The Passage Project

Notes From the Diaspora: Fast Company's United States of Design; The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975

2011-10-11T12:04:06-04:00

This regular section of The Passage Project is the spot to find abbreviated notes on news and events throughout the African Diaspora and beyond.

Design/Shopping
Everywhere

Recently, I made a conscious decison to try my best to purchase American made products in an effort to support our economy and American design. Fast Company has made it a bit easier to manage with their new app Fast Company's United States of Design where you will find top tier American goods for your home, wardrobe, and just about anything else. Searching by state or product type will lead you to the boots, furniture, grill or even the Airstream trailer of your dreams.

Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 courtesy of IFC.

Film
NYC
The Swedish documentary The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 continues its run at IFC Center. Check it out to catch a glimpse of vintage footage featuring Angela Davis, Stokley Carmichael and Huey P. Newton seen through the eyes of the Swedish journalists covering the Black Power Movement. The film was the winner of the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

Don't Fear the Razor: Putting a Stop to Shaving Irritation

2011-10-11T11:26:57-04:00

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Men's Life Today: Shaving

Don't Fear the Razor: Putting a Stop to Shaving Irritation

By Craig Whitely For Men's Life Today

Shaving irritation is a very common malady, partially because there are so many causes for it. To name just a few:

Blade’s too sharp
Blade’s too dull
Too many passes/strokes
Too much pressure
Shaving too quickly
Lack of moisture
Shaving with cold water

Like I said, the list is long, and it could be even longer if we were to consider men with unique circumstances, like curly beards. And of course we all know what it looks and feels like: unsightly ingrown hairs, redness and the don’t-touch-my-face-right-now burning sensation.

Yet there is a solution. (There’s always a solution, right?) Below I’ve listed a few tried-and-true ways to avoid shaving irritation.

1. Start off clean.
One of the first steps to guarantee a close, comfortable and irritation-free shave is to make sure your face is clean. A quick rinse of the face with a face wash and/or exfoliator not only removes dirt and oils, but also aids in softening the beard. This allows for the razor blade to perform at its optimum level, and it frees your skin of extra dirt and oils that could wreak havoc on your open pores.

2. Keep it wet.
I always let my clients know there is absolutely nothing wrong with over-prepping their beards. So lather, re-lather, then lather again if you have to. Simply put, the wetter and softer you can get your beard, the less effort it will be to take it off. And who wouldn’t mind a bit more cushion between the face and the blade? The end result is fewer strokes, which means the blade is on your face for less time. If you want it a bit closer, then re-lather and shave again!

The best way to maximize moisture is to immediately apply the shaving cream after you’ve rinsed off your face wash. This way the cream can trap the moisture already on the skin and infuse more in the process.

3. Know your face.
For many men, shaving against the grain leads to skin sensitivity (i.e., razor burn) and, even worse, ingrown hairs. If you’re one of those men, knowing the direction(s) in which your hair grows can save you from days of frustration -- not to mention feeling like you can’t leave the house. Once you determine where you have multidirectional growth patterns, you can prep them more heavily. Also consider leaving this area for last, so you can really concentrate on the best direction to shave in order to minimize irritation.

4. Heal and moisturize.
A splash of cold water will bring your skin back in balance by closing the pores. Then, grab your favorite aftershave balm -- one that’s designed to heal and also moisturize the skin. Don’t minimize the importance of this step. Healing is key; your skin will be going through this process again very soon!

Craig Whitely also known as Craig the Barber, is a licensed professional barber and men’s grooming expert. He owns the Los Angeles–based grooming service The Grooming Concierge, serves as a contributor to national magazines and television shows, and is the editor in chief of the daily blog TheMensRoom.com.

memory index: No. 16: COLLECT Vintage Photos of Women on Horseback

2011-10-11T11:22:01-04:00

No. 16: COLLECT Part of a collection inspired by the 2007 photo exhibition Stereotypes vs. Humantypes: Images of Blacks in the 19th and 20th Centuries at the Schomberg Center for Black Research in New York City.

“There is something about riding down the street on a prancing horse that makes you feel like something, even when you ain’t a thing.”
Will Rogers

memory index: No. 67: COOK Homemade Yogurt

2011-10-06T10:31:47-04:00

From the blog memory index

No.67: COOK Homemade Yogurt

After hearing how much better tasting homemade yogurt was a few months ago, I decided to give it a try myself. I was very surprised at how easy it was to make and thoroughly impressed by the taste. Now, I try to make homemade yogurt any chance I get. The necessary ingredients are minimal:

1 quart of milk
2 tablespoons of yogurt
fruit or granola, if desired

Regarding the ingredients, I used Ronnybrook Farm Creamline whole milk (hormone-free and not homogenized, so there is a nice layer of cream on the top) and Fage greek yogurt as my starter in hopes of producing a thick consistency.

Using a cooking thermometer, track the rising temperature to 180 degrees F, then let the milk cool down to 120 degrees F. Once it has cooled, add 2 tablespoons of yogurt as your starter and then mix the ingredients with a spoon or a whisk (I also shook the jar after tightening the lid).

Place the jar on top of a heating pad set to medium heat, wrap the jar in a towel, and cover it with large pot to incubate for 10-12 hours (I do this stage overnight). After the incubation period, cool the yogurt by placing the jar in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.

When you are ready to eat the finished product, feel free to add fresh fruit and/or granola. The following morning for breakfast I added raspberries and granola with goji berries. Pretty simple. (Remember to save roughly a half a cup from your homemade batch so you no longer have to buy yogurt from a store as your starter).

Stop Shaping and Start Styling

2011-09-30T17:25:44-04:00

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Men's Life Today: Hair

Stop Shaping and Start Styling

By Craig Whitely For Men's Life Today

When was the last time you browsed through old pictures of yourself? Or sat down and clicked through your old “tagged” images on Facebook? Notice anything? Yep, that’s right: You’ve been sporting the same haircut since before you could drive.

It’s understandable -- many African-American hairstyles stay current through the years, so it’s not like you’re out of style. But that’s no excuse for not changing things up every once in a while. Believe me; even the smallest adjustment can make a difference. And it can give you a new sense of confidence in an area in which you never even thought you were lacking.

So give one of these older-yet-new-again styles a try. Trust me, everyone will love your new look, and your barber will be thrilled to finally try something different on you!

The Hi-top Fade

Yep, the “hi-top fade” is back! Only now, it’s not as mainstream as it was in the late ’80s. And that’s a good thing, since it gives you the freedom to wear it any way you like: clean, textured, tall, short, etc. The best part is that, if you make it work with your overall presentation, you will be the center of attention -- in a good way.

Keep in mind, however, that a hi-top fade can lengthen and also square the face off. There are exceptions to the rule, but if your face shape is square or oblong/rectangular, you may want to avoid this style.

Afro

There are many names for this style: afro, low-fro, afro temp, etc. And depending on which city you’re in, there’s tremendous variety in how it’s worn too. These pictures show what’s most popular at the moment, but if you want to wear it fuller, go for it. The sky is truly the limit here.

Yet another name for this style is the “Neo-Soul” look, simply because -- while it can be worn neat or messy -- it always has an artistic, nonconformist flare. In other words, this style isn’t for everyone. But if your personality fits the bill, it’s a killer look.

The Caesar

The Caesar haircut typically comes in two shades: low/light and dark. Depending on where you live (and your hair type), you may also hear people referring to a third shade: medium.

One thing I like about this style is that the person wearing it can look totally different with each of the different lengths. The lighter the haircut, the more the attention is drawn to the eyes. The darker the cut, the more it creates a frame for the face, allowing facial hair to be prominent.

The Fade

Of course, this style has been around for ages, and for good reason. It fits every face shape and every hair type, and the variations are endless! However, I have noticed a trend toward a darker shade with more length on the top (think Blair Underwood and Maxwell). This new trend adds immediate sophistication to what is already a timeless look.

Dreadlocks

It takes a confident man to pull this hairstyle off -- not to mention a patient one. With the amount of time it will take to grow your hair to these lengths, you will definitely realize soon enough if it’s for you. But with patience comes great reward, as you can see from these images. Good look, right?

Now we’ve all seen different looks within the dreadlock style, but the most versatile and popular now is shoulder-length and neat. That’s because the style is slowly gaining acceptance in the corporate world. In addition to being office-ready, shoulder-length dreads have another benefit: They complement your overall appearance rather than dominating it.

Lenny Kravitz: Getty Images

Craig Whitely also known as Craig the Barber, is a licensed professional barber and men’s grooming expert. He owns the Los Angeles-based grooming service The Grooming Concierge, serves as a contributor to national magazines and television shows, and is the editor in chief of the daily blog TheMensRoom.com.

Some Favorites from South Africa Fashion Week

2011-09-30T17:18:58-04:00

So I am a bit late with this post but I really wanted to share a few of my favorite images from of South Africa's Fashion Week held September 22 - 25 in Johannesburg. (Drumroll please!)

The following images are the fashion blog Cut from A Different Cloth.

Colleen Eitzen

Gugulam

Joel Janse Van Vuuren

FOOD: Baked Fries with Thyme and Olive Oil

2011-09-23T10:00:50-04:00

If you're like me and have a deep passion for french fries, then you're always trying out the next best thing. A little over a year ago I began a hot-and-heavy love affair with the fries served at Five Guys, but hated the 1,464 calories calories that came with them. These days, I've replaced them with the baked fries I have always loved and made for years but added fresh rosemary and olive oil to change things up a bit. They taste just as decadent as the Five Guys variety but are much easier on the body.

3 potatoes (in this instance, I used russert)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. rosemary

Preheat the oven to 450 degreees F. Prep three potatoes by washing them and leaving the skin on. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into long slices. Place the slices into a large bowl, adding olive oil and rosemary. Toss the ingredients with your hands. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, place the marinated slices in a single row. Bake for twenty minutes on each side until they begin to turn a golden brown and serve.

I have also made these using thyme instead of rosemary and loved them just as much.

Eating Healthy Doesn't Has to be Boring: Fighting Obesity in America

2011-09-23T09:45:21-04:00

Anyone with eyes has noticed that there is an obesity crisis in America. According to the Center for Discease Control about one-third of U.S. adults (33.8%) are obese and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese. And to examine the issue even further, the CDC notes that Non-Hispanic blacks have the highest rates of obesity (44.1%) compared with Mexican Americans (39.3%), all Hispanics (37.9%) and non-Hispanic whites (32.6%).

But people have been turning out en mass to fight back. First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move initiative has made great strides, including partnering with Walmart to offer reduced prices for fruits and vegetables. Community farms have been sprouting up in vacant lots in cities like Detroit and grassroot programs are being started in much smaller communties, such as a program that has taken root in the Mississippi Delta. In this region, a group of church officials profiled in The New York Times are on a mission to get their congregations to move from diets that include a heavy dose of fried foods to healthy alternatives.

To celebrate this spirit of healthy living, The Passage Project will be featuring a series of healthy recipies that won't resemble the flavorless or boring variety. Heathly does not have to mean tasteless and we're here to celebrate that.

7 Back-to-school Essentials

2011-09-23T08:55:39-04:00

Style + Tech For Men: Miscellaneous

7 Back-to-school Essentials

By Ian Rowan for Style + Tech For Men

Summer’s over, and it’s time to get back into the fall groove. That means so long beach, hello books. Unlike last year, when you brought home a GPA unfit for a chimpanzee, you’re determined to step up your game this semester: You’re going to get to class on time, be organized and efficient, and still have some fun.

To help, here is our list of must-have gadgets and gear to get you off academic probation and back on track.

GEAR TO GET TO CLASS

Meta Watch This is more than just an alarm clock -- though it does have that feature so you won’t sleep through class. Using Bluetooth technology, Meta Watches can synch with smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices so the wearer can access information from mobile apps or Internet services such texts and emails as easily as they would check the time. The Meta Watch ($200, Texas Instruments ) comes in an OLED/Analog version or a digital version.

Puma Bikes Nevis Have to get across campus in minutes to avoid getting an “F” in English? No problem. Designed for urban commuters, Puma’s new line of bikes integrates European design into U.S. riding styles; Puma calls them customizable city bikes. There are five bike styles in total, and each is customizable down to their color, , accessories and number of gears. The PUMA Nevis Man (from $725, PumaBikes.com) comes with or without the front carrier integrated into the handlebars for books and whatnot. (And no, it’s not a basket, Nancy. No tassels.) The Nevis features a traditional cruiser handling style that holds the body in a laid-back yet upright riding position, which is good for the back. Also check out the self-locking, folding Pico and Disko models.

GEAR TO GET ORGANIZED

Livescribe Smartpens Don’t miss a word that leaves your professor’s mouth with the Livescribe 2 GB Echo Smartpen ($20, Livescribe.com). It’s a pen that automatically transcribes all of your handwritten notes into text files that can be uploaded to your computer and smartphone. It can also take photos of your notes, record up to 200 hours of audio (that’s a lot of lectures), and lets you share notes with classmates via a Pencast, Facebook, or Evernote Premium. (A one-year subscription comes with your purchase.)

Boogie Board 10.5 LCD Writing Tablet Improv Electronics has a solution for all those to-do Post-Its cluttering up your desk. The Boogie Board ($60, MyBoogieBoard) is an LCD tablet that acts like a blackboard or poster board. It features a large 10.5-inch display, integrated stylus holder, and three- and four-ringed binder holes so you can slide it into your Trapper Keeper (if those even exist anymore).

Samsung UN46 D6400 LED Smart Television Laptops are a must in small college dorm rooms, where space is at a premium. However, their screens are usually so small that you go blind trying to read them. Here’s our solution: Mount the ultrathin Samsung 46-inch D6400 3-D television ($1,600, Samsung.com ) on your wall. Simply synch it to your laptop via an HDMI cable and voila! You have a badass monitor that delivers high-def video and 3-D content. It also allows you to stream Netflix, Blockbuster, or Hulu Plus; update your Twitter or Facebook accounts; and anything else you’d do with a laptop.

GEAR TO REST AND RELAX

PlayStation 3 Move After all that studying, you’ll need to blow off some steam. What better way to do that than to connect to other Killzone players down the hall and kill them -- well, virtually anyway. The PlayStation 3 with the Move motion-controller ($400, Sony ) is perfect for that. It also features a Blu-ray player for movies night, Internet connectivity to download movies from Netflix, etc., and 320 GB of onboard storage.

Logitech Rechargeable Speaker S715i If you’re more of a music fan than a gamer, Logitech’s S715i ($120, Logitech.com) is perfect for entertaining those impromptu “study” groups. It seamlessly interfaces with your iPod or iPod Touch, and has an eight-hour battery life to keep the party -- eh, wind-down period -- going late into the evening.

Ian Rowan is a freelance writer who’s worked and written for Men’s Journal, The Village Voice, Switched.com and Vice Magazine. When he’s not traveling or writing his premature personal memoir, he specializes in technology trends, social media, web 2.0 and gadgets.

Champion Soccer Players Rock Styled Facial Hair

2011-09-23T08:52:39-04:00

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Men's Life Today: Shaving

Champion Soccer Players Rock Styled Facial Hair

By Mike Hammer For Men's Life Today

We can’t quite put a finger on it (probably because it’s soccer and you’re not allowed to use your hands), but a growing trend seems to have sprouted on the soccer field ... like the hair on your face.

It’s clear that throughout the history of “the beautiful game,” global soccer stars have found their brush with greatness accompanied by the brush on their mugs. Not prone to hyperbole, we’re saying that their cleverly appointed facial hair was not only their signature, but the factor that sealed the deal to their worldwide success. (And we say that with confidence, because we’re pretty sure we don’t exactly know what “hyperbole” means.)

In the annals of soccer greatness, many majestic mustaches and beards have adorned the lips, chin and -- in the worst cases -- ears of the game’s biggest names. Join us as we examine the evidence that is as plain as the hair on the faces of these soccer giants. Meet the all-trim team of soccer’s hairy Hall of Fame.

Rudi Voller, Germany
This brush-beaked German played 90 times for the national team during the 1980s and 1990s, racking up an amazing 47 goals, which included eight biggies during the World Cup -- all of which were scored with his signature magnificent mustache. Germans everywhere modeled their above-the-lip hair after their national hero, whom they affectionately called “Tante Kathe” (Aunt Katie) due to his mustache’s faithful companion: his long, curly and graying hair. (Our Aunt Katie prefers to go for light ash blonde, but that’s just how it is here in the crazy USA!)

Socrates, Brazil
The term “genius” is thrown around quite a bit in sports. But that word truly seems well suited for the man who was a genius at soccer … and style. (Hey, if you can’t give that moniker to a guy named Socrates, who sports a brilliant beard, who can you give it to?) His sweetly styled brush matched his panache on the pitch as he captained and starred in 60 games as a midfielder with spectacular soccer sensibilities on some of the greatest Brazilian teams of the 1970s and 1980s.

Roger Milla, Cameroon
This African legend is best remembered for roaring like a graybeard when he scored four goals to take his country to the quarterfinals at the ripe old age of 38. But he’s also fondly remembered for showing up for the 1982 tourney with a bodacious beard that became the fledgling team leader’s signature during the African nation’s heroic stand that saw them go unbeaten in the first round. With Milla’s leadership, Cameroon forced draws against established powerhouses, including the eventual winner Italy, before bowing out bloodied (and of course, bearded) but definitely unbowed.

Djibril Cisse, France
This Ivory Coast-born, Iberian bad boy has sculpted his scrub so many different ways we can’t figure out his strategy for the future. But for today, his game face is one of the most famous on the planet. One of his country’s biggest scorers, he still is better known for the singular style of his brush than for his play. Having said that, he was one of the stars of the troubled and disappointing French team at this year’s World Cup. But no one can say his beard didn’t show up ready to go for each and every game.

Alexi Lalas, USA
Landon Donovan’s getting all the action as the glamour guy of American soccer these days, but when our USA boys broke out on the big stage in 1990, the face of the sport in our country was Alexi Lalas. And that face was prominently plumed with one of the coolest goatees this side of Iron Man. Looking like a blend of Yosemite Sam and that dude from the Spin Doctors, Lalas had a style that matched his flamboyant play as he introduced the game to grunge and American soccer to the elite level in the 1990 and 1994 World Cup and in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games.

Mike Hammer has covered sports for such macho titles as Maxim, Stuff and Ladies' Home Journal.