Initially when I lightened my hair, I was going for orange but for one reason or another it wound up more of a creamsicle color. I was not crazy about it but I accepted it. A month later, I went to a different salon where the woman recommended that I use a purple shampoo to remove the orangy look. It left my hair light blonde. I wanted to try something new so I got a flat iron service. When I left the salon my hair was blonde and straight. I did not expect to have such a boos

Suacha Yoga is more than the poses and movements we do in class. Yoga is also a philosophy. Patanjali, creator of the Yoga Sutra, wrote about how the practice contains 8 “limbs”: the Yamas and the Niyamas. The yamas are guidelines for how to operate in society, while the niyamas show how to elevate our inner being. Suacha is the second Niyama. It means cleanliness or purity. I believe this is a time for Suacha. The corona virus or COVID-19 was a LOUD call — an awakening for S

They said: But I thought you wanted a Black donor? I said: He is Dominican. They said: Yeah Dominicans are more white. I said: More white than whom? This exchange was painful for me. I felt unseen and misunderstood. People have such varying opinions about Dominicans. We are mixed race. Even in 2021 it is difficult for some people to wrap their minds around it. They want to put us in a box. I believe that the day will come when society will embrace Dominicans as a nation of pe

A spiritual cleaning for the home On Saturday mornings my Dominican mom would wake up early, clean our apartment and play merengue and bachata on the radio. After cleaning, she would burn incense and chant positive affirmations, walking from the back of the apartment to the front. Opening the front door to release all negativity. At the time, I did not appreciate it. She would wake my little sister and I up at 7 am, expecting us to help out and do our chores. It took sometime