Avoid New Year’s Resolution Disappointment: Set Realistic Expectations and be Patient
Dr. Ashley Zucker, a psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente Southern California, advises setting specific, manageable goals rather than ambitious, broad ones. For example, committing to exercise for 30 minutes on specific days rather than vowing to exercise daily.
Reassessing goals, taking small steps, and being forgiving of setbacks are also key to long-term success. Dr. Zucker emphasizes perseverance, patience, and realistic planning as the foundation for achieving meaningful and lasting changes in 2024.
WIC Helps Moms And Kids Eat. But Finding What You Need Isn’t Always Easy
Millions of Americans rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for access to nutritious food, but structural/ communal barriers make it difficult for many to benefit fully. Challenges include the limited availability of participating vendors, restrictions on online purchases, and complex requirements for stores to carry WIC-approved products.
Efforts are underway to address these issues. The USDA is piloting online WIC shopping in select states and reviewing rules to remove barriers, like the requirement of cashiers for transactions. States are also revising inventory requirements to attract more rural stores.
Zaya Campbell Wins Little Miss African American Scholarship Pageant
Twelve-year-old Zaya Campbell has been crowned the winner of the 30th Annual Little Miss African American Scholarship Pageant, announced by founder Lisa Ruffin and decided by celebrity judges.
Zaya is the daughter of Grammy-award-winning artist Erica Campbell, of the gospel duo Mary Mary, and music producer Warryn Campbell.
The educational pageant, held at Barnsdall Art Park in August, was attended by a packed audience and aims to boost the confidence of young African American girls. The event featured celebrity judges and community leaders including Michael Beach, James Pickens, Jr., Ella Joyce, Lamon Archey, and others.
Haircare Heiress Cheryl Morrow Leads Fight to Defend Industry Against Tort Lawsuit
Black hair care manufacturers are defending their products against claims that chemical relaxers and straightening creams contain toxic ingredients linked to cancer.
Cheryl Morrow, heiress of the California Curl and daughter of the late Dr. Willie Morrow, has been vocal in debunking these claims, saying they undermine the legacy of Black-owned hair care pioneers who innovated products for Black communities.
Morrow highlights the social and economic contributions of Black entrepreneurs to the beauty industry and insists that Black manufacturers have worked to make their products safer.
Morrow argues the claims unfairly vilify Black-owned businesses while protecting large White-owned corporations. She continues to advocate for education, innovation, and equity in the Black hair care industry.
Pepperdine Libraries Aim to Preserve History of South Los Angeles
Pepperdine University is spearheading a project to preserve the voices and memories of South Los Angeles’ Black community through the “Preserving the History of South Los Angeles” initiative.
The project focuses on recording oral histories from elders with connections to the region, many of whom have ties to the university’s original campus in the Vermont Knolls neighborhood in South L.A., where its George Pepperdine College operated from 1937 to 1981, a period marked by the growth of the Black community following the Great Migration.
Interviewees include individuals like B. Ruth Allen, who worked in L.A.’s foster care system and founded a real estate business, and Woodrow Bailey, a community leader dedicated to addressing homelessness. Other participants, such as Loretta B. Randle, have served vulnerable children and families for decades, exemplifying a legacy of leadership and service.
“I AM A CHAMPION” Celebrates Long-Term Survival of Blacks Living with HIV/ AIDS
The “I AM A CHAMPION” campaign by Theratechnologies Inc., celebrates the resilience and empowerment of Black individuals living with HIV while addressing stigma and advocating for equitable care.
David Robertson, a clinical therapist and founder of the Hope Is Foundation, uses technology to address mental health challenges and advocates for equitable HIV care for Black men.
Shadawn McCants, clinical director at Know and Live Counseling and Consulting, shares her journey as a Black woman living with HIV. Her work focuses on bridging gaps in care, addressing comorbidities, and advocating for culturally sensitive healthcare.
Masonia Traylor, an HIV/AIDS activist diagnosed in 2010, works to reshape the narrative around HIV.
Obstacles remain as women seek more leadership roles in America’s Black Church
Black women in ministry, like Rev. Gina Stewart, continue to challenge the deep-rooted patriarchy of the Black Church, where fewer than 10% of congregations are led by women despite their increasing presence in seminary.
Stewart made history as the first woman to deliver the keynote sermon at the Joint National Baptist Convention, emphasizing women’s inclusion in Jesus’s ministry. However, the removal and alleged editing of her sermon from the convention’s Facebook page sparked outrage, highlighting ongoing resistance to women’s leadership.
Women like Rev. Lyvonne Briggs and Rev. Eboni Marshall Turman are forging new paths. Briggs founded The Proverbial Experience, a digital worship space rooted in womanist theology, while Marshall Turman filed a gender discrimination lawsuit after being excluded from consideration for a senior pastor role at Abyssinian Baptist Church. Both women, along with Stewart, are pushing to dismantle biases in pastoral leadership tied to gender, marital status, and age.
The rise of social media has amplified these efforts, providing a platform for advocacy that past leaders, like theologian Prathia Hall, lacked. Hall, a key influence on Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, exemplifies the often-overlooked contributions of Black women in the church.
MLK Community Hospital at Risk of Closure Starting with Maternity Ward
On June 7, Assemblymember Mike Gipson addressed the potential closure of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Healthcare (MLKCH) in South L.A. due to financial struggles, including low Medi-Cal reimbursements and staffing shortages.
Gipson, joined by State Senator Steven Bradford and MLKCH CEO Dr. Elaine Batchlor, urged state leaders to restructure funding to support the hospital, which serves over a million residents. Dr. Batchlor highlighted the hospital’s critical role in caring for Black women, while Bradford pledged to advocate for $25 million in funding. Local officials encouraged the community to contact representatives to secure support for MLKCH.
The hospital, facing significant losses from high emergency visit volumes and inadequate reimbursement, provides vital care for a largely underserved population. Without proper funding, the closure of MLKCH would leave a major gap in healthcare access for the community.
Josiah Hankerson Named Bank of America 2024 Student Leader for Los Angeles
Josiah Hankerson of Compton is one of five high school students from greater Los Angeles selected for Bank of America’s prestigious Student Leaders® program. This competitive program offers an eight-week paid summer internship focused on community service, leadership, and financial education.
A rising senior at Verbum Dei Jesuit High School, Hankerson is interning at the Archdiocesan Youth Employment Service at Southwest College. Raised by his community-oriented great-grandmother, he is passionate about empowering youth and pursuing a career in Civil Rights Law. His leadership roles include vice president of the Associated Student Body, officer in the National Honor Society, and participant in the Kino Border Initiative for immigration advocacy.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs laws to curb oil and gas pollution near neighborhoods
On Sept. 25, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed laws aimed at reducing oil and gas pollution and holding the industry accountable for environmental and public health impacts.
The laws give local governments more power to restrict oil operations, close idle wells, and fine companies operating low-producing wells near the Inglewood Oil Field. Companies will face $10,000 monthly fines for these wells, with funds directed to local projects like parks and affordable housing.
