health

Misty Williams — A Sickle Cell Disease Warrior

Although the disease has taken her through the changes, she’s still here and making a difference.   Healthy red blood cells are round, moving through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. If the hemoglobin is abnormal, red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool or a “sickle.” The sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. They also get stuck and clog the blood flow. This can cause pain and other serious health complications including infection, acute chest syndrome and stroke. Related Links:

Fat Shaming, or Just Ashamed of Being Fat?

I enjoy playing golf on Fridays and hanging out with my buddies as well as using that time to get in some exercise.  I can hear some of you saying now, “Golf and exercise, is that like jumbo shrimp?”  We have a standing 7:15 a.m. tee time at Los Amigos Golf Course in Downey, CA. Last week, after we finished playing, I was feeling nostalgic so I decided that I would skip driving the freeway and just take the surface streets home.  What made this drive nostalgic for me was that many years ago when I first moved to Los

Get Fit with Britt-Nick Hosts 12th Annual Women’s Trinity Retreat, “Glow Up” In Montego Bay, Jamaica

By Denver Mackey   Contributing Writer   Cassandra Nickerson, founder of Get Fit with Britt-Nick Organization, and Janeshia Robinson, co-founder of the Annual Women’s Trinity Retreat, hosted their 12th annual retreat, “Glow Up” in Montego Bay, Jamaica.    Get Fit with Britt-Nick is a growing health and fitness organization, dedicated to helping women of color develop the nutrition and fitness tools necessary to create a positive health legacy in their homes and communities.    Being mentally and physically fit should be goal of every human being. However, sometimes lack of information, cultural influences and plain old bad habits, prevent us from living that reality.

Los Angeles Urban League Host Whitney M. Young Awards Gala

By Danny J. Bakewell, Jr.  Executive Editor The Los Angeles Urban League will host the Annual Whitney M. Young Awards Gala on Thursday, May 18, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.   This year’s honorees include Paula Madison, CEO of Madison Entertainment Group, who will receive the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award.  Martin Muoto, founder and managing partner of SOLA Impact Fund, will receive the Trailblazer Award, and Sekou Kaalund, executive vice president at U.S. Bank, will receive the Corporate Partner Award.  The keynote speaker will be Bishop T.D. Jakes, world-renowned spiritual leader and chairman and CEO of the T.D. Jakes Group. 

Covered California Welcomes Mayra E. Alvarez to Its Board

Covered California welcomed Mayra E. Alvarez as the newest member of its Board of Directors on April 20. Alvarez is a longtime health advocate and leader in health equity. She is the president of The Children’s Partnership, a nonprofit advocacy organization working to advance child health equity, where she has served since 2015.