August / September 2019
Ujima Celebrates 11 Years in the Community by Damita Miller-Shanklin
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Ujima is celebrating our eleventh anniversary. We are happy to share the news and local stories from the past eleven years. It hasn't been easy. It's not easy. But because my team and I believe in the Ujima vision we continue to provide the quality and excellence our community deserves.
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Meet the Team by Damita Miller-Shanklin
Our product looks different but it still is the same at the core. This is the first year we produced a newsmagazine. We are uniquely different than a newspaper by the fact we are not a weekly paper and we use the magazine-style as our look.
We have had several contributors over the years and are greatly appreciative of their time. As the Publisher of Ujima, I am especially proud of a special group of ladies because we work together like a family. And we take exceptional care of each other! Let me introduce you to the backbone of Ujima ā a powerhouse team who has been on board since 2008.
Having to make changes (once again) was not an easy decision but with any dream, you know you have to keep going. Once I came to terms with it, my team and I make it work.
(My, how time ļ¬ies!) Mary Linnen is our Social Media Manager, Editor and Writer. She provides all the recipes and food tips and daily motivational quotes on our Facebook page. Mary will also be the Managing Editor of Ujima: Active Living, a series of articles and resources exclusively for our 50+ audience launching this Fall. Chiquitta Harris is our Creative Director. She owns Majestic Design Group, LLC and does all the creative and layout for the magazine. She ensures the Ujima brand and vision is clear and consistent. (Chiquitta is also our in-house Wellness Coach who helps ensure that we function at our best mentally and physically). Eliza Edwards is our Operations Manager and Outreach Coordinator. She ensures Ujima is moving ahead and staying on task. She looks at the big picture and guides the
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team to growth and brand recognition. Additionally, Eliza engages and educates the community about the organization and our long-term goals. Shametra McGregor is a collaborator and writer for Ujima. She owns and operates Events by Paige VII. She shares information and interviews about Everyday Heroes. This dynamic team works hard tirelessly behind the scenes to inform our readers about whatās happening locally and around the world. Thanks to each of you for your unwavering commitment to Ujimaās success. I appreciate each of you for lending your talents, resources and expertise ā and I look forward to the next chapter!
EN T ER TAIN MEN T
In this Anniversary issue, you will meet the team and learn more about Ujima. We are going to tell our story. We hope to move forward with changes to make Ujima a viable company in our community. Ujima's journey is a different journey but it's my journey. We thank Austin and the surrounding areas for being apart of Ujima as we go forward telling the stories of people. I raise a glass to toast another year of growth, stories and uplifting the community.
H EALT H & W EL L N ESS
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F RO M T H E PU B L ISH ER September is always my favorite month. I get to celebrate two great things in my life. One is my birthday and the second being the launch of Ujima Magazine. There are so many things I want for Ujima. I struggle with holding down a full-time job and giving Ujima my all. For eight years all I did was Ujima. I built relationships and network with other entrepreneurs to get Ujima in the community. The only problem with that situation I couldnāt make enough revenue to build and keep Ujima running at the quality I wanted. Now, I have a little revenue, because Ujima is not self-suļ¬cient, but my time is given to someone else for eight hours. Life is not fair but I give all that is left in me to
CARING FOR AN INFANTāS TEETH By Medline Plus
continue sharing my dream. I understand that I'm not the only entrepreneur struggling. It's a part of the process. As I mentioned before, I want Ujima to be a viable company. I see Ujima as more than a āhobby.ā Ujima is my passion and I have a wonderful group of people who believe in Ujima and give their best. There will be more changes and they will be good for Ujima. We look forward to educating, highlighting heroes, highlighting business and continue sharing positive stories. The community is growing and we have to have a voice within this growth. Ujima will be one of those voices along with other community leaders in news and positive thinking.
THE FIRST TRIP TO THE DENTIST ā Your child's first visit to the dentist should be between the time the first tooth appears and the time when all the primary teeth are visible (before 2 1/2 years).
Children's health and education has always been an important part of Ujima. Even though newborns and infants do not have teeth, it is important to take care of their mouth and gums. Follow these tips: ā Use a damp washcloth to wipe your infant's gums after each meal. ā DO NOT put your infant or young child to bed with a bottle of milk, juice, or sugar water. Use only water for bedtime bottles. ā Begin using a soft toothbrush instead of a washcloth to clean your child's teeth as soon as their first tooth shows (usually between 5 and 8 months of age). ā Ask your child's health care provider if your infant needs to take oral fluoride. p2
ā Many dentists recommend a "trial" visit. This can help your child get used to the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of the office before their actual exam. ā Children who are used to having their gums wiped and teeth brushed every day will be more comfortable going to the dentist. For more information or concerns consult your family dentist or start your research with Medline Plus.
Damita Miller-Shanklin FOUNDER/PUBLISHER
Get Your Children Immunized Before Returning to School Information provided by Travis County Texas.gov The Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Departmentās Shots for Tots and Big Shots Program wants to remind parents and students to get needed vaccines. Shots for Tots and Big Shots offer immunizations daily at locations in north and south Austin. Appointments may be made by calling 512-972-5520. There is a
fee for each vaccine administered but services will not be denied due to inability to pay. There is no charge for children with Medicaid. The clinics are located at: Far South Health Center 405 West Stassney Austin, TX 78745 St. John Community Center 7500 Blessing Avenue Austin, TX 78752
Ujima Magazine is a free news publication. Visit online at UjimaMagazine.com. For Advertising Opportunities email us at UjimaMagazine@gmail.com
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C O MMU N IT y
Being A Part Of The Austin Community By Damita Miller-Shanklin Ujima has been a part of the Austin community since 2008. It started as a way to become a writer and then someone told me it was a business. What? My passion was to write and tell stories of Black people who make a difference. I love sharing stories of hope, love, kindness, and inspiration. Our community has evolved. This is where we want to inspire everyone. So what does that mean? It means we want to tell stories of all women of color. Women are dreamers, innovators, creatives and much more. We want to share those stories to uplift and inspire the next woman and the next generation to move forward.
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Ujima will evolve with our community and support the growth and changes with stories of people who love making a difference.
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August is National Black Business Month. Contributing Writer with Huffington Post Dr. Dionne Mahaffey suggested 10 ways to Support Black Businesses during August. According to the U.S. Census Bureauās most recent survey of business owners, there are 2.6 million black-owned businesses in this country. Despite our collective buying power of 1.3 Trillion dollars, very few of those dollars are spent in the Black community or black-owned businesses. 1. Shop Online at black-owned stores 2. Look for Black Business Directories and Online Groups 3. Social Media- look for hashtags that support Black businesses and share the information UjimaMagazine.com
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with your circle. 4. Join your local Black Chamber 5. Find a business you like (even if you can't buy all black all the time), just go out your way to always support black business. For all 10 ways to support your local blackowned business read the full story here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/10-ways-tosupport-black-businesses-during-black-busines s_b_57ade239e4b0e7935e04b00d
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H EALT H AN D W EL L N ESS
Good Health Decisions By Damita Miller-Shanklin
Ujima has been health conscious throughout the years. In most of our issues, we have mentioned some way to take care of yourself. We have shared tips, recipes and ways to stay healthy. The stories ranged from healthy eating and changing your eating habits to balancing your mind, body, and spirit, meditating, yoga and using Essential Oils as a tool to better living as well. If you are wondering how to start living a healthy life. The ļ¬ve ways to lead a healthy life should include fruits and
Are You Limiting Your Success By Procrastinating? By Damita Miller-Shanklin
vegetables in your diet, drink plenty of water, manage your mental health, destress and exercise.
Procrastination by deļ¬nition means the action of delaying or postponing something. When you do this action consistently you can slow your progress or add stress to your life because you waited to the last minute. This is something Iām working to overcome.
What are you doing to live a healthy life? For more information about leading a healthy lifestyle: https://www.branfordhall.edu /5-ways-to-maintain-ahealthier-lifestyle/
Have you heard of Mel Robbins? She's a television host, author, and motivational speaker. She has written several books, one being The 5 Second Rule. She has many videos that speak to several issues surrounding business and growing as an individual. I have followed her for a while and found her videos engaging. All of her messaging hits a point in my life that needs work. There may be something for you as well.
The Breakfast Club Join Tommy Wyatt and Damita Shanklin on The Breakfast Club on Friday mornings from 8-9am, KAZI 88.7 FM for news, entertainment and lively chatter, plus they'll take your calls and texts on 512-836-2887.
Robbins shares 10 ways to stop procrastinating 1). Push yourself 2). Hone your skills 3). Win in the morning 4). Be a great problem-solver 5). Act 6). Use a brain dump to overcome being overwhelmed 7). Go for it!! 8). Stop procrastinating 9). Make the best decisions you can 10). Write things down For a more detailed explanation of the 10 tips, view Robbins video here: https://www.branfordhall.edu/5-ways-to-maintain-a-healthierlifestyle/ Are you a Procrastinator? What do you do to combat it?
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EN T R EPR EN EU R S/ B U SIN ESS T IPS
PAPER. DIGITAL. OR BOTH? 5 Easy Steps to By Hayden Field, Entrepreneur Staff Organizing your Now that school is back in - calendars can be session, families are adjusting shared Home Ofļ¬ce to new schedules, the -there are apps Space question that comes to mind available By Eliza Edwards Lifestyle Organizer www.hey-icandothat.com
is will you stay organized with a paper calendar, a digital calendar or both?
Some of us are old school and prefer paper calendars. However, most people are using their digital calendar to schedule appointments, children activities, work stuff and more.
1). Take one area at a time to avoid being overwhelmed. Make sure you designate only 90minute session. 2). Separate the Items Into piles. 3). Remove items that do not Belong. 4). Take time to digitalize all documents to minimize paper ļ¬les. 5). Place old documents into a designated storage space and make labels. Enjoy the peace of mind that an organized space creates!
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The beneļ¬ts of using a digital calendar are -easy to access to all your data -set alarms for reminders
The beneļ¬ts of using a paper calendar are -you can create a system that works for you -you can write down only the information you need -you can color block your day -it has a more visual appeal Using both digital and paper calendars is one other way you can try staying organized. You can ļ¬nd apps that can sync your calendar so no matter what device you
are using, your calendar is updated. Whatever you decide to use should make your life easier and keep you on track for appointments, work, and fun activities. What do you prefer to stay organized?
What Is Your Question? Dear Ujima, Where can I pick up a copy of your newspaper? This is a great question. You can find Ujima printed copies at the following locations: ā¢ Carver Museum ā¢ University Hills Library ā¢ Mr. Catfish ā¢ Mt. Zion Baptist Church ā¢ Hoovers Restaurant ā¢ Estrada's Cleaners You can access the DIGITAL version 24/7 online at http://ujimamagazine.com/ Please send your questions to Damita@Ujimamagazine.com. We will publish your question and answer in a future issue.
Have a story idea? Let us know! There are lots of ways we can stay connected & share ideas! Just send your tips, story ideas, questions & more our way! facebook.com/UjimaMagazine/ Damita@Ujimamagazine.com
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H APPEN IN G S AN D MO R E
How Our Team Stays Together By Damita Miller-Shanklin
As I mentioned before the Ujima team has been together for 11 years. Trust and open communication is the key to our longevity. There is something to say about a small team. As Ujima grows we may have new members but as the owner, I enjoy the "family" feel of our team. We collaborate and work hard on each issue. Once an issue is completed, we try and choose a fun activity to do together. This allows good team building and fun. We also have got to know each other fairly well which in turn helps when we are working together and collaborating on the issue. This is not to say we don't have disagreements but we work them out and continue on the journey. I value each member and their expertise. We also have a common goal and that is to put out a quality newsmagazine, inform our community and engage in our community. I look forward to working with the team many more years to come.
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AR T / C U LT U R E/ L IF ES T y L E
The Culture of News Today By Damita Miller-Shanklin
Subscription Shopping By Damita Miller-Shanklin
I remember a time when I spent a whole Saturday shopping for clothes and shoes at the local mall. Sometimes, that meant going to several places in one day to ļ¬nd what I wanted. But many times, I came home empty-handed, mad and frustrated. When you are working, running a business, and trying to be a superwoman, shopping becomes a task I didnāt want to worry about. Not to mention, gaining weight and ļ¬nding the right size, becomes a downer as well. Well, I want to share the answer to my prayers. I decided to try Stitch Fix.
When Ujima started our mission it was to tell positive stories of the everyday heroes on our community. The mission remains the same. We wanted to focus on the Black community because I felt Black people, in general, were painted with one brush and it was a negative one. But I knew different. I wanted to share those stories of strength, family, following a dream and everything in between. Over the years, Ujima has had the opportunity to interview some awesome people who make a difference in our community and beyond. It has been said that always being positive is not realistic. I disagree because we have enough negative news about our communities. I wanted to paint a picture of hope, inspiration, and dreams. I wanted to let others know we have dreams and expectations as a culture just as everyone else does. Not everyone allows drugs and self-loathing to deļ¬ne who they are. News continues to be a big part of how we learn about our communities and communicate what is happening around us. It allows us to make our own decisions about the world. Ujima will always tell positive stories and provide information that will help grow and inspire our mind, body, and soul. UjimaMagazine.com
I have been using Stitch Fix since December of 2018. I receive a box with ļ¬ve items which make an outļ¬t. To start the process, I completed a proļ¬le about my sizes, clothing likes, shoes, jewelry, and bags. Once I get my box, I decide which items to keep and which to send back. There is a What's Your Style app that shows you clothes, shoes, jewelry and more and you say yes or no as to whether it's your style or not. This helps your personal shopper choose items that ļ¬t your style. I save time now because the clothes comes to my door once a month. Some people have said it is too expensive, but for me, it's worth it because I do not want to spend time shopping at the mall. I love it and I hope it may be great for you. Let me know if you try it!! Check it out at https://www.stitchļ¬x.com/ p7
WO N D ER F U L WO R L D O F FO O D AN D D R IN k S
NO BAKE LEMON PIE Courtesy of Pinterest Foods
Over the years Ujima has shared many recipes with our readers in mind. This is just one of my favorites very easy and delicious! Even your kids can help make it! INGREDIENTS: 1 Pie Crust (graham) 2 cans (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk 3/4 cup lemon juice DIRECTIONS: Pour two cans of sweetened condensed milk into a mixing bowl Add Lemon Juice and Stir Pour into the Pie Crust and refrigerate for a couple hours. Whipped cream for garnish