OT JEDI

Dr. Ana Malfitano’s career is focused on Social Occupational Therapy, which has been developed in Brazil to repair various inequities and injustices. In Dr. Malfitano’s World Federation of Occupational Therapy 2022 Keynote address, she turns the lens of occupational therapy onto the idea of anthropophagy. This concept was developed in The Manifesto Anthropophagic, by Oswald de Andrade, which proposes that metacognitive knowledge stems from alterity. In a world where we coexist with many other cultures—understanding the “other” and consuming this knowledge, builds new understanding. In this discussion of anthropophagy and its application in social occupational therapy, we question the construction of our therapeutic position and purpose. Today’s world is fraught with relentless social inequalities and rather than cancel the colonial origins, perhaps recognition of the plurality of our histories & cultures, and questioning our actions will unite us in working towards a social life.
Image: Abaporu, 1928 by Tarsila do Amaral

This episode we will discuss and learn about hair equity. Hairstyles have cultural roots. It can be easy to dismiss and think, “Well, it’s just hair.”

When people spend time in hospitals, they often experience disruptions in their normal routines and engagement in the activities of daily living or ADLs. I talked with two professionals, Lauren Justice an OT and Kim Regis, who is the Vice President of operations at Nationwide children’s hospital in Columbus Ohio. They formed a hair equity initiative and launched a program to that increased staff awareness and education, as well as, taking stock on current hair supply inventory. Their work is not only an example of occupational justice with focus on equal access to grooming but also a paragon of what can be accomplished on multidisciplinary teams.
Click here for more information on the hair equity programs at Nationwide Children's Hospital
Some common hairstyle vocabulary:
Box braids are a stye of hair-braiding. This type of hairstyle is a "protective style" (which means it is a style which can be worn for a long period of time to let natural hair grow and protect the ends of the hair) and is used as a way to protect textured hair against split ends and damage from heat and humidity. It is considered "boxy" because of square-shaped hair divisions.

A do-rag is a scarf or cloth worn on the head, typically with its ends or corners tied together in the back. It dates back to the 19th century when poor laborers and slaves needed something to tie their hair back with. Later during the Harlem Renaissance and Great Depression, in the 1930s, do-rag evolved into a hairstyle preserver.

There are two types of lace fronts, a full lace wig and a lace front wig is the base. The difference is in the name, lace front wigs contain lace in the front of the wig. It is attached to the front edges of the head, along the hairline where there is often a lace panel. Full lace wigs are pasted to the head entirely, they tend to have a slightly stronger durability.

A sew-in is a hair extensions made up of small cornrow braids that are used as anchors then attached with hair wefts by use of needle and weaving thread.
A silk press is a method of straightening natural curls without a chemical relaxer. Instead, this hairstyling technique uses a blow-dryer and flat iron to smooth out the hair.
A quick weave is a style where extensions are glued to a protective wig cap before bonding it to the head. It's a protective style that can be done at home.

Occupational therapy can provide services in many different areas within the prison system. From providing transitional services to inmates getting ready to be released, to focusing on occupational deprivation, to leading groups for an infinite number of topics. This episode features Ariana Gonzalez, an occupational therapist, executive director, and founder of Life After Incarceration: Transition & Reentry (LAITR), an occupational therapy community-based program focused on reentry for individuals after incarceration.
To learn more about Ariana Gonzalez and LAITR visit https://www.lifeafterincarceration.com/
References

Criminal justice data. The Sentencing Project. (2023, January 25). Retrieved July 29, 2023, from https://www.sentencingproject.org/research/us-criminal-justice-data/

Dillon, M. B., Dillon, T. H., Griffiths, T., Prusnek, L., & Tippie, M. (2020). The distinct value of occupational therapy in corrections: Implementation of a life skills program in a county jail. Annals of International Occupational Therapy, 3(4), 185. https://doi.org/10.3928/24761222-20200309-01
Gonzalez, A., & Tyminski, Q. (2020). Sleep deprivation in an American homeless population. Sleep Health: Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, 6(4), 489–494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2020.01.002

Jaegers, L. A., Dieleman, C., Dillon, M. B., Rogers, S., Muñoz, J. P., & Barney, K. F. (2020). Justice-based occupational therapy initiative: Advancing occupational justice in criminal justice systems. Annals of International Occupational Therapy, 3(4), 200+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A676585517/AONE?u=mlin_m_regis&sid=ebsco&xid=ed5dd4db

Muñoz, J. P., Moreton, E. M., & Sitterly, A. M. (2016). The scope of practice of occupational therapy in U.S. criminal justice settings. Occupational Therapy International, 23(3), 241–254. https://doi.org/10.1002/oti.1427
Tucker, S. (2020). Access to OT in the prison system: Assessing attitudes of OT students and practitioners...2020 American occupational therapy association annual conference & expo. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Sup1), 1. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S1-PO1510
Tyminski, Q., Gonzalez, A., & Synovec, C. E. (2020). The importance of health management and maintenance occupations while homeless: A case study. Work, 65(2), 297–301. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-203081
Special thanks to Parker Sheridan for the background research!

In the United States the profession of occupational therapy was established in 1917 and in the UK it was established in 1922 but in Arab countries, like Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Palestine, Kuwait, and others, occupational therapy was established less than 40 years ago. And most Arab countries saw the establishment of occupational therapy within the last 25 years.

Of course, as the profession grew in Arab nations, theories, and models were brought in from Western countries that emphasized practices that had been developed in very different contexts. These ideas about human occupation and its connection to health and wellness had to be translated and made to fit into the Arab culture. These theories and models stem from the well-educated, privileged social positions, able-bodied, white Anglophones, who identify with Judeo-Christian cultural backgrounds.

When Dr. Razan Hamed was studying occupational therapy at the University of Jordan, she noticed that some occupational therapy evaluations were missing some important aspects of Muslim life while holding onto items that were irrelevant in Jordan. She set her sights on the Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills or PASS and created the A-PASS, the Arabic Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills

Hello, OT JEDI listeners! As we approach the 2024 election, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the enduring importance of justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion—our JEDI principles. Since 2020, there’s been a powerful call for justice and equity that has resonated across communities, professions, and industries. But as new challenges arise, we need to keep JEDI values central in all that we do.
I'm speaking to you now as the new Program Director of SUNY Downstate’s Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (PP-OTD) program, where diversity and inclusion are integral. The faculty and student diversity at SUNY Downstate is essential, and I'm actively fostering this by building an inclusive, accessible, and representative program. To support practicing professionals, I've introduced a credit-for-prior-learning initiative, waiving up to 9 credits, saving students close to $10,000—a step toward making higher education more equitable.
Amid this transition, I’m thrilled to bring back OT JEDI with Season 3, focusing on sustaining and amplifying the JEDI movement. Let’s continue advancing these values together, in every sphere of life. Stay tuned for new episodes soon, and thank you for being part of this journey toward a more inclusive future.