hair that is both dry and brittle. It is next to impossible to grow longer natural hair if you have persistent breakage.

Alcohol

Alcohol isn’t food but if you consume it like it is one, your hair will suffer. Heavy alcohol consumption usually means less real (nutritious) foods are being eaten. This can cause a deficiency in several nutrients, one of which is zinc. Your hair needs zinc for keratin formation. Continued low levels of keratin can cause underdevelopment of hair follicles.

Excess vitamin A and selenium

Your body needs both vitamin A and selenium. Vitamin A is needed for healthy natural hair growth as well as for good eyesight and maintaining the immune system. Selenium is an important micronutrient that is vital for metabolism and thyroid function. Having either one in excess, however, has been proven to cause hair loss.

Growing longer natural hair doesn’t need a radical change in your diet. Each of us already has a good idea of what is good for our bodies and, by extension, good for our, hair. What’s important to remember is that moderation is the key. Enjoy healthy whole foods that are good for your hair in the bulk of your diet. Strive to limit foods that are bad for your hair, like the ones above, as much as you can.

Happy healthy hair journey!

 

Have you noticed how your natural hair reacts to different foods? Tell us about it!

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Kyle Rittenhouse, an 18-year-old who killed two people and injured a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin last summer, has since raised at least $586,940 through the Christian crowdfunding website GiveSendGo, revealed a recent data breach. However, according to their associated email addresses, several of Rittenhouse’s anonymous donors were police officers and public officials. The breach’s findings were shared by the transparency group Distributed Denial of Secrets and published in The Guardian on Friday.

One anonymous $25 donation came with a disturbing note: “God bless. Thank you for your courage. Keep your head up. You’ve done nothing wrong. Every rank and file police officer supports you. Don’t be discouraged by actions of the political class of law enforcement leadership.” The email address associated with the donation indicates that it came from Sgt. William Kelly, the executive officer of internal affairs for the police department in Norfolk, Virginia.

In August, Rittenhouse killed two anti-racist protestors at a demonstration for Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times by a Kenosha officer. Rusten Sheskey, the police officer who left Blake paralyzed, was another beneficiary noted in the data breach: The Guardian reported that around 32 Kenosha police officers donated a total of over $5,000 to a fundraiser in his name. Sheskey returned from administrative leave on March 31; the Kenosha Police Department said in an April 13 statement that he was found to have “acted within the law and was consistent with training.”

According to The Guardian, three other notable exchanges reportedly came from a paramedic in Utah; a city employee in Huntsville, Alabama; and an engineer working at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a government-owned national security facility. All three of the donations were linked to email addresses from public officials.

This is especially unnerving in the wake of several recent police shootings involving Black and brown men, who were shot and killed by police, and whose ages range from 13-20. Rittenhouse, meanwhile, has been treated by police not only with ease but now praise and support.

Rittenhouse’s $2 million bond was paid by conservative fundraisers last fall; his trial will take place in November 2021. He’s been lauded by many Republicans — including former President Donald Trump — as an American patriot and an ally of the Blue Lives Matter movement. According to footage from the night of the protest, an officer thanked Rittenhouse’s armed group and gave him water moments before the shooting took place.  

Jennifer Carlson, PhD, a Professor of Sociology at the University of Arizona, interviewed 79 police chiefs in three states to investigate the disparity in the way they view armed civilians — and, to no one’s surprise, it comes down to race. “Police chiefs articulated a position of gun populism based on a presumption of racial respectability,” wrote Carlson, according to Vox. “‘Good guys with guns’ were marked off as responsible in ways that reflected white, middle-class respectability.” 

We see this hypocrisy time and time again. Take Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, who was killed by an officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota last week. John Cardillo, a right-wing commentator and former NYPD officer, posted a side-by-side photo of Wright with his 1-year-old child and Wright holding a gun. “The media’s Daunte Wright as opposed to the real Daunte [sic] Right,” Cardillo wrote. (Cardillo has shared photos of his own gun collection on numerous occasions; he’s even holding one in his profile picture.)

the media’s #kylerittenhouse as opposed to the real kyle rittenhouse https://t.co/M28UalH4yD pic.twitter.com/tjCwBeBH1b

— Cole Oliva (@lifeispainrn) April 15, 2021

Or take Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old Latinx child who had his hands up when he was fatally shot by a Chicago, Illinois officer. Fox News described Toledo as a “13-year-old man”; the same outlet called Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of his shooting, “a little boy.” Ever since he was thanked by an officer for patrolling the streets with a gun, Rittenhouse has been given leeway, excuses, and even financial assistance from the same people meant to protect us — the same people who kill Black men (and boys) even if they just perceive an unfounded threat.

So, when a police officer donates money to Rittenhouse, telling him that “every rank and file police officer” supports him, one thing is clear: police are the problem.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Why Police Are Trying To Rearrest Kyle Rittenhouse

Republicans Are Calling Kyle Rittenhouse A Victim

Trump Defended Kenosha Shooter Kyle Rittenhouse

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Lydia Wang, Khareem Sudlow