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By Elizabeth Lee, June 10, 2020, voanews.com LOS ANGELES - Steve Adarkwa grew up in Ghana. What he saw on television shaped his image of America. “Beautiful streets (and) beautiful people. I'd never seen racism before because I was coming from a country where everything was African,” Adarkwa remembered. Living in the United States as a black man shattered the glamorized image portrayed on TV. “I actually saw the intensity of racism or racial divide in this country,” said Adarkwa. He said he...

Racial Trauma, Historical Trauma & Healing 44 Mental Health Resources for Black People Trying to Survive in This Country www.self.com ACEs Connection ACEs Science & Racism Resources Center 3 Realms of ACEs ACEs & African Americans Community on ACEs Connection ACEs teach us why racism is a health equity Issue: Dr. Flojaune Cofer (Part One) Racing ACEs Gathering & Reflections; If it's not racially just; it's not trauma-informed Adverse Community Experiences and Resilience: A...

Please join us for the ongoing community discussion of A Better Normal, our ongoing series in which we envision the future as trauma-informed. Protests and riots across the country--and even worldwide--are making it impossible to ignore the racial trauma of police brutality and historical trauma embedded within our society. Many of us are grappling with complex feelings of helplessness and righteous anger. In response to this pandemic of racism in America, "A Better Normal" will hold space...

Sometimes a random encounter turns out to be not so random at all. JacqueRae Hill, a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines, shared one such encounter on Facebook . She said that her heart has been heavy with everything going on, which is especially hard hard when your job is to put a smile on people's face. But something happened on a recent flight that lifted her spirits. She wrote: "As we are boarding my first flight of the day I smile and I greet people when they come on and a man was...

Evidence suggests that during the early phase of the coronavirus pandemic, blacks are suffering the greatest death rates compared to all other ethnic groups. Why? I can assure you that the coronavirus does not discriminate based upon skin color or ethnicity. Instead, it has a predilection for populations with the highest rates of chronic diseases, poor access to health care and too little information from trusted sources. For decades, the National Medical Association — which represents more...

I had a fascinating breakfast conversation with my 11-year-old daughter a few days back. The nigh before I had a fitful dream - one that was short on plot and imagery, but chock-full of emotion. In this case, the feeling was of a deep, immovable sorrow. When I awoke, it didn't take long to recognize that the article I'd been working on - this article - was definitely working on me, too. During breakfast I knew my daughter could tell I wasn’t on solid ground. She’s a sensitive soul, and I...

Message from Sandy Holman, Director of The Culture C.O-.O.P, www.cultureco-op.com : Please join The Culture C.O-.O.P. virtually, this Saturday, May 30th, from 2-4pm to preview our Cost Of Darkness Documentary done in collaboration with UC Davis Students, nationally and internationally renowned experts, courageous community activists, families, and communities nefariously impacted by entrenched, “dark skin,” racism, supremacy ideology, systemic oppression, injustice and insidious inequity,...

By Patrice Gaines, May 11, 2020, NBC News "The big issue that black social workers are having to contend with is the devastation happening in our communities." Michael Guynn, a social worker in Los Angeles, would show up at a foster family's home unannounced to make sure that the house was clean and livable and that a child was being fed and going to school. Kevin Holder, an emergency services clinician, would meet police officers at the jail in Richmond, Virginia, to interview and observe a...

This is one in a series of profiles showcasing some of Harvard’s stellar graduates. Deeneaus ‘D’ Polk, M.P.P. ’20, found his way from Mississippi to Harvard Kennedy School with plans to return to the South Growing up in the small, blue-collar Mississippi town Pascagoula, Deeneaus Polk could not have predicted that his path would take him to Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). Or that it would run by way of Germany. As the oldest of three children, Polk — who goes by “D” — was responsible for...

By Jonathan Halvorson, May 9, 2020, for KUSI. SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Nasara Gargonnu is the 2019 Teacher of the Year at Morse High School, Official Live Well San Diego Partner and Captain of Black Men Run San Diego. The organization encourages health and wellness among African American men by promoting a culture of running to stay fit. The group is open to beginners and advanced runners. Gargonnu joined Good Morning San Diego to discuss the group and a run they dedicated for 25-year-old Ahmaud...

Note new time for Friday, May 8 Better Normal discussion on systems transformation. We will meet from 1:00-2:00 and hear from RYSE Associate Director, Kanwarpal Dhaliwal, about the rapid emergency community response initiative, West Contra Costa Covid Community Care.

African American community leaders in Sacramento ask city and county leaders to respond proactively to prevent health disparities in Covid19 infection, disability and death in the African American community.