<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="536" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IBS-Blog-1200x628-2-1024x536.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29632" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IBS-Blog-1200x628-2-1024x536.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IBS-Blog-1200x628-2-300x157.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IBS-Blog-1200x628-2-768x402.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IBS-Blog-1200x628-2-880x461.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IBS-Blog-1200x628-2-1180x618.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
An estimated <a href="https://aboutibs.org/what-is-ibs/facts-about-ibs/statistics/">10-15 percent of adults</a> in the US suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic condition that affects the large intestine. Symptoms of the disorder include abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, and changes in bowel function including diarrhea and/or constipation.
The exact cause of IBS is not well understood. <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/symptoms-causes">Research</a> indicates that disruptions in brain-gut interactions, changes in the composition of bacteria and other microorganisms in the gut, and the presence of chronic, low-level inflammation in the intestines all play a role. Life events or stressors, a history of bacterial infection in the digestive tract, and genetics can also contribute to its development.  

<h6>A New Report </h6>
This week, we released a new report on IBS for 23andMe+ members.
 The report, which is powered by data from 23andMe research participants, uses machine learning techniques to estimate an individual’s likelihood of developing the condition. This estimate is made using a statistical model that includes more than 12,000 genetic markers, along with information on an individual’s ethnicity and birth sex.
 The report also provides an overview of the condition and actionable ways to alleviate symptoms.

<h6>Taking Action</h6>
While IBS can’t be prevented, lifestyle interventions, medication, and stress reduction techniques can effectively manage the condition.
 Many individuals can minimize their symptoms by avoiding the foods that seem to trigger them. Other dietary changes, such as gradually increasing the amount of soluble fiber (commonly found in foods like oats, beans, and apples) or adopting what’s called a low<a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/eating-diet-nutrition"> “FODMAP diet</a>,” may also provide relief.
 Because of the close relationship between the brain and the gut, counseling and stress management techniques may diminish symptoms and improve quality of life. Increasing physical activity and getting sufficient sleep are also useful tools.
 And for more severe cases of IBS, medication can help alleviate troublesome symptoms like pain and cramping. 

<h6>Learn More</h6>
23andMe’s Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) report (Powered by 23andMe Research) is available to all annual members to the 23andMe+ Membership. To learn more about your report, go <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/prs.ibs/">here</a>. 
Not yet an annual member to the 23andMe+ Membership?
Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">here</a>.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

New 23andMe+ Report on Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Blog editor’s note:This #BlackHistoryMonth, 23andMe employees are discussing the resiliency and joy in the Black and African diaspora. While we reflect on the past, share and recognize Black stories and history, we’re also looking ahead toward the future. This month we’ve curated  guest blogs from people who embody that joy, and resiliency and are making that future a reality. Here&#8217;s a personal story about how a lack of Black dermatologists can impact Black patients.
By Shakeia Taylor
If I had to guess, I’d say I’ve spent most of my life on a quest for perfect skin: even, dewy, and smooth. For a good chunk of my preteen and early teenage years  I dealt with acne scars. “Stop picking,” my mom would say, as she swatted my hand from my face. No matter how many times she reminded me that touching my face would not make my skin clear up any faster, I’d find my fingers drawn to the offending dark spots
My cheeks. My forehead. Right between my eyebrows. Acne was always present for me in those spots. I’d try to wear my hair in ways that concealed it. I&#8217;d wear it in giant bangs, only to end up distressed because it’s not practical to cover your face with your hair for a school day. 
I was extremely self-conscious about my face once I started to develop acne and scarring in elementary school. It was the 90’s and clear skin was marketed to teens as a way to be cool. There were ads for products specifically for teenage skin on television all the time. One new skincare brand even used celebrities for its campaigns.Whenever the ads and infomercials came on, especially  while I was watching with other people, I would feel embarrassed. I certainly didn’t want my skin’s shortcomings to be a focus, but sometimes they were. When someone disagreed with me, or wanted me to know they weren’t fond of me, they would joke about my acne and blemishes . It felt like my skin was my sin.I often wondered if it was possible for one of those products to be my salvation.
<h6><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-29575" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2455-1.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="1350" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2455-1.jpg 1080w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2455-1-240x300.jpg 240w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2455-1-768x960.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2455-1-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2455-1-704x880.jpg 704w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2455-1-944x1180.jpg 944w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" />Medical distrust and mistreatment</h6>
But finding treatment for skin problems for someone who isn’t white is difficult and discouraging. Many doctors aren’t trained in identifying how some skin issues can appear on black and brown skin. Illustrations and demonstrations typically use white skin, which makes it  difficult for doctors to recognize maladies and treat darker skin. Medications and other treatments aren’t always tested on Black and brown skin, therefore the impacts and effects can sometimes be unknown. There are also very few Black dermatologists. Many people of color are aware of this and tend to steer clear of doctors entirely, which could prove fatal –  as serious issues like skin cancer could then go undetected and untreated. 
My family falls into this category. For years, we’d only go to the doctor when something was seriously wrong . But my mother, determined to fight years of medical distrust, was on a mission to change that. She insisted that we get regular check-ups and schedule appointments the moment something felt or looked off. “What’s the point of insurance,” she’d ask, “if we’re not going to use it?” 
<div id="attachment_29534" style="width: 1716px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29534" class="size-full wp-image-29534" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2473-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="1706" height="2560" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2473-scaled.jpg 1706w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2473-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2473-587x880.jpg 587w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2473-787x1180.jpg 787w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2473-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2473-768x1152.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1706px) 100vw, 1706px" /> Photos by Akilah Townsend</div>
<h6>Hoping</h6>
<div id="attachment_29535" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29535" class="wp-image-29535 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2482-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2482-240x300.jpg 240w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2482-768x960.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2482-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2482-704x880.jpg 704w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2482-944x1180.jpg 944w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2482-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px" />Photos by Akilah Townsend</div>
Every morning I’d wake up extra early before school and stare in the mirror hoping some small overnight skin miracle had occurred. I mean, I was drinking water and eating great (if you don’t count that I primarily subsisted on french fries and cheese sauce). When were things going to improve? Finally my mom decided to take me to a dermatologist. She was weary of how much my appearance was distracting me, so she got a recommendation from a trusted co-worker. I’d never heard of anyone we knew going to see a dermatologist before but I knew what they did. I was excited, relieved even, that my parents had finally heard my cries and gotten a recommendation for a dermatologist. I was hopeful my skincare woes would soon be over. 
I was sadly mistaken
I remember the day I went to the doctor.. I dressed nice; and I felt ready to learn what it would take to get the clear, smooth skin I deserved. But the dermatologist didn’t calm my fears or my irritated skin that day. She picked and poked at my face. She squeezed blackheads. Ouch. She inquired about what products we use for laundry, skin care, and hair care. She  discovered that I was allergic to coconut oil, an ingredient commonly found in Black hair care products, and suggested I find alternatives.  I was prescribed two tubes of creams; one of which was retinol. Though my face was sore from all the poking, I was still hopeful because we had a plan! And I  had prescriptions to pick up! 
<h6>Losing Trust</h6>
The prescription ointments impacted me immediately. After using them, my skin became dry, red, swollen, and blistered. My cheeks looked as if they had been burned. . Then the redness turned into black, blue, and purple scabs. It was a nightmare. I somehow looked worse than I did before the appointment. I cried. I was miserable. Not only did I look horrible  but my face burned. It stung to wash it. It hurt to sleep with my face against a pillow. I felt ugly and let down. Going to the dermatologist was supposed to make things better, not worse. I asked my mom to let me stay home so as not to endure any further teasing about my skin. 
In a follow-up appointment we learned that maybe my young skin was a little too sensitive for the strength of retinol I had been prescribed. We were told the effects on Black and brown skin weren’t really known so it was trial and error to find out what really worked. My mom decided the doctor had done enough damage and she would take matters into her own hands because what doctor would prescribe a child something so strong. From then on, she bought my skincare from various department store cosmetic brands. She was confident she could make sure I didn’t experience burning skin anymore. 
It took a few weeks for my skin to heal completely, but my trust in dermatology took a massive hit, as did my self-esteem. I’ve spent a lot of time being afraid to put anything on my skin out of fear of experiencing a reaction, but also hating it for seemingly being so sensitive and scarring easily. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-29577" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2293_3-V2.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2293_3-V2.jpg 1920w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2293_3-V2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2293_3-V2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2293_3-V2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2293_3-V2-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC2293_3-V2-1180x664.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" />
<h6>Finding relief </h6>
It’s been more than twenty years since my experience with a dermatologist and the amount of money I’ve spent on both drugstore and department store skincare brands is probably enough to put a child through community college. I’ve purchased every oil and serum. I’ve even tried a few home remedies. I’m not alone – I’ve had many conversations through the years with other Black women who, like me, have trust issues with dermatology.  
But now that I’m nearly 40, some of my skincare needs have changed. So I asked my primary care physician for a dermatology referral. After I explained my history, she pointed me to a local research hospital’s ethnic skin care team. This type of culturally competent skin care might have saved me years of avoiding the dermatologist and hiding behind various foundations and concealers. Though my anxiety around seeing a doctor has not gone away entirely, it has been greatly reduced. I have been able to find solutions to problems I thought I’d have to live with for the rest of my life. My eczema has calmed, the number of breakouts I get has decreased, and the dark spots on my face have started to fade. Finding care that treats not only the complaint, but the person, has not only improved my skin but my quality of life. 
<hr />
Shakeia Taylor is a writer and columnist based in Chicago. She is an avid supporter of women in baseball, and an active advocate for diversity in sports journalism.

Shakeia Taylor

Black Dermatologists Breaking Barriers

Blog editor’s note: This #BlackHistoryMonth, 23andMe employees are discussing the resiliency and joy in the Black and African diaspora. While we reflect on the past, share and recognize Black stories and history, we’re also looking ahead toward the future. This month we’ve curated  guest blogs from people who embody that joy, and resiliency and are making that future a reality. Today’ we meet Jonathan McCory the executive artistic director of the National Black Theatre.
By Melissa Kimble
 Founded in Harlem in 1968 by the mother of the Black Arts movement, Dr. Barbara Ann Teer, the National Black Theatre is the country’s first revenue generating Black arts complex and the longest running Black theater in the world. 
The theater’s  current Executive Artistic Director, Jonathan McCrory, honors the founder’s principles of ownership, self-determination and human transformation, while he and his team confront the enormous challenges the Black community faces today. 
For Jonathan it has meant that for the last decade serving as director of the theater he must lead “ courageously with this notion of Black liberation and bringing your ancestors with you.”
Throughout history, the National Black Theatre has been a refuge for Black artists by creating a safe space for their creativity, their art, and holding ground for their transformation. As one of the oldest theaters founded and consistently operated by a woman of color in the nation, the core mission has always been to be the premier producer of transformative theatre — theatre that enhances African American cultural identity by telling authentic, autonomous, multifaceted stories of the Black experience. This experience and exchange leads to art’s true intention, which is to heal.
<div id="attachment_29547" style="width: 1090px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29547" class="size-full wp-image-29547" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="1080" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter.jpg 1080w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter-768x768.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter-880x880.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-embed-twitter-980x980.jpg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" />Photo by Giancarlo Valentine</div>
<h6>Nurturing Black Artists</h6>
Jonathan’s  own journey to the theater was one that was already full of intentionality, nurturing Black artists and voices. That started with himself. The award winning director, producer, and artist, made a declaration in high school about his career destination. He decided that he wanted to run a Black theater in Harlem that owned their own space dedicated to doing work for Black artists. “When I decided to name myself as a Black artist, that destination was my birthright,” he says“I needed to also establish that birthright for future Black artists. I wanted to be a part of that awakening inside the psyche of the individual.” 
McCrory describes his role as a “creative doula,” one who takes care of artists’, mental, creative, and artistic “wealth.” Jonathan works with a dynamic team of people with the collective mission of ensuring that the creative work of  Black artists, and their voices are well resourced and pulled to the forefront. His vision for the theater embodies welcoming in and investing in the next generation of Black artists and change-makers in theatre.
“Sometimes people don’t see themselves as producers because they think it’s tied to economics,” he says. “How do we see our culture as an economic tool, knowing that we contribute billions into the economic pipeline? How can we reclaim some of that intellectual property, some of that wealth knowledge and start to actually create spaces of ownership, where we actually lead the producer or the producers of that cultural product.” 
“The National Black Theatre’s core mission lies in human transformation,” McCory said.
<h6>Looking Towards The Future</h6>
McCrory and his team are in the middle of revisioning the theater to service Black artistic changemakers now and in the future. Externally they’re undergoing a physical transformation with a capital redevelopment project and are working towards building a brand new cultural destination and facility for the organization. This new phase of the theater will include artist housing with a twenty story high-rise. The reimagining of their facility will include a studio for theatrical works, a temple of liberation where artists will be able to do immersive storytelling using 3D, XR and potentially VR technology. 
“We are seeking to create a cutting edge new facility that leans into the curiosity of Black innovation that allows for Black artists to find ways in which to find economics, to actually be able to update a benefit inside of the work that they’re able to produce,” he says. “To allow for a more diverse poly of voices to be able to change and radically benefit and actually inform the cultural expression that we all love and are working on.”
The organizations offerings include a theater arts program that’s a three prong program to give artists space to be alchemists: Their Soul Series Lab program is one of the only programs in the country dedicated to Black artists; their playwrights residency is the only residency in the country that provides an eighteen month home for Black playwrights; and their producer residency program is generating the next level of cultural producers. 
<div id="attachment_29528" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29528" class="size-full wp-image-29528" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-widescreen.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="628" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-widescreen.jpg 1200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-widescreen-300x157.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-widescreen-768x402.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-widescreen-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-widescreen-880x461.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/jonathan-widescreen-1180x618.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />Photo by Giancarlo Valentine</div>
<h6>Theatre In The Digital World</h6>
McCrory is also stewarding the build out of their digital platform to ensure so the theater can connect with those who may not ever feel comfortable being in physical spaces again due to the pandemic. He cites t<a href="https://national-black-theatre.myshopify.com/collections/all">heir merch line</a>, t<a href="https://www.instagram.com/natblacktheatre/">heir Instagram page</a>, and budding partnerships with national potential as extensions to connect and to be a vessel for new possibilities, a notion that is embedded into his leadership style and approach. Many times you will catch McCrory donning <a href="https://national-black-theatre.myshopify.com/">a shirt</a> or hat with the word “joy” on it. As a personal advocate of artistic expression being the vehicle towards joy and healing, McCrory wants to create conditions with joy as a bedrock. 
<div id="attachment_29529" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29529" class="wp-image-29529 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jonathon-McRory_50-scaled-e1669736360168-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jonathon-McRory_50-scaled-e1669736360168-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jonathon-McRory_50-scaled-e1669736360168-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jonathon-McRory_50-scaled-e1669736360168-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jonathon-McRory_50-scaled-e1669736360168-587x880.jpg 587w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jonathon-McRory_50-scaled-e1669736360168-787x1180.jpg 787w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jonathon-McRory_50-scaled-e1669736360168.jpg 1707w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /> Photo by Giancarlo Valentine </div>
“There should be an acknowledgement that although the pandemic has caused a lot of sadness, a lot of grief, it also created the space for us to innovate how we communicate and how we process the way we live our lives,” he says. McCrory looks toward the future with a generosity that is needed now more than ever. 
“We seek to lean into the curiosity of what does it mean to see someone? What happens if they feel seen? And if they feel seen, what does someone get to become?” he says. “That simple question awakens a radical new universe of possibilities. Then we become the vessels of manifestation, the tools to allow for unseen, unfinished work to be possible seen through our lifetime.”
This radical vision is one that Jonathan and his team still carry on in the present times in the shadow of racial upheaval and the pandemic. They are  modifying their approach to continue to be a refuge for Black art and creativity. 
“To lead with a graceful institute is to actually tap in and tune into the wisdom of our ancestors as a fortitude and a fortress to actually awaken human transformation. It is the gate keeping tool and mechanism to unlock what I think human transformation can look like.” As we learn to count our blessings to heal our way forward during these times, we can rest assured that the National Black Theatre will continue to light the way. 
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<div id="t-formula-bar-input" spellcheck="false">Melissa Kimble is a cultural writer, strategist, and consultant based in Chicago. A native Memphian, she advocates for Black creativity across creative industries.</div>
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Melissa Kimble

A Theater in Harlem Fostering Black Creativity

When <a href="http://www.valeriejarrettbook.com/">Valerie Jarrett</a> was in her early 30s, everything was finally going according to plan. She had a law degree from the University of Michigan, a career at a prestigious firm, a large office overlooking Lake Michigan, and a husband and beloved daughter. 
So why, on a hot summer day in 1987, did Valerie suddenly burst into tears in her office? 
“On that day,” she said, “I asked myself: ‘Is this my life, or do I want to pivot away from this perfect plan on paper that is a nightmare in reality?’”
That moment of reckoning set her on a winding course, leading from city government all the way to the White House, where she worked as senior advisor for President Obama from 2009 to 2017. 
She shared this story and others during a fireside chat with <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/melinda-king/">Melinda King</a>, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for 23andMe. 
Their hour-long conversation, in front of an audience of 23andMe employees over Zoom, touched on a variety of topics, including Valerie’s belief in the next generation; the “uplifting” possibility of a Black woman joining the Supreme Court; the pitfalls of cancel culture; the critical role of inclusion in diversity work; and the real benefit she gets from her daily workouts. The exchange below has been edited for clarity and brevity.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-29567" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square.jpg" alt="Valerie Jarrett headshot" width="1920" height="1429" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square.jpg 1920w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-300x223.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-768x572.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-1024x762.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-880x655.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-1180x878.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" />
<h6>On creating a workplace culture of inclusion for Black employees:</h6>
Start at home. Start within your company. Listen to the people who work there, and do it in a way that they feel comfortable. Be authentic – you need to actually care. Have them tell you their stories. 
I love storytelling; it&#8217;s a big piece of what we do at the Obama Foundation because it humanizes the issues. So then it&#8217;s not just about statistics – it becomes, ‘this is my story, and what I’ve been through and this is what I need to thrive in this environment.’ 
If you truly want to create an inclusive culture, then you have to be willing to listen, willing to check yourself and say, ‘well, have I really made an effort to have diverse friends? What does the senior level of this company look like?’ Because when people come in the door of your company, it’s hard to be what they can’t see. 
<h6>On her source of inspiration and optimism:</h6>
I draw inspiration from the younger generation. It was one of the reasons why President Obama was able to entice me to run the Obama Foundation, even though I was in a stage of my life when I was focused on being a grandmother and waking up every day doing exactly what I wanted to do. I initially agreed to do it as a favor until he found someone permanent. Then I started spending time with our young global leaders from Asia, Africa, and Europe and students at Columbia University and the University of Chicago. They&#8217;re so smart and strategic, they think outside of the box, and they are hopeful in a realistic way. They give me an enormous amount of inspiration.  
Recognizing that I stand on the shoulder of my ancestors and people who come before me, I know that I want to have sturdy shoulders for the next generation. So I will impart what I’ve learned, which they are free to accept or disregard. I believe our job is to make their life easier so they can tackle some of the big challenges of life.
<h6>On the pitfalls of cancel culture and the value of different perspectives:</h6>
Who was more unhelpful to the Obama Administration than Rupert Murdoch? But guess what, Rupert Murdoch cared about immigration reform. And I worked very closely with him on that. Part of what you have to recognize – if you’re true to wanting change – is this isn&#8217;t about you; this is about getting the job done. And it doesn’t taint or diminish you to work with people you may disagree with on 99 issues if you can agree on one. 
I worry that the temptation is to cancel anyone who doesn&#8217;t fit into a nice little package. But that&#8217;s not how we get things done. And it&#8217;s not how we get to know one another, which is part of the elixir of life – relationships. And I think the relationships made of strange bedfellows are even more interesting, and they&#8217;re more complicated. I encourage everyone to come out of their comfort zone and not just turn someone off because they don’t agree with you 100 percent, because, first of all, there&#8217;s a lot more grey in a lot of areas than that, and we get more done when we do things together.
<h6>On President Biden’s plan to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court:</h6>
I appreciate his desire for that diversity, and I&#8217;m really proud, for example, that when he and President Obama were in office, President Obama appointed 26 Black women to the bench. Now there&#8217;s a real treasure trove of women to choose from, not to mention those not on the bench who are just as qualified. The pipeline is a lot stronger today than it has been historically –  I think that&#8217;s a great thing. 
President Biden has received some backlash for saying it will be a Black woman, but the message he&#8217;s sending is, ‘I think a Black woman in that environment would be a healthy thing right now.’
I can&#8217;t wait to see who he selects, and I think it will be uplifting for us to have that representation. Representation matters. I had the privilege of working on Justice Sonia Sotomayor&#8217;s Supreme Court selection and confirmation, and the Latino community was euphoric; they felt like someone who is going to be making decisions that impact their life finally understood their story. And I think for the credibility of our judiciary, that&#8217;s an important step.
<h6>On listening to that quiet voice within:</h6>
Each of us should ask – ‘what replenishes me’? At a certain age, you should know yourself and know what makes you feel better and healthy. For me, I exercise every morning. Now, I do not enjoy exercise. The happiest moment of my day is when I&#8217;m done. But I know it&#8217;s good for me. It&#8217;s an hour I have to myself – my phone’s not ringing, I&#8217;m not looking at texts; it just settles me. 
And I also love my friends and family. When I&#8217;m in Chicago, my mom, who&#8217;s 93, has this Sunday dinner with all our cousins. (I&#8217;m an only child, so my cousins are like my siblings). At the end of that dinner, I just feel better. And when I was in Washington, I did that with my girlfriends. So do what makes you feel good to replenish yourself.
I don&#8217;t believe in work-life balance, just like I don&#8217;t believe in 50/50 relationships or that you can have it all simultaneously. I think we set ourselves up with completely unrealistic expectations. We just have to figure out how to give ourselves a little bit of a break and get back in the game. It&#8217;s easier to do that if you think what you&#8217;re doing is of value. Try to find a job where you feel like you&#8217;re adding value; that&#8217;s very satisfying. And it can be adding value in whatever ways make you fulfilled. Don&#8217;t look to someone else to tell you what will work for you.
That&#8217;s one of the things I realized that day I was in my office crying. I had been living the life that everyone else thought was a great life. But the only voice that actually matters is your voice – that quiet voice inside of you.

“You have to be willing to listen,” Valerie Jarrett on Creating an Inclusive Culture

Blog editor’s note: This #BlackHistoryMonth, 23andMe employees are celebrating joy and resilience in the Black and African diaspora through events,<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2D0Z6JKWe/"> art</a>, and conversations. We’ve also curated a series of guest blogs about people who embody that joy and resilience – and are harnessing these strengths to uplift their communities and create a better future.
By Imani Mixon
Cherice Harrison-Nelson’s hair is wrapped in a black and wine head scarf with a red feather peeking out from the side. The 62-year-old artist and educator has on medium sized hoop earrings, a black, red, and gold beaded necklace and a festive butterfly brooch. 
Even over Zoom, she looks royal. 
Cherice regularly honors her lineage as a Mardi Gras Indian and a member of the maroon society of self-emancipated Black folks by crafting and wearing intricately handmade traditional suits. Her late father, Donald Harrison, Sr. ushered the family into the Mardi Gras Indian tradition as Big Chief of the Guardian of the Flames, a group he formed to emphasize the importance of Mardi Gras traditions that affirm Blackness.  Cherice continues this work as Big Queen of the Guardian of the Flames and is commonly known as Queen Reesie.
In 1994, she was awarded a Fulbright that allowed her to travel to Ghana and Senegal to further research African cultural traditions. Although our mid-afternoon interview features one of the more tame examples of her unique attire, meeting her feels like a joyful occasion.
“As the Guardians of the Flame, maroon society, I feel like we have emancipated ourselves from all the ideals, both literal and metaphorically that restrict us in ways that we don&#8217;t have to accept. I don&#8217;t want to be tethered to anything except the love for my family and my community. I want to have free will, to dress the way I want,” says Cherice .
It’s no surprise that Cherice ’s audacious attire draws attention, but one day back in 2016 it earned her a new friend. 
<div id="attachment_29523" style="width: 1930px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29523" class="wp-image-29523 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8186.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8186.jpg 1920w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8186-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8186-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8186-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8186-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8186-1180x664.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /> Photo by Trenity Thomas </div>
<h6>Sisterly Love</h6>
She met Skyla Hearn, a Chicago-based archivist and special collections librarian, while attending a <a href="https://chscsummit.net/">Cultural Heritage and Social Change Summit</a>. Harrison-Nelson was preparing to lead an educational performance about the traditions and history of Mardi Gras Indians and she was wearing a purple lace dress and a matching Nigerian gele. Hearn says she knew Queen Reesie was someone special. 
Hearn and Harrisson-Nelson grew to become sisterfriends — the kind you meet for dinner when they’re in town, the kind who can send texts that would be shockingly probing if they came from someone else, but are received as alarmingly sweet text check-ins instead. 
“Are you being radical in your self-care?”
<div id="attachment_29520" style="width: 1930px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29520" class="wp-image-29520 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8151.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8151.jpg 1920w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8151-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8151-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8151-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8151-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/TJT_8151-1180x664.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /> Photo by Trenity Thomas </div>
“Do you need help with that?” 
Hearn knows that the warm accountability of friendship is what has kept folks alive for generations. Cherice knows this too; it isn’t the first time that someone lovingly inquired about her health. 
On June 23, 2011, Cherice recalls being at a Winn Dixie grocery store across the Mississippi River from her downtown neighborhood in New Orleans’ 9th Ward when she received a call from her doctor&#8217;s office. 
“I have the results of your test. Do you want them over the phone or do you want to come in?,” asked the nurse on the other end of the line. 
Cherice agreed to hear her results on the phone, but as soon as the nurse began speaking, her words came out in a muffled garble, it sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher. 
“Wait, let me call my sister and you tell her, whatever you&#8217;re saying, that sounds like gibberish to me,” Cherice  interjected.
Cherice gave the nurse her younger sister Cara’s number, then Cara relayed the conversation she’d had with the nurse. Her older sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Cara decided to accompany Cherice  to her preoperative appointments, prepared to take notes and ask relevant questions about what to expect like the risks of medication, complications from treatment, and if her sister’s life expectancy would be impacted.
After a series of demeaning and otherwise unresponsive interactions with doctors and nurses, Cherice  found an old-school doctor, Dr. Myron E. Moorehead, the kind who has tabletop anatomical models of reproductive organs. He showed her exactly what he would do  and told her what she needed to do to prepare for an accompanying procedure.
“I knew that he cared about me and I felt I could put my life in his hands and it would be okay. Those other doctors, I don&#8217;t think I would have wanted to put my life in their hands,” says Cherice .
It’s been 11 years since her breast cancer diagnosis and 17 years since Hurricane Katrina, which Cherice  refers to as “the August 25, 2005 federal levee failure.” She has survived two life-changing events that have altered her view on both physical and mental health. She understands just how quickly things can change for the better or the worse. 
“It was so hard being here, so hard working here, healthcare would have been at the bottom of my list. For me, survival didn&#8217;t necessarily include health checkups. Being happy enhances your ability to take care of yourself. When you&#8217;re depressed, you know your whole world is kind of turned upside down,” says Cherice.
<h6>A New Wellness Routine</h6>
What was once an after-thought has become a major priority. Now, she spends the first few minutes of each morning envisioning what she wants for her life. Every day, good health tops her list. From moment to moment, Cherice  has gotten into the rhythm of choosing herself. Sometimes that means parking farther from a store entrance to get a few steps in.  Other times it means buying small batch ice cream from a local vendor and slowly eating small scoops in a fancy bowl with a fancy spoon.
“If you take care of your health, then you can do all the things that enhance your life that we need to do as humans to to survive. It&#8217;s just about loving yourself, and loving yourself the most,”  says Cherice .
One of the most recent, more public acts of radical self-care for Cherice  is acknowledging that she will no longer wear her sacred Carnival suits for performances or appearances or participate in Carnival the way she has in the past. Carnival season starts on January 6th and extends through Mardi Gras Day, which is also known as Carnival Day. This will be her last year strolling around the streets of New Orleans in her Carnival suit on Mardi Gras Day. Starting in 2023, you’ll only be able to catch Cherice  in her Carnival suits for her late father’s birthday celebrations — his birthday falls during Carnival season and marks a time of remembrance for the Harrison family. While it was never just a performative gesture, the creation of her Carnival suits have grown even more intimate and laborious over time. By creating boundaries around how she wants to show up as a Mardi Gras Indian, she is relieving herself of the responsibility of automatically inviting others into a tradition that they may not understand or revere. 
“The [suit] I wear on Carnival Day, it really is spiritual. It&#8217;s like putting on me and I don&#8217;t want to use those in that manner anymore,” says Cherice.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-29545" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="1080" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter.jpg 1080w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter-768x768.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter-880x880.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cherice-social-embed-twitter-980x980.jpg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" />
Cherice  takes that seriously  — weaving, beading, patching, and feathering to make ceremonial clothing that draws from and oftentimes illustrates the most resonant moments of her life. When the ensemble is as complete as it can be, it becomes an archive of sorts. Her suits are on display at the Donald Harrison, Sr. Museum named after her father that’s just two blocks from her house and on family land. Her suits are also currently on view at The New Orleans African American Museum in Treme, The McKenna Museum of African-American Art, and the Baton Rouge African American Museum.
“It takes a lifetime because everything you put into a suit is the sum total of your life,” says Cherice . 
For this year’s Carnival, she is honoring her ancestors and creating a memorial suit. Cherice  can trace her ancestral line pretty far back. She has a bill of sale regarding her great great grandfather Madison Briscoe, who was born in 1809 and enslaved in 1820 when he was just 11-years-old. Although she can go back for generations, this suit in particular will honor friends, mentors, family members and more recent ancestors. Cherice  has begun collecting and referencing their favorite things &#8211; hobbies, colors, and animals to select the right way to adorn her suit. She will incorporate a horse for her uncle, a butterfly brooch for her mentor, and a lipstick for another friend. 
“He&#8217;ll tell me what I&#8217;m supposed to create for him. The ancestors are really real and they speak to me,” says Cherice .
As Cherice  continues on the path to living life on her own terms, her journey reminds us that the first step to any kind of healing begins with listening.
<hr />
Imani Mixon is a long-form storyteller living in Detroit. You can learn more about her work <a href="https://www.imanimixon.com/">here</a>.

Imani Mixon

Practicing Radical Self Care with Cherice Harrison-Nelson

Jamila studied the map, smiling, giggling a bit with wonder each time she uncovered something new.&nbsp;
“Oh wow, just wow, I didn’t know any of that,” she said.&nbsp;
The map traced out a geographic region in Africa where certain ethnolinguistic groups, or people who share a common language and culture, live today. The lines carved out a part within what is now Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, delineating where people who are Kongo &amp; Mbundu live. Within the region, there are other groups like the Kete, Imbala, and the Tetala.&nbsp;
“I’ve never heard of any of these groups,” Jamila said. “I have so much to learn now that I know this is part of me.”&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="733" height="1024" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jamila-headshot1_pp-733x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29491" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jamila-headshot1_pp-733x1024.jpg 733w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jamila-headshot1_pp-845x1180.jpg 845w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jamila-headshot1_pp-215x300.jpg 215w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jamila-headshot1_pp-768x1073.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jamila-headshot1_pp-630x880.jpg 630w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Jamila-headshot1_pp-scaled.jpg 1832w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 733px) 100vw, 733px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Ancestry Composition Update</h6>
Steven Micheletti, a 23andMe population geneticist, walked Jamila through this update of her 23andMe’s Ancestry Composition report. Steven explained that of the more than 12 million people stolen from Africa and taken to the Americas in the slave trade, almost half of them came from this region of West Central Africa. The update includes a total of <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/african-ethnolinguistic-groups/">25 new ethnolinguistic</a> groups in Africa. Jamila saw where in Africa she matched with others from this ethnolinguistic group with whom she shared a common ancestor up to a few hundred years ago.&nbsp;
But Jamila, a Seattle realtor, small business owner, and mother of eight, was seeing much more than just a map. Instead, Jamila saw a direct connection to a piece of her and her family’s history.
“This is going to mean a lot for people like me who want to know more,” she said.&nbsp;
<h6>A Richer History</h6>
February is Black History Month in the United States. But history for Black people here didn’t begin with slavery, Jamila said.&nbsp;
“Our history didn’t begin 400 years ago,” she said, referring to when the first Africans were enslaved and brought to the Americas.&nbsp;
For many Black Americans, the history of slavery erected a brick wall in their efforts to reach back and learn more about their ancestry. For many people like Jamila, simply saying that you have African ancestry isn’t enough. Africa itself is rich with cultures, ethnic groups, and languages; she wanted to know to what culture and group she connected.&nbsp;
“So I just kept asking questions,” Jamila said.
About three years ago, after using 23andMe, Jamila learned that she was primarily West African. Of her West African ancestry, about 35 percent was from Nigeria. But even Nigeria is a massive multi-ethnic place filled with different groups and cultures.&nbsp;
<h6>On a Quest to Learn More</h6>
Jamila wanted to know more.
“Where in Nigeria?” she asked.
Soon after testing, she connected with a distant Nigerian cousin. She learned that she was from a village in the Nigerian state of Anambra and was Ibo. Then, in Seattle, where she lives, Jamila began to participate in the Igbo Union group, made up of Ibo people now living in the United States. During one of the group’s meetings, Jamila met a woman from the same village as her cousin. Jamila and her new friend eventually traveled together to Anambra in August of 2019 and visited the village. She felt an immediate affinity with the people there.
&nbsp;“It was emotional and really fun,” she said. “It was life-changing.”
But she also knew there was more. Fast-forward to this year and Jamila learned through this latest 23andMe update that she is connected to ethnolinguistic groups in what is now Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“I can never be 100 percent Ibo, or (one of these other groups),” she said. “I didn’t grow up in their culture, but it’s in my blood. It’s in me.”
She plans to learn more about these cultures and incorporate some of what she learns into her life and her children&#8217;s lives.
“It’s important that they know who they are and where they came from and that the story, our story, didn’t start 400 years ago… there’s more to it than that.”

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="338" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29437" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-2.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AEG-2-300x198.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>

Tracing Roots in Africa

Blog editor’s note: This #BlackHistoryMonth, 23andMe employees are celebrating joy and resilience in the Black and African diaspora through events, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2D0Z6JKWe/">art</a>, and conversations. We’ve also curated a series of guest blogs about people who embody that joy and resilience – and are harnessing these strengths to uplift their communities and create a better future. Today, we’re highlighting Nyema Clarks work in building a urban farm to build a community around wellness and connections to the land.
By Gennette Cordova
Tucked away in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle is <a href="https://www.nurturingrootsfarm.org/">Nurturing Roots</a>, a community farm  founded by  Nyema Clark in 2016 as part of a movement to reclaim her people’s history and relationship with agriculture.
“I feel like, as a Black woman, all I hear about is ‘roots’—that&#8217;s our engagement with agriculture,” says Nyema. “I wanted to find an alternative way to visit, to view, to think about agriculture.”
Growing up in the urban, multicultural community of Seattle’s South End, Nyema’s exposure to different cultures informed her view of the world and food, in particular.
“My neighborhood was very diverse,” she says. And that diversity extended to the kitchen. &#8221; At my kitchen table I was eating just about everything. My friend across the street might be making lumpia; I could get a soul food meal from grandma; or I was able to get authentic chicken soup from my Vietnamese neighbors.”
Nyema grew up in an environment that emphasized  all aspects of “growing.” Her mother, a florist, instilled in her the vital importance of growing professionally, mentally and emotionally. Her father, who was interested in landscaping and carpentry, exposed her to the practice of building with her hands.
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0598_2-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29526" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0598_2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0598_2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0598_2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0598_2-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0598_2-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0598_2.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Addressing Disparities</h6>
“It’s always intrigued me. I always wanted to learn more, (about) Black folks in farming,” says Nyema. “Learning about George Washington Carver, the crazy land swaps and land grabs that happened. Identifying how structurally things are all messed up, I just dove head first into the agricultural side.”
In Seattle, like many cities around the country, health disparities such as higher instances of asthma among Black and Hispanic children can be attributed, in large part, to environmental racism. 
The evidence of racism and income inequality were evident throughout her childhood. “I don&#8217;t want to say it was a typical urban environment, because it was very unique. It was beautiful but also sucked knowing that a lot of my friends had asthma. And now I know why.”
Still, it was this environment that cultivated Nyema’s mind for business. Her entrepreneurial inclinations began with grade-school lemonade stands. That eventually led to the formation of her company, Avenue South, a small specialty seasonings shop at Seattle landmark Pike Place Market. While she enjoyed the exploration of value-added products, she became deeply invested in the idea of feeding her community with no monetary value attached. 
Nurturing Roots was the logical expansion of this investment.  The nonprofit has flourished, tended to by her commitment to “Robin Hood the system.” In this moment, where racial and social justice is under a magnifying glass, Nyema is intentional about addressing systematic oppression with an emphasis on food and environmental justice.
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0475-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29525" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0475-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0475-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0475-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0475-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0475-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0475.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Claiming Her 40 Acres</h6>
“A lot of my trauma was associated with realizing we were brought here in servitude,” she says. For many Black Americans, especially those of us who grew up in cities, we naturally connect Blackness and farm work to the hundreds of years of barbaric, American chattel slavery, that confined our ancestors to coffee, tobacco, cocoa, sugar, and cotton plantations. 
Nyema is resolved to reclaim farming as a means to reconnect with  history and healcommunities. To further this vision, she has turned her focus to land ownership. She recently received funding to purchase the commercial space that currently houses Nurturing Roots, and she’s close to sealing a land transfer deal with the Seattle Parks Department to obtain 38 acres called Red Barn Ranch in a suburb of Seattle. 
“My plan for Red Barn Ranch is to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that includes Black farmers, Black healers and young people,” she says. “I wanted to be able to start a fire under the city’s ass to get them moving.” adding “You guys have land and you&#8217;re not doing anything with it? We&#8217;re paying taxes on it and the community could use it? What are you doing?” 
For Black Americans, there’s a symbolism in coming into possession of nearly 40 acres—the amount of land, along with a mule, famously promised and then denied to former slaves. 
“That&#8217;s why I tell everybody it’s all of ours,” she says. “We all are about to get our 40 acres finally.”
In acquiring this space, she aims to attain financial security, freedom to carry out her purpose and conjure a spiritual remedy for a time when our ancestors could own nothing, not even themselves. 
“Personally, I&#8217;ve seen a lot of land taken from not only our community but my family. We had a house in the [city’s historically Black] Central District, it was foreclosed,” says Nyema, touching on a shared experience for many Black people in Seattle. 
“My model encompasses everyone being able to own a piece of land even though this document says Nurturing Roots on it,” she says. “We don’t have individual plots at Nurturing Roots. Someone asked me before, ‘can I come and grow my garlic there?’ And it&#8217;s like, ‘yeah, but it&#8217;s gonna be amongst all the other garlic and then anybody who comes can pick it. Are you okay with that?’” 
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0357-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29524" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0357-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0357-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0357-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0357-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0357-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0357.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Physical, Mental and Spiritual Wellness</h6>
Community is prioritized at Nurturing Roots, along with self-sufficiency and food empowerment. In South Seattle, the area’s lower income and higher unemployment predictably correlates with the sparseness of grocery stores, compared to other parts of the city. Beyond providing a much needed additional source for fresh produce, addressing a wide range of health issues from the expansion of access to nutrition-based education and fitness training to more ambitious goals like “taking control of our own sovereignty when it comes to healthcare” are on Nyema’s agenda.
<div id="attachment_29527" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29527" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0607-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" class="size-medium wp-image-29527" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0607-240x300.jpg 240w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0607-768x960.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0607-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0607-704x880.jpg 704w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0607-944x1180.jpg 944w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/23ANDME_01_15_2022_0607.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px" /> Photo by Meron Menghistab </div>
Understanding how isolating many corporate spaces can be for Black workers, she sees Nurturing Roots as an opportunity to give her loved ones an alternative to more traditional working environments. So far, she’s been able to staff her operation entirely with people who are dear to her, some who she’s enjoyed decades-long friendships with. Nyema envisions a communal system with currency based on bartering, exchanging labor on the farm or some other offering, with the hope that the community she creates can detach their sense of self-worth from a dollar amount. 
With Nurturing Roots, she is intentional about centering healing and health, not just through nourishment of the body but nourishing the mind and spirit, as well. After years of feeling constantly undervalued in professional settings, with her farming project she felt her identity—as a Black person, a woman, a South Seattle native—being celebrated in a way that she’d never experienced before.
“Spiritually, it&#8217;s like I&#8217;ve been restored doing this work—almost like a baptism,” she continues, moved to tears. “Now, I couldn&#8217;t go back and work for someone if I wanted to. I needed to value myself. I needed to explore being a strong woman and have it not look like something else. It was tough to find in these artificial spaces.”
With the region boasting a wide range of agricultural products and a growing emphasis on sustainability, Nyema hopes her work will plant seeds in the minds and imaginations of her peers and younger people in the city. 
“People need to see us doing it,” she says “People need to be able to see themselves engaging in this practice.”
<hr />
Gennette Cordova is a writer and organizer currently based in Brooklyn. Originally from Seattle, she has written many times about the struggles and successes of Black women.

Gennette Cordova

Growing Community through Community Farming

Among the many strategies for staying healthy is paying attention to your digestive system.
23andMe adds a new report for 23andMe+ Premium members on diverticulitis, a common but not well-known condition that affects the gut.  
Diverticulitis occurs at weak spots in the intestinal tract, where small bulging pouches become inflamed. These pouches, most often found in the large intestine (also called the colon), are called “diverticula.” They are common, especially as we age, but usually do not cause problems.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-29498 size-medium" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-10-at-2.23.06-PM-289x300.png" alt="" width="289" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-10-at-2.23.06-PM-289x300.png 289w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-10-at-2.23.06-PM.png 576w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 289px) 100vw, 289px" />It’s estimated that more than half of people in the United States over 60 have diverticula, and most likely never have any issues. But about five percent of those individuals will develop inflammation in these pouches, a condition called “diverticulitis,” according to the<a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/diverticulosis-diverticulitis/definition-facts"> National Institutes of Health.</a> This can lead to symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, constipation, or diarrhea. More serious complications, such as blockages or perforations, can lead to hospitalization.
Genetics, diet, a lack of exercise, being overweight, and some medications can all contribute to one’s chances of developing the condition.
<h6>23andMe+ PREMIUM</h6>
As part of 23andMe+ Premium, members can now access a Diverticulitis report powered by 23andMe research data.
The new report uses machine learning techniques to estimate a person’s likelihood of developing diverticulitis. In the report, we make the estimate with a statistical model that uses data from 23andMe research participants and includes more than 5,000 genetic variants. The report also takes into account a person’s ethnicity and birth sex.
<h6>Taking Action</h6>
Fortunately, one can lower their chances of developing diverticulitis with a healthy lifestyle. That includes eating more fiber and less red meat, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly.
Taking steps to learn about your genetics and your family medical history, and talking with your healthcare provider will help you understand your own chances and the right steps for prevention.
<h6>More</h6>
23andMe’s new Diverticulitis report (powered by 23andMe research) is available to all members that join the 23andMe+ Premium membership. To learn more about your report, members can go<a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/prs.diverticulitis/"> here</a>.
Haven’t joined the 23andMe+ Premium membership yet?
 Find out more<a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/?ban=stky"> here</a>.

23andMe+ Premium Report on Diverticulitis

Why are people attracted to specific traits in romantic partners? How can someone garnish all their dishes with cilantro and someone else recoil at the thought? What makes an individual reach for sweet snacks instead of salty ones?
&nbsp;The mystery behind why we love what we love has fascinated humanity for millennia.
But even love – that intangible emotion long contemplated by philosophers, artists, poets, and head-over-heels teenagers – is not impervious to the reach of DNA. In fact, research shows that genetics can influence our preferences and tastes.

<h6>Birds of a Feather</h6>
It turns out there might be some scientific proof to the adage “birds of a feather flock together,” at least when it comes to mate preference.
A study published in<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-016-0016"> Nature Human Behavior</a> identified genetic evidence for assortative mating, defined as the tendency to select and mate with partners who are similar to us.
&nbsp;Researchers at the University of Queensland, the University of North Carolina, 23andMe, and other institutions, looked at two specific traits in couples: height and body mass index (BMI).&nbsp;&nbsp;
They used data from more than 24,000 couples, including 11,908 consenting couples from 23andMe, and compared an individual’s genetically predicted height and BMI to those of their partner.
The study<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/you-complete-me/"> found</a> a strong correlation between people’s genetic predisposition for height and their partner’s actual height. A weaker but still statistically significant correlation was also found between people’s genes for BMI and the actual BMI of their partners.

<h6>Pass the Salt… or the Sugar</h6>
Picture your perfect snack. Is it sweet – a bowl of ice cream, or maybe a cookie? Or is it salty (think: popcorn or chips)?
Genetics may influence your choice by impacting how your brain identifies and responds to tastes.
&nbsp;It all starts with a single bite. When food enters your mouth, your taste buds get to work – sending signals to two different brain areas. These regions help you identify and decide if you like a flavor.
Scientists from 23andMe have <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/sweet-salty">identified</a> 43 genetic markers associated with a preference for salty or sweet foods.&nbsp;
&nbsp;Several of these markers are found near genes involved in brain development and function. And two are located in genes associated with food metabolism and body mass, including the FTO gene, which has been linked to obesity.

<h6>The Great Cilantro Divide</h6>
Add cilantro (also known as coriander) to the list of topics you shouldn’t bring up at the dinner table. Like politics and religion, this green, leafy herb elicits surprisingly strong reactions. Some hate it and swear it tastes like soap. Others love it and can’t imagine a dish without it.&nbsp;
What makes this herb so polarizing? Genetics offers a clue. 23andMe researchers<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/cilantro-love-hate-genetic-trait/"> found</a> two genetic markers associated with cilantro aversion located near a cluster of olfactory receptor genes. Some of these receptors help us perceive aldehydes, chemical compounds that contribute to cilantro’s “soapy” scent.
Culture and environment can also influence cilantro preference. According to a 23andMe <a href="https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2044-7248-1-8">study</a>, only 3-7 percent of those who identify as South Asian, Latino, or Middle Eastern dislike the herb compared to 14-21 percent of people of East Asian, African, or European ancestry.&nbsp;
Researchers posit that this difference could be partially due to the ubiquity of cilantro in various regional cuisines, which results in frequent exposure to the herb.

In light of these research findings, perhaps we can offer an addition to this well-known quote by the Sufi mystic and poet Rumi: “Only Love… [and DNA] can explain the mysteries of Love.”
Happy Valentine’s Day!

Featured — Page 9