Downtown Ladies Pt.2

In the second half of Downtown ladies, I feel like an important theme across the many chapters focus is resistance. ICIs and lower class resistance , where ICIs resisted to share information with "strangers" "traders know that government officials and researchers are collecting data for policy decisions that will affect them"(159). with ICIs and traders being more involved in illicit activities, Ulysse had difficult times getting them to share with her their tactics to distributing and smuggling drugs.
Another instance of resistance is closer to the end of her book, when she realizes that Mrs.B had been lying to her about how successful being ICIs was for her, who her neighbors were, and little small things that Ulysse took for granted, assuming that they had formed a relationship where they trusted each other to share personal information.
The association to toughness (of ICI women) in relationship to US women "superhero" signifies black women's resistance to societal gender norms of femininity. ICIs explained that they had to be tough in order to make it in this market. People would run all over you is you allowed them to take advantage of you and overcharge for their items.
Lastly resistance of the classes between uptown(middle class) and downtown (lower class) women. "Creative means of reasserting a distinctive black lower class space, identity and politics "(221). Ulysse insist that downtown women and more specifically dancehall females disrupted uptown classes standard of decency and respect. something similar to U.S. politics of respectability that i feel further enhanced policing of black women's bodies (middles class black further oppressing those already marginalized).
One last description Ulysse discusses is the fear of natural looking hair (in contrast to wearing weaves) that looked natural and were synthetic. but natural in an extent to european standards, meaning bright colors in hair (most identified with Dancehall women) were not respectable. However Dancehall (downtown women) resistance to european standards of beauty, was evident as self affirming this creating their own, distinguishable identity.