Strength, virtual advocacy, and celebrating Pride
"My alopecia ended up being the thing that actually is making my career what it is." -Anthony Carrigan
Welcome, new subscribers! Hopefully you’re staying cool out there now that it’s officially summer. I’ve found myself needing regular reminders to stay hydrated, especially because I’m still pretty house-bound/quarantined here in Los Angeles.
If you’re new and missed last week’s newsletter, catch up here.
xo Traci
"My alopecia ended up being the thing that actually is making my career what it is…. If you can identify your insecurity and find a way to just become fully self-accepting and forgive yourself for whatever you feel like you’re lacking, and you turn your perspective around, life just gets so much better.” - Anthony Carrigan (BUILD Series, 04/12/19)
I’ve been on a TV rewatch kick lately (thanks, quarantine!) and now that I’ve got HBOMax, I’ve been loving re-visiting Barry. If you haven’t seen it, it’s quite good – in a dark way – and Anthony Carrigan is such a standout in the show. His portrayal of Noho Hank is one of the brightest spots of the series, and I love hearing him talk about his alopecia journey.
Around the web…
16-year-old Mona Bailey’s jiu-jitsu journey started when she was 9 years old – and since then, she’s been taking home big wins at major jiu-jitsu events, including this past weekend’s Third Coast Grappling: Kumite II tournament. “What I want people to think of me when they see me compete is that any girl — my age, younger, or older — can go out there and show their skills in a male dominate sport,” Bailey recently told The Jiu-Jitsu Times. “We are strong, confident women that train just as hard as the boys/men, and we can put on a great show just like they do. The best part is I love competing! I win some and lose some, but l am always learning from both. Most importantly, I always go out and have fun.”
Last week was the National Alopecia Areata Foundation’s annual conference, which took place virtually this year. Part of the conference included a “Virtual Hill Day,” where NAAF members got to meet with elected officials (like Rep. Joe Kennedy) over Zoom to advocate for alopecia research funding. You can watch Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s welcome message for those participating at NAAF’s website, and if you register online, you can watch the recorded live meetings. (Note: each registration is $75)
In wig news… How gorgeous is Megan Thee Stallion’s “Aurora Borealis”-themed wig for Pride Month?? The rapper showed off her colorful hair on Instagram in videos and photos, tagging hairstylist and wig specialist Kellon Deryck, who designed the look for her.
In case you missed it…
Earlier this year, Guardian photographer Graeme Robertson (who has alopecia himself) began documenting the diverse experiences that others with alopecia have with the autoimmune condition – from a flight attendant to a tech worker to a stay-at-home mom.
It shows how different each person’s alopecia journey is and is a good reminder that everyone experiences alopecia differently. Whether you choose to wear wigs or makeup – or if you feel self-conscious because you struggle with confidence – there’s no one “right” way to be an alopecian. That’s the great thing about this community: we are all different, and yet tied together too in a very unique way.
Alopecia &… Spotlight: @reallyjessicarose
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Email: alopeciamua@gmail.com
Instagram: @alopeciamua / @traciglee
Twitter: @traciglee