October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Some things you can do would be to get screened by having a Mammogram. Also, perform home self-breast exams. Show you support by being there for loved ones, friends and family. If you choose to make monetary donations to a foundation or organization that is great, too. We can show support by being a listening ear, lending a hand and checking in on those who are diagnosed with breast cancer.
Thank you for watching.
Stay well and be blessed.
August is National Black Business Month. If you are a business owner this may be a good time to look for opportunities to boost your business. During this month consider marketing your business more. Showcase your services or products. Networking with others can give your business that added edge to increase revenue.
The month of August we celebrate and support Black businesses. You can also use this time to encourage aspiring business owners to start their entrepreneurial projects. Sharing and connecting with people who want to start a business is another way to network.
Being a Black business owner does not come easily. It is not all glitz and glamour. The extra work has to be done in order to make it possible to be able to work for yourself. A sense of accomplishment is felt when you can provide a product or service to help people and contribute to the successes of the economy.
Did you know?
The top three places with the highest numbers of Black owned businesses are New York, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
How do you celebrate National Black Business Month?
You can spread the word about any products or services that you like.
Shop Black owned businesses.
Research about Black entrepreneurs.
It is important because we can encourage these businesses to keep going and continue to contribute to the economic wealth of not only minority communities, but also the world abroad.
Image credit: Image by Philippe Jacquet from Pixabay
Reposting this in light of another tragic and unjustified police shooting of Sonya Massey. A black woman who called police because she thought there was an intruder outside her home. Calling police for help and sadly, she lost her life that day.
Rest in peace, Sonya Massey and countless others who have lost their lives by the hands of police.
Let’s take a minute to bring attention to something that is happening all over the country. African Americans have lost their lives due to police brutality. It does nothing for the officers who honor life and truly believe in the notion to protect and serve. When you see officers on both sides of the coin, how do you discern between the ones who uphold the law and those who do not?
Being in a role of authority, there comes great responsibility. Responsibility to uphold duties for the community in its entirety. More frequently these days this is not the case, the opposite is happening. Basic human rights are being taken away at the hands of people who took an oath to protect and serve. Preserve life, not take it away.
Too many times, certain people take their authoritative position to the extreme. When people see you, they should not fear for their lives. They should have the opposite feeling of comfort and/or safety. When people see you, they should not run away from you. Instead, walk towards you with a general feeling of trust. What happens to the world when the people who are meant to be in place to help others are the real perpetrators!
It is a form of abuse of power. Taking advantage of individuals because you are in a position to temporarily control a situation. Using phrases such as, “I felt that my life was in jeopardy”, as an excuse. An excuse to beat, choke, kneel, shoot, choke and kill another human being. And, why? Because you can. Because you hide behind a piece of metal that you wear on your chest. You escape prosecution because you are upheld by some who wear the same piece of metal.
Protect people, preserve life. That piece of metal does not give you rights to take another’s life. Those people have families, just like you. Some also have children, just like you. They have people who love them and are looking forward to them coming home safely. What kind of protection are you providing when people have to take out their cell phone to record a routine traffic stop? Disrupting people’s lives with your contempt is not acceptable. What happened to trying to restore order by using the least amount of force? Thank you to the officers who help people, who are serving all people. To the ones who are not, shame on you!
As a uniformed person, working under the law. Honor that! Serve the people. Serve us with dignity, respect, kindness. I know there are encounters that you experience where you are not met with kindness. You are trained to handle these situations. This is what you signed up for and are trained to handle such situations in the least harmful way.
I implore you to approach your daily interactions, while on the job with humility. Please, do not wake up and put on that uniform with contempt and hatred for people and your profession. If you find it so hard to go into it with some semblance of humanity, stop and think. Think before you take someone else’s life. Stop and ask yourself if this is the profession for you. We all deserve to live. We all deserve to go home at the end of the day.
Let’s take a moment to remember some of the people who lost their lives due to brutality.
Tyre Nichols
George Floyd
Tamir Rice
Eric Garner
Sonya Massey
Walter Scott
Breonna Taylor
Sandra Bland
Philando Castile
Protect and Serve was originally posted on Feb 11, 2023.
Thank you for stopping by to read and watch. Stay well and be blessed.
Swimming is good for your joints, cardio health and overall endurance. It is an easy and fun way to help burn calories and is not very rigorous. There are many forms of swimming to learn, and it is relaxing too. If you are not one who is interested in swimming, it is a good skill to know. Why? You can save the life of someone else or your own.
Some people love swimming for the pure leisure of it and some love the competitive nature of it as well. You can enjoy the water of the river, lake, pool or ocean. Just imagine being free out there in a body of water. Swimming is also very therapeutic for some common ailments.
You might feel that it is not important to learn how to swim. Just imagine, being trapped in your car in a body of water. What do you do? You get yourself out of that car and swim to safety. If you can’t swim and there is no one there to help, well, you get the idea.
Maybe you are at the pool with your children. You see someone who fell into the pool. This is the time when you can spring into action and save that person.
Consider getting swim lessons, even if you do not want to swim for sport, just to have this life saving skill is a plus. For those who do know how to swim but haven’t in a while, refresh your skills by taking lessons. I bet there is always something new you can learn.
Drownings happen but can be prevented. This is when the phrase, sink or swim comes to mind. What do you say? Do you think swimming is a good skill to have?
February is Black History Month. 2024 is a leap year, so we have 29 days to show our pride. Reflect on the contributions of African Americans. Consider where we came from and where we are today.
Alexander Miles created automatic elevator doors. Making for a safer elevator experience by lessening fatalities from people falling down the elevator shaft. Mary Van Brittan Brown co-invented the home security system. A much-needed necessity in the world today, which gives peace of mind, both while at home and away. Other inventions like the ironing board, traffic light, caller I.D. and call waiting are just some of the inventions by the Black community.
February 11, 2024- Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers
February is Heart Awareness Month. Take time to pay attention and watch out for your heart health. Exercise and healthy diet are two ways to maintain health.
Along with heart health, in February there is Black Love Day and Valentines Day. February 13th celebrate Black Love Day with your sweetie and remind them just how much they mean to you. Not only romantically, but also BLD highlights love for the Black community as a whole. Don’t forget about friends and family.
Valentines Day is on February 14. Another way to guard your heart health with displays of affection. Show your love for your partner and include family and friends.
February 7-15 is a week to recognize and celebrate Black women in the arts. This includes movies, art and music. Women are still facing equality issues as it relates to compensation for their talents. Black women are still not being paid in equal amounts like their peers.
Art by African American women is not displayed at exhibits the same way it is for people of other demographics. Women who are performers in music are underpaid in the industry. Even though they have made great strides in this area, it is still not equal to actresses of other nationalities.
If you are interested in learning more, research Black artists. If you have a favorite artist, share with people you know. Another way to support Black female artists is to buy pieces of art by them. Spreading the word is a way to support their contributions and achievements.
Happy Birthday Aquarians and Pisces.
Image Credit: Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash
What is a blog and a vlog? People use the two terms interchangeably. The most basic answer is that a blog is short for web log. It is a collection of writing on a website. Some blogs are specialized and have a theme. You will find blogs about travel, food, relationships, fashion, hobbies, etc. Other blogs have a variety of different topics.
A vlog is a collection of videos. Vlog stands for video log. Most content on vlogs are video shorts and can either be about one particular subject or a vast array of things, similar to blogs.
Now, there are some people who have both videos and writing on their sites. It is all a matter of personal preference. Some who are not comfortable being recorded or speaking on camera will opt for the blog. Also, the more apt and avid writers, usually go for blogging.
Individuals who are not camera shy will do more vlogging. They feel more comfortable and get their message across better to their audience, via videos. Attention spans have shortened these days, so people are more inclined to go for the shortened version of posts. Lately, it seems that some people do not want to read a long article post or watch a long video. Because of this, it is important to create informative, creative and interesting content to keep the reader/watcher engaged.
Things are so compact nowadays. An example of this is the newspaper. Newspaper: what is a newspaper?! Do they sell those anymore? Yes, they do. Just take a look at how thin a newspaper, magazine or circular are now. In the big scheme of things, it makes sense since a lot of information is digital.
How do you like to receive your information? Do you prefer to watch videos or read posts? There is no right or wrong answer, it is just a matter of preference.
November, or the eleventh month is upon us. We only have one more month before the year 2024. Where does the time go? Speaking of time, we are gaining an extra hour this month for most of the states. The time is nearing to cast your votes for election day. Later this month people will celebrate Thanksgiving. Also, discover a new hip hop artist this month in honor of National Hip Hop month. International Men’s Day is this month too, so celebrate the men in your life. Black Marketers Day is also happening this month.
Nov 5
Daylight Savings Time Ends
It is time to gain an extra hour of sleep. That also means we have to say, goodbye to all the sunlight. Set your clock back an hour. If by chance you forget, you won’t have to worry about being late.
Nov 7-Election Day Cast your vote on election day. Check out what’s on the ballot in your state and local area.
Nov 16- National Black Marketers Day The focus of November 16 is to bring the Black community for marketing together. Networking and forming positive relationships around marketing industries occurs during this time. If you are interested in supporting the cause, check out events in your local area.
Nov 19-International Men’s Day Celebrate the positive men around the world. Even though men need to be celebrated every day, today is set aside especially for this important purpose. Oftentimes, the father’s, brothers, sons and nephews do not get the recognition they deserve. Being such important parts of life and the community, take the time to do something special to recognize the men in your life.
The theme for 2023 is Zero Male Suicide. A higher incidence of suicide by men compared to women is a reality. Partly because men are less likely to seek help for mental health concerns. If you see a man is struggling with depression, let him know where to get support. Let him know that you are there for him.
Nov 23-Thanksgiving What are you thankful for? Thanksgiving is when most people get together with family and have a big feast. Spending the day watching sports, playing cards and/or family games. Listening to music and whatever your family traditions are. Enjoy the day and count your blessings. Volunteering your time at a local shelter or food pantry is also a way to show your appreciation and gratitude for the blessings in life.
National Hip Hop History Month– In November we celebrate Hip Hop. This genre of music has deep and rooted history and has been around for years. Clothing, culture and art have all been influenced by Hip Hop. For those of us who have grown up listening to it, we have a deeper appreciation and fondness for it. Who is your favorite Hip Hop artist?
It’s October 2023. Time for the trees to shed its leaves. October is also the season of Pumpkin flavors. Cooler days are ahead, grab those jackets. Fall leaves bring in October, but what else is in store? Read on to see more about October.
Breast Cancer affects many people. Men and women, alike. The month of October give us the chance to support those with breast cancer. We can use this time to educate ourselves about this medical condition, learn about prevention and screening. Share with our loved ones what we know and have learned. Display a pink ribbon to show your solidarity and support for breast cancer survivors and their families.
Does size really matter? People are people and on October 6, every year we celebrate plus size. If you wear a plus size, you need to know that you are still beautiful and just as valuable. Feel confident in your skin. The size you wear does not dictate who you are and how far you can go in life. All body types are beautiful. Today and every day, embrace your body type and smile. Look at yourself and take a moment to admire and love your body and all its curves. Love on yourself and give yourself a hug. You deserve it!
This day is all about literature written by black people and about black culture. Discover the works of black authors by reading literature or poems by an author that you have not heard of. Different points of view will help you decide on the style of poem, stories and/or literature that speaks most to you. If you are not into reading, spoken word is another form to explore. No matter what race you are there are stories and experiences that you will love, can relate to or learn from.
Did you know? Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Annie Allen.
Every woman will reach this monumental stage of life called menopause. The experience will not be the same for every woman but there are some changes that happen. A woman who is menopausal will undergo both mental and physical changes. See, It’s Hot in Here for more insight. If you are lucky, these changes will be mild. Some of the common bodily changes you will experience can include hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain and sleep disturbance. Mood swings may also occur. Please seek help from your medical doctor for any concerning and/or severe changes. There are options to help alleviate symptoms. Check out the International Menopause Society on the web, the site has useful information.
Excite your taste buds with some chocolate. Make a Chocolate cake or have some candy bars. Whatever your flavor; enjoy! Try a new Chocolate dessert or try a new homemade recipe. You can’t go wrong with Chocolate. You can add it to ice cream, make S’mores, dip your Strawberries in it, drizzle it on your milk shake. The possibilities are endless.
Keep children safe. When a school bus is stopped, with red lights flashing and the stop sign open, stop your car! It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus! Children are either exiting or boarding the bus at this time. They may be on the opposite side of the street and need to cross in front of your car. Get off your phones, stop looking in the mirror, put the breakfast biscuit away, put down the coffee and whatever else you are doing.
The last day of the month is Halloween. If you celebrate this day, remember to be safe. If you are trick or treating, go in a group. Wear some light or reflective clothing, to easily be seen when it gets dark. Check the treat bags before letting kids have any of the goodies. Don’t forget to wear your favorite Halloween costume. You can dress up and be whoever you want to be for the day. Have fun with it.
I hope these simple time saving tips can make your life easier. If you have some tips that you use, please share.
Thanks again for stopping by.
Lipstick, eye liner, mascara, foundation, blush. How old is your makeup? Products that we purchase and use on a daily basis do expire. We carry them around in our purses and keep them at home in the bathroom cabinet or on the dresser. Have you thought about how long you have been using that tube of mascara? Is it dried out? Does it have a different smell to it?
Stop and consider that cosmetics have a shelf life, just like groceries. Old makeup can cause a host of problems. The longer you keep the makeup the more bacteria build up is likely.
If your skin is prone to breakouts, it may be due to wearing old foundation or blush. If you develop styes on your eyelids, it might be due to eye liner or mascara. Eye makeup laden with bacteria can cause eye infections and/or pink eye (conjunctivitis).
Following these guidelines will improve our skin and help to keep it healthy. I know we cannot always remember but just stop to think about it when you are applying these cosmetics. Your skin will thank you and you will notice a difference.
June is national gun violence awareness month. Let’s take time to be cognizant about the violence carried out by gun usage. Also, this is a time to remember the survivors of gun violence. During the warmer months there is usually an uptick in violent crimes by gun. I am reposting this reminder of my original post published in April 2022.
Gun violence continues to be a problem in this country. It is senseless killing and the loss of innocent lives that really makes the problem such a sore subject. Everyone has the right to bear arms and protect themselves and their families. The use of guns for robbing, stealing and inflicting harm on others is the ugly side of it all. It is sad when children are the victims of stray bullets, or anyone for that matter. How do you protect your children when they are home in their bed and struck by random bullets? Even if the child pulls through it changes the course of their lives forever.
Gun violence begs the question, how do you protect yourself and your children from being shot? It is not something you want to think about on a daily basis as you try to go about your life, but it is very real. Especially, when you are at home and a stray bullet comes through the walls or windows. You go to your car in the morning and its shot up with bullet holes. All you have to do is walk down the street and catch one just for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
In my line of work, I regularly see the faces of these young children and teens who sustain gun shot wounds. It makes no sense that their lives are FOREVER changed due to gun violence. Some of them are now confined to a wheelchair, some are on crutches for a while, some are still able to walk. Depending on what organs were damaged will determine how much of their lives they get to enjoy from now on. Some unfortunately did not survive the violence by a gun. I just think to myself that this can be my child. Bullets have no names.
You ever wonder why kids are packing guns with their lunch these days? I know that some kids don’t have lunch; but they have a gun in their bookbag. It makes you wonder; if a child is bringing a firearm to school, is it because they are being bullied. Also, I wonder where they got the gun from. Maybe they are just showing off to their friends in an effort to fit in. Is the student involved in a gang? Whatever the reason, it makes me wonder what is wrong with this world. Why would a child feel the need to bring a weapon to school? Whatever the reason is, it has to stop.
So, should the answer be to install metal detectors at school? Maybe make the kids carry clear bookbags so that the contents are visible while at school? We all know that there are too many politics involved to actually make this a reality. And even if it did happen, would it make a difference? Is it enough?
Being shot over a gas pump at the gas station is not enough reason to justify a life being lost. Accidentally, stepping on someone’s sneaker is not a reason to be shot. Sitting on your porch or being in front of your building, minding your own business is not a reason to be shot. Brushing up against someone in a crowded room, is not a reason to kill someone.
Believe it or not, it happens more often than you think. There is no regard for life these days. Over the past two years, we have already lost and continue to lose people every day due to Covid-19 and then we add the number of people being killed by guns. Sometimes you don’t want to go out and enjoy life because something might pop off out of nowhere, and over something so small. It is not a good idea to live life afraid to go certain places, but it is a reality for some people.
When drive by shootings happen a lot of times people who have nothing to do with the beef get hurt. An unfortunate fact but something we live with in this world. Consider yourself lucky if you haven’t been a victim of gun violence. The people who commit these crimes have no regard for who else will be affected by whatever drama they have going on. Usually, it is over something trifling, like whose block they on and all the other nonsense.
Everyone is in such a rush these days. Some are just plain rude and like to cut people off on the road because they think they can. It makes no sense to shoot someone because you think they stole your parking space. Maybe they were driving too slow and they wanted you out of the way. People, slow down!! Where ever you are going will still be there when you arrive. The goal is to arrive in one piece.
You may have looked at someone too long or in the wrong way and that person took offense. The next thing you know, you are minding your business at work and you get shot for something that was misinterpreted by the person who shot you. It has happened, this is not made up. People are so much in their feelings about small things and therefore just looking for a reason to jump. Why?! Get over yourself and just drive your car man! If I’m driving too slow, go around me. If I mistakenly cut over into your lane, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.
In my opinion, you shouldn’t have to worry about your child coming home from school. Wondering if they are going to make it through the day at school. They are there to learn but it seems that they have their safety to worry about too. What happened to worrying about if you are going to do well on a test? If you made it on the sports team or into a club at school? Now, you have to watch your back and hope nobody tests you in ways other than academically.
Do we need to equip everyone with bullet proof vests? Are all the stores going to install plexiglass? Maybe businesses will install metal detectors for all patrons coming into their establishment. Better or newer gun laws might help. Harder punishment for perpetrators of gun violence? More education about the proper use of guns might help to prevent accidental discharges. I’m not sure what the answer is but something has to change.
Gun Violence- We Can Do Without It was originally posted on Inspire By O’Nika, April 19, 2022.
April is the 4th Month of the year. It is also the beginning of the Spring season. April brings showers to nourish the land for the flowers to bloom and the trees to grow. The zodiac signs, Aries and Taurus fall in the month of April too. Let’s see what else April brings.
Good Friday is April 7th this year. Also known as Easter Friday. This is the day that Christian’s commemorate the day Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. On this holy day, some Christian’s will have special prayer services. People will participate in fasting on Good Friday. Other’s may avoid eating meat. It sounds ironic that a day of death is called good. The name Good Friday was, at one time, called God’s Friday.
Easter Sunday is on April 9th. The day Jesus Christ was resurrected is called Easter. This is one of the most celebrated and observed days of the year. The Christian community holds this day as very important. And with good reason. Church service, meals, prayers and moments of silence are just a few ways that people observe Easter. Coloring of eggs and Easter egg hunts are some events that families indulge in with their children for Easter.
April 11th is National Eight Track Tape Day. What is an eight track you ask? Well…it is what we used to play music before days of cassette tapes and CDs. You have to be “seasoned” to know what an eight track is. Ford was the first car company to make factory and dealership-installation available in their automobiles. Eight track tapes were popular during the years spanning from the 60-80s. If you are feeling nostalgic, take today to dust off those old eight tracks (if you can find any of them). Take a stroll down memory lane. The days of the eight track tapes may be long gone but they do hold many fond memories during those eras of music.
April 17- Haiku Poetry Day. Exhibit your writing skills with a Haiku poem. This style of poetry was started in Japan. A Haiku typically consists of 17 syllables and has three lines. The rules of proper format of a Haiku have changed over time. Have fun with it and write your own Haiku.
Tax Day is April 18th.
National Piñata Day– April 18- National Piñata Day has been around since as early as the 13th century. It has been a tradition in the Chinese, European and Mexican cultures. As you can see, non-Hispanic people participate in Piñata Day too. The bright colored candy containers can be filled with small party favors, candy, gifts and whatever your imagination will allow. A lot of these paper mâché sculptures are in the form of animals, various shapes and some are in the form of faces. While Piñata’s are typically associated with children and parties, they are used for other reasons. Some countries have used them in protest of local politicians and/or causes. I like to associate Piñata’s in a fun way. Even though you have to hit them to get the prizes out, you can make fun games of it. Make your own Piñata. You can find online videos on how to do this.
Stop Food Waste Day– April 26 Ever wonder how many people can be fed and not go hungry? Many more, if we stopped wasting food. One way to do just that is to only buy as much food as you can use. Bring leftovers the next day for lunch or have it for dinner. Store food in a way so that it does not go bad. The food industry plays a major part and can help to stop the wasting of food. Some restaurants throw the food away at the end of closing. Local shelters could benefit from this food to feed those that are homeless and do not have access to meals.
Focus on Finance for Women’s History Month
Homeownership is one of the staples of the American dream. You work hard, you save money and pay bills on time. So, why is the purchase of a home out of reach for some people? It is partly due to the banking industry and unfair lending practices. Also, this is attributed to bad consumer credit and lack of funds.
We are living in times of inflation; again. It makes it hard to stay on top of basic living expenses and amenities. However, in spite of inflation homeownership is achievable. So is good credit. We can start by trying to reduce our debt-to-income ratio. This is one of the factors banks use in the application approval process. Lowering debt-to-income ratio means to have more money coming in than going out. Many times we spend more and save and/or invest less.
Paying bills on time also boosts credit scores. If you are in the market to make a home purchase, you may want to pull your credit report. By doing so, you have the opportunity to check for accuracy and any errors that may be preventing you from obtaining a loan. Also, you can assess what accounts you need to pay off. Correcting errors on your credit report takes a little effort, but it is within your power to change it in the best interest of your financial future.
Did you know? It wasn’t until the early 70s that women were allowed to purchase property in their own name. In years before that, a women could not own property without her husband co-signing.
Homeownership is lacking within minority communities. That brings me to the Focus on Finance for Women’s History Month. Benaisha Poole-Watson fits the theme of ‘Women Telling Our Stories’. She is a catalyst in the real estate market and understands the challenges. Being the owner of Prime One Home Loans, she not only owns the bank but helps to educate about building wealth. She has created solutions for people who are having hardship with obtaining a home loan.
To add to that, she is also a military veteran. She has served in the United States Air Force. Mrs. Poole-Watson, among many other African American women, have broken down the barrier of women serving in the military. Let’s salute Benaisha Poole-Watson for her contribution to the country through her military service. Also, for opening doors and creating change and help in obtaining real estate.
Did you know? At one time, women were not allowed to serve in the military outside of kitchen and domestic duties.
Focus on finance for women’s history month and learn more about the inspiration of Benaisha Poole-Watson at Home – Benaisha Poole Watson
