We Are Overdue By Myra Wallace-Walker
How many times have you heard the phrase, “give honor where honor is due”? It is a popular and appropriate cliché usually used during award ceremonies, birthdays, and retirement parties. I’ve always believed there’s honor in honesty. It has become easier to overlook the subtle characteristics of a person who is honest. When I think of someone who is honorable, I think of a person with integrity, who is decent, moral, upright, and honest. We try to teach our kids to be honest. But what we are really teaching them is the value of being honorable. Tell the truth, even when a lie is more palatable. Make good choices when you are tempted by bad influences. Try not to make promises you cannot keep, so you will be known as one who keeps their word and who practices integrity. These are the lessons our parents taught us and that we are to pass on to the future generations until they become embedded in the fibers of our society. But how are we to respond when our honor has been demoralized and abused? What do we do when our foundations have been shattered by elements that come to destroy the core of who we are? When do we say enough? Better yet, how do we say it? When that moment of truth arises, are we less honorable for taking a stand against the dishonest attacks on our humanity? For centuries, there have been elements in our nation that have attempted to normalize the demoralization of Black people. These actions have wreaked havoc on people of color in ways that have pushed decent and moral individuals to the edges of their human consciousness, while they desperately attempt to maintain their integrity. Recent events taking place in America have called attention to some dishonorable acts inflicted upon Black people, a race of people who have had to fight for the honor that is long overdue. Men and women who wake up with purpose and plans and by nightfall their lives are stolen by the heinous actions of hateful and corrupt individuals. Our nation is at a breaking point. We have seen what unjust and dishonesty produces. It is time for us to bring honor and decency back to our land. It is time for us to remember what our elders taught us. They modeled strength in their stand against injustice. They showed courage when the odds were constantly against them. They operated with integrity when their enemies accused them with lies. Their armor in the fight was their honor. Yes, history is our best teacher. We must now look for ways to evoke honor back into humanity, back into our communities, back into our world. Myra Wallace-Walker BCF Founder/Publisher Facebook: Myra Wallace Walker IG: @BeautyComeForth
On The Break Of Day After the midnight hour comes the break of day Our eyes exposed to the light revealed. Things that were once unseen due to darkness Now stand before us with clarity. The moment of refreshingThe Moment of awakening now falls upon us. We can sleep no longer for the Brightness of the Light Shines upon us so heavily that we have No other choice but to arise! Arise with expectancy- ready to face the Challenge of the day! Wendy M. Reynolds
By Stacy McClendon Who would think that a story of dreams, patience, and triumph would be hidden in unexpected life choices and new beginnings? We will when you put your trust in God, anything is possible. Angela ‘Stikks’ Adams story is very inspiring and had me captivated as I leaned in and listened. The first thing Angela shared was: it’s not too late for your dreams to come true. All it takes is answering one “yes” at a time. Answer the “yes,” and God will provide everything you need, as you move forward in faith.” Since the age of 8, Stikks has always wanted to be a model. Upon completing her bachelor’s degree, she pursued every modeling opportunity in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. However, she was rejected from every agency and casting call she attended. She even took a shot at Tyra Banks’, America’s Next Top Model, but was rejected from that too. In the midst of all this rejection, Stikks met a man, who she thought was the man of her dreams. It quickly ignited into a romantic relationship. Within three months of knowing him, she ended up pregnant. This was devastating and embarrassing. She shares, “I was the one in college running the Bible Studies on Wednesday nights and evangelizing in front of the student union.” Everyone knew Stikks was sold out to Jesus.” As if things couldn’t get more shocking, Stikks soon discovered her man already had another family, and another baby on the way in a third relationship. This would leave her to care for her baby all alone. She didn’t even see her son’s father for another seven years. Stikks was in survival mode caring for her newborn baby boy. She soon found a job as a substitute teacher and fell into an ordinary routine of paying bills and being a single mother. Her dreams of modeling seemed to be nowhere in sight. One year into substitute teaching, Stikks was offered a full-time job as a Social Studies teacher. For most, this would be the light at the end of the tunnel, as it offered great hours, summers off, full benefits, and more time to spend with her son. The job was ideal for her and her baby’s schedule. However, Stikks still had a burning desire to become a model and it wouldn’t go away. What happened next, no one saw coming. Stikks turned down the opportunity for job security and flexibility, and instead turned to the Word of God. She recalls reading a scripture that would change her trajectory and give her the exact push she needed to take a leap of faith. That scripture was Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and courageous, do not fear, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Stikks realized that if she stayed in Pittsburgh, God was with her. However, if she moved away to pursue her dreams, God would still be with her. She decided to believe what the scriptures said: trust God’s promises, and take a leap of faith.
At this point, Stikks began to sell everything in her apartment, giving most things away for free. She bought a plane ticket for her and her one-year old son and moved to Los Angeles, California. Stikks didn’t have any family in L.A., There was no job waiting for her and she didn’t even have a car. Her bravery and the Lord’s presence propelled her forward. One year after moving to L.A. , Stikks booked her first photoshoot with Nike. Before she knew it, she was shooting international campaigns for Fila. Her billboards even hung up in Germany. She also booked national commercials with Dick’s Sporting Goods, Samsung, NCAA commercials, modeled for Adidas, and even was able to send her mom free Adidas shoes from her shoot. God began to open up so many doors for Stikks. While Stikks was booking plenty of modeling jobs, her dreams were coming true right before her eyes. However, she was also faced with a lot of opportunities that didn’t align with her faith. She recalls, “My agent threatened to let me go because I kept turning down jobs that compromised my faith.” Stikks recalled going to one audition in particular that asked her to do something she wasn’t comfortable doing. Upon telling the casting director, “no,” she was kicked out of the audition in a room full of more than 50 women, after stating that she couldn’t play the role because she was a Christian. Stikks was humiliated and embarrassed. “I remember just sitting in my car crying, feeling like I was the only Christian in the industry,” But Stikks knew there were more Christians in the modeling industry, and she began making it her mission to bring them all together. Her company, Christian Models Association, was born from this thought. She didn’t want another woman to have to cry in their car alone, because she stood up for her faith, values, and integrity. When Stikks moved her and her young son 2,000 miles away from home, she thought she was doing it for them. Little did she know, God would use her to be a trailblazer for Christian women all over the world with unfulfilled dreams of becoming models. Now, Stikks not only coaches models all over the world, but she uses modeling as a platform to make disciples of the nations. Stikks welcomes you to connect with her on Instagram @stikksmodel, and to message her if you are interested in pursuing a modeling career for the Glory of God. Visit www.christianmodels.org to learn more about her ministry. As always, please send me any comments, suggestions, and/or testimonies that occur in your life after reading this article. Onward and upward! Email: stacluv@gmail.comFacebook: Stacy Mc Instagram: butterflyfree73 Twitter: @butterflyfree73
By Dr. Janice R. Love
I was busted. We were riding down the highway having a conversation when he suddenly asked me what he had just said. I was stunned and after a moment of silence and struggling to figure out what he said, I finally had to admit I really wasn’t listening. I thought I was paying attention but when I tried to recall his words or the gist of the story, I could only salvage a couple of keywords. It was painful to admit my mind was focused on something I had forgotten to do and how I was going to get it done rather than listening to my husband. According to Bryant H. McGill, “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” Yet in a world of many ways to communicate, we are failing at the all-important art of listening. I have heard “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason”. In fact we can only speak at the rate of about 125-175 words per minute, while we can listen at a rate of up to 450. Has anyone ever accused you of not listening? Here are ten reasons why you may not be truly listening. 1. You listen to reply While the other person is talking we may find ourselves trying to gather our own thoughts as to what we are going to say next. Author Stephen R Covey stated, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. This is especially true when we are engaged in an argument. 2. You are distracted Technology has become a hindrance to uninterrupted conversations. With our phones dinging and ringing, we can easily become distracted. At any given moment my smart phone or smart watch may buzz indicating someone is trying to contact me. Televisions and anything with a screen are typical culprits not to mention wearing Bluetooth devices and headsets. 3. You are multitasking It never fails, when I am trying to listen to someone and type at the same time I am unable to do either successfully. Multitasking was originally defined as the capability of a computer to execute more than one program or task simultaneously. This definition did not include human capabilities. The truth is multitasking is a myth and we are not capable of doing two things at one time. We are actually switching back and forth between tasks and not doing them simultaneously.
4. You are judging While speaking to another person it is easy to become judgmental. Especially for people we dislike or are at odds with, we would rather form an opinion about them than to listen to what they have to say. We may decide we already know what the other person is going to say and neglect to hear what is actually being said. 5. You are focused on the speech pattern or accent Have you ever heard an audio recording or watched a video of yourself? When I watch myself, I can catch every “um” and how many times I say my favorite word “so”. I also notice if I am talking too fast or if I mispronounced a word. I love talking to people with a beautiful accent. But I can easily find myself using my energy focused on the person’s dialect or speech patterns and fail to hear what they are saying. 6. You are uncomfortable with pauses Silence during conversations makes us nervous and the best way we know to ease our pain is to start talking. A pause in or after a sentence causes us enough discomfort to easily forget what the person just said. Instead of embracing the silence we attempt to fill it with the first clever thing to come out of our mouth. 7. You are thinking about giving advice When we discover we know how to solve others’ problems, our minds may shift into problem solving mode. Even if you are a great problem solver, sometimes others need you to just listen. It has been said that “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” The Bible in Proverbs 18:2 (CEV) states, “Fools have no desire to learn; they would much rather give their own opinion.” 8. You are asking cliché questions that typically require the same answer I have a habit of asking the same questions over and over. Think about how many times you say “How are you? Nine times out of ten the other person will say “fine” and we keep it moving to the next person. Since the answer is typically “I’m fine” or “I’m good” we can usually avoid a much longer conversation. If a person responds with a full description of their current situation, are we ready to listen to the whole story? If we ask the same question, we will get the same answer. If we desire to listen we can improve upon what we ask, how we ask it, and how we listen. 9. You are focused on the words and not the intent or emotion You have asked someone “what’s wrong” and they responded with just “I’m just tired.” Too many times our response may be “get some rest” rather than trying to understand the emotions or intent behind the words. Does the person mean they are physically tired because they didn’t get any rest last night? Or are they expressing concern, frustration or fear? Actual communication is 10% information and 90% emotion. Too many times we accept the words for their face value and not really listen to the feelings behind the words.
10. You think you know what the other person is going to say The Bible says in Proverbs 18:13 (CEV) - It’s stupid and embarrassing to give an answer before you listen. When someone else is speaking, we may have a story or an experience in our minds and we think we already know the end of the story. Or perhaps we have the same conversation with someone over and over. We think we already know the punch line so we stop listening and fill in the rest of the story. Has anyone complained to you that you are not listening? Dean Jackson says, “Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self.” One way to become a better listener is to think that the other person will ask you to tell them what they just said. The fear of getting busted like me will help you to improve your skills.
Blessings… Dr. Janice R. Love, The First Lady Coach Email: pearls@janicerlove.com Website: http://thefirstladycoach.com Facebook: https://Facebook.com/pearlsperfected/
By Chris L. Gilrath II
2020 has felt like a lifetime. Between Ms. Rona (COVID-19), Racism, and entitled people going wild, our minds have been on information overload. There have been a lot of eye-opening moments throughout the two pandemics of racism and COVID-19. But perhaps the biggest eye opener is the number of excuses and justifications people are using to just be selfish and inconsiderate to others around them. Rather you are not complying with state and city orders for COVID, making excuses for racism, and coming up with distraction topics, it really comes down to one thing, these are simply those not willing to do their part to make the world a better place. It is honestly, too much of an inconvenience. There have been so many people just out here being self-centered and just not understanding the seriousness of what we are dealing with. There have been a lot of excuses, thoughts, and comments that people have made that just positively, absolutely make no sense. “Being forced to wear A mask infringes on my civil rights!” Yes, I have actually heard this. Your civil rights. You mean wearing a mask meant to save your life and others is a civil rights violation similar to being discriminated against, being lynched, housing discrimination, and the right to vote? That is a civil rights violation? That is extreme. The comparison is rather insensitive and honestly offensive to those individuals who have actually had their civil rights and liberties infringed upon. There have been countless videos of people having childlike temper tantrums in stores for having to wear a mask in the store; they flat out refused and threw a fit. Someone close to me even told me that her son was assaulted at the store he worked at by an individual being forced to wear a mask. I think of essential workers, like my mother, who works in retail and did not have the option to work from home. It disturbs me that there are people who may refuse to wear a mask to protect individuals like my mom. “I will not live in fear!” Do you lock your doors at night? Well stop living in fear and keep your doors open. Do you wear a seatbelt in your car? Do you wear a condom when having sex? If you answered yes, to all of the above, you are not living in fear, you are living smart. You go about your day, your business but you take extra precautions to make sure you are safe. Right now, wearing a mask is one of those precautions. There are those who go to a crowded beach party or house party like there is no threat or no danger with COVID, because you will “not live in fear”. Then they come home and expose your immune compromised loved one. But, you are not living in fear and you call this being smart. “Well we are all going to die sometime! Live your life!”
Over the past few months there have been disturbing images of people continuing to party at beaches, lakes, and have house parties like everything is normal. Over the last month and especially on social media, I have seen images of people at large parties, beach events, and not a single individual was practicing social distancing. Then the individuals go back into their lives (some who do not wear masks) and could be asymptomatic, giving the disease to other people, potentially an immunocompromised individual. A lot of people will say things like “Well we are all going to die someday.” That is very well true, but I certainly am not going to test God by doing things that can make that happen sooner. “Covid-19 is a conspiracy by the left!” This one is hilarious! I have seen post after post of people saying it is a plot by Democrats and Liberals to cause President Trump to lose the election in November. So, you mean to tell me that every country, all the world leaders got together and cooked up this deadly disease to take down ONE man? That is a pretty elaborate plan. As a program manager, it's exceedingly difficult to get everyone on your team to comply with new projects and programs. So, an elaborate plan like that would require everyone to pull it off and let’s face it some people cannot even do something as simple as wearing a mask. “I do not want to talk about politics”. I have seen this a lot in the last few months, mainly in response to the racial injustices that have plagued our nation. I simply respond to that by saying racism and the value of human life is not “politics” or a partisan issue. It should be something that bothers us all. That statement loosely translates to “I am uncomfortable. Let me make this statement so it will go away.” “Bar Lives Matter!” in late June, when Texas shut down bars again, there was an actual protest from people and that was one of the signs that people were using. The picket sign was an obvious play on “Black Lives Matter”. First of all, I did not realize that a bar was an actual person. The more you know right? You are comparing not being able to have a shot of Wild Turkey at a barstool in a crowded bar to someone being suffocated by the police? These are just a handful of statements that I have seen over the last few months that have truly been disturbing. Why these thoughts? Could it be because a lot of people are saying things to make themselves feel better about not doing what they should to help society? Could that be because deep down they know it's wrong? Things that make you go hmm…
Email: clgil77@gmail.com www.chrisgilrath2.blogspot.com https://www.instagram.com/chrisgilrath2/ https://twitter.com/chrisgilrath2 https://www.facebook.com/chris.gilrathii
Having the Race Talk With Your Children By Settie Crowell Having conversations around race can be very trying for parents. However, it is very important that every parent does, especially in today’s current climate. We cannot say that race does not matter, because it does. In fact, in America it always has. Our children need to know how to properly view ethnic and cultural differences and how to communicate their feelings when society does not deal with those differences properly. To help us garner more information on how to facilitate and navigate this conversation about race, BCF sought the expertise of Cassandra Chambers, a licensed Mental Health Therapist and Executive Director of Refuge Children and Family Services. She has over two decades of experience of helping kids, family and school districts to facilitate these and other types of hard conversations. Here’s what she had to say… Race and culture are not textbook issues. That’s the hard part because in the mental health profession that’s not something that we learn. There is a cultural component to every grad school program, but they don’t cover the “realer” issues. As a parent and also as a mental health professional I do believe that the first thing that you have to do in order to teach about race, color or culture is to be the example in your home. Because one thing about kids is that kids learn behavior. If you look at kids’ behavior a lot of it is learned behavior from their parents. No matter whether it’s George Floyd or anyone who has passed away at the hands of brutality, racism is not something that a person just wakes up and says “I just want to be racist.” It’s not something that you just wake up one day feeling like you don’t like a person because of their skin color or looks a certain way. That is something that as a family, that has been ingrained in you and that you believe. It’s almost like Christ. When I grew up you went to church. You believed in Jesus. And of course as you get older you make your own decisions about who you date, who you are around and all those things. It’s the same thing with racism.
When kids go to school they may hide from their parents that they have a Black friend or that they like a Black boy or Black girl. They shouldn’t have to hide that. Parents should be that example and educate their children. They should teach them to not look at people of color and make a quick judgement.
The conversations around race have to be age appropriate. So if you have a five year-old and a fifteen year-old, those conversations are going to look very different. At five the conversation about racism is a lot more innocent. For instance, for kids that are five and I will use my own as an example, I had to have a real conversation with her about this. I said, “You know what kiddo? There are people, whether it’s adults or kids, that may not like us because we have brown skin.” And, of course. the concept was not clicking to her. She was like “Well, why?” I responded with “Well you know what kiddo? I don’t know why. That’s just how some people are.” That was the best way that I could tell her. I am avidly looking for literature to find other ways to explain it to her. Because of course, when they are five or six, they have all of these other questions. And the fact that she has friends who look nothing like her, bring about even more questions. They have the questions at this age. Now when they are older, things shift. You can begin to have more mature conversations. You can begin to ask questions of them such as, “How are you doing? How is school?” From there you can see what they say and how they are saying it. Ask them about their friends because there is no one way to kind of dive into that kind of conversation. Even as an adult, how do you just talk about race? Amongst Black people, we tend to talk about race differently but it is easier for us to talk about race with one another than our co-workers. There’s no one way to dive into those types of conversations. But with kids, you have to be very careful because whether you believe that you are a racist or not, your kids may have very different values than you. They may be hiding them from you, so you really have to be mindful of how you speak to your children or others that you have some type of control over (e.g. teach, counsel, etc.). They may have changed their mindsets on the values that they grew up on.
So just asking them who they are hanging out with now and why is always a good conversation to have in general. Say things like “I heard you talk about So-N-So a lot, tell me about them.” Or “What makes you hang out with So-N-So.” Because as a parent you should be having those conversations anyway, but it also gives you a better sense of why and you can gage if there has been a shift in their value systems. It’s a good thing to ask your child if he/she has a friend who is not of his/her ethnicity. It’s just a conversation piece. It may be something that is very different about what their family does or what that child may be bringing for lunch that attracts them to that other child and his/her family. This is just trying to keep up with what your kid’s likes and dislikes are. People tend to think because kids are brought up in a certain household that they have the same interests as the people in it. That may not be the case. Each child is different and their interests change.
Helping to navigate how kids ask questions is very big as well. Some people have very inquisitive kids. So just make sure if you don’t know the answer to any or all of the questions that they might have, not to fake it. It’s perfectly okay not to know the answer to a question. You can offer to look up the answer with the child, whether it is about something that may have come up during class or some other time at school. Just rattling off an answer that probably doesn’t make sense to the child is not the best thing. Prior to race conversations, you should be having lots of regular conversations with your kids. Communication is key. I grew up in a home where you didn’t ask a lot of questions. You were told what to do. As an adult, I transitioned into a mindset of ensuring that healthy and respectful conversations around everything were occurring. Challenging questions and conversations are also important. If you see something on someone’s social media post that you don’t agree with, sometimes you feel a need to let that be known in a respectful manner. You should do this same thing with your child. This teaches them how to respectfully challenge ideas and how to defend themselves from verbal assaults as well. Everyone is not going to always agree, especially around the issue of race. We have to prepare them for it. Make sure your responses are relatable. For instance, if your younger child comes home talking about how So-N-So’s lunch was stinking, you have to stop that line of thinking right there. You explain to them that certain cultures use seasonings or herbs that we may not use and may smell strange to them. At the same time, let the child know that the seasonings that we use may in turn smell strange to the other kid as well. Then turn around and make that a teachable moment. Make sure that you tell your child, “At school that’s not something that you should say to So-NSo. How would you like it if someone said that to you?” This may seem small, but this is all a part of how mindsets are formed around race and culture.
You must be open to addressing making mistakes. As parents, on any given day, we have probably said something or called somebody a name that we shouldn’t have. Be able to own up to that. “Do as I say and not as I do” runs out quickly. Let them know that you shouldn’t have said that and why in that moment you were so upset that you did say it. But acknowledge that it wasn’t right. Be an advocate. Let your child see you being a part of the solution. Join a group that is against racism. Protest peacefully and take your teenager. This demonstrates to them how to advocate and how to use their voices to affect change. A lot of mental health experts are saying that African-Americans are still suffering from PTSD due to 400 years of slavery and discrimination thereafter. So talking about this is a necessary evil in order for us to heal as a nation. Next time, Cassandra will provide us with tips on how to allow children to process trauma caused by racism. We are looking forward to what she has to say about that.
By Teri Jones We have been in a season of the Coronavirus pandemic for more than five months. People are getting frustrated, irritated, and annoyed by all the restrictions that we have to endure. Activities in my beauty routine that used to take up a good portion of my time, no longer really matter. Let’s begin with fashion. Last year I invested in such cute outfits on a trip to Greece and Italy. This June we had planned to go to Cabo San Lucas. Now the borders are closed. No Mexico. I had white, khaki, blue, and gold shorts with matching tops all laid out. I already purchased two bathing suits with a lace crocheted coverlet and a few pairs of sandals in white, silver, gold, and black. Now, of course, I can still wear these outfits. But since I am mostly at home I have just been throwing on a sundress with some flip flops. Netflix does NOT appreciate my vacation wardrobe. Next let’s consider how hair fashion has been affected. Most hair salons have been closed since late March. I personally know that many hair dressers have been driving directly to your house to care for your hair needs. Wearing their masks, they have been doing hair incognito. Since I wear sisterlocs, I have been washing my own. However, the beauty supply store where I buy my hair products has been closed. Therefore, Target has been my supplier of shampoo and conditioner. Not my first choice, but at least my hair is clean.
Thirdly, our manicures and pedicures have been cut off. The nail salons opened for about two weeks before the governor of California shut them down again. I didn’t even get my appointment in yet! Like my hair, I have been trimming my toes and filing my nails to the best of my ability. However, there is nothing like a good foot massage and the beautiful intricate designs I get on my toe nails. That, to me, is a sure sign of summer.
Last of all, we will consider make-up. Since masks are mandatory, it is rather crazy to apply make-up. If you wear foundation, blush, and lipstick, it gets all over the mask. Most of the time, it will rub off with your breathing mist. Nevertheless, your eyes are still exposed. This is where you can get creative! Smoky eyes, sunset eyes, midnight eyes! Find the palette that fits the mood, the outfit, and the occasion. Go to town with your eyes. Mascara or fake eyelashes! Whatever fits your fancy. On your zoom dates, you can even go full make-up, hair, and fashion (at least from the waist up.) This pandemic is NOT going to last forever. Travel will return; hair and nail salons will reopen. Candle lit date nights in restaurants will once again be filled with music from jazz bands performing live. All the wonderful activities that fill up the summertime will return one day...soon. Teri Jones BCF Managing Editor Facebook: Teri Jones Instagram: @terontraveler YouTube: Teron Travel
By Gerald Harris
Today I want to give a new perspective on an old objective we all face at one time or another in our lives. This is buying an automobile. I would like to help to empower women to feel as comfortable as possible when making a deal, with or without a male counterpart. Therefore, I’m going to give it to you from the inside out. All you have to do is stay with me. Salespeople, men, and women alike see a single woman as an easy target when it comes to buying a car. They will not hesitate to pounce upon you and take advantage of you as much as they possibly can. That all comes to an abrupt end right here and now. Your first obligation to yourself is to relieve all pressure (internal and external) from this scenario. That begins with diligent homework. Figure out exactly when you need this car. Give yourself as much time as you can afford. Decide if it’s new or used that you want. If it’s new, then is it a smart lease that you want or a purchase? Leasing is not hard. Don’t be afraid of the word. If you own your own business or just like to upgrade your vehicles every 2 to 3 years, then a smart lease is what you may need most. The pros are: 1) lower payments, 2) lower interest rates, and 3) a flexible financial profile, like your income to debt ratio. Suppose you’re planning to buy a home soon and you need to reduce your debt. A lease can go away faster than a purchase. Along with returning the car at the end of the lease, you can also sell the car for the pay-off amount or more at any time. Yes, you can even make money on this transaction. For some strange reason, people seem to take better care of leased vehicles than purchases. In most cases, you will reap better tax benefits with leasing than you will with purchasing. Leasing is just another way of purchasing.If you don’t make the payments, they’re coming to get the car. However, your credit is a big determining factor in leasing. Beware of that. As a rule of thumb, never lease a car for more than 3 years. You will likely become too lax with mileage conservation and run over your allotted amount. If you go over the mileage allotment you lower the actual cash value (ACV) of your car. Therefore you will incur some mileage charges at the end of your lease. Be careful.
On the other hand, many people lease initially, then purchase their vehicle at the end of their lease. This is very common. It’s like taking a 3-year test drive. When you stay current on all your payments, the finance company will always offer you new-car interest rates on the financing of your now “used” car. The cons of leasing are usually the mileage limitations. Ask for 15,000 miles versus 12,000 miles a year, especially if you know you’re going to go over the 12,000 mile mark. Even if you plan on keeping the vehicle, be conservative on your mileage. Now, let’s talk trade-ins. This can be a very big step. Know when your car is upside down. This means you owe more on the car than it is worth to the dealer. Don’t be clueless to what your car is worth in the car buying books.. Stay away from the Kelley Blue Book and Consumer Buyer Guide for getting accurate estimates on your car’s value. Most dealers use the National Automobile Dealers Association Black Book. You can purchase this from any book store. Whenever you research your car’s value, remember the dealer is going to go below the lowest guideline column (trade-in value). He is going to make deductions for everything wrong with the car and the mileage. If your car is dirty ,they will deduct it for that too. Trust me. It’s actually better to try and sell your trade-in yourself. Once you know the actual cash value of your car, you can try to sell it yourself. Cash is always best when selling your car. I don’t care if you’re buying a new or used car, start shopping at the end of the month. Dealers always want to finish the month strong with sales, particularly on used cars. A unit sold is a unit gone off of their books. It costs them to keep those cars on their lot and they want them all gone. Try to schedule your visit in the evening, a few hours before closing. They will be more compelled to squeeze that deal out of the door around or after closing time.
Here's the real secret. There are four pertinent numbers when buying a car:. 1, The price of the car you’re buying. 2, The cash amount you’re putting down. 3, The trade-in allowance (if you have a car to trade) 4. The monthly payment Now here’s the formula we use. For example the price of the car you’re buying is (1) $20,000. Add (2) and (3) together (if 3 is applicable) and subtract them from (1). This leaves the amount to be financed. If (2) and (3) equal $5,000. Then, the amount to be financed is 15,000. Multiply this times the interest rate that you qualify for. I will use 6% ,then divide by the term length you want to use, I will use 36 months. You will pay approximately $442.for 3 years. If you use 48 months, do the same computation; $ 331 is the monthly payment. This figure will only change depending on the interest rate. The beauty of this formula is you can master it in a few minutes. Know what you want to pay monthly then let them do the rest. They will ask you for more money down but don’t you budge. Make them adjust the price of the car. Just remember to know where you want to be with your monthly payment and the term of your loan. That’s the key to it. If your credit union or bank can beat their interest rates ,then your contract becomes a purchase order that you can shop around for the car of your choice. You can still drive off in your new vehicle and take that contract where you bank the next business day. That’s the best case scenario. You’re in control of everything because you are basically buying the car you want on your own conditions. Now that you have acquired some tangible skills in car buying, consider them next time before asking your boo, your brother, or your dad to go with you. Happy shopping!
Gerald Harris Facebook: Gerald Harris
By Ronald D. Jones
If you “Stay ready you won’t have to Get Ready.” That statement rings true when it comes to your personal safety and protecting your belongings. Today’s topic will focus on “Home Safety.”
Some people get a sense of comfort and coziness in having large trees or shrubbery surrounding their home and covering their windows. In my thirty- one years in the Los Angeles Police Department, I have found that potential trespassers, burglars, and peeping Toms choose those types of residences to do their crimes. If your home has high shrubs or trees that are not nicely trimmed, suspects can easily gain entry into your property undetected by neighbors. Trees or shrubbery can also block your line of sight, making it difficult for you to see any activity outside your home. Statistics show that the majority of burglaries and thefts occur in the daytime hours.
Installing flood, porch, and sensor lights around your home will be a great deterrent to most people looking to separate you from your valuables at night. Suspects love to do their bad deeds under the cover of darkness (i.e. Theft from your car, stealing plants etc.). Just make sure that your lighting is not shining into your neighbor’s home when turned on. Today’s technology allows several affordable options for the installation of security cameras. Most burglars enter homes by kicking in doors, or by way of your patio door. The quality of your doors and hardware are very important. The locks that are installed on your door are usually some type of deadbolt. The side without the lock has two small, thin strike plates that are installed with four very small screws. The installation screws only go into the wood a quarter inch or less and does not deeply secure itself into the frame of the door. Suspects can quickly and easily splinter the frame of the door by kicking it. To stop this easy intrusion, purchase a security latch strike plate from a hardware store. It is a six to
eight-inch solid piece of metal that takes the place of the two small plates on the door frame. It is installed with three-inch screws that anchor deep into the door frame making it nearly impossible to kick open the door. In my career I have seen hundreds of burglaries thwarted with this small adjustment. Most people want my professional opinion about burglar alarms. This topic always gets me in trouble. Do I approve of burglary alarms? Yes, with an explanation. I believe in community first. If you live in a community where you know and interact with your neighbors, word gets around and crime drops drastically. Criminals know to avoid your neighborhood because the possibility of getting arrested and convicted are high. We must learn to balance our habits (social media, binge watching) with good, healthy, uplifting conversations with our neighbors. These are the things I like about most burglar alarms. The sign that the company gives you to display in your front yard is a good deterrent. The panic button on the security pad inside your home will summon the police with a slight push of a button. In most counties, a panic button activation gets a “High Priority” response from the police department. If you have installed an outside audible alarm, it will alert your neighbors when you do have a burglary. On the other hand, the hefty false alarm fines are not appreciated by most people, myself included. Most of the companies that monitor your home alarm will be in another county or sometimes another state. That may not be a big concern with you. But I would like to know if the company that is monitoring my home is familiar with my community and the local police response policy. Just a few things to consider about home alarm systems. You would call the police if you saw someone kick in your neighbor’s front or rear door. The question is would you be able to give the police operator your neighbor’s exact address. Most of us would not be able to complete that task. We would have to describe the house, any landmarks or cars parked in front of the location. This issue will be solved by documenting addresses of the neighbors that are around and behind your home. Have that information available in your home or on your phone. You will be able to direct the police or ambulance to the emergency. Use a few of these techniques to make your home and neighborhood safer. “Watch your Six” (“Watch Your Back”)
Ronald D. Jones Retired Los Angeles Police Detective
DR. STACIA PIERCE: TRANSFORMING WOMEN INTO MILLIONAIRE$ FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE By Lanette White
Dr. Stacia Pierce is a wife, mother, best-selling author of many books, life-coach to celebrities, mentor, businessowner, and millionaire-maker. Yes, you heard me correctly. She turns women into millionaires! Because her life’s purpose aligns perfectly with BCF’s mission to transform lives, you know we had to sit down with her so that we could pass her gems of wisdom on to you! So… What’s your educational background? I grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I went to private schools in grade school and Ottawa Hills High School. From there, I went to school to be an esthetician. I’ve got a Doctorate of Divinity from Friends International University. And I have an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from St. Thomas College. I also completed a lot of courses outside of my doctoral program in counseling, tutoring, and understanding people. The rest of it came from the School of Hard Knocks. LOL! When did you first know that you were going to motivate women to succeed? My dad had a unique way of raising all of us. At a certain age, he gave each of us a business to run. When I was 13 years old, my dad gave me a business called Stacia’s Dream Cream. I had an ice-cream store and a game room. I had to run that business during the summer while all of the other kids were at the beach having fun. I had to run it and make it profitable. I had to be there every day, ordering supplies and other things. At first, it was grueling but I grew to love it. He then started taking me to conferences and to see Zig Zigler, Bob Proctor, and Norman Vincent Peale. I was probably about 14 by that time, but I was sitting there with my dad and I remember telling him, “This is what I’m going to do! I’m going to motivate women. I’m going to help people to succeed in life because I know how to do business and I know how to motivate people to work their businesses. This is what I want to do.” So that bug was with me at a very young age and it never went away. I journalized about it. I would produce storyboards around this concept and
how to train large groups of women. Of course, it evolved into more of how to get that done. And here I am. When did you transition from business coach to millionaire-maker? 25 years ago I had an “Aha” moment that I needed to dedicate my life to women; to help women succeed in life overall. And I knew that I wanted to do more than just have inspirational meetings and leave them. I knew that I wanted to have some kind of structured program or systematic way that I could help women succeed and know that if they applied my step-by-step process that they could get from level one to level ten. That “Aha” moment came from me doing a series of conferences. I was amassing over 3,000 women for my own conferences. And then I was speaking at conferences where there were 5,000 to 10,000 women in attendance, like the Women Who Win conference and the island conference in Hawaii. After each of these conferences, I was being sent thousands of letters from women asking me for coaching services, so I knew that I had to create a framework for coaching. Over the years, it evolved and I put better programs together, along with the technology, so it became what it is today. I have my Success Mastery Coaching Business Academy. It caters to the people who have goals that they want to achieve in life, in general, in business, and entrepreneurial goals. I started the Women in Wealth Club last year for people who are really financially focused. I had a lot of my clients who were saying that “I have a lot of success but I don’t have any wealth. I haven’t saved any of the money. I don’t know where my money is going. I don’t know how to make money while I sleep. I don’t have a second or third stream of income. I only have one.” And that’s when I started teaching Wealth Building and Financial Freedom. I felt like I had amassed enough experience to be an expert in both areas, but I kept the categories separate because some people would say, “Let me build my business first, then I will be concerned about wealth later.” But now I am finding that I am getting a lot of clients who are saying “Hey I’m in my 30s or 40s and I’m thinking about my grandkids, my future or the next generation and I don’t just want to make money. I want to have wealth.” I consider wealth to be financial freedom, which is the freedom to be able to pay your bills and live the life you want and to be able to have income for your future as well as the next generation.
And now with the COVID thing, 20-30 women join my Women in Wealth Club per day because now wealth building is a really big thing. They are seeing that they really need to have income rolling in no matter what the economic climate is.
What are your most successful case studies to date? #1: One of them is a doctor, who had struggled through medical school and had been working in the profession for a while. She came to me concerned that everyone felt like because she was so successful that she should have more to show for it. She was inundated with bills. She was worn-out and tired. I helped her to create a specialized medical practice. This enabled her to go from over $300,000 in debt from paying off medical school and other things, to having a business that makes millions of dollars and having several collaborative projects with vitamin and pharmaceutical companies. #2: Next, is a pastor’s wife who said to me, “I’m joining your coaching and I don’t even know why. I’m just being obedient to God.” She didn’t have a goal but just felt led by God to have me mentor her and decided that she would stop questioning it and try to make some money from being coached by me. Within 90 days we had put a strategy together and she had written a book. Then after six months, she had developed a whole entire program. She put together a program with workshops and that kind of thing. Also, she and her husband had never taken a vacation. They had steadily been plowing, doing the work of the Lord. Never took time for themselves. No self-care, vacations, or any of that. I showed them how to make money by doing what they loved and not have to sacrifice their self-care. After about a year and a half of coaching, that pastor’s wife made over a million dollars. And still to this day she still makes about a million dollars a year. She now enriches other people and helps them to do what I helped her to do by turning what you love into something profitable. #3: I had a girl who came from a homeless situation and happened to hear me speak at a shelter. I came to the shelter to do a talk and afterwards she asked if she could be coached by me. She found out the costs and felt that she could never afford my prices. I then said, “Why don’t we do an experiment. Why don’t I cover your coaching expenses? But if I do, you have to do more than what the average person would do and do every single thing that I say.” Even her counselor said, “You are wasting your time. This girl is the hardest girl in our program. She doesn’t pay attention. She’s in fights every day. She’s not gonna make it. She’s gonna be a problem for you.” Needless to say, my team and I took it upon ourselves to coach her. She was very sincere. She wanted it really badly. And this girl, in a year’s time, went from being in this homeless shelter,
being kicked out of school, in and out of juvie and even having an abusive relationship with her father to setting up a business; getting her finances together; getting back in school; running her business on the side; and making six figures! Now she works and helps at the center where she, herself, was the biggest problem. We have seen the work that you have done with your daughter. Is this mindset hereditary? LOL! I don’t know if it’s in the blood or not, but this girl has had this entrepreneurial mindset since she was in grade school. She wanted to work with me and played games, whereas she was acting like she was my assistant, my secretary, or my helper. So I think that she just grew into that. I did with my own kids what my dad did with me. I introduced them to entrepreneurship. I had them both start their own businesses. I feel like that puts them in a position where they could say “Hey I want to be an entrepreneur. I want to have something of my own. I want to write books. I want to help other people.” How does coaching celebrities differ from coaching non-celebrities? The process is really the same. The biggest difference is the level of secrecy and them learning to trust me. Their biggest concern is that the world sees them one way and idolizes them, so they don’t want to have their weak sides revealed. When they’re with me they are very vulnerable about what’s really happening in their lives. They are being honest about their fears in reaching their goals in their careers. And sometimes people feel like because celebrities have made this movie or song that that person has made it. But they have a career path just like the rest of us and are concerned about achieving their next goal or hit. It’s very competitive for them. There is always someone up and coming that is being compared to them. It’s a lot of pressure, but they still push through it. They just have to know that you are not trying to build your career off of them and that you have their backs. What differentiates you from other success coaches or mentors? I call my coaching Intuitive Coaching and that’s because I am listening within. I feel like I am very spiritual and prophetic. A lot of time when I am hearing from them, I am hearing it from my gut so I know that I’m hearing from within. This gives me a little bit of leverage, I think. Sometimes, I have called names on some things, meaning I have given them titles of businesses; told them what to say in interviews; and even titles for songs. And then it’s a hit for them. So I know that I am hearing from the Spirit. That’s coming from God. That comes from me hearing from within. So my clients know that and feel like I have that advantage. It builds their confidence in me. I also understand business so I can discuss numbers, bottom line, and success strategies, so I am externally qualified to take them to the next level and/or help them to reach their goals. I also have a track record that speaks for itself.
How do you maintain your femininity while being a very driven boss? Well, I am whole-heartedly into self-care. I think it is very important and that health and wealth go together. I love fashion. Oh my God, I wanted to be a fashion designer! I’m still in love with fashion and haven’t lost that passion at all. But overall, I just love taking care of myself physically. At the same time, I know that I need to keep educating myself. So I am absorbed in reading books and listening to podcasts. Right now, I am reading a book by Suzanne Sommers called A New Way to Age. I have my book club re-reading a classic called Think and Grow Rich and Miracle Morning because I am trying to get them all on the mindset of money and the mindset of productivity. Those are all of the books on my nightstand right now. What charities are near and dear to your heart? Well, I have been a part of the PACE Center for Girls for about five years now. Every year I do a seminar for them on goal-setting and journaling. I am big on journaling. Actually, that’s one of the biggest products that I sell, my Success Journal. I get invited to a lot of state and non-profit events to discuss journaling as therapy and/or getting people through trauma through journaling. I also do other things for those girls and their families as well. I also work with Dress For Success. I actually received the Dress for Success Award last year for helping the most ladies in Orlando, FL.
Well, as you can see, her focus is quite clear. Whether she is helping doctors, celebrities, or the youth, her audience has always been and always will be women. She has stayed true to her calling and it has made her successful. She has turned what she loves into a multi-million dollar coaching business. Dr. Stacia Pierce is definitely a BOSS LADY BEAUTY! Follow Dr. Stacia: Facebook: Stacia Pierce @LifeCoach2Women Twitter: @LifeCoach2Women Instagram: @StaciaPierce Website: lifecoach2women.com
By Teri Jones
With the outbreak of the pandemic, people have become concerned with their everyday health. Some habits we have will contribute to us being more vulnerable to catching some illnesses. However, now we need to develop healthy habits that can be good for your mind, body, and spirit. So down the road you will be on your way to improving your overall well-being.
1. Rethink what you drink:. Juices, sodas, and sports drinks add empty calories to your daily intake. Try water, nonfat milk, or slightly flavored water with a slice of lemon or lime. The acid in the lemon and lime will help with your digestion, supports weight loss, and prevents kidney stones. Warm lemon water can also work like a laxative to prevent constipation. Drinking diet sodas doesn’t help support a healthy habit. The aspartame in the diet drink does more harm than good. It can cause heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia, and stroke. 2. Get your move on: Being active helps you stay fit and feel your best at any age. Getting 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 5 days a week can lower your risk of serious illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. That exercise can be a brisk walk, dancing to your favorite tunes from your phone, or downloading an app full of great workout moves.
3. See your doctor: Your doctor can tell which preventive services you need to help you stay well. Since the pandemic, doctors are now seeing patients virtually through telemedicine. Check with your medical coverage to find how you can get set up with a virtual appointment. Make sure you keep your medical information up-to-date and readily available in case you do catch the virus. Quick response is the key to recover from covid 19. 4. Eat well: Fill up on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins. Try to eat your fruits and vegetables raw as much as possible. Give your body all of the vitamins and nutrients it needs. You may want to supplement with a daily vitamin for women to make sure you're getting all the minerals you need. Try to lower your calories, saturated fats, and cholesterol. If you can, eat meatless one day a week. 5. Beat stress: Over time, stress can cause all kinds of health problems, including high blood pressure, an abnormal heart rate, increased blood sugar levels, depression, and anxiety. Activities that can alleviate stress are dancing, exercise, zumba, running, skating, hiking, and brisk walking. 6. Indulge in sleep: Lack of sleep can take its toll on your mind, body, and overall health. You really need to get the recommended 7 to 8 hours a night. Aim as close as you can to that number. Don’t go to sleep with the television on. Put your cell phone on the “Do Not Disturb” setting. You might want to try using Sleepytime tea, melatonin pills, or the “Calm” app to help you fall asleep faster. 7. Kick the habit: Tobacco use is still the single largest preventable cause of disease and early death. Consider this as you frequent hookah bars and marijuana dispensaries. Alcohol intake also can be considered an unhealthy habit you want to eliminate or at least control. 8. Give back: Volunteering at your church or a community organization allows you to keep active. It also can relieve stress and provides you with a sense of purpose and accomplishment. In this pandemic there are so many ways that you can assist others with meals, voter registration, and supplies for the less fortunate.
By Steffanie Rivers THEE Travel Diva While most people have reached our tolerance level for the restrictions forced upon us by COVID-19, the virus keeps showing up! Much like an unwanted partner in a bad relationship that should have ended long ago. That has left many summer-vacations, family reunions, and other potentially crowded events – bars, gun ranges, hookah lounges, and Trump rallies - in limbo. The color of our personal protective masks have replaced our favorite summer shades of lipstick. The legalized genocide against Black people in America has forced a social dialog 400 years overdue. The year 2020 has been anything but a smooth ride. Long before Coronavirus became worldwide news, it has been my practice to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing when it comes to travel and entertainment: If they’re going left, then I’ll go right; If they’re walking, then I’ll run; and if Punta Cana is where the party is, I’ll create my own party in Puerto Plata. Most vacationers never have heard of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. It is a lesser known destination on the north peninsula of the country on the Atlantic Ocean side, while Punta Cana is located near the southeast border adjacent to the Caribbean Sea. Both destinations offer beautiful beaches, mountain ranges, and a party atmosphere. Yet, Puerto Plata is less expensive, less crowded, and therefore, just the place to practice social distancing while on vacation. I discovered this other Dom Rep destination five years ago while scrolling through Living Social in search of affordable vacations. Living Social is a website that promotes discounts on health and beauty services, entertainment, and travel excursions. It’s a travel diva’s go-to reference. The offer caught my eye because it was for a free five-day, four-night stay at an all-inclusive resort for two people. All I had to do was find somebody to go with me and book our round-trip travel. So, my mother also known as my last minute travel companion - and I booked our flights and headed to Puerto Plata. Although it wasn’t laid out in bold print, we realized in exchange for being wined, dined, and treated like American royalty for a week a few hours of our vacation would be spent in a time-share presentation learning about this new resort and the benefits of us becoming part-time owners.
Yet, this wasn’t our first time-share rodeo. My mother and I showed up to the presentation with our game faces on, different ways to decline their pressure tactics, and a predetermined time that we promised to be back in oceanside lounge chairs. When we weren’t swinging in hammocks, imbibing exotic drinks, and sampling Dominican cuisine, excursions took us throughout the countryside. Although neither of us smoke or drink hard liquor, we toured the local rum factory and purchased Dominican cigars as souvenirs. If my memory serves me correctly, my mother never was one for adventure: She used to wait on the ground while strangers escorted me on roller coasters, into the House of Mirrors, and other fast moving rides at the state fair. It was a different time then when mothers could trust a stranger to do the right thing with their child for at least the time it takes to ride the Tilt-a-Twirl. But I digress. So when it came to ziplining, horseback riding, climbing mountains, jumping into water falls on the way down, that was my thing in Puerto Plata. Living vicariously through me was hers. Most visitors to Lifestyle Holiday Vacations Club spend their entire stay inside the all-inclusive compound. And if that’s your preference, the Las Vegas style nightly performances, endless food choices, and poolside activities are plentiful. Tourists come from around the world to Puerto Plata. The diverse group of visitors sparked me to start a medical tourism company. Called D-R Medical Tourism, my company has partnered with local physicians who perform cosmetic procedures for clients who want top-notch elective surgery at affordable prices. Our roster of medical professionals includes dentists and surgeons who mostly were trained in North America, but have chosen to work in their native country. The all-inclusive resort serves as the pre and post-operative layover for our clients. Call (800)810-4885 ext. 2 for more information. By the end of the fourth day of our stay most of the staff knew us by name. When it was time to depart, we didn’t want to go. So we decided to become time-share owners. We’ve returned a number of times since that first visit. I spent part of my birthday week in Puerto Plata last September. And yes, I returned to hike up the mountain and jumped into waterfalls on the way down. Steffanie Rivers is a freelance journalist living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @TCBStef. Her book, The Do’s And Don’ts Of Flying: A Flight Attendant’s Guide To Airline Travel Secrets, is available at Amazon and other online retail bookstores.
Teron Travel
We are living in an interesting time. This pandemic has changed our new normal. People are leery of traveling again. We are thinking about: Will the hotel be sanitized? Will my airplane ride be safe with the 6 foot spacing eliminated? Will the cost of flying skyrocket? Traveling will return and here are some ways to baby step back into the industry.
First, you want to make sure you are healthy. Many businesses are now taking your temperature upon entering the business. Even having an allergic reaction with a runny nose, I recommend not traveling because of the anxiety most people are feeling. Therefore, you want to make sure you have no evidence of a cold, a runny nose, no sneezing, and no coughing. Next, you want to make sure you have enough supplies. You need to have an adequate amount of masks to use for the duration of the trip, a large number of travel size hand sanitizer bottles, an adequate amount of gloves, and a few packages of sanitizer wipes. Trusting that the stores in the city you are traveling to may not be adequately stocked. Secondly, you will want to sanitize your environment. If you are flying, you will want to wipe down all the surfaces in the airport where you are waiting for your flight. Once you board the plane, you should wipe down your seat, your arm rest, and the seat belt. Of course, the airlines will probably have already done this. I personally would wipe it down anyway, just to be safe. Make sure
you have your own water and a meal. Most airlines will not be serving any meals, but you won’t know for sure. It is better to be safe than sorry. Similar precautions will be necessary for bus stations, train stations, public restrooms, and restaurants. Part of the requirements for most businesses are to have sanitation centers strategically placed throughout the business. You want to make sure you are washing your hands with soap and warm water. The sanitizer is the next best thing to hand washing. Nevertheless, you want to wear the mask although in some cities, the mask is not required. Thirdly, you want to consider vacationing closer to home. That doesn’t mean you have to stay in your city of residence, but you might not want to venture out in a foreign country. Often restrictions in some countries do not match those in the United States. According to officials, the United States has the highest cases of the virus. You may want to consider what cities in the United States are spiking in coronavirus cases. Some states, like New York, are requiring people not from New York to quarantine themselves before visiting the state.
It sounds like a lot of things to consider as we move forward in the unchartered territory of this pandemic. The days of spontaneous trips where you whisk yourself away for a quick weekend getaway are over. For your safety and overall well being, tread carefully and calculated.
Chef Barbie Flores
1- bunch baby kale greens, washed & trimmed 1- bunch baby spinach, washed & trimmed 1- zucchini, washed, un-peeled, diced in small cubes 1- yellow squash, washed, un-peeled, diced in small cubes 4- cloves fresh garlic, fine diced 1- jalapeno pepper, washed, seeded, finely minced 1- small red onion, thinly sliced 6 -8 cherry tomatoes, washed, left whole Olive oil Honey Salt & Pepper to taste 1. Wash all vegetables, cut and set aside. 2. Heat a large skillet with enough olive oil to coat the bottom. 3. Add kale greens, spinach, garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper and toss gently for 2 minutes on medium heat. Greens will become very green and wilted. 4. Remove greens from the skillet and place in a large bowl. 5. Add zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes & jalapeno, gently mix, set aside. 6. In the same skillet, toss red onion & a splash of honey over medium heat, until onions become soft. 7. Plate the greens mixture and top with red onion. 8. Adjust salt & pepper if needed. (yields 2 servings)
By Lanette White “In the middle of every difficulty lies an opportunity,” said Albert Einstein. This period of Civil Unrest that we are going through as a nation is very difficult for everyone. It is painful and produces feelings of rage and helplessness in Blacks. On the other hand, it is shameful and produces feelings of anxiousness and uncertainty in Whites. Everybody is feeling some kind of way right now. But in the midst of this crisis, there are opportunities that we should seek out to change our lives, personally, as a community and as global citizens. On a personal level, right now there is a lot of money available for new businesses, more specifically for your new business. Softbank created a $100 million Opportunity Fund to invest in companies only led by people of color.1 YouTube has also donated $100 million in a multi-year content fund "dedicated to amplifying and developing the voices of Black creators and artists and their stories" on the video platform.2 PayPal has done something similar with its $500 million. The point is the money is out there right now. Isn’t there a business you always wanted to start? Was money the issue? Well let’s check that excuse off and get moving! As a community, we have to make supporting Black-owned businesses a priority. In the same manner in which we support Wal-Mart, Target, and Amazon, we have to make a concerted effort to do that for Black-owned businesses. Now I know that it may be hard, but we’ve got to try Fam! Let’s start with looking at websites like https://www.supportblackowned.com/ and https://www.blackbusinesslist.com/ to identify them. Now is the time to make them great and prosperous. It was just previously stated that Softbank is investing in companies led by people of color right now, so the more we invest in ourselves, the more others are likely to.
As global citizens, it is imperative that we seize this opportunity to change the systemic racist laws and precepts that this country was built on. We have seen police departments get defunded, governors call for choke-holds and neck-holds to stop being practiced and/or taught; and Breonna’s law become effective so that no-knock warrants are illegal in Kentucky. These things were all very much needed, but there is still much more to be done. We must now put our energies into making sure that systems are just and unbiased. One of the major pieces of legislation that needs to be amended and/or repealed is the 13 th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which says, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." This means that anyone who goes to prison is a slave. What was the point of the amendment? Slavery was inhumane! Aren’t prisoners still human? When this amendment was penned, most of us weren’t literate, so that was our excuse. Let us all start reading the fine print and rewriting the laws of the land. No more excuses. The portal is now open Fam and we’ve got to seize the day! 1 2
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/03/softbank-announces-100-million-fund-for-minority-owned-businesses.html https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2020/06/11/paypal-apple-youtube-racial-justice-pledges.html
Lanette White