August 2018
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The Art Of Giving
A Personal Story of Giving Back Ujima will celebrate our ten year anniversary in September. We are so excited about our birthday month. In thinking about how to celebrate our staff wanted to give back because Ujima has been so blessed. So for our 10th anniversary, Ujima is creating an art supply for children donation drive. This drive is in dedication to my sister Erma Birdell Miller McBride. She passed away in 2015. My family still grieves but once we got through the initial loss, we knew we had to remember her and Ujima is the platform to do it.
Happy Anniversary Ujima! Celebrating 10 years in September. Thanks, Austin. The Ujima Team
Our sister was an artist. She didn’t show her work, but she did some type of art daily, from doodling to painting. When she babysat our niece and nephews she would pull out her art supplies and they would be creative. She loved working with children. So in honor of our sister, Erma Birdell Miller McBride, we will be launching an art supply donation drive. Our mission is to distribute art supplies to after-school programs, schools, and organizations where young people will benefit. It will take a few months to get things in order, but please look for more information in the coming months.
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EN T ER TAIN MEN T
Opportunity For Community Writers to Join Ujima’s Team! Ujima is looking for community writers. The top candidate would be students and writers who love to share stories about our community. If this sounds like you, contact Damita@ Ujimamagazine.com. We would love to speak with you!
H EALT H & W EL L N ESS
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Damita’s Corner
Sickle Cell
Founder/Publisher Damita Miller-Shanklin
An Inherited Blood Disease
Eating During the School Day
With sickle cell disease, an inherited group of disorders, red blood cells contort into a sickle shape. The cells die early, leaving a shortage of healthy red blood cells (sickle cell anemia), and can block blood flow causing pain (sickle cell crisis). Infections, pain, and fatigue are symptoms of sickle cell disease. Treatments include medications, blood transfusions, and rarely a bone-marrow transplant.
Studies show that children who eat a nutritious breakfast function better. They do better in school, and have better concentration and more energy. Some schools provide breakfast for children; if yours does not, make sure they eat a breakfast that contains some protein
Suicide Doesn’t Care Who You Are I don’t know about you but after the recent suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain I felt something about their deaths but I wasn’t sure why. It has been a couple of months but it still has some affect on me. I only knew Kate’s brand name but I felt a deeper connection to Anthony because I watched his show regularly. What I felt was pain for both because they had seem to reach their threshold; their pinnacle in life but sadly it was the only option they could see despite their love for their children and family. My take away was several things but what I know is Suicide doesn’t care what job you have, how much money you make, your children, family, it only cares about taking you down. Spade and Bourdain were two high profile people but there are many people suffering in silence and contemplating ending their lives because the pain and agony they feel is overwhelming. I am concerned about adults and children in our Black community that suffers from suicidal ideations. Damita
Ujima Magazine is a free news publication. Visit online at Ujimamagazine.com. For Advertising Opportunities email us at UjimaMagazine@gmail.com
Sickle Cell Tips > Drink plenty of fluids. Being dehydrated can increase your risk of a sickle crisis, so get plenty of water -- about 8 glasses a day. ... > Sleep. Get enough. > Eat right. Have plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein > Exercise in moderation > Take your medicine For more information and education visit wepsicklecell.org
Back To School Immunizations School time is here. Thousands of Austin area students still may need to get their immunizations. With recent changes in the state’s immunization requirements for college students, that number may be even higher. With that in mind, check with the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department’s Shots for Tots and Big Shots Program to see if they can help with getting the immunizations done. Many students don’t have a doctor or insurance. Shots for Tots and Big Shots offer immunizations on a daily basis at locations in north and south Austin.
To make an appointment, call 512-972-5520. There is a fee for each vaccine administered. However, 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
•Most schools regularly send schedules of cafeteria menus home and/or have them posted on the school's website. With this advance information, you can plan on packing lunch on the days when the main course is one your child prefers not to eat. •Many children qualify for free or reduced price food at school, including breakfast. The forms for these services can be completed at the school office. Hunger will affect a child's performance in class. • Many school districts have plans which allow you to pay for meals through an online account. Your child will get a card to "swipe" at the register. This is a convenient way to handle school meal accounts. REMEMBER •Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60%. Choose healthier options (such as water and appropriately sized juice and low-fat dairy products) to send in your child's lunch. HealthyChildren.org
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C O MMU N IT Y
Dell Children’s Mental Health Unit Reducing The Stigma Children are our future. We need to make sure they have the tools they need to be successful. There are children that may experience life challenges early and their coping skills may cause pain to themselves or others. The Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas saw the need for children who have Mental Health issues. In May of 2018, The Grace Grego Maxwell Mental Health Unit opened offering coordinated, comprehensive care for children and teens.
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SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY
The CDC has reported one in five children under the age of 17 has a diagnosis of a mental disorder. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4,400 deaths per year. When a child is in crisis, parents can call a 24/7 hotline to connect with a trained behavioral health navigator. A treatment team will provide an immediate evaluation, 24-hour nursing, and psychiatric care. The unit includes 24-inpatient beds, and an intensive outpatient program and a partial hospital program For more information please contact 512-324-0000.
SENIOR LIVING Many Baby Boomers are in the midst of caring for their parents. Some parents love with their adult children while others choose to place their loved one in an Assisted Living or Nursing Home. There is no judgment because caregiving is hard and exhaustive but it has to be done. There are questions that will need to be ask as you tour different facilities to ensure your love one is treated with respect and dignity. You also want to make sure they are safe. Here are a few questions you may want to consider asking: 1. What is your staff-to-resident ratio? 2. What kind of experience and training does your staff possess? 3. How many staffers are on duty overnight? 4. Can staff administer medications? 5. Do you have a nurse on staff 24/7?
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H EALT H AN D W EL L N ESS
Feeling Stressed? 5 Relaxation Hacks To The Rescue By Hayden Fields, Entrepreneur.com If you are living and breathing you feel stress at some point. Here are five ways you can destress anywhere. 1. Focus on your breath - With your lips closed, breathe in through your nose over the course of four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds and, with a “whooshing exhale,” release the air over a period of eight counts. You can repeat the process as many times as necessary. 2. Tense and Release - At your desk, systematically tense different parts of your body, hold for a few seconds, then release. Whether you carry tension in your shoulders, neck, or any other area, a 10- to 15-minute tense-and-release exercise is a prime way to relax. 3. Get Moving - Try walking around the block to ward off stress. Physical activity -- even a brief, brisk walk -- amps up the brain’s production of positive neurotransmitters, also known as endorphins. Taking three 10minute walks over the period of one day can bring about similar benefits as one longer stint of exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic. 4. Create a Relaxation Playlist - Music can influence mood quickly and completely -- even when it comes to minimizing stress. Create your own playlist to de-stress, or turn to an existing one, using curated streaming stations like “Relax and Unwind,” “Nature Noise” and “Calm Down”). 5. Go for Gratitude - One of the simplest stress busters of all? Think about what you’re thankful for. Adding gratitude into your daily routine can take many forms, but however you introduce it, it could decrease stress levels and boost your general happiness. Try incorporating gratitude into your daily routine by thinking up five to 10 things you’re grateful for just after waking up or before going to sleep. For full story visit www.entrepreneur.com
Do I Still Need To Worry About Zika? Warmer weather signals the onset of vacations, destination weddings and—unfortunately—mosquitoes. Since the Zika virus emerged three years ago in the Americas, cases have declined, but many people wonder if they still need to consider the mosquito-borne disease when making travel plans. “The bottom line is yes,” says Dr. Paul Mead, a medical officer in the CDC’s division of vector-borne diseases: Americans do still need to take precautions to protect against Zika. The CDC recommends that pregnant couples who live or travel to areas with Zika (a list that currently includes countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, North America, South America and the Pacific Islands) should use condoms every time they have oral, vaginal or anal sex, or should abstain from sex altogether during the pregnancy—even if the pregnant woman’s partner does not have symptoms or feel sick. The CDC also advises against sharing sex toys. These precautions help protect against the devastating birth defects that have been linked to Zika.
But new research suggests some good news: that the window of sexual transmission for Zika may be shorter than previously thought. In a recent study, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that Zika may not remain in semen—which carries the virus longer than any other body fluid—quite as long as they believed. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, looked at more than 1,300 semen samples from 184 men infected with Zika (samples were obtained twice per month for 6 months after illness onset) and found that while Zika virus fragments could be identified in many men’s samples, very few samples contained intact and infectious Zika virus. Having the whole virus—which is generally considered more infectiousappeared to be uncommon and only occurred in the first month after the men got sick. For more information visit TimeHealth.com
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EN T R EPR EN EU R S/ B U SIN ESS T IPS
How To Stay Focused During The Summer
It is always hard to keep focused on meeting your goals and when you rather be at the beach enjoying yourself. As an entrepreneur, we have to work a bit harder to make sure we can enjoy the summer while staying on track with our business goals. The good news is it can be done. The things we can do is plan ahead for time off. Look at what needs to be done and decide when you can take the time and not disrupt the flow of your business in a big way. Schedule all your time on your Calendar so you know your deadlines and create a plan that will get your task done without a lot of stress. If possible, create a shorter work week so you have long weekends to spend with family and friends. We all have to reboot and make sure we do our self-care. These are just a few things to do to enjoy the summer while staying focused on your business!
Black Women in Business
Authentically East Food Tour Rose Smith (Coach Smith) birthed the idea of the Authentically East Austin Food Tour as a result of the work and legacy left behind by so many business owners and community advocates of these historic neighborhoods. Her father-in-law (Charles Smith Sr. - Founder of Blackland Neighborhood Association) was determined to fight the University of Texas’ attempts to buy land in the Blackland neighborhood, as an East Austin resident, Smith says that she and her husband (Charles Smith Jr.) have watched gentrification from their front porch. As the CEO & Founder of Black Women In Business and her desire
to support black-owned businesses, the East Austin Food Tour just made sense. She has partnered with Ashley Stevenson, Owner of Foodie Foot Tours, and it is a definite match made in heaven. Smith and Stevenson made history as they debut the first food tour in Austin to feature black-owned restaurants.
Podcast
Listening to Life If you like talk radio then you may like Podcast. A podcast is an audio show, usually spread across a series of episodes, which can be downloaded from the Internet and listened to either on a computer or an Mp3 player. When you listen to podcast, you listen to life. Podcast allow you to choose what part of life you want to engage. Some categories are business, comedy, true crime and more. Podcast are good to listen while you are traveling, working at your desk, exercising or relaxing. Podcast offers a large variety of topics to take in and learn from politics to your favorite business guru. You can find podcast on TuneIn, Podcast.com and PodcastOne. If you are looking to learn from others, hear different opinions or even laugh, try a Podcast!
The tours are on-going and both public and private tours are available. For more information about future tours go to foodiefoottours.com.
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H APPEN IN G S AN D MO R E
A Conversation with Author Arnikia Robinson “Bendable But Unbreakable” Ujima had the opportunity to interview and congratulate a friend about her two books, This is what she had to say. When I grew up I actually wanted to be a OBGYN doctor. I wanted to deliver babies, I got pregnant in my last year of high school, in order to take care of my daughter I needed to get an education that wouldn't take that much time. So I said to myself "Well as long as I get in the Medical Field that would be like fulfilling my dreams of helping people." Let me just say this to the young people "Never think that you don't have enough time to fulfill the goals that you set for yourself. If you see it, and believe you can do it, by all means go after it and achieve it." I have been writing poetry since the age of about 12. My aunt Lillie became an author with her own publishing company; after being in my ear from time to time about putting my poetry into a book I finally took her up on that offer and that's when "Experiences With Love" was birthed in 2013. That is when I was able to add author to my "Achievements in Life" list.
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"Bendable but Unbreakable" was published in February 2017 and quickly turned into my brand (selling a number of products that display this powerful message). This book is an autobiography of my life. If you notice both words have the word "Able" at the end, and that's because we're Bendable but Unbreakable because God is able.
As I look back over my life I realize that God is who kept me. My mother was praying for me even when I was out in these streets. "Somebody prayed for me, had me on their mind, took the time and prayed for me." That song right there ministers to my heart and soul because I know I should have been dead or in the penitentiary. My book is about me being raised in a God fearing family. Once I reached a certain age I became infatuated with the street life. I found myself in a whirlwind of gang life, street violence, abusive relationships, and drug selling. At some point in life I woke up and realized that “this life here ain't working”. I have children to be a role model for , and a career that I need to get focused on. I decided to turn back to God. See he didn't leave me I turned away from him, but he was right there with his arms opened wide waiting on me to return. I pray that those that read my story know (if nothing else) the power of prayer! If we ever detour on our Christian journey, it's never to late to get back on the right track. You can purchase my books and products on my website www.bendablebutunbreakable.com , you can get them on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and it's also available in Kindle
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AR T / C U LT U R E/ L IF ES T Y L E
No Ordinary Days The Impact of Mental Illness We have seen it done. We have in many cases done it. “You crazy!” How many times have we made fun of the man who walks through the neighborhood arguing with his invisible friend? Maybe you laughing at the woman carrying five bags, sitting at the bus stop wearing a winter coat…in August? A little closer to home is hiding Uncle Curtis in the back room with a bowl of ice cream when company comes over. We seldom take into account that these same people may be a part of a family. Somebody’s son, daughter, brother, sister and maybe even mother or father. Recent studies show that approximately one out of five
faith. Simply put, there are things that you can’t pray your way around, you must pray your way. As you’ll see in the play, sometimes people with mental illness often self-medicate to deal with their illness. It could be alcohol, drugs, spending, sex and or religion. people suffer from some form of mental illness. That means that there are many people who ‘look normal’ as some of the elders used to say who are displaying signs of mental illness or going to great extremes to hide them. The problem has several components. One is that oftentimes we don’t’ recognize the signs of mental illness. Some people recognize the symptoms but will not seek treatment because of the financial costs of treatment. And then there is the stigma attached to ‘mental illness’. This is particularly true in the African American community. Culturally, African Americans have a strong religious foundation. Whether it was Big Mama praying, Mother taking us to Sunday School or our father, grandfather or uncle being the deacon, trustee, musician or pastor. And historically, we considered prayer as the cure-all for our situations. Most churches and ministers today realize that mental illness just like any other illness or disease requires medical attention as well as spiritual
It has taken a long time to decide to produce this play, No Ordinary Days. Several factors came into play. At first, we thought the subject was too deep and our audience wouldn’t receive it well. That has never stopped us! And then there was the issue that we were by no means professionals, qualified healthcare provides or even subject matter experts. That was true. However, we were people who either lived with some form of mental illness or had family or friends… sometimes a combination of all of the above. This made it important to show how it impacts us more from a daily life standpoint than from a medical one. However, with the recent suicides of celebrities and the courageousness of several others to be transparent about their illness, encouraged us to move forward. JWHill Productions is presenting a stage play on September 15th through the 23rd that deal with
mental illness in the African American community. It is called ‘No Ordinary Days’. No Ordinary Days shows the impact that mental illness has on a deeply devote Christian family. Particularly affected is the middle daughter, Simone Madison. Simone is a true Type A personality. Driven. Assertive. A go-getter. We look forward to seeing you weekends September 15th through the 23rd at the Boyd Vance Theatre 1165 Angelina StreetAustin, TX 78702 Tickets available online at Noordinarydays.eventbrite.com
WO N D ER F U L WO R L D O F FO O D AN D D R IN k S
Fruit Infused Water It’s really important to drink water, but sometimes it could be hard. Many people only drink when they’re really thirsty, but this is really bad for the body. Another important thing is to drink healthy beverages, water is the best choice, but if you don’t like it, at least try to avoid sodas, store bought juices and sugary drinks. Fruit infused waters are a great alternative to water because they
Homemade Birthday Cake Ice Cream INGREDIENTS • 1 pint of heavy cream • 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk • 2 tablespoons melted butter • 1 cup yellow cake mix • 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkle
taste amazing and they’re made with super healthy ingredients. These beverages can help you to lose weight, detoxify your body or get rid of cellulite and they’re so cheap! Courtesy of Simple Vegan Blog
DIRECTIONS • In a large bowl whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form • In another large bowl combine the condensed milk, butter and cake mix - mix well • Fold in the whipped cream into the mixture above with a rubber spatula then add in the sprinkles • Spread in a large loaf pan and freeze until firm (at least 6 hours)
No ice cream machine no problem! Courtesy of Cooking on the Front Burner