Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Protecting Our Health, Empowering Our Communities
Every October, pink ribbons fill our communities with reminders of hope and awareness. But for many women of color, especially Black and Latinx women, this month is about more than awareness. It is about survival, access, and care. It is about showing up for ourselves and one another with compassion, courage, and knowledge.
At FIERCE Advocates, we believe that healing and justice go hand in hand. Our work centers the emotional and physical well-being of families and communities. When we care for our whole selves, mind, body, and spirit, we honor the heart of FIERCE’s mission: collective empowerment and healing-centered care.
Understanding the Disparities
Breast cancer affects more women than any other cancer, but not all women experience it the same way. In the United States, Black women are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, even though they are diagnosed at similar rates. Among women under 40, breast cancer is more common and often more aggressive for Black women, with higher rates of triple-negative breast cancer, a form that is harder to treat.
Latina women face their own challenges: While breast cancer is less common overall in Latina women, they are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age and at more advanced stages. Barriers such as lack of health insurance, language access, and limited screening opportunities all play a role.
These disparities are not only about biology: They are tied to larger systems of inequality, environmental injustice, unequal access to care, and the social conditions that shape how we live and how we heal.
What’s in Our Products, What’s in Our Communities
Our health is connected to the products we use every day. Many items marketed to Black and Brown women contain chemicals that can disrupt hormones or increase the risk of cancer. Understanding what is in these products helps us make safer choices for ourselves and our families.
Here are a few examples:
Hair products: Frequent use of hair dye has been linked to a 60 percent higher risk of breast cancer. Hair relaxers and Brazilian blowouts can contain harsh chemicals that irritate the scalp and expose us to endocrine disruptors.
Skin lighteners: Some contain hydroquinone or mercury, both linked to hormonal and nervous system harm. Mercury can even affect other family members, especially children, through shared surfaces or contact.
Nail treatments: Acrylic nails and some polishes contain formaldehyde, toluene, and phthalates, which are harmful both to the women wearing them and to the salon workers who apply them.
Fragrance: Products that simply list “fragrance” or “parfum” can hide dozens of unlisted chemicals, including phthalates that may affect fertility, development, and cancer risk.
Making changes can feel overwhelming, but small steps add up. Try:
Choosing products with clear ingredient lists
Using apps like Think Dirty or Clearya to scan for harmful ingredients
Supporting Black-owned beauty brands that commit to safe and transparent ingredients
These actions protect not just your health but the well-being of the people around you.
Early Detection Saves Lives
Early detection gives us power. Regular mammograms, self-exams, and honest conversations with healthcare providers all help. Yet, many women of color face barriers such as limited clinic access or time away from work.
If you can, schedule regular checkups and talk with your provider about your personal risk. Here are three questions you can ask:
What age should I start getting mammograms, based on my family history and risk factors?
Are there any signs or symptoms I should look out for between screenings?
How can I access affordable or free screenings if I do not have insurance?
These conversations can save lives. And if you have already had a mammogram, encourage another woman you love to schedule hers too.
At FIERCE, we know that wellness is a collective effort.
It starts with information but grows through connection. When we talk about what we know, advocate for safer products, and ensure that care is accessible to everyone, we build a community of protection and love.
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let’s take care of one another the way our communities have always done: by sharing knowledge, showing up with compassion, and demanding equity in healthcare and beyond.
Because when one of us is healthier, all of us grow stronger.
