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January 2022
new year. new month. new day.
Let’s Get to Work! page 6
“Embrace Your Community”
V I E WPO I N T Happy New Year to you all!!. Whew, we made it through another holiday season now we start all over again. I think most of us take the first of January to refocus on our goals and look at what we will take forward and what we will leave behind. This issue will look at starting new, getting a fresh perspective, and moving forward. Leaving things behind is also part of the process. We will remember and
celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday and much more. As you start 2022, ask yourself what are you beginning and what are you leaving behind? I wish everyone a year of kindness, caring, and living life to its fullest. It may be a bumpy road but I guess that is life. I believe in doing what I can to make a difference and build from that point. Welcome to 2022!!
Damita Miller-Shanklin Editor-in-Chief Damita@Ujimamagazine.com
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What is Your Intent For the New Year? By Damita Miller-Shanklin
The podcast is hosted by Damita Miller-Shanklin and Eliza Edwards. We hope you join us as we talk about stories in the magazine and our take on different topics that affect our daily lives. Our topics will range from community stories, interviews with our everyday heroes, and topics of the time. You can find our podcast on Apple podcast and other podcast platforms you may use. Visit our podcast page at Ujima Magazine and Friends for all our podcasts to date.
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Whether you are a person that writes down goals or one that keeps thoughts in your head, most people make some decisions about what they plan to do in the upcoming year. I found an article I wanted to share that looks at the 2021 resolutions that were made to start the year. You can already guess, exercising and getting in shape was the most intentional resolution made. The rest are: Losing weight Saving money Improve your diet Pursuing a career For the full list of resolutions made in 2021, click the link United States: New Year's resolution for 2021 | Statista What is your intentional resolution for 2022? UjimaMagazine.com
BEAUTY AND LIFESTYLE
It’s All in the Mind! By Contributing Writer, Jacquie Parish
Each new year holds an exciting promise - whether it’s a blank canvas for a new beginning or an opportunity for improvement on what's already great. We have the potential to do whatever we set out to accomplish if we keep a positive perspective. Stories of rebirth offer hope that change is possible.
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e must be willing to let go of parts of ourselves that do not serve us well. That might mean something as seemingly small as forgoing coffee in the afternoon, so we sleep better at night, or as large as leaving a job or relationship that no longer fits who we are becoming. The parts of ourselves that we’ve outgrown — the aspects of our personality and our life that keep us stuck, can be discarded, making room for new growth. With each new year, we imagine ourselves in new light — and set intentions to change. We must remember that for anything to change, the transformation starts in our mind. Ten quotes to encourage, inspire and motivate you for the new year. “Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page.” Henry Ward Beecher “What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” Vern McLellan
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“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.” Germany Kent “Life’s not about expecting, hoping and wishing, it’s about doing, being and becoming.” Mike Dooley “Although no one can go back and make a brandnew start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending.” Carl Bard
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” Abraham Lincoln “And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.” Rainer Maria Rilke “Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” Brad Paisley
“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” J.P. Morgan Contributing Writer Jacquie “ooh” Johnson Contributing Writer Jacquie Johnson a blogger, creator of the Glow Collection by Jacquie ooh which is an organic skincare line; host of Motivational Monday’s with Jacquie ooh; wife, mom and G’mi. She resides in Denton, TX with her family.
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis p3
Celebrating Maude Ballou Source: Stanford The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday is celebrated on January 15th. His birthday is remembered through oratory presentations, parades, and other events. It’s a time the community comes together to reflect on how Dr. King fought for our rights and freedoms.
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hen you see photos of Dr. King, he is surrounded by men he trusted and assisted him with the cause. But there was one woman who was in the background keeping his activist life on track. Her name was Maude Larita Williams Ballou. Maude Ballou was an activist and Dr. King’s personal secretary. In 1952, Ballou met Jo Ann Robinson and as a member of the Women’s Political Council, she worked with Robinson to improve social conditions for Black people and organized carpools during the Montgomery bus boycott. When Dr. King was elected as president of the Montgomery Improvement Association in December 1955 Ballou became his secretary. Her job consisted of replying to correspondence on his behalf, managing his travel arrangements, and facilitating the success of the bus boycott.
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When King relocated to Atlanta in 1960, Ballou accompanied him to help establish his new office at the SCLC headquarters. Ballou rejoined her family in Petersburg, Virginia when her husband, Leonard, began work at Virginia State College in August 1960. Ballou passed away on August 26, 2019. We salute Mrs. Maude Lerita Williams Ballou as we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.
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“She Speaks Wellness”
THERE IS A REASON FOR OUR SEASONS The book of Ecclesiastes 3: speaks about the seasons of life, the highs, and lows. Our lives are a perfect story. We are the characters in settings, and when life begins to turn the pages, the climax of our story begins. These are Seasons! Ecclesiastes 3: 1 - 4. 1. To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven: two. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to build up; 4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. Where are right now in this season? Are you in a season of pruning? A time of transition – letting go of what has been familiar. Are you in a shaping season? A season of learning, correcting, and maturing. Are you in season of dying? A time of loss, brokenness, and need more strength and direction. Are you in a thriving season? A season of experiencing innovative ideas and opportunity, an awakening of hope, and new beginnings. I believe all of use have gone through the experienced seasons of pruning, shaping, dying, and thriving. I have experienced these chapters of life. However, I continued to walk in faith and belief, it was not easy. But I knew God would never
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leave me and that God know the end of the story. We can go through significant highs and lows in every vicissitude of life in our seasons. Our lens in life directly affects what we see, how we see it, how we think, and what we believe, which can accelerate or stagnate our growth. That is why in this season, you need to seek God's face in prayer to help you adjust how you see things around you. Do you see yourself blessed or broken? Do you see your situation as a challenge or an opportunity? Do you know when to plant or uproot? Do you know when to stand for a cause or sit in silence? Seasons! Jeremiah 29: 11 says, “for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope in the future.” When we read scripture, we desire immediate release or rescue amid hardship in suffering. But, unfortunately, at times, God will not give you the quick response to escape problematic situations. But there is hope in God's word because he states that you can still prosper in the very midst of your crisis.
that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. There is comfort in knowing that this earthly life will not last forever. But while we are here, we will live according to his purpose. Regardless of what is going on in your life, women 2022 is your year of upgrade. Although it will come with a cost, women with faith and boldness make yourself a promise “Something good is about the happen to me, and through me! Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that these women see you in every situation. We thank you for the stories of our lives that challenge and inspires. We thank you for each page, climax, and chapter in our lives. As it is written in Psalms 139:13-14, “For it was You who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been fearfully and wonderfully made.
Minister Sonya Hosey, Ordained Clergy Founder/CEO – Iron Sharpens Iron 4MySisters Network Visionary of the “She Speaks Wellness” program, which addresses the emotional wellbeing of women.
According to Philippians 1:6, it says "For I am confident of this very thing,
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community Spotlight
Clautier “CeCe” Campbell
Where Healthy Body Meets Healthy Hair By Damita Miller-Shanklin
Clautier Campbell is the Healthy Hair Queen. I got the chance to speak with her and discuss her business and how she merges a healthy body with healthy hair. Tell me a little about yourself? CeCe: I started doing hair when I was in High School with braiding but then started doing natural hair. I opened Creative Styles Salon Suites that has stylists, barbers, and educators working together in one place. I added the Health and Wellness business called Royalty Fitness. The products help detox you inside and out. These products help with healthy skin and healthy hair. You do get new energy when you start the products. Some customers want to work out after taking the vitamins and this can be a part of the wellness. Royalty Fitness, the Health and Wellness business, started during the pandemic. It helped me out and it made me accelerate the business. During the shutdown, I did more products and kept customers on track with their healthy hair. I kept going with the main goal of working from the inside out. Can you tell me more about the products? Are you talking smoothes, pills you take?
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What are the products exactly? The products are a wide range from teas and protein shakes to hair and nail vitamins. The products all work on cleaning toxins out of the body and helping with overall health. As the year moves into 2022, what are you taking into the New Year and what are you leaving behind? I’m taking forward Bosses Who Network. It’s a new organization I have started. I’m interested in mastering the importance of networking. I actually have an upcoming event on Feb 20, 2022. I’m inviting entrepreneurs starting out in the hair industry to come out and get information and network. This will be an opportunity to meet new people and help educate others who want to start a business. When I say this about what I’m leaving behind a few of my customers reading this may say, “Oh, no Cece.” As I said before I started doing hair at a very young age in my garage. I’m ready to get from behind the chair and limit my braid and weave business. I want to focus more on education and teaching young people, my princesses, how to take care of their hair. In order to start my new venture, my braiding and weaving will have to be left behind. Since you work with natural hair, what advice would you
give a newbie who is in transition to natural hair?did you get into that genre? If you are transitioning and you are starting out moisture is the key. Use deep conditioning and oils to get the moisture in your hair. Most people when they go natural they automatically go get products to bring out the curls. But like everything else you take care of your hair shaft on the inside to get the curls on the outside. You may want to get a deep condition every 2 weeks or some people can get it done every 3 weeks. After all of that, you can manage your curls and see what your hair will do. Don’t forget to get your ends trimmed and less tension is better; let your hair do what it will do. Any last-minute advice for women who are thinking about opening a business? My advice to women entrepreneurs, especially Black women, who start different adventures is challenging. Write it down and plan it out. Dont’ keep your thoughts in your head, Write your plan for the year, six months or daily. Chop away at the list. It will be easier to manage and don’t rush the process. I learned more about having faith during the pandemic. Lastly, have faith and if God puts it in your vision and he makes you see it, don’t stop, keep pushing and be consistent. You can find more information about Creative Styles at https://www.instagram.com/creative.ce ce/ https://www.facebook.com/search/top? q=creative%20styles
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FOR SENIORS | ACTIVE LIVING BY MARY LINNEN | EDITOR
Social Security Benefits Source: SSA.gov
If you receive Social Security benefits, you should have received the notice of your new payment for the year and the amount of the increase. The Social Security Administration announced all recipients would be receiving a 5.9 cost of living increase beginning January. If you have questions or need more information, visit https://www.ssa.gov/cola/
Annual Senior Wellness Exam During your wellness exam, you may receive screening for cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, mammogram, pap test, osteoporosis, or STDs. Your doctor may ask you about current stress, physical activity, diet, or drug use such as tobacco and alcohol. Try to get that appointment to start a healthy new year. For more information contact your regular physician.
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food and drink
What Are Beets Good For? Source: Food and Wine
Some people may call Beets a Superfood. Beets are high in fiber. Fiber can help you control blood sugar levels, maintain a healthy weight, lower cholesterol and stay regular. So how can you use beets in your meal? Here is a list of ways you can eat Beets. Crushed. For beets that are crispy on the outside and
super tender within, steam them whole, then mash them until flattened and sear them in butter and olive oil. 1. Pickled. ... 2. Sandwiches. ... 3. Salt-roasted. ... 4. Risotto For the full list of ways to use Beets in food visit this site 15 Ways to Use Beets | Food & Wine
5 Rules to Follow for Healthier Eating in the New Year Turning over a new leaf is doable if you get into these dietary habits. Portion the perfect plate
Have healthy foods around
Each meal should consist of 45 percent fiber-rich carbohydrates, 30 percent healthy fats, and 25 percent lean proteins, such as white-meat chicken or turkey, fish, tuna, tofu, beans, or egg whites.
It may sound obvious, but, stocking your fridge and pantry with ready-to-eat healthy foods means you will be less likely to reach for bad stuff. This includes vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower you can roast and easily toss with grilled meat or throw into a salad.
Eat before hunger strikes A good way to make sure you don’t end up reaching for chips or a chocolate bar when you need a snack is to eat before you feel famished.
Shop smart Of course, it’s hard to completely part with packaged foods. But you can incorporate them into your diet if you stick with those that contain minimal ingredients. Look around the perimeter of the grocery store instead of going into the aisles, since this is where shoppers will find more foods that are in their natural state, such as produce, dairy, and meats.
Drink water Keeping yourself hydrated not only helps maintain proper kidney function and avoid dehydration, which can lead to fatigue, but it can also aid in healthier eating. Our brain can confuse hunger and thirst - sometimes we can overeat when we’re actually thirsty.
Avoid beating yourself up if your healthy eating mission becomes derailed by a so-called bad food like a slice of pizza or a jelly doughnut. Do not let one meal define the rest of their day or the rest of their week. Source: healthmatters.nyp.org
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