A steady beacon in what appears to be a stormy sea is an excellent anchor to have.
The Woman’s Center of Greater Lansing is just such a place.
Executive Director Melina
Brann has been at the helm of the 15-year old organization for two years. “We are one of Lansing’s best-kept secrets,” said Brann. “We don’t want to be that anymore. We want and need everyone to know that we are here!”
Brann was a client turned job applicant after receiving the help she needed through a
What causes the stigma for mental healthcare in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities and how do we do away with it? The World Health Organization defines Mental Health as: the foundation for the well-being and effective functioning of individuals. It is more than the absence of a mental disorder;
it is the ability to think, learn, and understand one’s emotions and the reactions of others. Mental health is a state of balance, both within and with the environment.
Physical, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, and other interrelated factors participate in producing this balance. (Mental health (who.int))
For countless years Mental Illness has been a silent predator in BIPOC communities. Since
the days of slavery, oppression and misinformation has continuously been seeping through marginalized communities. This can be attributed to many factors dating back to the times of slavery such as, the way African Americans were viewed in the antebellum period. The attitudes and treatment of blacks during this time has bled out and woven itself into the very fabric we call America. Some may call it systemic
rough situation. “I saw there was a job opening, and the timing was right,” said Brann.
Brann has a background in therapy. She attended Grand Valley State, where she received her Master’s Degree in social work with a generalist perspective.
The Women’s Center’s mission is to empower women and overall help them reach their potential. They carry out their task in a variety of ways. “Our most effective method to help
women is through providing mental health counseling,” she said. Brann explained that the Center offers its services based on an income base rather than an insurance base. The Center helps women with a low income and no insurance. The Center also has a career services program complete with a computer lab. The Center’s staff allows women to work on their resumes, cover letters, and apply for jobs. They also have a professional clothes closet where clients can get that perfect suit of armor.
racism but, for some ignorance to this allows racism to be accepted as part of the norm.
“In 1848 John Galt, a physician and medical director of the Eastern Lunatic Asylum in Williamsburg, Virginia, offered that “blacks are immune to mental illness.” Galt hypothesized that enslaved Africans could not develop mental illness because as enslaved people, they did not own property, engage in
commerce, or participate in civic affairs such as voting or holding office. This immunity hypothesis assumed according to Galt and others at that time that the risk of “lunacy” would be highest in those populations who were emotionally exposed to the stress of profit making, principally wealthy white men.” (Mental Illness in Black Community, 1700-2019: A Short History • (blackpast.org)
INGHAM COUNTY – Brenna
Marshall will attend National 4-H Congress held November 26 to 30 in Atlanta, GA
Congress is a leadership youth development opportunity designed for youth aged 15 to 19. During Congress, Marshall will attend workshops about leadership development,
character education, agriculture, cultural awareness and diversity education, work force preparation, environmental stewardship, science and technology, literacy and communication skills development. She will also attend a town hall meeting on public
issues about youth and community service projects. Marshall has demonstrated her abilities through her project work, dedication to her club and service to her community as well as serving on the Michigan 4-H State Youth Leadership Council.
Megan Thee Stallion is a Grammy-winning American rapper whose lyrics forthrightly address gender, race and sex. Confidence and body positivity are part of her work, as seen on songs like “WAP,” which featured Megan alongside Cardi B. Megan has a devoted fan base, whom she calls her “hotties,” and millions of followers on Twitter and Instagram. She has spoken out regarding the injustices and violence faced by Black women. Even as a rap superstar, Megan continued to pursue a college degree.
Megan Thee Stallion was born as Megan Jovon Ruth Pete on February 15, 1995, in San Antonio, Texas. Megan grew up in Houston’s South Park neighborhood with her mother, Holly Thomas, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her father, Joseph Pete Jr., resided in prison for the first eight years of her life. They grew close following his release, until his death when Megan was 15.
Family members bolstered young Megan’s confidence. “I had really good examples of women in my life and they always put it in like, ‘Megan, you’re amazing… You’re doing
so good,’” she told NME. “That came from my father too. I didn’t know anything else from birth.”
Her mother, Holly Thomas, worked as a bill collector, but from 2001 to 2007 also had a rap career under the moniker Holly-Wood. Megan would accompany her to the recording studio after school, and was fascinated by the environment. “My mom thought I was asleep or watching TV,” Megan said in 2019, “but I was really listening to the instrumentals being played over and over. So I would be in the other room just writing rhymes in my little kid’s folder, just things that I thought sounded cool. I owe everything to my mom.”
Megan first rapped for her mother at age 7, aided by a Barbie toy that offered prerecorded instrumentals and beats. She would sometimes steal her mother’s instrumentals and write her own lyrics. Yet she didn’t share her dreams of rapping at first. Her early activities included leading the cheerleading and dance teams in middle school, and being part of drill and dance teams during high school.
“Our clients can get these services for free,” said Brann. “One of our biggest services is providing personal needs like shampoo conditioner, pads, and tampons to women for free as well.”
The official mission and vision statement for the Women’s Center:
Mission
The Women’s Center of Greater Lansing is committed to providing valuable, innovative resources and services in an atmosphere that fosters mutual support, insight, and growth for women of all backgrounds and ages as they strive to realize their unique potential.
Vision
We visualize a community where all women have the opportunity and ability to achieve their unique potential. The Women’s Center’s founders realized that women in the Lansing community, especially survivors of abuse and sexual misconduct, needed a place where they could go to receive services without the fear of being judged harshly. “Finances is often a barrier to getting the help they need,”
noted Brann. The sliding scale and free services make the Women’s Center the ideal place to go for women in need. “We can provide the counseling inhouse,” said Brann. “However, for other services like housing, we refer those services out.”
Brann, originally from Battle Creek, moved to the Lansing area after college with her ex-husband. “I stayed in the Lansing area because I fell in love with the people here in Lansing.
As executive director of the Women’s Center, Brann pays attention to the big picture for the Center and the day to day. “Our biggest challenge is funding,” said Brann. “Since we are not a domestic violence shelter, we don’t qualify for federal funds. We do, however, rely heavily on our community for funding.”
Brann considers the Center’s counseling to be their specialty. “Counseling is what we do the most,” said Brann. On a personal note, Brann acknowledges that seeing former clients come back to the Center all smiles makes her the happiest. “That is super nice
to see,” said Brann. “Especially after the year, everyone has been through.”
The Pandemic has presented some pluses and minuses. “It works well for women who need counseling,” said Brann, “However, the victims of sexual or physical abuse still living with their abusers need the escape of the Center.”
In addition to being an angel by
day, Brann is an artist. “I love to paint,” said Brann. “I make portraits and sell them on the side.” Brann related that she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. Those dreams changed when her sister had a traumatic brain injury while they were children. “We had an awesome social worker,” said Brann. “I wanted to be just like her.”
Planning for the future. In
two years from now, Brann hopes she can hire a full-time crisis counselor. “We currently have a long waiting list for counseling,” said Brann. “This is a pressing need.” In five years, she hopes to see the Center grow into a bigger space
The COVID-19 vaccines give us the power to protect ourselves and our communities.
As a pastor, Rev. Sheffield has seen too many of his church members suffer with COVID-19, then die in the hospital without the comfort of loved ones nearby. But he believes that the end of the pandemic is in our control. “We need to do this. We need to get vaccinated,” he says. Make a choice to change the narrative. Get your vaccine today.
One of the best things about our community is the number of different cultures that live in our neighborhoods. We are lucky to be able to experience an array of traditions, customs and lifestyles.
At Palmer, Bush & Jensen, we understand and offer services for all cultures. We know our differences are what make us unique.
“If you think you or someone around you might be having a stroke, it is vital to know the best course of action to take. It is a misconception that dealing with a stroke can be postponed.”
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. Stroke can happen to anyone at any age, so it is vital to know what stroke is and what the warning signs are. Recognizing these symptoms could save your life or the life of someone around you.
“There are two types of strokes, and they both cause the same problem, a lack of blood flow in the brain,” said Christine Perry, DO, emergency room physician at McLaren Greater Lansing. “You most commonly hear of ischemic stroke, which is a blockage of a vessel in the brain.”
The other type is hemorrhagic stroke, which is when there’s a rupture to the blood vessels in the brain. This lack of blood flow damages the tissues in the brain, which can cause a
change in lifestyle, disability, or death.
There are many warning signs of stroke and being able to identify them is extremely important. “Symptoms of a stroke come in a wide variety,” said Dr. Perry. “You could experience anything from dizziness, to vision changes; weakness in the face, arms, or legs; numbness in the body; and difficulty communicating or speaking to others.”
If you think you or someone around you might be having a stroke, it is vital to know the best course of action to take. It is a misconception that dealing with a stroke can be postponed.
“We see people staying home, waiting to see if the symptoms go away, or they’ll make an appointment with their doctor,” said Dr. Perry. “A stroke is a medical emergency,
and you need to seek help immediately.”
A great way to remember stroke symptoms is the acronym “BEFAST.” The “B” stands for balance, which refers to a loss of balance. The “E” is for eyes, which refers to a loss of vision or trouble seeing. The “F” stands for face, which refers to an uneven face or crooked smile. The “A” stands for arm, which refers to one or two hanging arms, or the
inability to raise arms equally. The “S” stands for speech, which refers to slurred speech, drooling, or confusion. The “T” stands for terrible headache and time, meaning if a severe headache occurs, then time is critical.
“One of the things people often do is, if their symptoms go away, they’ll stay home and consider they’ve had a mini-stroke,” said Dr. Perry. A proper diagnosis can help you
get the treatment needed. Also, a physician can help modify your medical therapy, whether it’s your blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, or encouraging a healthy lifestyle to aid in prevention of any future strokes.
“Going straight to the ER is always the best plan if you think you’re having a stroke. It could save your life.”
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By Deidre Davis, MSU Federal Credit Union Chief Marketing Officer
First established to encourage consumers to shop locally during the holiday season,
Small Business Saturday has become an annual event taking place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Here are some ways you can support small businesses during the holiday season.
Small Business Saturday takes place between Black Friday and Cyber Monday – November 27 this year – when consumers are typically holiday shopping online or in person. Taking part in Small Business Saturday is especially important this year as communities continue to rebound from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Small, locally owned businesses may include retail stores and restaurants, service-based businesses, and smaller online ventures.
When you shop local, you help the local economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), more than half of Americans either work for or own a small business. They account for two of every three new jobs reported.
For every $100 spent at a local
The Chronicle News would like to pay tribute to Black Rosies’: The Forgotten African American Heroines of the WWII Homefront. This iconic image displaying “We can do it” has broadly come to represent the working woman who worked as laborers after men went off to World War II.
What is not conveyed that the workforce at this time contained over a half-million black “Rosies.”
To Rosies of all backgrounds and nationalities (past and present) we salute you!!
(Lansing, MI) - Opportunity Arts presents Monday Night Masterpiece, a Live Talk Show & Art Experience that features one individual performing/ visual artist every Monday Night in 2021 starting Sept. 13th at 7:00pm at the Opportunity Arts Artitorium in Lansing, MI. Tickets are $20 and there are a limited number of seats available. For more information and to purchase tickets to see your favorite artist(s) visit: www. opportunityarts.org/mondaynight-masterpiece.html
“It’s basically is a hybrid of The Tonight Show & Austin City Limits,” said Mike Marriott, The Arts Promoter & owner of Opportunity Arts. Late night talk shows have given national celebrities & artists a platform for their fans to become more familiar with who they are as a person. This will do the same thing but on a local scale. The show will feature some of the most talented & driven performing & visual artists our Capital City Community has to offer. There will also
be performances & visual art presentations as part of the show.
The first show on September 13th will feature Internationally Acclaimed Opera Singer and new resident of Lansing, Stephano Andreotti. “We wanted to kick things off with Stephano as a shout out to Willy Nelson & Austin City Limits,” said Marriott. Willy left Nashville and moved to a state capital (Austin, TX) because he wanted more creative freedom to make the music he wanted. That moved transformed Austin into “The Live Music Capital of the World”. Stephano Andreotti, who has won international awards, and toured Europe, left New York City and moved to our state capital of Lansing, MI for the same reason. This series will be another strong example of why Lansing is becoming “The Creatives Capital”.
The remainder of the season is loaded with talent and artists of multiple mediums including chalk artists, painters, poets, illustrators, authors, musicians, and mixed media artists. The
show schedule for the first half of Season 1 is as follows:
Premiere
Sept. 13th – Internationally Acclaimed Opera Singer Stephano Andreotti
Sept. 20th - Visual Artist, Educator, and Ghostbuster Ryan Holmes
Sept. 27th - Visual Artist and Ralf Henrickson Award Winner Autumn Hopkins
Oct. 4th - Poet & Lyricist Morgan Madden - 517 Living Week
Oct. 11th - Visual Artist & Gallery Coordinator for the Lansing Art Gallery Sarah Parker
Oct. 18th - Visual Artist Kylee Kellett
Oct. 25th - Author & Educator Kristine Brickey
Nov. 1st - Priestess Dikastiria of Daimonikos Productions
Nov. 8th - Producer & Hip Hop Artist Torrey Gray
Nov. 15th - Poet Grace Carras
Nov. 22nd - Visual Artist Melina Brann
Nov. 29th - Jeweler & Visual Artist Danielle Smith
Dec. 6th - Poet Keyante Saxon aka KT the Conscious Poet
2 Part Mid-Season Finale
Dec. 13th - The Artist known as SHE presents the dark side of the Holidays
Dec. 20th - Body Painter Sarah Sanders presents the light side of the Holidays
For more information on Monday Night Masterpiece, and to purchase tickets visit: www.opportunityarts.org/ monday-night-masterpiece. html
Becoming a homeowner could be $10,000 easier.
We always love helping homeowners. With our new MI 10K DPA, you may qualify for a down payment assistance loan of up to $10,000 to cover the down payment, closing costs, and prepaids. Learn more at Michigan.gov/Homeownership.
We have thousands of thoughts each day. Some are positive and some are negative. Inevitably there will have some negative thoughts in that bunch, but they all don’t have to be negative. In fact, negative thinking has been shown to be linked to increased risk of depression, anxiety, and overall can wear down your happiness.
So, how can we think fewer negative thoughts? Is the secret to always be surrounded by things or people that make us happy? Or is the secret to control every single thought that enters our mind?
Most mental health care professionals and researchers would disagree. For one, we
cannot always control what we are surrounded or who we are surrounded by. We can’t always control of our circumstances either. For example, when a flight is delayed causing us to have to wait a few hours longer to get to our destination. There are many things we are not in control of. However, there is one powerful thing we can control: our thoughts. In this article, we’ll be providing tangible ways to experience fewer negative thoughts and how we can enjoy the better feelings and moods that will inevitably follow.
The first suggestion is to avoid counteracting every negative with a positive thought. This would get exhausting very
The Chronicle News is a publication founded on journalistic integrity, diversity and accessibility to the community. We are dedicated to providing real news that inspires, motivates, and resonates with our readers, and community partners. Our integrity and accessibility is reflected in the content that we provide to the community through our publication, website and social media outlets.
The Chronicle Newspaper is a community newspaper headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. Since its inception of The Chronicle News, May of 1986, we have reached thousands of minorities in Mid-Michigan and have gained a diverse audience of all nationalities.
Our Focus
The main purpose of the Chronicle News is to provide news and information for minorities while supporting diversity and inclusion and uplifting communities as a whole.
Distribution: The Chronicle News is published twice monthly. It is a free publication with circulation of 5,000 copies per issue. The Chronicle is distributed throughout MidMichigan and can be found in municipal buildings, schools, local businesses, churches, and community centers. Our readers receive relevant content on a local, state, national and international news.
The news found within the newspaper impacts readers’ daily lives. Our top priority is to enhance the awareness of community issues while hedding light on the positive happenings in the community
quickly, and actually covers over the negative thought instead of acknowledging it. A powerful way to actually experience fewer negative thoughts is to allow the negative thought. Acknowledging it can actually allow your mind to let it go instead of trying to fight it or change it. A phrase you could use when a negative thought comes your way is “oh that’s interesting….” or “ok”. By responding in a neutral and observational manner, you give that negative thought less power and can then let it go.
The second suggestion is to become aware of all-ornothing thinking. All-ornothing thinking says that something or someone is
either all this way or all that way. For example, you forget to make dinner reservations for you and your friend. All-ornothing thinking may sound something like “I always forget to make the plans when it’s my turn” or “My friend is never going to want to do anything with me again”. All-or-nothing thinking can lead to more negative thoughts because we believe that we aren’t capable of anything else or that there isn’t a chance for anything to be different.
The third suggestion is to literally re-focus on something else in the present. For example, instead of trying to force positive thinking, refocus on something positive.
Focusing on something positive is different from forcing positive thoughts because focusing on something positive gives your mind space and fodder for positive thoughts to naturally spring up. For example, you could go to a park or see an uplifting movie. By re-focusing your attention on uplifting things, positive and more encouraging thoughts will naturally follow. Everyone has negative thoughts, and it is certainly understandable how they arise, but negative thoughts don’t have to dominate your thinking. You have incredible power to choose a more positive mindset, and can enjoy a brighter, more positive outlook.
You may have heard of the term ‘mindfulness’ in the last few years. Mindfulness has gained attention in the last few years. Although the practice has been around for centuries, it has become more popular as many have found that practicing mindfulness has myriad of benefits.
Mindfulness is defined as a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. It means bringing our full awareness to each moment. For example, focusing only on the present moment and bringing your full awareness to what you are seeing, hearing, thinking, smelling, feeling in only the present. The practice and philosophy of mindfulness has been around for centuries and has origins in Buddhist and Hindu teachings. It was
even used as a technique on the journey to spiritual “enlightenment”. However, practicing mindfulness does not have to equate practicing any religious philosophy. Mindfulness has myriad of mental, emotional, and physical benefits.
Since mindfulness has shifted into modern science and medicine, numerous studies have shown the concrete benefits of practicing mindfulness in healing and in everyday life. One of the key figures who has aided in brining ‘mindfulness’ to the mainstream is Jon KabatZinn. Kabat-Zinn traveled to Asia, and studied mindfulness under several Buddhist teachers, and was a professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts. He realized through his work, that practicing mindfulness even reduced stress and pain, and began to integrate mindfulness
as a therapeutic technique through programs such as the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Mindfulness has been shown to decrease stress, anxiety, pain, depression, insomnia, and even high blood pressure.
There are many simple ways you can practice mindfulness. One of the starting practices, is to focus on your breathing. When you have negative thoughts or if you feel overwhelmed, bringing your attention to your breath is practicing mindfulness. As you focus on the breath, and more oxygen is sent to your body and brain you will start to notice the negative feelings or experience are lessened and in time they cease. Mindfulness techniques can be practiced anywhere and are cost free. There are endless ways to practice mindfulness, and the benefits it can bring to your everyday life are endless as well.
(LANSING) – The selection committee for the next Chief of Police for the Lansing Police Department has recommended two finalists to move forward in the process for the position.
Mayor Andy Schor will take these interviews into account as he decides which candidate to put forward to the Board of Police Commissioners for confirmation as Lansing’s next Chief of Police. The two finalists are:
• Ellery Sosebee, Captain (Interim Chief), Lansing Police Department
• Jason Matson, Captain, Bakersfield Police Department in California
These two candidates will move forward with final interviews and will also participate in a virtual public
candidate forum scheduled for Tuesday, November 23, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. The public is invited to submit questions online at https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/LansingPC-Questions until 6:00 p.m. Friday, November 19th. The forum will be virtual only and will be available to view live at https://www.facebook.com/ CityofLansingMi. The forum will also be recorded and available to view on the City of Lansing YouTube page. 20 candidates applied for the position. Several were evaluated by the selection committee, who recommended the top candidates move forward in the final selection process. In addition, the two finalists are scheduled to have one-on-one interviews with Mayor Schor on Tuesday, November 30th.
