By Camieka Amons
Mental health advocates are people who work tirelessly every day to share stories and help those who are struggling. They take risks and show their vulnerability by telling their truth in hopes of encouraging someone else. Mental health is key to a healthy lifestyle and is important at every stage of life. Our emotional, psychological, and social well-being helps determine how we handle stress, make choices, and relate to others. An advocate who helped the black community was Bebe Moore Campbell. Bebe Moore Campbell a well-known figure in literature and mental health advocacy. Her main focus was recognizing the stigmas minorities faced in mental health. Bebe Moore Campbell was an African American woman who grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In college, Bebe was the only African American girl in her dorm, and she began to feel isolated. She joined the Black Action Society. Years later, she wrote many books that focused on racial issues. She founded NAMI-Inglewood in a predominantly Black neighborhood to create a space that was safe for Black people to talk about mental health concerns. Bebe also founded NAMI-Inglewood because her daughter struggled with mental health, and she couldn't support her because the system prevented her from getting her daughter help. In 2008, July was designated as the Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month by the U.S. House of Representatives.
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By Kymizza Maldonado
Chef Max Hardy, a dedicated chef wanting to change our country for the better. Max Hardy is a black chef. I found him to be very inspiring. On his website, he’s on a mission with an organization called One Chef Can 86 Hunger where they fight the hunger crisis in America, helping them teach others how to keep a healthy lifestyle. Chef Max has 2 restaurants, with both located in Detroit and his first one becoming one of the “Top 10 Best New Restaurants”. Also sells seasoning for all types of different meals. Hardy does events and does lots on the media to promote people to help with the organization to help others eat better and solve hunger in America. As someone who wants to go into the culinary world and wants to help others, I loved how he wants to help people when it comes to hunger, something he enjoys doing while also helping communities. When I think of becoming a chef, I think about feeding people who need it, and food they can enjoy. I respect him for doing things to help his community, opening restaurants, while also being an entrepreneur. He is a hard worker and still works very hard to get rid of food insecurity and teach others to cook. By Andres M. Ramos Soto
Our understanding of the animal world has been changing all throughout the years, many cultures, civilizations, and people have viewed animals in different and unique ways. As we keep studying and understanding the various and diverse species of animals that share the planet with us, we come to understand them and the environment around us even more and we get deeper knowledge on the matter. There is so much to learn and discover in our world and there are many people willing to work hard and make these discoveries happen and share their findings with the world, so we may all connect more and understand this beautiful planet we share with so many wonderful creatures, so we may help them and conserve their environments, their homes. This is what Charles Henry Turner was aiming for in his career as a scientist, as a zoologist more specifically an Entomologist. Charles Henry Turner was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on February 3, 1867. At a young age Turner was encouraged to prioritize learning and education, he excelled at his studies and graduated from Gaines High School in 1886 as class valedictorian. Turner Graduated in 1907 from the University of Chicago with a PHD in zoology, he then went on to be the first person to discover that insects can hear and alter their behaviors based on previous experiences. He made and wrote 70 research papers, but his most famous research is how insects can hear and alter their behaviors based on their previous experiences. His research changed the way the world saw insects, he saw the world not just through the eyes of insects, but he also heard from their antennal and tympanal ears. Thanks to this we have a much deeper understanding of insects and their behaviors. Charles Henry Turner passed away on February 14, 1923, at the age of 56, even after his passing his work remains and his research has opened many doors in understanding the world in which we live. By Reinaldo Sepulveda
I chose graphic designing as it was one of the careers that caught my eye while deciding on what I wanted to do in the future. Architecture was always something that I was interested in but could never see myself truly doing until I found out that graphic designing could have a huge help with architecture. That is when I decided to further my education on graphic designing helping me find a true passion for it. One graphic designer that I wanted to focus on was a man by the name of Archie Boston Jr. He was an African American man who was born in 1943 in southern Florida. Just like many other African Americans during that time Archie experienced a lot of racism, but instead of giving into the hate he fought against it by getting an amazing education at Chouinard Art Institute located at Los Angeles for graphic designing. The level of education he received and the hard work he put in during school and after school would land him in multiple ad agencies which would soon lead him to form his own designing company with his brother called Boston and Boston. Archie made sure that he would work hard and get hired by amazing design firms saying, “I worked hard to become a good designer, so that I would get hired at a good design firm that places value on good work, and not the color of one's skin.” Archie would soon later become president of the Art Director Club of Los Angeles at the age of 29 being the first black president of the organization, he would later receive his masters from the University of Southern California and begin his career as an educator leaving a long legacy behind him and continuing to do even more amazing things like producing several documentaries. By Jah’Mier Pray
Mary McLeod Bethune was a well-known educator and civil rights leader. Born in 1875, she dedicated her life to innovating education for African Americans. Bethune founded a school in 1904 that later merged with the Cookman Institute, becoming Bethune-Cookman College. Her legacy is marked by her tireless efforts to promote racial and gender equality through education. Choosing education as a career is a deep personal decision for myself. Inspired by educators like Mary McLeod Bethune, Laura Delahanty, and Thomas Street, I recognized the power of education in changing lives and helping others. The impact of educators stretches beyond the classroom, influencing individuals to reach their full potential of success. Education, to me, is hope and something for positive change. It provides a place for students to gain knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and build a lifelong love of learning. Seeing the growth and success of students as they continue their educational career actively presents the importance of my chosen career. Beyond imparting academic knowledge, educators play a crucial role in using values, constantly including creativity, and reinforcing resilience. Every student has a unique story, and through education, I hope to empower them to overcome challenges and contribute to society. By James O’Neil
One thing that I have always known was what I wanted to be and that is an artist to bring people the feeling of open mindedness or just pure happiness and through art I was able to do just that. And most people would tell me that it is not a traditional job, or I should be more realistic, but art is a job and does bring people together and makes people happy. The artist Sam Gilliam is a perfect example of someone who used art to make people happy. This man is the most internationally known contemporary African American color field painter; he is more widely known for his “large color-stained canvases he draped and suspended from walls and ceilings during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1933 and was the 7th of 8 kids. His dad was a railroad worker, and his mom was a stay-at-home parent. Gilliam started his painting career in elementary school, he recalls important encouragement and apparently a “Special Art Program” that he attended. In 1951 Gilliam graduated from Central High School in Louisville. “He attended the University of Louisville and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in fine arts in 1955.” He has the same degree that I want to get when I graduate from college. And if that is not impressive enough, Gilliam served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1958, which is interesting to me considering that this is after he had his first exhibit in college. After being in the army he went to his home in Louisville and decided to put his degree to good use. “Gilliam initially taught art for a year in the Louisville public schools.” So, I assume he became an art teacher, but the article does not specify. “In 1962 he married Dorothy Butler, a Louisville native and a well-known journalist.” “The background for Gilliam's art was the 1950s, which witnessed the emergence of abstract expressionism and the New York School followed by Field Painting. “So, this is when he started to take his art career more seriously. “In the late 1950s until his first one-man exhibition in Washington in 1963 were primarily figural abstractions employing bold, dark colors of a brooding nature reminiscent of the works of German Expressionist Emil Nolde. “He soon realized that he could make a difference through art. By Mazie Riley
My dream job is to make it to the NFL one day and get paid to play the sport I love. I started playing football at seven years old and never looked backed. My father and older brother played football and it just became natural for me to enjoy playing football. One football player I always enjoyed watching is Patrick Surtain. Patrick Surtain plays for the Denver Broncos. Born on April 14th, 2000, in Plantation Florida where he later attended American Heritage which is a private school in Florida then went to The University of Alabama to play football there. After his three years attending The University of Alabama, he declared for the NFL draft and was the ninth overall pick. By Camieka Amons
Martin Luther King Day is an important holiday commemorating the life and achievements of one of America's greatest civil rights leaders. Martin Luther King once said, "Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in." And this is what he did. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the many men and women who fought tirelessly against racism, discrimination, and segregation to gain the proper equality and freedom for African Americans. He led and organized nonviolent protests and advocated for equal rights, school integration, voting rights, and desegregation of public facilities. His words in the "I Have a Dream" speech influenced millions of people, gaining recognition from the U.S. government to take direct action for racial equality. The significance of celebrating Martin Luther King Day isn't just because of his birthday; it's the day to reflect on the progress made during the civil rights movement. MLK Day is important because it promotes equality and justice for everyone regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity. MLK Day recognizes the enactment of civil rights, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, encouraging other minorities to step up and fight for their equality and freedom. MLK Day is celebrated nationally with parades, marches, and speeches by civil rights activists and politicians. In other words, celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Day is a reminder to continue striving for equality. Acknowledging Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. can encourage future generations to fight against injustice and racism and create a more inclusive society. By Alexis Beach
Why wait to start a goal for yourself until the new year? Is it because it's easier to keep track of the dates? Does anyone commit to their new year resolutions AND complete them? Let’s start off with where and when the tradition of New Year’s Resolutions started. It's said that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s Resolutions around 4,000 years ago. They had a 12-day religious festival (Akitu) where they reaffirmed their loyalty to the king or crowned a new king. They then made promises to the gods they believed in, which were to pay their debts and return borrowed objects, and these promises are where the originality of New Year’s Resolutions came from. According to driveresearch.com, 38% of people make New Year’s Resolutions each year but ONLY 9% actually stick to them throughout the whole year. The two most common resolutions people make are fitness and diet. The age range of people making these resolutions are adults under the age of 30. Also, according to verywellmind.com, one of the biggest issues with New Year’s Resolutions and not being able to fulfill them is that the changes and goals are too big and can be unrealistic considering the other real-life factors that play into it. As humans we aren’t programmed to make life altering changes with such ease and succeed. A psychologist Terri Bly stated, “the pain of not changing has to be greater than the pain of changing for us to really… change.” Some people like to wait until the new year to start their goals because many feel that a new year means a clean and new slate, along with finding it possibly easier to track their progress if they successfully stay consistent in achieving such goals set for themselves. If you truly want to make meaningful change in your life, then don’t wait for the new year to start that transition. There's no reason to sit around and wait for another year to start making change. If anything, that just seems like procrastination which means you clearly aren't ready to alter your lifestyle. I asked a peer about his opinion on new year resolutions and if he thinks they could be useful for some people. He said, “My opinion on New Year's Resolutions is that I don't find them to be helpful, I believe that if you have a goal and a plan in mind then you should not wait for a new year to come but to put that goal and plan into action. So, to lead onto your next question, no I do not have a resolution myself, I believe that people can be without them as they provide no benefit to people and can often at times be a hindrance instead of a support.” At the end of the day certain things work for certain people; simply do what is best and the most helpful for you! By Andres Ramos Soto
Winter is a season that affects many people around the country, especially in parts where it snows. We know winter affects us in different ways but how does it affect our pets? Many animals in the wild that live in regions that experience winters have different adaptations to overcome the cold season. The most well-known example of this is how bears will hibernate throughout all winter until early spring. We can see different behaviors in different species of animals that help them survive in the harsh conditions of winter: some animals such as the snowshoe hare can change the color of their fur to camouflage in the snow better and birds will tuck their heads in their feathers to remain warm. These adaptations help these animals in times where food is scarce, and temperature is low in the wild. With all this said, does winter affect our pets? Domesticated animals (Pets) Our pets are mostly kept indoors where they can be warm and cozy along with us, so we usually don’t see any major change in their behavior during winters but, it doesn’t mean there is no effect on them. With all this said we still need to be aware of our pets during this season. Cats and dogs are still at risk of frostbite and hypothermia during cold temperatures. Our pets will also eat more due to not just the change in temperature but also the change in daylight. This is due to their instincts since the longer days in the spring and summer since they know there is more time to eat during these days but due to the shorter days in winter our animals will see this as a decrease in time to eat so they'll eat more but, every pet is different, and it varies from animal to animal. For reptile and amphibian owners they will notice their pets will hide more than usual and eat significantly less during the winter. Reptiles and amphibians will go in a state of hibernation called brumation. Hibernation is a deeper and longer version of torpor. Brumation on the other hand is specific to reptiles and amphibians that enter a state of 'deep sleep' where they undergo the same process of inactivity and low body temperature, heart rate, metabolic rate, and respiratory rate drops. Hamsters, duprasi or fat-tailed gerbils, deer mice, prairie dogs and skunks can fall into a brief, hibernation-like state called torpor if they are exposed to cooling temperatures and shortening daylight. So, if you see any changes in your pets don't be alarmed, our animals are more than ready to take these cold times and it is on and is on us to make sure they have all they need for a safe winter still. If you think your pet is acting unusual and seems sick, take them to a veterinarian to clarify any doubts and chances of sickness. |
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