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Meet Our New Senior Director of Development

by | Sep 29, 2026 | Blog Post

Meet Our New Senior Director of Development

September 29, 2026

We’re excited to welcome Dena Zaldúa to the Weave team as our Senior Director of Development! Get to know a little more about our new team member.

1. What are you most excited about in joining Weave?

I’m excited to be joining a team that is part of the movement for health justice, which, of course, means not just health for humans, but also health for our precious planet. In many ways, this work is more critical than ever in 2026 and beyond. We are witnessing, in real time, the relentless dismantling of environmental legal protections that have been in place for decades. What an honor to be part of the team at Weaving Voices that is doing the important work of standing up for and protecting our bodies and our planet, even when the powers that be will not.

And speaking of the team, I am excited to join this tiny-but-mighty group of bright and brilliant people who, among many other things, understand the deeply intersectional nature of justice work.

Last, but certainly not least, I am also really looking forward to getting to know Weaving Voices’ donors and supporters, the true champions of this work. If you’re reading this and would like to connect, I hope you’ll reach out to me at denaz@weavingvoices.org. I would love to hear your “Weaving Voices story”!

2. What inspired you to work in development and fundraising?

I got my start in nonprofit fundraising 26 years ago at an LGBTQ community foundation in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I was hired as a receptionist and, shortly after, began helping with some of the administrative aspects of its development work. After months of getting to work with donors each day, I realized, “Hey, this is work that I not only enjoy, but am good at, and this is work that nearly every nonprofit needs done.”

I used to always say, I may never become an attorney or a doctor doing more hands-on justice work, but I can absolutely help keep the lights on and the good work going. For me, raising funds to support the movement for justice is one of my most important roles in the movement, and it’s how I am able to sleep at night.

3. What’s something you enjoy doing outside of work?

I live right by the Willamette River in Oregon, and I love getting outside with my dogs and just being in and with the abundant nature that is at my doorstep. I am also an energy healer and witch, and I’m passionate about alternative somatic modalities that can bring health and wellness to our bodies, especially when mainstream approaches aren’t effective.

4. What’s bringing you joy right now?

Music is one of my first and deepest loves, and it always brings me joy. Right now, I am finding much joy in celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of my favorite albums of all time, which is also, in my opinion, one of the greatest albums of all time: Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life.

As a whole, the album explores and expresses the themes with which humanity has always grappled: love and joy, grief and pain, and how to hold both with both hands. It is a masterpiece of a meditation on what it is to be joyfully, painfully human.

Learn more about Dena by reading her full bio below.

Learn More

Weave Responds to the FDA’s Latest Tampon Safety Study

by | Jul 9, 2026 | Blog Post

Weave’s Response to the FDA’s Latest Tampon Safety Study 

July 8, 2026

Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (Weave), formerly Women’s Voices for the Earth, welcomes the FDA’s continued attention to the safety of menstrual products. Any effort to better understand chemical exposures associated with these products is an important step forward.

The FDA’s recent study found that the levels of heavy metals released from tampons under the conditions tested pose a negligible toxicological risk. Those findings provide valuable information and contribute to our understanding of menstrual product safety.

At the same time, this study should not be viewed as the final word on tampon safety.

Menstrual products represent a unique route of exposure. Tampons are used internally and come into direct contact with highly absorptive vaginal tissue. Yet, we still know remarkably little about how chemicals are absorbed through vaginal tissue, how repeated exposure over decades may affect reproductive health, or how certain chemicals may influence the vaginal microbiome. These are important scientific questions that deserve continued research.

Heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and lead are environmental contaminants that can enter products through agricultural production, manufacturing, and other points in the supply chain. They have also been detected in food, drinking water, cosmetics, and other consumer products. Their presence in everyday products highlights the need for stronger efforts to reduce contamination wherever possible.

At Weave, we do not believe contamination should be treated as inevitable or acceptable. Consumers deserve confidence that the products they rely on every month have been thoroughly evaluated for safety and manufactured with the highest possible standards.

That is why we continue to advocate for:

  • Stronger pre-market testing for toxic contaminants in menstrual products.
  • Greater efforts by manufacturers to prevent and minimize contamination throughout the supply chain.
  • Greater transparency about product ingredients and contaminants so consumers can make informed choices.
  • Continued independent research to better understand long-term exposures and health outcomes associated with menstrual product use.

Scientific progress is rarely driven by a single study. The FDA’s findings are an important contribution to the evidence base, but they should also serve as a catalyst for continued research, greater transparency, and stronger oversight. Every person who menstruates deserves products that are not only effective, but also backed by robust science and meaningful consumer protections.

Learn more about the FDA’s recent study: “Do metals in tampons pose a health risk? A toxicological risk assessment study?”
Learn More

Black Enterprise Coverage: FDA Called Out For Repeated Refusal To Ban Harmful Chemicals in Hair Relaxers

by | Jan 15, 2026 | Media Coverage

Black Enterprise Coverage: FDA Called Out For Repeated Refusal To Ban Harmful Chemicals in Hair Relaxers

January 15, 2026

Weaving Voices for Health & Justice shared a press release condemning the FDA for refusing to ban formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-inducing chemicals in hair products. WEAVE called the matter a gross negligence that can severely impact the health of Black women and salon workers, who primarily use these products as hair relaxers. 

Click here to read the full article!

The FDA Missed Another Self-Imposed Deadline to Ban Formaldehyde

by | Jan 13, 2026 | Press Release

The FDA Missed Another Self-Imposed Deadline to Ban Formaldehyde 

January 12, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Monday, January 12, 2026  

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Imani West, Communications Director  

Weaving Voices for Health & Justice 
imaniw@womensvoices.org 

Weavingvoices.org 

The FDA Missed Another Self-Imposed Deadline to Ban Formaldehyde 

A Pattern of Public Health Failures That Continues to Put Lives at Risk 

Denver, CO — Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (Weave) is extremely disappointed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) repeated refusals to release the long-overdue rule to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals in hair straightening products. The end of 2025 marks yet another missed deadline to protect the public from toxic exposures, particularly for Black women and salon workers who have carried the burden of exposure for decades. 

For years, Weave, alongside environmental health advocates, salon workers, and community leaders across the United States, has urged the FDA to act immediately on evidence showing the serious health risks posed by formaldehyde in hair straightening products. Despite repeated promises and five missed deadlines, the agency has once again failed to meet its responsibility to safeguard consumers and workers. 

Since 2011, there has been public acknowledgement of health risks associated with formaldehyde exposure in hair straightening products, including cancer, reproductive harm, respiratory illness, and chronic health conditions. In 2023, the FDA first signaled that it was preparing a rule to address formaldehyde in hair straightening products, setting an action date of April 2024, raising expectations among workers, advocates, and impacted communities. The agency has missed its self-imposed deadline multiple times since the April deadline including, July 2024, September 2024, March 2025, and now December 2025. As of January 2026, the rule has still not been released.  

“Every delay in releasing this rule allows continued exposure to a known carcinogen, particularly for Black women and salon workers who bear the greatest risk,” said Jayla Burton, Director of Programs at Weaving Voices for Health & Justice. “The science is clear and well-documented. The continued inaction only leads to deeper damage.” 

In salons across the country, workers and patrons are exposed to formaldehyde day after day through inhalation and skin contact—often without adequate protection or full awareness of the danger they face. Black women, who are disproportionately targeted by and marketed to for these products, face health inequities because of institutional racism and regulatory failure. 

“This is yet another missed opportunity to prevent cancer, respiratory illness, and daily harm,” Burton added. “Communities who have waited years for this rule deserve more than silence and continued delays.” 

Advocates have repeatedly called on the FDA to release the rule and move toward a final ban, yet meaningful regulatory action remains stalled. 

“The FDA has known about the dangers of formaldehyde in hair straightening products for over a decade,” said Debra Erenberg, Co-Executive Director of Weaving Voices for Health & Justice. “Failing to release this rule yet again raises serious questions about whose health is being prioritized and whose is being sacrificed.” 

The delay also threatens public trust in federal health protections at a time when the United States is facing numerous administrative and regulatory reversals. 

“At a time when public trust in health protections is already fragile, continued delay only reinforces the perception that the FDA does not care about the lives of salon workers and consumers,” Erenberg continued. “Federal leadership requires action, not excuses and continued delays on critical regulation.” 

In 2025 alone, Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (formerly known as Women’s Voices for the Earth) led major efforts to elevate urgency and accountability: 

  • April 2025: Weave and its partners sent an open letter to the FDA urging the agency to take action within 90 days, setting an expected release date of July 14, 2025, which the FDA failed to meet. 
  • June 2025: Weave organized a National Day of Action, rallying advocates, experts, and community members nationwide to demand that the FDA ban formaldehyde once and for all, including delivering hundreds of personalized emails directly to FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary. 
  • Throughout 2025: Weave continued to uplift salon worker stories, mobilize public action, and expand educational resources, including our updated formaldehyde consumer safety database, keeping this critical public health issue at the forefront of advocacy and public engagement. 

Weaving Voices for Health & Justice will continue to hold the FDA accountable until this rule is released and finalized. Through its Beautiful Hair Without the Scare campaign, the organization allows consumers to send a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary calling for the immediate release of the proposed rule to ban formaldehyde in hair-straightening products and invites salon workers to share stories of how they have been impacted by formaldehyde in their workplace. You can take action athttps://weavingvoices.quorum.us/campaign/beautifulhairwithoutthescareaction/ 

 
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About Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (Weave) 

Formerly known as Women’s Voices for the Earth 

Founded in 1995 as Women’s Voices for the Earth, Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (Weave) drives action towards a future free from the impacts of toxic chemicals rooted in gender justice alongside those historically and presently ignored by the environmental health movement by leveraging an intersectional solidarity approach based on our expertise in research, advocacy, and organizing. 

 

 

 

Formaldehyde in Hair Straightening Products: An Ongoing Health Concern 

by | Nov 19, 2025 | Blog Post

Formaldehyde in Hair Straightening Products: An Ongoing Health Concern 

November 19, 2025

 Formaldehyde exposure in hair straightening products continues to pose a serious health concern— despite strong international action to restrict or ban its use. As part of our ongoing effort to keep consumers informed and empowered, we’ve updated our list of products that still contain formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing ingredients. Before you shop, here’s what you need to know about how other countries regulate these chemicals, how the U.S. compares, and why products containing formaldehyde remain widely available. 

Global Regulations Offer Stronger Protections 

The EU prohibits the use of formaldehyde in all cosmetics and severely restricts the use of formaldehyde-releasing chemicals (such as preservatives) to very low concentrations, requiring clear labeling (e.g., “contains formaldehyde”) above certain thresholds. 

Canada includes formaldehyde on its Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist, restricting its use to specific product types and concentrations. It does not permit the use of formaldehyde in aerosol products and restricts formaldehyde in other cosmetic products, including those that may release formaldehyde under normal use, such as hair straighteners. 

Australia restricts formaldehyde in cosmetics and actively enforces bans on products that exceed safe limits, including the removal of non-compliant imports from the market. 

Numerous hair straightening products containing formaldehyde were taken off the market in these countries beginning in 2010, protecting consumers from harm. 

Lack of U.S. Federal Regulation Leads to State Bans 

Despite growing global regulatory action and mounting pressure to enforce stricter policies, the U.S. federal government has not yet proposed regulations to ban formaldehyde in hair straightening products. In response, several states have taken proactive measures to protect public health by banning formaldehyde in cosmetics, including hair treatments. 

The political landscape of formaldehyde bans:  

  • California’s Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (AB 2762) prohibits the use of formaldehyde in cosmetic and personal care products 
  • Maryland’s House Bill 643 (HB0643) bans the manufacture and sale of cosmetic products containing formaldehyde and several other harmful ingredients. 
  • Washington’s Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (HB 1047), enacted in 2023, restricts the use of multiple toxic chemicals in cosmetics, including formaldehyde, formaldehyde-releasing agents, PFAS, and phthalates. The ban on intentionally added formaldehyde took effect January 1, 2025. The state extended the compliance deadline for formaldehyde-releasers to January 1, 2027. 
  • Oregon’s Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (SB 546) was passed in 2023 and will go into effect on January 1, 2027, further extending protections against hazardous cosmetic ingredients like formaldehyde. 

Despite State Bans, Hair Straighteners Containing Formaldehyde Are Still for Sale 

Over the past year, we surveyed a range of hair straightening products currently available on the U.S. market and requested Safety Data Sheets (SDS) directly from manufacturers. In most cases, manufacturers either refused to share SDSs or did not respond; however, one company did provide documentation upon request. 

Because of lack of regulation from the FDA and transparency from manufacturers, Weave has put together a consumer safety database of hair straightening products that contain formaldehyde and/or formaldehyde-releasing agents—originally compiled in 2014 and expanded in 2018—with new data from 2025.  

Please note: Products not included on this list should not be assumed to be formaldehyde-free. Many products do not list formaldehyde outright but instead list chemicals that release formaldehyde when heated. Common ingredients to look out for include Methylene Glycol, Formalin, Paraformaldehyde, Dimethylol Glycol, and Glyoxal. 

Even products labeled “formaldehyde-free” may contain these ingredients, making it crucial to read labels carefully and stay informed about what to look out for when shopping for hair care products. 

This work wouldn’t have been possible without contributions from our 2024-2025 Weavers cohort fellow, Yami Lopez.  

Formaldehyde Database

Stay Informed & Take Action 

Contact the FDA today and let them know that protecting public health and consumer safety must be a priority. We can’t afford any more delays. 

Discover how Weave is pushing the FDA to ban formaldehyde—and how you can join the movement—through our “Beautiful Hair Without the Scare” campaign. 

Advocates Urge FDA to Ban Formaldehyde in Hair-Straightening Products: Black Enterprise

by | Apr 24, 2025 | Media Coverage

ADVOCATES URGE FDA TO BAN FORMALDEHYDE IN HAIR-STRAIGHTENING PRODUCTS

April 24, 2025

A group of environmental and public health organizations united to pen an open letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling for an immediate ban on formaldehyde in hair-straightening products.

Click here to read the full article!