Inspiring a healthy self-image in the community

Zaynah Awethe and Salma Shire are partnering with Somali Community Link to promote awareness of the health concerns associated with skin-lightning products.

By Jesseca Stoneham
Office of Academic Affairs Marketing and Communications Intern

Amid the struggles surrounding beauty standards, an initiative is shining a light on the hidden dangers of skin-lightening products, empowering women to make informed decisions and sparking crucial conversations within the Somali community.

Zaynah Awethe and Salma Shire, both Columbus-Athens Schweitzer Fellows and students in the College of Medicine, are partnering with the Somali Community Link to raise awareness about unregulated products and their potential health risks. Somali Community Link is a nonprofit organization focusing on improving the lives of the Somali community in central Ohio by addressing needs in advocacy, education, employment and housing. Through this collaboration, they aim to educate the community while promoting self-acceptance.

Skin bleaching is a global, multi-billion-dollar industry and so it is very common to see this practice within many different communities of color, Shire said. Columbus specifically has the second largest Somali community in the United States, so that is why we decided to start our initiative with this community.

Despite the widespread use of skin-lightening products, many of these items are not regulated and contain harmful chemicals that can lead to health issues.

Skin-lightening products often contain harmful chemicals such as mercury, hydroquinone, and corticosteroids, which can lead to serious health issues, Awethe said. Prolonged use of these substances has been linked to kidney damage, thinning of the skin, increased susceptibility to infections, and even mental health challenges, such as anxiety tied to maintaining lighter skin tones.

Together, Awethe and Shire are hosting community forums, providing information about the negative effects of skin lightening. They are creating a supportive environment where members of the Somali community can have open discussions about beauty standards, self-image and the pressures of using skin-lightening products they face in society.

I love seeing the girls mingle together, even after our more formal part of the presentations or discussion, just for them to connect and laugh is really nice to see, Awethe said.

As more people learn about the dangers of skin-lightening products and the importance of self-acceptance, this movement has the potential to spread to other communities facing similar pressures.

Our goal in continuing these conversations with the community is to listen to and share the experiences of these women, so we can better address the issues of colorism and the harmful use of skin-lightening products, Awethe said.

By tackling these health concerns and reshaping the narrative around beauty standards, their initiative fosters a movement of empowerment, self-love and informed decision making. The long-term impact of their work could help change how both the Somali community and others approach beauty standards, paving the way for future generations to celebrate diversity and individuality.

The Columbus-Athens Schweitzer Fellows Program supports and trains health-focused graduate and professional students in creating their service projects. With a $3,000 stipend provided by the program, Fellows can fully dedicate their time and energy to the service initiatives in their communities.