ONYX Magazine January/February 2023

C E L E B R AT I N G B L AC K AC H I E V E M E N T T H RO U G H O U T F L O R I DA HONORING ROSEWOOD A LOOK BACK 100 YEARS LATER

MENTORS MAKE A DIFFERENCE FLORIDA LEADERS GUIDE THE NEXT GENERATION

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU HOW TO MAKE YOUR HABITS STICK

VOLUME 26 ISSUE 7 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023

VOLUME 26 ISSUE 1

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023

DRUM MAJORS FOR JUSTICE OUR ONGOING NEED TO FIGHT FOR DIGNITY

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CONTENTS 6 Publisher's Column 8 Your Thoughts – Telling Black history 10 Black History – Remembering Rosewood 13 International Travel – Celebrating 60 years of women voting in the Bahamas

56 COVER STORY

DRUM MAJORS FOR JUSTICE Cover photos found in public domain: From top left, Angela Davis (October 13, 1974, Phillipe Halsman); Fannie Lou Hamer (June 1, 1971, Courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History); Martin Luther King (1964, Nobel Foundation); Carter G. Woodson (December 19, 1915, author unknown); Andrew Young (June 6, 1977, Thomas J. O'Halloran); Shirley Chisolm (January 25, 1972, Thomas J. O'Halloran, U.S. News & World Reports); John Lewis (February 26, 2003, U.S. Congress); Mary McLeod Bethune (1919, author not stated); Rosa Parks (1955, Ebony Magazine); Malcom X (March 26, 1964, Marion S. Trikosko)

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17 Publisher receives award 18 Music & Entertainment – Gen Z relate to moguls 20 Art & Culture – Connecting while Black 23 Mindfulness – The healing power of art 24 Health & Wellness – Young Black adults vulnerable to hypertension 26 Medically Speaking – Winter woes 29 Mentoring – Get involved 32 Elevate – Remembering our history 33 ONYX Reads – Stories that tell our history 34 Upward – 5000 Role Models of Excellence 37 Education – Culture ID, helping kids become award of themselves 38 The Quad – Stories from college campuses 41 Florida Scope/Beyond Florida – What's happening in Florida and beyond 42 Politics – Legislative Black Caucus 44 Government – Mental health program for Floridians 45 Smart Tips – Making a habit stick 46 Commentary – Deion Sanders Clout-Chasing or Good Business 48 Wealth – Protecting your money in 2023 49 Business – Do you need a personal board of directors?

50 Workplace – Office romance for you?

51 Career – Seeking minority financial planners 52 Environment – Black farmers need help 55 Real Estate – The American dream 56 Feature – Drum Majors for Justice 59 ONYX Profile – Terry Prather 61 SAGE – Sandwich children's pressure is real 62 Wine & Food – Black eyed peas for good luck

FROM THE PUBLISHER PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rich Black EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Janet Pal VICE PRESIDENT Deidre “Dee” Parker MANAGING EDITOR D. Shenell Reed, M.B.A.

RICH BLACK

SUBSCRIPTION MANAGEMENT Rose Love ASSOCIATE EDITORS Gayle Andrews Laura Dorsey Sharon Fletcher Jones Trina Ryan Nancy Port Schwalb

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023 Dear Family, Happy New Year! Each January rushes in with great hope and anticipation. We promise fresh perspectives for our personal lives, retooled plans for our businesses, and greater connectivity with our communities. We at ONYX Magazine are not immune to such resolutions. We look forward to making 2023 a banner year. With some tough years behind us all, we are moving forward with the intense motivation to bring you positive content you can use.

We start with the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)’s 2023 theme: Black resistance. Our ancestors resisted indignity and injustice since they first stepped foot on American soil in the 1600s. Leaders in our lifetime resisted blockage of rights that were due to us.

Now, it is our turn to carry the mantle forward and secure justice for future generations. To do this, we cannot forget why it is still necessary for us to fight. The ASALH story in these pages make it clear.

Speaking of Black resistance, we must remember Rosewood.

One-hundred years ago, a town in North Florida was annihilated when white terrorists, charged by hate, burned it to the ground. In this issue, we introduce you to an exhibit that memorializes those who lost their lives and honors those who live to tell the story.

Finally, new year, new you? Well, how do you make those new habits stick? We have some tips for you. Ask yourself, ‘do I need a personal board of directors?’ If the answer is yes, then a story inside can help you get it started. Looking for new ways to relax? Look to the healing power of art. We show you how it can soothe your soul.

As always, we thank you for your continued support. ONYX Magazine cannot exist without you. We want to hear from you in letters to the editor and in our Your Thoughts department.

We are excited about keeping you entertained, inspired and informed for many years to come.

Rich Black

6 ONYX MAGAZINE

MAGAZINE DESIGN TEAM Design2Pro GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jon Burton BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Matt deJager CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kiana Cox, Britny Cordera, Kim Crew, Felcity Darville, Karin Davis-Thompson, Chantal Guatier, Kevin Washington, Ph.D., E. Monique Johnson, Sharon Fletcher Jones, Christine Achieng Odera, Kriten Stockton, Christine Tamir, Penny Dickerson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kyrease Desseau Ted Hollins Photos Brion Price ONYX ADVISORY COMMITTEE Nancy Port Schwalb, Chair Deidre Parker, Immediate Past Chair Dick Batchelor Bob Berryhill Dr. Lavon Bracy Bryon Brooks Sherri Brown Marva Brown Johnson Hon. Mable Butler Yolanda Cash Jackson

Dr. Cynthia Chestnut John Crossman Quibulah Graham Gary Hartfield Barbara Hartley Ann Jenkins Eugene Jones Connie Kinnard

Larry Lee, Jr. Brenda March Gail Thomas-DeWitt Hon. Alan Williams Carla Williams Dr. Samuel Wright

FOUNDERS

Lester and Lillian Seays ONYX Magazine is published by ONYX Communications and Media Group, Inc., Address: P.O. Box 555672, Orlando, Florida 32855-5872. Phone 321-418-7216. Subscription rate is $19.95 for six issues. For subscriptions and notification of address change, contact ONYX Magazine at the above address or e-mail us at info@ onyxmagazine.com. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Copyright 2023 by ONYX Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writer or interviewee and not necessarily those of the publisher.

Manuscripts, photos and art should be submitted with a self-addressed stamped envelope. The publisher does not assume responsibility for any materials not submitted in manner advised. Unsolicited materials are not subject to payment from ONYX Magazine.

YO U R TH O UG HT S

TELLING OUR STORIES

BY KARIN DAVIS-THOMPSON

A

s the debate continues about what schools should teach in classrooms around race and America’s complicated history from slavery to segregation, many fear that students won’t get a true picture of Black history, not just around the issue of discrimination, but even the contributions of people of color and their impact on the world we live in. ONYX Magazine asked several readers for their opinion, and why they believe it is important to continue to tell the story of Black people in 2023.

KEISHA MCGEE Pastry Chef – Sweets on a Sunday Apollo Beach As a Black woman in America, it is important for me to understand the foundation of the people that came before me. Too often, Black history is associated only with slavery and many feel that this history and information drives distance between people of color and Caucasian Americans. To me, Black history is far more complex and involves not only the negative but the positive too. Knowing the history of slavery and then knowing where we are today, gives me assurance, courage, hope, and faith. It shows that we are multi dimensional, capable of persevering and accomplishing our goals even though we are surrounded by disparities many Americans aren’t subjected to.

AVERY BOYD Student Florida A&M University c/o 2023 Tallahassee As a Black man and a student at an Historically Black College and University (HBCU), there has never been a more important time in my life to know more about my history. It’s a time when people want to stamp out the things they don’t want to discuss, but it happened, and it’s important that we acknowledge that while at the same time celebrating all that we have been able to accomplish even through adversity. Even through the struggle, we are a brilliant people with a rich history and a major contribution to the world.

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PASTOR CHARLES DAVIS College Hill Church of God in Christ Tampa I believe what they say is true: the story of Black history is American history. Just as you would not stop telling the story of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, you should not stop telling the story of George Washington Carver or Rosa Parks. Their contributions and struggles are just as important as any one else in history. It is important that we teach all of our children about the world they live in and how things came to be the way they are today, even the parts we aren’t proud of. It is all what got us where we are today.

TIFFENY CROSS National Field Manager, Diagnostics Clermont Growing up in the 70s, our books did not have enough regarding Black history. Thankfully, I was fortunate to have grown up in a household where my parents made sure we knew our Black history. Blacks and other races need to know about those who helped cultivate the culture of this country. There is a need to shine a light on these prominent Blacks and tell the truth. Folks will be surprised at what they will learn and will hopefully share this history with others.

LONAY BOSTIC Executive Director, HR & Organizational Development Miramar We have a responsibility to ensure that these stories continue to showcase that Black people have great diversity of backgrounds, cultures, circumstances, viewpoints and opinions.

This provides the building blocks for additional perspectives to be considered by all races and ethnicities and gives greater opportunity to find common ground in shared experiences. There is also something very powerful in these stories that you can identify with as a Black person. It serves as confirmation for those that aspire to follow that failure can be avoided and that success is indeed possible.

WE ARE THE GRIOTS WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR.

RONALD THOMPSON Assistant Principal Riverview

ELIJAH FLEWELLEN Transportation Coordinator Saint Petersburg

Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we tell our story. There is so much that our children don’t know. Even as an adult, I am in awe of the things I am still learning about the contributions of Black people. In a time when so many want to rewrite history, we must stay vigilant and insist that we confront what makes us uncomfortable about the past while embracing our path forward and all that we have been able to accomplish in spite of it. How can we celebrate where we’ve come from if we don’t talk about it?

It is important to continue sharing stories of Black history in order to remind others that people who look like us are capable and willing to do the impossible. We must show others, both young and old, that no matter how difficult or adverse, Black people continue to rise above and thrive, no matter the environment or obstacl

TRE’ESA BATTLES Founder of the Artist Paj’on Scholarship Foundation Tampa Black History Month began as a way of remembering important people and the historical events within the African diaspora. It is a time to honor those whose shoulders we stand on and appreciate them for their sacrifice. My generation has seen the first African American president, the first African American female vice president, we now own banks, grocery stores, and are CEOs of corporations. It would be impossible to know just how significant that is if we didn’t know our history. As some try to steal our history or rewrite what really happened, the only way to make sure our children and our children’s children know the truth is if we tell the real story.

TEE CHAMBERS TRC Events and Consulting Wesley Chapel It’s always interesting, the debate about whether Black history is still relevant. How can anyone understand the importance of things like the first Black president or the first Black vice president if you don’t know the history? For many in the mainstream, the discussion of Black history makes them uncomfortable because there are definite truths they don’t want to confront. But how can you make sure you don’t repeat the past if you never talk about it? There is so much to our history, and so much that we have contributed to American history. It deserves to be celebrated and remembered.

So, let’s talk about it.

ONYX Magazine wants to hear from our readers. Would you like to write a letter to the editor? Or suggest a question for Your Thoughts? Email us at connect@onyxmagazine.com with the subject line Your Thoughts/Editor.

ONYX MAGAZINE 9

BLACK HISTORY

REMEMBERING ROSEWOOD THIS JANUARY, FLORIDA MAKES HISTORY WITH THE CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATION HONORING THE LEGACY OF A PROSPEROUS BLACK TOWN DESTROYED BY RACIAL VIOLENCE 100 YEARS AGO.

BY E. MONIQUE JOHNSON

T

he new year is usually a time of celebration and renewal, but for the residents of a small Florida town, the first week of 1923 was a time of terror, trauma, and tears. A century ago in Levy County, Fla., the town of Rosewood experienced one of the most horrific events in American history. A racially motivated attack decimated the predominantly African American town and devastated its residents. This massacre has been discussed and dissected for years.

Immortalized in a 1997 film starring Don Cheadle, Ving Rhames, and Elise Neal, and directed by John Singleton, the horrifying events of Rosewood are anything but fictional. Residents were brutally murdered, their homes burned to the ground, and they were forced to flee into the swamps.

After decades, more than 60 years of fear and shame, survivors and descendants of Rosewood got justice. In 1994, the Florida legislature awarded $2.1 million (of a requested $7.2 million) to Rosewood survivors, in a historic judgment making them the first, and then only, African Americans to receive reparations from a legislative body in America. A simple request in 2020 sparked this centennial movement. Before she passed away, The Rosewood Family, Inc., historian Barbara Scantling Moore asked family members to pass on the knowledge of the Rosewood legacy to the public. Inspired by Moore’s request, The Descendants of Rosewood, Inc., was born, ready to be a source of inspiration for the next 100 years and beyond.

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“The future starts with honoring the lives that were taken, acknowledging the trauma that was left behind, sharing the stories of the past, and celebrating the promise of all that lies ahead,” says Gregory Doctor, co-founder of The Descendants of Rosewood Foundation, Inc. Today, The Descendants of Rosewood Foundation, Inc., is proud to present the Remembering Rosewood Centennial Commemoration.

The centennial anniversary honors the legacy of bravery, determination, and perseverance of the people impacted by the events of 1923.

“The future starts with honoring the lives that were taken, acknowledging the trauma that was left behind, sharing the stories of the past, and celebrating the promise of all that lies ahead,” says Gregory Doctor, co-founder of The Descendants of Rosewood Foundation, Inc., and his cousin of Arnett Doctor, the descendant who led the fight for the families’ historic reparations settlement. “We look at this event as a launch pad for progress and are honored to lead the charge in shaping what the next 100 years looks like for our country.”

The week-long commemoration will be held on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Jan. 8-14, 2023, and will honor the lives of those lost a century ago and explore what the next century looks like. The goal of this carefully curated week of events is to first gather the community for a larger conversation around race in America, human and civil rights, land ownership, and wealth accumulation, and second, to forecast how we move forward in the future and what that looks like for the next generation. Events include the Rosewood Traveling Museum, Wreath Laying Ceremony at the

actual site of Rosewood in Levy County, The Legacy Forum, Next Generation seminars, movie screenings, and special guest appearances from some of the country’s leading scholars, activists, and cultural influencers. The University of Florida is the Host Sponsor of the commemoration; Holland & Knight Law Firm, which led the battles that led in the 1994 judgment is the Title Sponsor; Southern Poverty Law Center is

the Presenting Sponsor; ONYX Magazine is the Media Sponsor; and it also is funded in part by Visit Gainesville, Alachua County.

For more information about the Descendants of Rosewood or the centennial events, please visit the website rememberingrosewood.com or follow us on social @remember1923 and use the hashtag to tag us #Rosewood100. The event is free and open to the public.

Governor Lawton Chiles signs a bill to compensate Rosewood survivors $1.5 million.

ONYX MAGAZINE 11

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L T R AV E L

From left: Michael O'Brien, Event Organizer Mildred Murphy of StarApple, Prime Minister Philip Davis, Wife of PM, AnnMarie Davis, Ruby Ann Cooper-Darling, Linda Y. Braynen, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, and ONYX Magazine Publisher Rich Black.

Darling is holding the ONYX Foundation Beacon of Light Award presented

by Rich Black.

DESTINY REALIZED

SIXTY YEARS AGO, WOMEN IN THE BAHAMAS GAINED THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THE MATRIARCH WHO REGISTERED FIRST RECEIVED RECOGNITION FOR HER ACT OF LEADERSHIP AND ONYX MAGAZINE WAS THERE TO WITNESS IT.

BY FELICITY DARVILLE / PHOTOS BY ANTHON THOMAS

O

n November 26, 1962, women in The Bahamas voted for the very first time.

It was an occasion that will forever be etched in the annals of Bahamian history. When women in The Bahamas voted, the majority of the people, for the first time, had a collective say about the affairs of their country. Women represented the majority of households in the country. They represented their families, their communities and the interests of Bahamian people. This empowering act by women gave residents greater control over their destiny.

November 2022 marked 60 years since that day and ONYX Magazine Publisher Rich Black, along with his aunt Linda Y. Braynen, joined more than 500 political and business leaders in Nassau, Bahamas, at the Ruby Ball to commemorate a moment that dramatically changed the trajectory of this country. The black-tie event honored Ruby Ann Cooper-Darling who was the first woman to register to vote in the Bahamas.

Black presented her with the ONYX Foundation Beacon of Light Award during the ceremony.

“This award recognizes stalwart leaders who illuminate paths to achievement through cultural enrichment, literacy, community enhance-

U.S. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson presents Ruby Ann Cooper-Darling with a copy of the Congressional Record that will live in the Library of Congress.

ment, and financial well-being while promoting a seamless, diversified connection throughout all cultures,” Black said. “Mrs. Ruby Darling is most deserving of this outstanding recognition.”

Darling recalled how she knew she had to take a stance and register to vote.

“The Lord said, ‘Ruby, they fought for it and you’re the one to get the prize [the opportunity to register to vote]. You better be there because I made you 21 years old on Friday. When Monday comes, you better be the person to put your

name there so that you can capture the prize for those who fought so valiantly for it.”

Hosted by the Progressive Liberal Party, the event hosted political figures from The Bahamas and the United States, including Prime Minister Philip Davis. U.S. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson presented Darling with a copy of the Congressional Record showing her contributions and achievements, which will be permanently placed in the United States Library of Congress.

One to break glass ceilings and forge a path for other women to succeed in her country, Darling became one of the first women to offer herself as a candidate for an election. She is an ordained minister, counselor, former senator, former member of Parliament, and a Sunday School teacher.

Time has not slowed down her passion for people and country. She has selflessly served to help establish and maintain a number of national institutions, including the Urban Renewal Commission and the Willie Mae Pratt Centre for Girls.

Felicity Darville writes for The Tribune in the Bahamas where parts of this story first appeared.

ONYX Magazine contributed to this story.

ONYX MAGAZINE 13

Delight

effortlessly With miles of waterfront family fun, Tampa Bay has

a million ways to play. All with an easy, laidback vibe.

VisitTampaBay.com tbcvb_49741_Multiculture_OnyxMag_Spread_M.indd 1

12/21/22 1:42 PM

V ETLI P S TRT AR VA EL

YOUR TOP 10 TRAVEL RESOLUTIONS FOR 2023

BY KELSIE MARIE

I

Rainforest in Puerto Rico or trying escargot in Paris, doing something for the time is exhilarating and oftentimes lifechanging.

1.EXPLORE YOUR OWN CITY

4.MAKE A TRAVEL VISION BOARD

Every month, things to do in your city, like dining at a new restaurant, browsing a local bookstore, or visiting a museum or art gallery.

Experiencing what is in our own backyard opens endless inspiration and is a great way to feel like you are traveling without breaking the bank or going too far.

Vision boards do not just have to be for your career or personal goals; they can be for your travel goals, too. Spend an afternoon with snacks, wine, and your crew and curate a vision board of the destinations you want to visit, foods you want to try, and excursions you desire to go on — the world is your oyster.

2.LEARN A FEW FOREIGN PHRASES

5.ADD TRAVEL TO YOUR MONTHLY BUDGET

f traveling the world is on your list of priorities in 2023, there are resolutions you should add to your list to ensure you live your best life.

If you are traveling to a destination where English language, why not learn to comis not the municate with the locals in their native language?

Start by learning the basics such as “hello,” “thank you,” “how are you?”

3.DO SOMETHING FOR THE FIRST TIME Life is much sweeter when you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and do things you’ve never done before. Whether it is zip lining across the El Yunque National

If you really want to be a jet setter in 2023, make it a priority and add a travel fund to your budget.

If you do not have enough money in your budget for travel, consider cutting other expenses like shopping, drinks at the bar, and eating out.

Setting aside 5-10% of your monthly income to your travel fund is a great way to save up for your dream vacation.

6.LEARN HOW TO MAKE A CULTURAL DISH Food is a huge part of most cultures. Take a look at your travel vision board, pick a destination and make a traditional meal from that country. You will be surprised at how connected you can feel to a place and its people through food.

7.INVEST IN GOOD LUGGAGE A huge part of travel is packing, unpacking, and taking luggage through the airport, hotels, etc.

Investing in good luggage is super important. The saying “dress for the job you want” can also apply to travel. Get the luggage for the trips you want to go on. When you have a quality luggage set, no walking through the airport feels matter how you may be.

8.DEVELOP AN IN-FLIGHT SKINCARE AND WELLNESS ROUTINE Do not let long get the best of your skin and wellness. Develop an skincare routine to stay hydrated throughout which can dry out your skin. Make sure to walk around the aircraft every hour to avoid swelling and drink lots of water.

A solid skincare and wellness routine will have you stepping the plane looking refreshed and ready to explore your dream destination.

9.CURATE SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS FOR TRAVEL INSPIRATION Social media is really what you make it. If you desire to travel the world in 2023, curate your social feeds to show you other travelers doing the same.

10.BUILD A CAPSULE TRAVEL WARDROBE Packing can be stressful—how many times have you clothes and shoes in your luggage and only come home with more than half of what you packed unworn? Building a capsule travel wardrobe (limited selection of pieces that complement each other) avoids overweight baggage and the stress of picking out while on your trip. It will also save you money in the long run, so you can spend more on enjoying destinations.

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CNBC AWARD

PUBLISHER RICH BLACK RECEIVES NATIONAL EMMETT TILL AWARD – SOCIAL JUSTICE A NATIONAL CHURCH CONFERENCE ACKNOWLEDGED BLACK FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AND FOCUSED ON HEALTH DISPARITIES.

BY D. SHENELL REED

Rich Black receives award. From left, Minister McKnight, Jacqui Burton, Rich Black, CNBC Chair Dr. Franklyn Richardson

Photos by Kornelius Neal of Edward Neal Photography

Kelsie Marie writes for Travel Noire where this story first appeared.

R

ich Black, ONYX Magazine's publisher and CEO, received the Emmett Till Award during the Leadership Awards Dinner at the Conferences of National Black Churches (CNBC) in Orlando Wednesday, December 14. The award is inspired by Till's mother, Mamie Till, who continued to tell her son's story to keep his memory alive. Black was tapped for the honor because of ONYX Magazine's focus on the community members and issues impacting them.

"ONYX Magazine tells the stories we need to hear, and the stories that you tell, we will live and remember forever," said presenter and local organizing committee member Minister Jonathan McKnight of Sanctuary of Praise in Orlando.

Rich Black said his journey began when he led a committee to raise of statue in honor of Dr. Mary McLeod-Bethune on the campus of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona during its centennial in 2004. The experience introduced him to businessman and philanthropist Harris Rosen, who eventually hired Black to be the first diversity director at Rosen's chain of hotels. Black also recalled a com-

mand from another civil and women's rights activist.

"I met with Dr. Dorothy Height...and she said, 'Rich Black, what we fought for 50 years ago, it will be lost, and I'm going to hold you responsible if you don't get out and connect the dots," Black said during his thank you speech. "We've taken on that challenge and we have now brought Florida together...and we continue to do that as we celebrate 25 years.

Thank you to each of you for all that you do and to support ONYX Magazine and allow us to bring the magazine to your churches. To the local and the national committee, thank you for this honor."

Other award recipients were Orlando Attorney Gregorio Francis who received the Thurgood Marshall Award; Tallahassee Bethel AME Church Pastor Dr. A.J. Richardson who received the Bishop William Graves, Sr., Award; and CNBC President Jacqui Burton, who received the Bishop John Hurst Adams Leadership Award.

The dinner at the Rosen Centre hosted more than 500 in the faith-based community members from around the nation.

Entertainment included the musical stylings

Attorney Gregorio Francis

Bishop AJ Richardson

Rev. Al Sharpton

Pres. Jacqui Burton

Local Chair Pastor Terence Gray

Smokie_Norful

of Gospel singer and pastor Smokie Norful and the keynote speaker for the evening was the Rev. Al Sharpton who talked about the importance of Black churches.

“It was the Black church in the middle of the pandemic—CNBC had to come. We sat on the phone at night talking to the treasury dept Janet Yellin, and Nancy Pelosi, getting Black churches involved so communities could deal with COVID — the whole nation shut down,” he said. “They didn’t call on rappers, they didn’t call on the comedians.

It was the Black church that stood up and brought healing to our communities.”

More than 31,000 churches across six historically Black denominations are represented by the CNBC, making its convention

the largest gathering of Black churches in the nation. This year’s conference focused on improving the mental and physical health of Black church leaders and congregants.

“The Black church is committed to social justice and all of the implications that are with that,” said W. Franklyn Richardson, CNBC Chairman, who called disproportionate access to health care an injustice against Black communities.

“If we can’t have good health, we can’t go to school, we can’t work, we die before everybody else dies, for our children, the infant mortality rate is higher,” he said.

“Every issue that measures health or prosperity in the United States, Black people are at the bottom.”

ONYX MAGAZINE 17

M U S I C & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Poll: Gen Z’s Business Heroes Are Not Traditional Moguls

BY CHRISTINE ACHIENG ODERA

G

en Z has listed their most inspirational business heroes, with entertainers Rihanna, and Beyoncé at the top.

A poll of 2,000 young adults found they’re also inspired by the entrepreneurial exploits of David Beckham, Kylie Jenner, Elon Musk, and Ryan Reynolds. These names are held in high esteem because they’re passionate about what they do (28%), have made a lot of money (28%), and challenge the norm (27%).

While 48% look up to them as they are ‘more relatable’ than traditional business moguls, such as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. They believe their heroes are relatable because they are similar in age (36%), are active on social media (44%), and have shared their business journey from the start (42%).

“Rihanna knows how to dress fashionably, and she seems comfortable in everything she wears,” a fan said.

The research was commissioned to celebrate NatWest’s ‘Backing Business’ campaign. The survey also found 44% consider themselves entrepreneurial, with 54% already having run or currently running their own business or side hustle. Health and beauty, social media, and food and drink are the most popular types of ventures among those who have started one.

A further 64% want to run their own business in the future. Reasons for wanting to do so include wanting more control over their work/ life balance, the cost-of-living crisis,

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4. Molly-Mae Hague 5. David Beckham OBE 6. Kylie Jenner 7. Kim Kardashian 8. Elon Musk 9. Ryan Reynolds 10. KSI BLACK WOMEN HAVE LEAD ROLES IN WALT DISNEY IMAGINEERING

Beyonce and Rihanna, Getty Images via Zenger News.

and wanting to make a lot of money.

But the main concerns about starting a company are high start-up costs, lack of business know-how, and worries over the amount of competition.

“Beyonce’s feminism approach speaks to all strong women, she speaks to us and for us” one interviewee said.

If they were to start a business, 31% would look to become an influencer, 26% would try selling items online, and 24% would make extra cash by baking or cooking. Although

18% of those, who would like to run their own venture in the future, admit they would not know where to start when it comes to starting a business. Seventy-three percent would like to see this topic taught as a core subject in school, according to the OnePoll figures.

TOP 10 MODERN BUSINESS ICONS AMONG YOUNG ADULTS POLLED 1. Rihanna 2. Beyoncé 3. Marcus Rashford

Barbara Bouza is president of Walt Disney Imagineering, where she heads the global creative, design and development teams behind Disney’s theme parks, attractions, resort hotels, cruise ships, and retail, dining and entertainment centers. She also leads a multidisciplinary team tasked with exploring, developing and bringing to market groundbreaking ideas that enhance and expand Disney’s global portfolio of experiences. Barbara previously served as co-managing director, principal, of Gensler Los Angeles.

In this collaborative leadership role, she brought strategic design management to highly innovative clients such as Netflix, Amgen, JPL/NASA, Debbie Allen, and City of Hope. A fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), she was the 2019 AIA Los Angeles president, and also served on the board of the Southern California chapter of the International Interior Design Association.

Charita Carter is the executive creative producer of Relevancy Activations at Walt Disney Imagineering. She grew up as a self-de-

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scribed “air-force brat,” living for a time near Vandenburg Air Force Base near Lompoc, California. When she was 7 years old, her family made their first journey to Disneyland. “We were so excited to go,” she says.

“For months, my siblings and I washed cars and did odd jobs around the house to save money to spend at Disneyland.” Charita Carter is also the executive creative producer of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, coming to Magic Kingdom Park, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and Disneyland Park, Anaheim, Calif., in 2024. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will take guests on a musical adventure inspired by the beloved story and characters from the fan-favorite film, The Princess and the Frog. - Disney

Charita Carter

NEW EDITION BACK ON TOUR Iconic Grammy-nominated, multi-platinumselling R&B supergroup NEW EDITION closed out 2022 with the highly successful "The Culture Tour," nominated as one of the Top R&B Tours in the country by Pollstar. Selling out arenas across the country, the icons and The Black Promoters Collective (BPC) are happy to announce the 30-city "LEGACY TOUR" with a must-see lineup that includes a New Jack Swing reunion with Keith Sweat and the original members of GUY (Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, and Damion Hall) and Tank starting on Thursday, March 9 in Columbia, S.C. and ending on Sunday, April 30 in Tampa, Fla. – Press Release

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APOPKAINTERNATIONALJAZZFEST.COM ONYX MAGAZINE 19

A R T & C U LT U R E

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING BLACK

PEW RESEARCH FOUND THAT RACE IS CENTRAL TO IDENTITY FOR BLACK AMERICANS AND AFFECTS HOW THEY CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER. READ ON FOR A FEW SURVEY RESULTS.

BY KIANA COX AND CHRISTINE TAMIR

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n extensive new survey of Black U.S. adults conducted by Pew Research Center shows that no matter where they are from, who they are, their economic circumstances or educational backgrounds, significant majorities of Black Americans say being Black is extremely or very important to how they think about themselves. They also say when something happens to Black people in their local communities, across the nation or around the globe, it affects what happens in their own lives, 20 ONYX MAGAZINE

highlighting a sense of connectedness. This is true even as they acknowledge diverse experiences and come from an array of backgrounds.

The study found similar themes throughout that show race as central to connectivity. Black adults who say being Black is important to their sense of self feel connected to other groups of Black people.

Seventy-eight percent of non-Hispanic Black Americans say being Black is very or extremely important to how they think about themselves. This racial group is the largest among Black adults, accounting

for 87% of the adult population, according to 2019 Census Bureau estimates. But among other Black Americans, roughly 57% of multiracial and 58% of Hispanic Black adults say this.

Black Americans’ views about the importance of being Black also differ in key ways. While majorities of all age groups of Black people say being Black shapes how they think about themselves, younger Black Americans are less likely to say this. Black adults 50 and older are 11% more likely to say this than Black adults 18 to 29.

ter how important Blackness is to their personal identity, say they have everything or most things in common with Black people who are poor, immigrants or LGBTQ.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING BLACK FOR CONNECTIONSWITHOTHERBLACKPEOPLE The importance of being Black to personal identity is a significant factor in how connected Black Americans feel toward each other. Those who say that being Black is a very or extremely important part of their personal identity are more likely than those for whom Blackness is relatively less important to express a sense of common fate with Black people in their local communities, in the United States overall, and even around the world.

They also are more likely to say that they have everything or most things in common with Black people who are poor and Black immigrants. Even so, fewer than half of Black Americans, no mat-

THE IMPORTANCE OF BLACKNESS FOR KNOWING FAMILY HISTORY AND U.S. BLACK HISTORY The new survey also explores Black Americans’ knowledge about their family histories and the history of Black people in the United States, with the importance of Blackness linked to greater knowledge.

Nearly 60% of the interviewees say their ancestors were enslaved either in the U.S. or another country. Black adults who say that being Black is a very or extremely important part of how they see themselves are more likely than those for whom being Black is less important to say that their ancestors were enslaved. In fact, Black adults for whom Blackness is very or extremely important are less likely than their counterparts to say they are not sure if their ancestors were enslaved at all.

When it comes to learning more about their family histories, Black adults for whom Blackness is very or extremely important are more likely than those for whom Blackness is less important to have spoken to their relatives. They are about as likely to have researched their family’s history online and to have used a mail-in DNA service such as AncestryDNA or 23andMe to learn more about their ancestry.

The importance of Blackness also figures prominently into how informed Black Americans feel about U.S. Black history. Black adults who say Blackness is a significant part of their personal identity are more likely than those for whom Blackness is less important to say that they feel very or extremely informed about U.S. Black history. Overall, about half of Black Americans say they feel very or extremely informed about the history of Black people in the United States.

Among Black adults who feel at least a little informed about U.S. Black history, the sources of their knowledge also differ by the importance of Blackness to personal identity. Nearly half of Black adults for whom Blackness is very or extremely important say they learned about Black history from their families and friends, making them more likely to say so than Black adults for whom Blackness is less important. Similarly, those who say being Black is important to their identity are more likely to have learned about Black history from nearly every source they were asked about, be it media, the internet or college, if they attended.

YOUNGER BLACK PEOPLE ARE LESS LIKELY TO SPEAK TO RELATIVES ABOUT ANCESTORS Black adults younger than 30 differ significantly from older Black adults in their views on the importance of Blackness to their personal identity. However, Black adults also differ by age in how they pursue knowledge of family history, how informed they feel about U.S. Black history, and their sense of connectedness to other Black people.

Black adults younger than 30 are less likely than those 65 and older to say their ancestors were enslaved. In fact, 40% of Black adults younger than 30 say that they are not sure whether their ancestors were enslaved. Black adults in the youngest age group are less likely than the oldest to have spoken to their relatives about family history or to have used a mail-in DNA service to learn about their ancestors.

They are only slightly less likely to have conducted research on their families online.

Black adults younger than 30 are less likely to say they feel very or extremely informed about the history of Black people in the United States, compared with 60% of Black adults 65 and older and about half each of Black adults 50 to 64 and 51% 30 to 49. In fact, Black adults younger than 30 are more likely than those 50 and older to say they feel a little or not at all informed about Black history. While Black adults are generally most likely to cite family and friends as their source for learning about Black history, the share younger than 30 who also cite the internet as a source of information is higher than the shares ages 50 and older who say this.

These age differences persist in the sense of connectedness that Black Americans have with other Black people. Black adults younger than 30 are less likely than those 65 and older to say that everything or most things that happen to Black people in the United States will affect their own lives. This youngest group also is less likely than the oldest to have this sense of common fate with Black people in their local community.

One exception to this pattern occurs when Black adults were asked how much they had in common with Black people who identify as LGBTQ. Black adults younger than 30 were considerably more likely than those 65 and older to say they have everything or most things in common with Black people who identify as LGBTQ. To read the entire Pew Research report with full percentages of those interviewed, visit www.pewresearch.org.

ONYX MAGAZINE 21

Installation view, Purvis Young: Redux, 2022.

Photographer: Cait Peterson

PURVIS YOUNG: REDUX On view through June 30, 2024

Inspired by the success of the exhibition Purvis Young: 91 in 2019, the Tampa Museum of Art remounts its Purvis Young collection as one of the first of several long-term displays of the permanent collection. Young’s paintings reflect his observations of daily life and the fight for social justice, hope for his community, immigration and otherness, as well as the fragile balance between life and death.

This exhibition is made possible through support from the Terra Foundation for American Art

TampaMuseum.org E D Q M C Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10am – 5pm Thursday: 10am – 8pm

ARTIST BIO: PURVIS YOUNG Born in 1943 in Miami, Florida, Purvis Young’s mother encouraged her son’s artistic talents. His grandparents immigrated to Miami by boat from the Bahamas and settled into Overtown. Although he did not complete high school, Young educated himself as an adult by watching documentaries and reading. He spent hours at the Miami-Dade Public Library and books became an important part of his life and work. In the late 1990s, Don and Mera Rubell, art collectors based in Miami, befriended the artist and acquired the contents of Young’s studio. In total, they transferred over 3,300 works from his studio to their art warehouse. Since, they have donated nearly 500 works of by Purvis Young to museums and universities across the country. Young died in 2010 and today his work resides in private and public collections across the globe.

Exhibitions supported in part by:

SNAP Benefit Recipients get free admission to the Tampa Museum of Art! Presenting Sponsor: Also sponsored by:

2022.

rt!

MINDFULNESS

THE HEALING POWER OF

ART

CREATIVE FORMS OF EXPRESSION CAN BE HEALING.

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rt, whether you are creating it or viewing it, can be used to help you explore your emotions, cope with stress, develop a more profound sense of self-awareness, boost self-esteem, and develop social skills.

You don’t have to be an artist or need to have specific art-related skills to receive the benefits of this treatment since the professionals working for us can work with you to find the hidden messages that can be communicated through art.

For thousands of years, people have relied on the arts to communicate what they feel and to heal themselves. But the concept behind art therapy came into existence in the 1940s. Doctors noticed that several patients suffering from mental illnesses expressed themselves with artworks and drawings.

This caused doctors to explore the potential benefits of art therapy. Since then, art has become a vital element of the therapeutic industry since it has proven to be effective during assessments and treatments.

WHO IS IT FOR? Any person who feels stressed or overwhelmed by the problematic world we live in should definitely try art therapy. Creating art gives you the chance to reprioritize yourself and focus all your attention on something insignificant. Utilize this time wisely and work with our professionals in Wellington, Florida, to understand how you can deal with the problems you’re facing.

Since the professionals working for us focus on the process and not on the final product, art therapy isn’t about improving your art skills but rather about connecting the dots in your life that make no sense as of now.

The only thing you will need is the will to experiment.

THE ADVANTAGES OF ART THERAPY Art therapy can also be used to complement an existing and conventional mental health procedure. This process aims to manage a person’s feelings, increase their self-esteem, and reduce their anxiety levels. Here is how one can benefit from art therapy, according to Serene Trails Therapy in Lake Worth, Fla. • Stress Relief: It helps you fight anxiety, emotional trauma, and depression no matter how stressful these situations are for you. Your mind and your body both feel rejuvenated after the experience.

• Self-Esteem: This process gives you a feeling of self-accomplishment, which can improve your confidence and help you feel appreciated • Emotional Relief: One of the most prominent benefits of art therapy is that you have a healthy way of expressing all of your fears and feelings. Complex emotions such as anger or sadness are often hard to describe in words.

If you’re unable to express yourself and want an emotional outlet, art therapy may help you feel relaxed.

• Self-Discovery: Art therapy also helps people realize the feelings they’ve locked up inside of themselves subconsciously.

The American Art Therapy Association Research Committee has also created a Research Outcome Bibliography on the outcome of art therapy that provides scientific proof for its benefits.

BUILDING A VISION BOARD— essentially physically (or digitally) manifesting your goals—is a form of art and a great way to start the new year.

To create one, bring images or objects that speak to the future you want to create and arranging them on a board for a tangible and aesthetically pleasing reminder of where you're heading. You can construct your solo or vision board with a partner.

WHAT DO ART THERAPISTS DO? There are several requirements one must fulfill to become a qualified and trusted art therapist.

Once these individuals have fulfilled all of these requirements, they are fully adept at using art for a general assessment or aide treatment for a severe illness.

It doesn’t matter what your age, gender, or religion is, art therapy can help individuals, families, and couples.

RECOVERING WITH ART THERAPY Expressive art therapy has worked wonders in the lives of several people. It can help explore the uncharted territories of their emotions and can particularly be helpful for children with disabilities.

Have you ever noticed how refreshing good music can feel after a long stressful day? That’s because when used correctly, it can be therapeutic. Other forms of art can bring that same sense of peace.

ONYX MAGAZINE 23

H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

YOUNG BLACK ADULTS

VULNERABLE TO HYPERTENSION

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bout 1 in 4 young adults has high blood pressure. But few are getting treated, with new research concluding Black young adults are especially vulnerable. In a study that included 15,171 Black, Mexican American and white adults, researchers found that nearly 31 percent of Black young adults had high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

It was the highest rate among the three groups studied and presented the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions conference.

Many adults with high blood pressure remain undiagnosed, while others who have been diagnosed do not have their disease properly controlled.

The study reported when young adults have high blood pressure that is not controlled, they begin accumulating cardiovascular risk at a very young age.

This, in turn, puts them at risk for having a heart attack or stroke at an early age. Experts went on to report that “Black young adults have higher awareness and higher treatment rates than the other groups, however, control rates of their disease are poorer than what is seen in middle-aged and older adults. Social factors and biology might both play a part in these disparities.

Previous studies have found high blood pressure is more common among Black adults than adults of other races. The new study sheds light on how early this disparity begins. Risk factors for high blood pressure include not getting enough exercise, an unhealthy diet, being overweight or obese, drinking too much alcohol, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes.

BlackHealthMatters.com

as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Here are four valuable tips to help you stay fit, healthy, and happy during your retirement years.

1. FIND AN ACTIVITY THAT YOU ENJOY

Stay Healthy During Retirement

R

etirement is a crucial transitionary stage of life. Things can get overwhelming as you adjust to your new way of life. Leaving the workforce can come with many adjustments, including fewer social gatherings and the loss of many acquaintances.

Your health could also be a reason

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for concern, especially since you might not be as active as you were before retirement. Being in good health gives you more opportunities to enjoy your retirement. An active lifestyle can improve your cognitive function, help in fighting off depression and anxiety, and slow down the progression of brain diseases, such

The ways you choose to stay active after retirement may depend on your social network from your working years. Do you have frequent contact with people outside of work? Gym, sports, drawing classes, fishing? Find something that you can do together to maintain an active lifestyle after retirement.

2. WORKING OUT Without a doubt, you need physical exercise to keep your body refreshed and stress-free. A sedentary lifestyle robs you of good rest. Working out has been shown to promote healthier sleeping patterns. Exercise also burns calories, which prevents heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

3. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET Older adults are at an elevated risk of developing a life-threatening illness, so it’s vital to get an adequate supply of essential nutrients through food. Ideally, your diet should include lean protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy, vegetables, and fruit.

4. GET HEALTH INSURANCE If you retire before you turn 65 years old, you can take out a health insurance policy to offer financial protection if you incur medical expenses to due age-related illnesses. Like physical wellness, financial wellness is also important. You should consider investing in longterm care coverage when getting close to retirement age because those who wait too long may no longer qualify if chronic health conditions arise in the meantime.

BlackDoctor.org

H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

THE POWER OF YOGA

M

aintaining a regular yoga practice can provide physical and mental health benefits. While there are more than 100 different types, or schools, of yoga, most sessions typically include breathing exercises, meditation, and assuming postures (sometimes called asana or poses) that stretch and flex various muscle groups. Because there are so several kinds of yoga practices, it is possible for anyone to start. Check with your doctor before beginning

J

any exercise regimen. You may find yoga classes free online, in community centers, churches, or in fitness facilities.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS • • • • •

Relaxation Increased flexibility Increased muscle strength and tone Improved respiration, energy and vitality Maintaining a balanced metabolism

• • • •

Weight reduction Cardio and circulatory health Improved athletic performance Protection from injury

MENTAL BENEFITS • • • • • •

Creates mental clarity and calmness Increases body awareness Relieves chronic stress patterns Relaxes the mind Centers attention Sharpens concentration American Osteopathic Association

Stop Human Trafficking

anuary 2023 is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, as decreed by presidential proclamation. January also is known as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. It is a key time for us all to educate ourselves about human trafficking and crucially to learn to spot the signs of trafficking. It is also a time for us take these messages to our workplaces, our churches, our schools, our representatives and everywhere else. To support the effort, activist group Hope For Justice suggests the single best action you can take is to learn how to spot the signs of trafficking. Below is what to look for. If you see suspicious activity, contact the authorities.

• Houses or flats with too many people, all picked up or dropped off at the same time • People who seem scared, confused or have untreated injuries • Few or no documents, or someone else in control of their documents/passport • No control over their own post/mail, no phone or phone held by someone else • Low or no pay • One person speaking on behalf of many others, who may avoid eye contact or conversation

• • • • •

•

Lights on at workplaces at strange times — are people living there?

Someone who believes they are indebted to someone Limited freedom of movement and dependency on others Fear of police/authorities Fear of a trafficker, believing their life or families’ lives are at risk if they escape or complain Anxious and unwilling to tell others about their situation

• •

•

Poor health, malnutrition or untreated dental conditions Bruising; signs of other physical or psychological trauma including anxiety, confusion, memory loss Less often, someone believing they are being controlled through witchcraft

Note: Those affected are unlikely to self-identify as a ‘victim’ and may not realize or accept they are being controlled

ONYX MAGAZINE 25

M E D I C A L LY S P E A K I N G

WINTER WOES

WE MAY BE OVER THE WORST, BUT EXPERTS SAY THERE ARE MORE HEALTH THREATS TO COME. ONYX STAFF REPORT

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ust when we thought it was safe to toss the masks we have been wearing since COVID19 struck, experts say the coronavirus is not the only outbreak we need to be aware of. The U.S. could very well face what has been dubbed a "tripledemic" this winter, with cases of COVID19, the flu and a virus called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) surging at the same time.

Cases of RSV are rising quickly in young children, who typically contract the virus by the time they're 3, but were shielded from it and other viruses during pandemic lockdown periods.

The threat of a "tripledemic" is not new, according to Dr. Michael Mina, chief science officer at eMed and the nation's leading epidemiologist.

"Public health officials have been bracing for this possibility since early in the pandemic," he said in a statement.

Americans' weakened immunity — a result of hunkering down and limiting exposure to others during the COVID-19 pandemic — is the reason for the simultaneous surge in cases of three different viruses.

"The recent surges are fully expected ramifications of a new virus that caused massive swings in human behavior. We know that immunity is working exactly as it was supposed to, and in this case, it means that we drained population-level immunity by not having exposures," Dr. Mina said.

READY FOR A TRIPLEDEMIC? More important than the name for this is the health risk it may pose to you and your family. As hospitals and health centers are currently dealing with a rapid increase of people showing up with one of these diseases, it’s especially important to stay informed, says medical experts.

THE FLU THREAT Staying on guard against the influenza, or flu virus by getting a yearly flu shot is a good first defense, but there are signs that warn we are likely in for a bad flu season this year. A “normal” flu season lasts from mid-October through the spring, with December through February generally seeing the highest number of cases. The good news is that the flu vaccine is very effective 26 ONYX MAGAZINE

at preventing severe disease, so if you have not yet done so for flu season, get your flu shot. It can help you avoid getting the flu and help keep you from becoming severely ill if you do get it.

avoiding confined spaces and people who have symptoms of illness. If you believe your child or newborn has a respiratory infection, contact your child’s doctor promptly.

THE RSV THREAT

THE COVID-19 THREAT

Similar to the flu, RSV is a common upper respiratory infection that circulates in the community every year. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, coughing, and sneezing. Although the virus can infect anybody, it poses a particular risk to newborns and young children, often resulting in severe symptoms and hospitalization, and can also be a serious health threat to older adults.

There is no vaccine available for RSV, but because masking and social distancing remained in effect last year, we didn’t experience an increased spread of infection. This is also why this year hospitals and health centers are now seeing such a large increase in cases of children with RSV. The best way to reduce the spread of RSV is to follow basic hygiene habits such as hand washing, refraining from touching your face and

If you thought we were finally done with COVID19, public health experts are suggesting that we will likely see an increase in cases this winter. This is to be expected, though, because COVID-19 is part of the coronavirus family, which is known to spread more easily during the winter months.

The new COVID-19 bivalent vaccine booster helps to prevent infection from both the original version of the coronavirus and the newer Omicron variants, giving you greater protection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 12 and older get the COVID-19 bivalent booster to stay up to date with vaccination.

Expert advice provided by John’s Hopkins medical.

COMMUNITY

GET INVOLVED AS

A MENTOR

LOOKING FOR A GREAT WAY TO START YOUR NEW YEAR? PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH 2023.

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stablished in 2002 by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership & Harvard TH School of Public Health, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the need for more Mentors in society as well as encouraging more people to actively become mentors to young people. The campaign celebrates the effects that mentoring young people can have on individuals and society.

It has 3 target goals: • Raise awareness of mentoring in its various forms • Recruit individuals to mentor, especially in programs that have waiting lists of young people • Promote the rapid growth of mentoring by recruiting organizations to engage their constituents in mentoring.

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Local organizations are supported by leading National partners in their quest to raise awareness by arranging local events and publicity. The campaign has attracted large numbers of high-profile supporters all assisting the overall aim of raising awareness and increasing mentor numbers.

SO WHY MENTOR? Mentoring can have a significant impact on a young person’s life, prospects and outlook. It is a key way of ensuring that young people know that they have someone on hand that they can rely on, provide emotional support, educational and career guidance and generally be there to guide them. According to data, one in three young people will grow up without a mentor.

Some statistics taken from the Mentoring.org website include: • Students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52% less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class • Young adults who face an opportunity gap but have a mentor are 55% more likely to be enrolled in college than those who did not have a mentor.

• In addition to better school attendance and a better chance of going on to higher education, mentored youth maintain better attitudes toward school • 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking.

COMMUNITY • 81% more likely to participate regularly in sports or extracurricular activities than those who do not A study showed that the strongest benefit from mentoring, and most consistent across risk groups, was a reduction in depressive symptoms‚ particularly noteworthy given that almost one in four youth reported worrisome levels of these symptoms at baseline.

There are several ways to become involved with the campaign be it as a mentor yourself or if you are seeking a mentor to guide you or a friend or family member. You can check to see if there is a Mentoring Partnership in your area, and if not contact MENTOR directly for more information.

With statistics, facts and case studies showing the positive effect that mentoring can have on young people, it is something that collectively we can make huge progress with- the effect that you could have on a young person’s life is surely worth investigating. And if you feel you need a mentor then get in touch and take the first step in improving your own life.

TOP FIVE BENEFITS OF YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAMS From success in school to better communication with people around them, youth mentoring pro-

grams can benefit at-risk youth in many ways. At DREAM, we offer youth mentoring programs in an effort to give at-risk youth in our community the best opportunities for success.

Here are the top five benefits for at-risk youth to participate in an after-school mentoring program.

1. Mentoring programs can help youth learn how to communicate better. Often, at-risk youth have a hard time communicating with people around them. This can be due to a variety of reasons, such as not feeling like they are being heard or not having the confidence to speak up. A youth mentor can help youth learn how to communicate effectively and feel more comfortable talking to people.

2. After-school programs can also create accountability for youth. When youth have someone to check in with on a regular basis, they are more likely to stay on track and meet their goals. A mentor can help youth set realistic goals and provide support as they work towards achieving them.

3. After-school program can also help youth stay on track in school. Youth who are struggling in school may benefit from having a mentor to help them with their studies and offer guidance on what classes

they should take. A mentor can also provide support and encouragement outside of the classroom, which can make a big difference for at-risk youth.

4. A major benefit of after-school mentoring programs is providing a young person with a positive role model. Often, at-risk youth do not have someone in their life who they can look up to and admire. A mentor can fill this role and provide guidance and support that youth need to make positive choices in their own lives.

A youth mentor can provide guidance and support that can help youth develop positive relationships with adults. This is an important part of helping at-risk youth become successful adults.

Having a positive role model and mentor can also encourage you to set and achieve goals.

A mentor can help youth identify their goals and create a plan to achieve them. This is an important skill for at-risk youth to learn, as it can help them in all areas of their lives.

5. Finally, mentoring programs can help youth feel connected to their community. For many at-risk youth, feeling like they belong is an important part of being successful in life.

Mentorship content provided by MENTOR.

PURPOSEFUL ENGAGEMENT It started with one simple question. When Karin Davis-Thompson and her husband, Ronald, became foster parents and she wondered how the system handled things like prom and homecoming. How did a girl find a dress? Karin and her sisters, Toni Boyd and Amber Conage, decided they wanted to help and founded Sisters Empowering Women, (SEW) Inc., in Tampa. They started with their Gowns for Girls program, providing free gown for girls in need including at-risk youth and girls in foster care.

Today, SEW works to support at-risk teenage girls in their journey to adulthood—teaching them how to communicate effectively, advocate for themselves, guard their mental health and value their voice.

Along with their gowns program, the organization provides mentors, conducts writing workshops, and works with girls as they decide what they want to do after high school. In

Founders of SEW, Toni Boyd, Karin Davis-Thompson and Amber Conage.

2022, SEW launched a Back to School Bash with backpacks filled with school supplies, vendors and workshops. Recently, SEW sponsored the Believe Project and provided Christmas gifts for teen girls who would have gone without a gift and support during the holi-

SEW Founder Karin Davis-Thompson with young girls in prom dresses.

days. To learn more, visit the group’s website: www.sistersempoweringwomen.org or email: sistersempoweringwomen@gmail.com

ONYX MAGAZINE 29

ONYX ON THE MOVE

O

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUNT LINDA!

NYX Magazine celebrated Linda Y. Braynen on her 90th birthday in City of Fort Pierce. Aunt Linda is the aunt of Publisher Rich Black. Her family, friends and fellow church members gathered at First Bethel Baptist Church for a festive brunch draped in her favorite shades of pink. City

Commissioner Curtis Johnson, Jr., presented a proclamation for her special day. In March 2022, the ONYX Foundation named the Udell T. Black and Linda Y. Braynen Legacy Scholarship in honor of Braynen and Rich Black’s mother. Photos courtesy of Fort Pierce City Commissioner Curtis Johnson, Jr.

ONYX Magazine Pubisher Rich Black, Linda Braynen and City Commissioner Curtis Johnson, Jr.

The City of Fort Pierce gave a birthday proclamation.

Keynote speaker Demetrius Summerville

Westside educators

IN HIGH SPIRITS PHOTOS BY MARY MAXWELL

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t’s a holiday party for the entire community and the Westside does it better and better each year! At Christmas, communities in Orlando’s city districts 5 and 6 come together to celebrate the season. In December, about 150 residents gathered at Second Harvest Food Bank for a festive reunion with Christmas music, delicious food and, best of all, friends and family. The event celebrated the efforts of educators who live within the communities; and several leaders received Community Hero awards: Legacy Award Recipient Mary Niblack, Lake Sunset; Bernice Edwards, Rock Lake; Shirley Bradley, Clear Lake/ Hollando/Bunche Manor; Robin Andrea Honor, Lake Mann Estates; Johnnie Mickle, Lake Sunset; Bernadette Davis-Stuckey, Lake Lorna Doone; Pearl Ings, Spring Lake. The keynote speaker was Demetrius Summerville of Lift Orlando who gave inspiring words for the holiday. The residents thank the sponsors ONYX Magazine, City Commissioner Regina I. Hill of District 5, and West Lakes Neighborhood Association.

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SPORTS

CHANGING

THE GAME FOOTBALL LEAGUE FOCUSES ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

BY SHARON FLETCHER JONES

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n 2019, Arnel Scott, an experienced physical trainer and electrician and Rosanna Feliz, a multi-talented military veteran, established The Polk County Rise, Inc. The organization was recognized in 2020 as a 501c3 organization to serve the Central Florida community and beyond with health and wellness programs, education, and social services referrals.

With very few resources and loads of determination, the husband-andwife team created the Rise organization for the purpose of giving Polk County residents a safe, healthy and affordable outlet through sports activities. The Rise began as a semi-pro football team, open to adult men 18 years and older. Team members include players with little experience, some who played high school or college ball, ex-offenders seeking opportunities to turn their lives around, and others seeking to take their athletic talents to higher levels while giving back to their community. The organization is currently expanding to include girls’ basketball.

Since 2019, Rise players and volunteer staff working together have made many significant contributions and accomplishments including sponsorship and participation in the Polk County Christmas Parades and Youth 5k races, contributing more than 3,500 volunteer hours toward community service and training and gameday preparation. In addition to providing gameday footage and physical training assessments, the organization has participated in local fundraisers and community events including walks for breast cancer research, mental health awareness and Alzheimer’s research, One Blood donation drives, Rise Family Fun Day, and the Odessa Chambliss Quality of Life Annual Praise Luncheon.

Board, staff and volunteers have supported players and other staff in starting new businesses and furthering their education. Additionally, the Rise have helped three of its athletes secure paid opportunities playing arena football for the Wenatchee Valley Seahawks in Washington and the Tampa Tornadoes. The Polk County Rise continue to provide opportunities for character development, wellness practices, and community service for the coaches, players and their families and the community at large primarily through their football program.

“Playing sports helps you stay in shape and teaches you how to make the best of your time. It boosts friendships and helps build relationships between players and coaches and even the people in the stands,” says player Taize Williams.

As tryouts gear up and their regular season gets underway, the Rise are now expanding their vision to become a one-stop resource for health and wellness for Polk County, the Central Florida community and counties beyond. The organization will offer mental health services, referrals for employment, housing, food, and education, along with increased support for entrepreneurs.

“Our mission is to make these vital services accessible to all who need them,” says Arnel Scott, the president. He added, “Yeah, it’s about teamwork and winning games but it’s more about helping people win at life.”

Visit https://www.polkcountyrise.org/ to find out how you can support the Rise!

Sharon Fletcher Jones is an associate editor at ONYX Magazine and freelance writer.

ONYX MAGAZINE 31

E LE VAT E

RE-MEMBERING OUR HISTORY: THE POWER OF RESTORING ANCESTRAL MEMORY

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BY MWATA KAIRI (KEVIN WASHINGTON, PH.D.)

he Father of Black History Month, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, wrote, “If a race has no history…if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.”

Through Re-membering our powerful past, we make a proclamation that we will continue to exist.

You can never be completely understood if some knowledge of your past and current experiences are not brought into full mental relief. Historic events and past experiences shape the way people view themselves and how they act within the world.

Your past events combine with your personality and spiritual essence serves to influence your beingness in the world. It is the nexus of experiences, personality (temperament) and spirit essence that you find your identity, purpose and directions in life. It is here that you find your voice in the world. This is true of Black History and the Afrikan experience of the so called Afrikan slave trade or Maafa.

The Maafa (Afrikan Holocaust) is one event that has had a deleterious effect on Afrikan people globally. It is here that we must examine and appreciate Black History. By looking at the Maafa, you are able to see that we have a great Afrikan past that predates the enslavement experience.

The Arabs and Europeans went into a thriving continent, with brilliant people thriving within great civilizations. The forced removal of a people from one place and their subsequent dispersal throughout the world, known as the Afrikan Diaspora, for the purpose their intellect and strength must be examined, however, it should never be the starting point of Black History.

The internal strengths to forge a new reality through science, technology and spirit expressiveness must be acknowledged. Each day Afrikans are forced to draw upon their innate and cultural prowess to create a reality that reflected their true value in the world. It is this intellect that invented the telephone, lightbulb, the traffic light, cell phone, microphone, and more. This genius did not first appear in the Afrikan Diaspora, but rather it was in our ancestor’s DNA. 32 ONYX MAGAZINE

THE UNREMITTING REALTY When it comes to the Afrikan enslavement experience, there has been never been a point, in the past 500 years, that Afrikans have not been under attack.

As it relates to the Afrikans of the Afrikan Diaspora, it is clear that defaming assaults have been constant. In the Diaspora, Afrikans have had the unfortunate opportunity of experience of being perpetually aggressed against by European terrorists. There is no post trauma for us but rather it is persistent trauma. We know that experience as Persistent Enslavement Systemic Trauma (PEST). We have over 20 generations of being lynched, castrated, beaten, sodomized, raped, brutalized and in other ways terrorized in the Diaspora of Afrikans. Our divine strength has kept through it all.

WE RE-MEMBER TO RISE We rise up as a result of remembering past greatness and pains. We must not forget the lessons of the past. One who fails to learn from their past is destined to repeat it. This dictum clearly indicates why we must never forget. Dr. John Henrik Clark states that, “History is not everything, but it is a starting point. History is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day. It is a compass they use to find themselves on the map of human geog-

raphy. It tells them where they are but, more importantly, what they must be. History tells them how far they have come and how far they still must go.” The fact that Europeans keep coming for us means that they have not won yet. What is within us is strong and cannot be destroyed by another human.

We remember the Maafa and our historical greatness from Ancient Afrika (Alkebulan, Punt Kush, Ta-Seti…) to remind us of the fact that we are of divine origins and that the divine empowers us to be victorious in spite of all that comes against us. Like the Afrikan (Boukman) in the Haitian Revolution, we rise up, like the Warriors fighting with Chaka Zulu, Queen Nzinga, Nana Asantewaa, Ndate Yalla, El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, Nathaniel Turner, Harriet Tubman…we rise and win.

The genius within our DNA will allow us to continue to forge ahead. Let Black History be that time where we Re-member our ancestral greatness. After re-member, we rise and move to outshine that which seeks to dampen our light.

We are the divine light of and in the world. Let us shine for generations to come.

Dr. Kevin Washington is the head of Sociology and Psychology at Grambling University in Grambling, La.

ONYX READS

RHYME & REASON BOOKS THAT TELL OUR HISTORY

YOU DON’T KNOW US NEGROES AND OTHER ESSAYS

By Zora Neale Hurston, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (editor), M. Genevieve West (editor) Coming January 10, 2023 One of the most acclaimed artists of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston was a gifted novelist, playwright, and essayist. Drawn from three decades of her work, this anthology showcases her development as a writer, from her early pieces expounding on the beauty and precision of African American art to some of her final published works, covering the sensational trial of Ruby McCollum, a wealthy Black woman convicted in 1952 for killing a white doctor.

Among the selections are Hurston’s well-known works such as “How It Feels to be Colored Me” and “My Most Humiliating Jim Crow Experience.”

REPARATIONS ON FIRE: HOW AND WHY IT’S SPREADING ACROSS AMERICA

By Nkechi Taifa “Reparations on Fire” explores the spread of the reparation movement’s multiple fronts, encompassing the local, national, and international arenas, much of it occurring between 2020-2022. This book exists because of both the promise and danger of this moment, and because of the rapidly spreading momentum across the country on the issue.

Reparations on Fire describes history in the making. It is part historical analysis, part revolutionary manifesto, and part political red alert. Reparations on Fire is proud to bring additional value to the reparations movement as it goes about the necessary tasks of concretizing its goals and objectives.

WALKING THE WAY OF HARRIET TUBMAN: PUBLIC MYSTIC AND FREEDOM FIGHTER

By Therese Taylor-Stinson Coming February 14, 2023 Harriet Tubman, freedom fighter and leader in the Underground Railroad, is one of the most significant figures in U.S. history. Her courage and determination in bringing enslaved people to freedom have established her as an icon of the abolitionist movement. But behind the history of the heroine called "Moses" was a woman of deep faith. In “Walking the Way of Harriet Tubman,” Therese Taylor-Stinson introduces Harriet, a woman born into slavery whose unwavering faith in God and practices in prayer and contemplation carried her through insufferable abuse and hardship. Her deep spirituality rooted in mysticism, Christianity, and African indigenous beliefs sustained her escape from slavery and led her to an internal liberation, giving her the strength and purpose to lead others on the road to freedom.

BIRMINGHAM, 1963

By Carole Boston Weatherford Coming January 17, 2023 In 1963, the eyes of the world were on Birmingham, Ala., a flashpoint for the civil rights movement.

Birmingham was one of the most segregated cities in the United States. Civil rights demonstrators were met with police dogs and water cannons. On Sunday, September 15, 1963, members of the Ku Klux Klan planted sticks of dynamite at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, which served as a meeting place for civil rights organizers. The explosion killed four little girls. Their murders shocked the nation and turned the tide in the struggle for equality.

JUSTICE RISING: 12 AMAZING BLACK WOMEN IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

By Katheryn RussellBrown, Illustrated by Kim Holt Coming January 10, 2023 A celebration of twelve Black women who were pivotal to the civil rights movement and the fight for justice and equal rights in America.

You’ve heard the names Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, but what about the many other women who were crucial to the civil rights movement? Told through twelve short biographies, this book celebrates just some of the many Black women — each of whom has been largely underrepresented until now — who were instrumental to the nation’s fight for civil rights and the contributions they made in driving the Movement forward.

A CHILD’S INTRODUCTION TO JAZZ: THE MUSICIANS, CULTURE, AND ROOTS OF THE WORLD’S COOLEST MUSIC

By Jabari Asim Get ready to swing with “A Child’s Introduction to Jazz,” an interactive journey into one of the richest and most soulful music genres in the world. Listen while you learn with QR codes that will connect you to the instruments and musical flair of jazz. You’ll learn all about the roots of jazz in Africa and New Orleans and how the music traveled to different parts of the United States and around the world. Along the way you’ll meet legendary artists who helped shape the genre.

ONYX MAGAZINE 33

UPWARD

5000 Role Models of Excellence Celebrates 30 Years ONYX MAGAZINE PUBLISHER RICH BLACK WILL BE HONORED AMONG OUTSTANDING MEN.

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson

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he 30th Anniversary 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Scholarship Breakfast returns from a virtual hiatus to a live, in-person event, introducing national spokesperson, international star actor, poet, activist Omari Hardwick.

Through proceeds primarily from the annual fundraising breakfast, the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Foundation has given millions of dollars in scholarship support to children who never dreamed of going to college.

“This is the largest and most important Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day event of its kind in the nation,” said 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project Founder Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson. “Members of our diverse community, our sponsors and participants are

34 ONYX MAGAZINE

clamoring for our return to a live, in-person event. Here we are.”

During the event, ONYX Magazine Publisher Rich Black will be honored as a History Maker and bestowed the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Freedom and Justice Award for his outstanding accomplishment and leadership.

“When we seize opportunities to lead and mentor others, we help to build stronger individuals, thereby creating formidable communities,” said Black. “I and my colleagues at ONYX Magazine do not consider it robbery to stand in the gap for the vulnerable while championing the accomplishments of the influential. We connect people who need each other help to bridge the gaps of classism and other disparities. I am honored to receive this award on behalf of everyone at ONYX Magazine.”

Black is the publisher of ONYX Magazine — a 25-year-old publication ranked among the most critical voices to celebrate Black achievement. He is a visionary who transcended the publication by creating innovative programs that amplify community triumphs. They include ONYX Speaks, ONYX Business Connect, the annual Women on the Move luncheon, and the annual Men of Honor black-tie gala, all which reign as exceptional programs. Collectively, they have highlighted the masterwork of more than 200 of Florida’s most impactful and influential professionals since 2016.

As the architect of the ONYX Foundation, established in 2017, Black and his team illuminate paths to excellence through cultural enrichment, literacy, community enhancement, and financial well-being. The Foundation introduced a scholarship program to assist high school and college students who aspire to attend an institution of higher learning.

Rich Black The event will commemorate 30 years of mentoring, guidance, scholarships, and rubbing shoulders with some of the most recognized individuals South Florida and the world has to offer. The breakfast is South Florida’s premier event commemorating the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. and demonstrates the communitywide support of the mentoring program that has raised millions of dollars in scholarships since its founding in 1993.

Also, founder Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), will introduce her 45 Wilson Scholars in the class of 2023 to be awarded scholarships, induct new mentors and award Congressional Records.

The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, Inc. was founded in 1993 and has fulfilled the mission of guiding minority boys along a carefully charted path to manhood and sending them to college.

BE A PART OF

HIGHWAYMEN HISTORY

Order your Florida Highwaymen Specialty License Plate Voucher

www.flhsmv.gov Proceeds from the sales of Highwayment specialty license plates will help fund the construction of the Highwaymen Museum and African-American Cultural Center, as well as art education projects in St. Lucie County.

E D U C AT I O N

CULTURAL ID D

ays spent in the classroom often are centered around language, reading, math, science and other traditional curriculum, but there is another key subject students may learn about without even realizing it: themselves. While coming to understand one’s family background and culture may seem like a daunting task for school-aged children, it can actually be a simple (and fun) opportunity for discovery.

LaRayne Woster is the Native American Studies Lead and Cultural Specialist at St. Joseph’s Indian School, a small nonprofit Native American school making a difference in preserving the culture and heritage of its students. As a cultural specialist, Woster developed a unique project with her students, helping them discover who they are and where they came from.

By developing fun and informative activities like learning their creation story; learning traditional arts, crafts and dances; making a traditional meal; and understanding religious traditions, she challenged her students to connect with their ancestry.

While this activity focused on Native American children, Woster recommends parents and teachers use this exercise and share ideas to help any child connect with his or her own heritage, from Hispanic and African cultures to French, Irish and beyond. Schools like St. Joseph’s provide an environment ideal for students to make those connections as the school is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and families with a mission to educate mind, body, heart and spirit.

Consider these ways you can promote cultural connections.

1. Bond with Someone Who Knows the Culture. One of the easiest ways students can introduce themselves to their own history is by talking with relatives, friends or neighbors who can share wisdom and knowledge. These mentors can provide direction and educational opportunities while taking part in games, dances, storytelling and other cultural traditions.

2. Learn a Traditional Game and Share It. Throughout history, people of all cultures played games and took part in activities to spark creative

freedom and break free from everyday stressors. Learning and participating in one of these games offers children a fun, hands-on way to connect with their heritage.

3. Cook Traditional Foods. While family reunions and holidays are often filled with your loved ones’ favorite meals, the foods of your ancestors may differ dramatically from today’s classics. Connecting with the past can be as easy as researching recipes, heading to the store for a few ingredients and spending cherished moments together in the kitchen.

4. Do a Traditional Dance. Folk dances from around the world have been passed down from generation to generation. Native American grass dances, Lakota dances and rain dances are popular examples that offer lively, entertaining ways to connect with the past.

5. Study Oral Traditions and Learn to Tell the Stories. Whether your culture dates back hundreds of years or thousands, there are tales to be told.

Learn some of your ancestors’ most influential stories from creation and ancient history to modern folktales and retell them to friends and family.

6. Read the Works of Early Authors. Studying your culture’s most wellknown authors, fiction or non-fiction, can give you a glimpse into the past.

Even fictional works provide a gateway to the thinking, traditions, beliefs and more of those who came before you.

7. Learn the Traditional Language. For students whose ancestors spoke a different language or communicated in a different manner than people today, studying that language provides a direct connection to the culture.

In fact, learning the language can be an exciting experience to communicate with an elder in your community who speaks fluently.

8. Come to Know and Respect Your Family. While history and its traditions may seem long, long ago, your closest possible connections to that past are the loved ones you see every day. Bonding over your newfound knowledge of your shared heritage is a profound opportunity to grow closer, connect with your background and celebrate those who came before you.

ONYX MAGAZINE 37

STORY PROVIDED BY FAMILY FEATURES. PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

HOW TO HELP KIDS BECOME AWARE OF THEMSELVES

THE QUAD

“B

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMER ED REED TO LEAD THE WILDCATS

ethune-Cookman University Athletics has entered an agreement in principle with Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed to be its 16th head football coach,” according to a statement from the school. Reed, who most recently was the football chief of staff at Miami, had previously expressed interest in coaching in college. In fact, he reportedly was offered the Grambling State job in 2021 before the school hired Hue Jackson as head coach. “We are excited to hear that Ed has been named the head football

coach at Bethune-Cookman,” Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich said. “Ed is one of the best to ever wear a Miami Hurricanes uniform and he has served as a great mentor to our student-athletes the past three years. He will do a tremendous job leading the Wildcats program and the entire Miami family wishes him all the best.” Before his time on the Miami staff, Reed was an assistant defensive backs coach with the Buffalo Bills in 2016. Reed, who is from Louisiana, was part of Miami’s 2001 national championship team. HBCU Sports

EWC ENDOWMENT GETS BOOST

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dward Waters University has an overall goal to double its endowment by 2025, but that goal was accomplished at the inauguration when long-time EWU supporters and philanthropists Michael Ward and Jennifer Glock announced a $2.5 million partnership gift to the endowment fund. Ward made the announcement after sharing how he was initially apprehensive concerning Faison’s audacious agenda when

38 ONYX MAGAZINE

he first took on the job, becoming the nation’s youngest HBCU president at 37. Ward said he’s been involved with EWU since 2007. But after the university continually improved under Faison’s leadership, including increasing enrollment and changing the institution’s finances for the better, after many years of reporting losses, Ward said he has to admit that he was wrong. Edward Waters University

FAMU KICKS OFF INITIATIVE TO BOOST STUDENT/ COMMUNITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP

FAMU and Blackstone Kickoff LaunchPad Initiative to Drive Student, Faculty and Community Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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he Florida A&M University School of Business and Industry’s (SBI) Interdisciplinary Center for Creativity and Innovation (ICCI) has partnered with the Blackstone Charitable Foundation to create and enhance the entrepreneurial mindset at FAMU and in the surrounding Southside community. LaunchPad is a grant-funded program awarded to FAMU’s ICCI initiative that provides entrepreneurial training, skill building, career development and networking opportunities to FAMU students, alumni, and local and regional partners. Students can use the program components to learn more about starting and maintaining a business, network with entrepreneurial mentors in the field, participate in conferences, workshops, and other learning sessions, and much more. Students can also strengthen their pitch performance through participation in competitions and hackathons and earn prizes that can be used toward funding their businesses. FAMU is joining Florida State University and three other Florida colleges and universities in Blackstone’s $5 million expansion of their LaunchPad network to Florida, becoming part of a robust network that includes 50 colleges and universities nationally and services over 1 million students. SBI Dean Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Ph.D., said she appreciates the support from the LaunchPad initiative to “complement the entrepreneurial ecosystem resources that Florida A&M University provides for our students and faculty.The entrepreneurial training that our students will receive will enable them to make greater contributions to the economic development in our communities,” Friday-Stroud added. Andrew Skerritt/FAMU

THE QUAD

POLL FINDS HBCU GRADS MORE SATISFIED WITH COLLEGE EXPERIENCE

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lumni of HBCUs are more satisfied with their educational experiences than Black alumni of other institutions are. This satisfaction translates into higher ratings of the quality and value of the institutions they attended. In an Urban Institute analysis of Strada Education Network data,10 compared to their peers who attended other institutions, black HBCU attendees are particularly more likely to report they learned important

skills they use in their day-to-day life and to believe that their education makes them an attractive candidate to employers (see Figure 1). This combination of satisfaction with quality and value in addition to the enduring benefits in professional and day-to-day living is a strong endorsement of the education experiences HBCUs provide. Read the survey’s entire findings at cci.stradaeducation. org.. Center for Education Consumer Insights

GATES TO LEAD NEW AFRICAN AMERICAN ENGLISH DICTIONARY

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arvard University-based historian and Finding Your Roots host Henry Louis Gates Jr. will be the editorin-chief of Oxford’s new dictionary entitled the Oxford Dictionary of African American English. This dictionary, slated to debut in 2025, will provide a comprehensive collection of words and phrases created and used by Black Americans, past and present. Gates Jr., Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, announced the project officially in an interview with the New York Times. “Just the way Louis Armstrong took the trumpet and turned it inside out from the way people played European classical music,” Gates Jr. said. “Black people took English and “reinvented it, to make it reflect their sensibilities and to make it mirror their cultural selves.” “Words with African ori-

HARVARD UNIVERSITY NAMES FIRST BLACK WOMAN AS PRESIDENT

gins such as ‘ ‘goober,’ ‘gumbo’ and ‘okra’ survived the Middle Passage along with our African ancestors,” Gates Jr. said. “And words that we take for granted today, such as ‘cool’ and ‘crib,’ ‘hokum’ and ‘diss,’ ‘hip’ and ‘hep,’ ‘bad,’ meaning ‘good,’ and ‘dig,’ meaning ‘to understand ’— these are just a tiny fraction of the words that have come into American English from African American speakers … over the last few hundred years.”

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laudine Gay, a widely admired higher education leader and distinguished scholar of democracy and political participation, will become the 30th president of Harvard University on July 1. Since 2018, Gay has served as the Edgerley Family Dean of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), the University’s largest and most academically diverse faculty, spanning the biological and physical sciences and engineering, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts. As dean, she has guided efforts to expand student access and opportunity, spur excellence and innovation in teaching and research, enhance aspects of academic culture, and bring new emphasis and energy to areas such as quantum science and engineering; climate change; ethnicity, indigeneity, and migration; and the humanities.

She has successfully led FAS through the COVID pandemic, consistently and effectively prioritizing the dual goals of safeguarding community health and sustaining academic continuity and progress. The disruptive effects of the crisis notwithstanding, she has also

launched and led an ambitious, inclusive, and faculty-driven strategic planning process, intended to take a fresh look at fundamental aspects of academic structures, resources, and operations in FAS and to advance academic excellence in the years ahead. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Gay received her bachelor’s degree in 1992 from Stanford, where she majored in economics and was awarded the Anna Laura Myers Prize for best undergraduate thesis. In 1998, she received her Ph.D. in government from Harvard, where she won the Toppan Prize for best dissertation in political science. A quantitative social scientist with expertise in political behavior, Gay served as an assistant professor and then tenured associate professor at Stanford before being recruited to Harvard in 2006 as a professor of government.

She was also appointed a professor of African and African American Studies in 2007. She was named the Wilbur A. Cowett Professor of Government in 2015, when she also became dean of social science at FAS. Harvard University ONYX MAGAZINE 39

FLO RI DA SCO PE / B E YO N D FLO RI DA

ONYX MAGAZINE SALUTES PELE

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elé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died December 29, 2022. He was 82. The standard-bearer of “the beautiful game” had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he had been hospitalized for the last month said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer. Widely regarded as one of soccer’s greatest players, Pelé spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team. His grace, athleticism and mesmerizing moves transfixed players and fans. He orchestrated a fast, fluid style that revolutionized the sport — a samba-like flair that personified his country’s elegance on the field. AP News

REEMPLOYMENT TAX RATE STAYS LOW

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he Florida Department of Revenue announced in December that more than 55% of Florida's employers will continue to pay the lowest possible rate for reemployment taxes in 2023. This is the eighth consecutive year employers are benefitting from the low rate of 0.1 percent. Those contributions go toward a program focused on helping Florida's job seekers become reemployed. This lowest possible rate was maintained through legislation passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor DeSantis, which excludes the positive adjustment factor from the reemployment tax rate calculation and requires out-of-state online retailers to compete on a level playing field with locally owned small businesses and other Florida-based companies.

Florida Department of Revenue

Black-owned businesses receive funding, training

JACKSONVILLE BUSINESSES GET FUNDING

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he commercial district of Northwest Jacksonville has existed for decades as an area of neglect. Once-thriving businesses have fought to survive amid urban blight that is amplified by dilapidated buildings with damaged facades. In some areas, the asphalt of once smooth historical streets continues to erode, while crime stays high and employment remains low. A consortium of businesses and organizations have launched a program to do something about that, kicking off the Jacksonville Commercial Corridor Enhancement Project on Friday. Organizers include the Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Corp, the Black Business Investment Fund and the Greater First Coast Chamber of Commerce. While the development corporation and the investment fund have been working on economic development issues for decades, the Greater First Coast Chamber of Commerce is a newer organization, starting in 2021 to "represent underrepresented businesses of North Florida and Southeast Georgia." In December, Wells Fargo announced the donation of $300,000 to the three organizations, with the money slated to be distributed as grants to businesses in the corridor. The bank also contributed $35,000 to pay for a Moncrief Business needs assessment survey and technical assistance, including workshops to help businesses apply for funding.

The assessment survey indicated that access to capital was the biggest issue facing small-business owners in the area, a need cited by 22 of the 30 business owners who returned a survey. Penny Dickerson

SEVEN FLORIDA CITIES AMONG TOP 10 FASTEST GROWING IN U.S.

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he fastest-growing cities in the country are determined by the net migration of each metro area, which is measured by the growth or decline of the population over the past five years. The percent increase in that period of time is how U.S. News determines the metro areas where the most people are moving. The top 10 cities are: 6. Ocala, FL 1. Myrtle Beach, SC 7. Port St. Lucie, FL 2. Lakeland, FL 8. Daytona Beach, FL 3. Sarasota, FL 9. Naple, FL 4. Fort Myers, FL 10. Austin, TX 5. Boise, ID Other Florida cities in the top 20, Melbourne #12; Jacksonville #14; Tampa #15.

U.S. News & World Report ONYX MAGAZINE 41

REPRESENTATIVE

DIANNE HART CHAIR OF THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS

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was humbled and honored to be chosen by my colleagues of the Legislative Black Caucus to serve as chair for the next two years. The Legislative Black Caucus is 29 strong; made up of four Republicans and 25 Democrats — standing in the gap for Black and the most vulnerable Floridians.

We are the majority of the Democratic Caucus of both Legislative Chambers. As a caucus we have an unprecedented opportunity to tackle and change bread and butter issues that affect everyday people despite a Republican majority. Bread and butter issues such as the housing crisis, education, criminal justice reform, insurance, adequate funding for our Historically Black Colleges and Universities and more. Each member of this caucus brings a unique experience from remarkably diverse districts.

Each of us has been tasked with advocating for Blacks in halls that often lack their voice in rooms that many days lack their representation, and in chambers whose walls lack our faces of leadership. It is not something I take lightly. I understand the assignment!

My philosophy since being elected in 2018 has been to not let those who are supposedly superior to you strip away any hopes that you have or your zeal to go after what you desire.

If they will not listen or they do not take you seriously, make them listen. Show them just how serious you are.

I am confident in this caucus and its mission; we are united in the belief that everyone deserves a seat at the table. Let's go!

PA I D F O R B Y T H E L E G I S L AT I V E B L A C K C A U C U S

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2022-2023 FLORIDA SENATE MEMBERSHIP

Senator Tracie Davis District 05, Jacksonville

Senator Darryl Rouson District 16, St. Petersburg/Tampa

Senator Shervin Jones District 34, Miami Gardens

Senator Dr. Rosalind Osgood District 32, Ft. Lauderdale

Senator Bobby Powell, Jr. District 24, West Palm Beach

Senator Corey Simon District 03, Tallahassee

Senator Geraldine Thompson District 15, Orlando/Windemere

2022-2023 FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEMBERSHIP

Representative Bruce Antone District 41, Orlando

Representative Webster Barnaby District 29, Orange City

Representative Christopher Benjamin District 107, Miami Gardens

Representative LaVon Bracy Davis District 40, Orlando

Representative Daryl Campbell District 99, Ft. Lauderdale

Representative Kevin Chambliss District 117, Miami

Representative Kimberly Daniels District 14, Jacksonville

Representative Fentrice Driskell District 67, North Tampa

Representative Lisa Dunkley District 97, Lauderdale Lakes

Representative Jervonte Edmonds District 88, West Palm Beach

Representative Gallop Franklin District 08, Tallahassee

Representative Ashley Gantt District 109, Miami

Representative Dianne Hart District 63, Tampa

Representative Yvonne Hinson District 21, Gainesville

Representative Berny Jacques District 59, Largo

Representative Dotie Joseph District 108, Miami

Representative Kiyan Michael District 16, Jacksonville

Representative Angie Nixon District 13, Jacksonville

Representative Michelle Rayner-Goolsby District 62, St. Petersburg

Representative Felicia Robinson District 104, Miami Gardens

Representative Pat Williams District 98, Pompano Beach

Representative Marie Woodson District 105, Hollywood

ONYX MAGAZINE 43

P O L I T IG CO S V&E R GN OM V EE RNNT M E N T

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New Mental Health Service Available to Floridians

Cass is the newest addition to the behavioral health n December, Secretary Shevaun Harris announced that resources that have launched to assist individuals and famthe Department of Children and Families has launched a ilies impacted by Hurricane Ian. The Department, in collabnew behavioral health resource that is available to Floridoration with First Lady Casey DeSantis previously launched ians statewide. The Department has partnered with Cass to the Family Support Line to connect Hurricane Michael suroffer on-demand mental and behavioral health support. Develvivors with families impacted by Hurricane Ian. Individuals oped by mental health experts, Cass uses Artificial Intelligence who would like to talk with a Family Support Peer can call technology to deliver emotional support 24 hours a day, seven 888-850-SWFL. Also launched to assist following Hurridays a week though text messaging. cane Ian is the First Responder Support Line 407-823-1657.

Anyone seeking support can text the message "Hi" to 1-833This tool combines current resources into a single point of 365-CHAT (2428). Floridians can chat with Cass for emotional contact that will connect first responders with behavioral support at any time and learn tools to build resilience and Secretary Shevaun Harris health professionals. self-awareness. Cass follows up with reminders and check-ins The Florida Department of Health has partnered with BetterHelp to to reinforce use of skills learned in previous conversations and promote long-term resiliency. The text messages are available in English and Spanish. offer mental health services through three months of free online therapy "I am thankful for Governor DeSantis' commitment to prioritizing the to those impacted by Hurricane Ian. To access these free services, Floridavailability of resources to aid in all aspects of Hurricane Ian recovery," said ians can visit betterhelp.com/voucher and use code: HurricaneIan. BetterHelp will then prompt impacted Floridians with a questionnaire to best Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris.

"Individuals impacted by Hurricane Ian may experience the emotional match them with a licensed mental health professional.

To access all resources available from the Department, visit impacts at any point in the day. We are excited to launch this new resource MyFLFamilies.com/HurricaneIan. which makes getting support easily accessible day or night."

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SMART TIPS

STICKING TO IT HOW TO CREATE LIFE HABITS THAT STAY WITH YOU

BY SCOTT YOUNG

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our New Year’s resolution does not have to be a wish. With a small amount of initial discipline, you can create a new habit that requires little effort to maintain. Here are some tips for creating new habits and making them stick:

1. COMMIT TO THIRTY DAYS Three to four weeks is all the time you need to make a habit automatic. If you can make it through the initial conditioning phase, it becomes much easier to sustain.

2. MAKE IT DAILY Consistency is critical if you want to make a habit stick. If you want to start exercising, go to the gym every day for your first thirty days.

Activities you do once every few days are trickier to lock in as habits.

3. START SIMPLE It is easy to get over-motivated and take on too much. If you want to study two hours a day, start with thirty minutes and build on that.

Scott Young writes for LifeHack, where this story first appeared.

4. REMIND YOURSELF Around two weeks into your commitment it can be easy to forget. Place reminders to execute your habit each day or you might miss a few days, which defeats the purpose.

5. STAY CONSISTENT The more consistent your habit the easier it will be to stick. Try doing the habit at the same time, in the same place for your first thirty days.

6. GET A BUDDY Find someone who will go along with you and keep you motivated if you feel like quitting.

7. FORM A TRIGGER A trigger is a ritual you use right before executing your habit. If you wanted to quit smoking you could practice snapping your fingers each time you felt the urge to pick up a cigarette.

8. REPLACE LOST NEEDS If you are giving up something in your habit, make sure you are adequately replacing any needs you have lost. If watching television gave you a way to relax, you could take up meditation instead.

9. BE IMPERFECT Don’t expect all your attempts to change habits to be successful immediately. Try your best, but expect a few bumps along the way.

10. USE “BUT” When you start to think negative thoughts, use the word “but” to interrupt it. “I’m no good at this, but, if I work at it, I will get better later.”

11. REMOVE TEMPTATION Restructure your environment so it won’t tempt you in the first thirty days. Remove junk food from your house, cancel your cable subscription, throw out the cigarettes to avoid struggle with willpower.

12. ASSOCIATE WITH ROLE MODELS Spend more time with people who model your desired habits. A recent study found that having an obese friend indicated you were more likely to become fat.

You become what you spend time around.

habit and performing an alternative. Finally, end that sequence with an image of yourself in a highly positive state.

15. WRITE IT DOWN A piece of paper with a resolution on it isn’t that important. Writing that resolution is. Writing makes your ideas clearer and focuses you on your end result.

16. KNOW THE BENEFITS Familiarize yourself with the benefits of making a change: Notice changes in energy levels after you take on a new diet; imagine getting better grades after improving your study habits.

17. KNOW THE PAIN Exposing yourself to realistic information about the downsides of not making a change will give you added motivation.

18. DO IT FOR YOURSELF Don’t worry about all the things you “should” have as habits. Instead tool your habits toward your goals and the things that motivate you.

13. RUN IT AS AN EXPERIMENT Withhold judgment until after a month has past and use it as an experiment in behavior.

Experiments can’t fail, they just have different results and different perspective on changing your habit.

14. SEE IT Visualize yourself performing the bad habit. Next visualize yourself pushing aside the bad

ONYX MAGAZINE 45

C O M M E N TA RY

CLOUT-CHASING OR GOOD BUSINESS? CALLING DEION SANDERS A SELLOUT IGNORES THE GROWING ROLE OF CLOUT-CHASING IN COLLEGE SPORTS.

BY SCOTT YOUNG

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or most college football coaches, the move from a mid-major conference to a Power Five conference would be met with widespread praise.

Not so for Deion Sanders.

When the Pro Football Hall of Famer announced he would be leaving Jackson State University, where he has coached the football team since 2020, to become head coach at the University of Colorado Boulder, many ardent fans and supporters reacted with dismay and disbelief—particularly his fans and supporters from the Black community.

Jackson State is one of 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs. Some HBCU alumni and supporters saw Sanders as betraying the cause of rejuvenating HBCU sports and returning them to a time when football greats such as Jerry Rice, Walter Payton and Steve McNair attended HBCUs as a steppingstone to professional stardom.

Debates about whether he was a “sellout,” a “traitor” and a “hypocrite” quickly surfaced on social media and in major media outlets.

As a scholar who specializes in Black culture, I was struck by the ways in which this Sanders story was tied to a concept I write about called clout-chasing. It’s a process in which cultural capital is harnessed on social media to attract media attention, likes, followers and fame. You’ll often see young people looking to launch careers as content creators described as clout chasers.

Institutions, however, can also chase clout. And I saw Jackson State doing just that when it hired Deion Sanders.

BLACK SCHOOLS MATTER Over the past decade–after the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the spread of national anthem protests and the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor–HBCUs have received more attention and investment as places for the revitalization and advancement of the Black community.

In 2019, Black billionaire Robert Smith promised to pay the student loan debt of that year’s entire graduating class at Morehouse College. In the summer of 2021, the Department of Education awarded more than US$500 million in grants to HBCUs. Finally, President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan and other forms of pandemic relief have provided nearly $3.7 billion in relief funding to HBCUs. HBCU athletic departments have also received increased visibility.

Though HBCU programs have always been overshadowed by schools in conferences like the Big Ten and SEC–what are known as Power Five conferences–HBCU sports have started to receive more national television coverage. Top recruits have started taking official visits to HBCUs as they weigh which school to commit to.

In the summer of 2020, after star basketball recruit Makur Maker spurned offers from the University of Kentucky and UCLA to attend How46 ONYX MAGAZINE

Sanders smiles and holds up a special jersey with his nickname during the press conference announcing his hiring. (Photos by Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado)

ard University, The New York Times proclaimed that a movement of top Black athletes attending HBCUs was underway.

A STAR WITH STAYING POWER Like many, I grew up watching Deion Sanders play professional football and baseball. I idolized him. He wore gold chains, danced his way to the end zone, wore expensive suits and—most importantly–he was a celebrity who fully embraced Black popular culture. He was also one of the first athletes to understand that he was a brand off the field.

His appeal transcended race, gender and class, putting him in a rarefied group that includes Michael Jordan, Serena Williams and LeBron James.

Even after his playing career ended in 2005, Sanders’ star never dimmed.

He had his own reality show produced by Oprah, has served as a regular analyst on the NFL Network, and has acted as a pitchman for companies like Nike, Under Armour, American Airlines and Aflac.

C O M M E N TA RY While boosting Jackson State’s profile, Sanders also presented himself as someone scholars like Brandon J. Manning have termed a “race man,” or a loyal member of the Black race who dedicates their life to directly contributing to the betterment of Black people.

Under the pretense of looking out for the future of HBCU athletics, Sanders said he would be better positioned than anybody to protect the legacy of HBCUs. Black student athletes, he argued, should choose to go to Jackson State because their association with him would not only give them clout, but also the kind of attention and encouragement that they could expect to receive from a Power Five program.

Yet it was always going to be close to impossible to keep Sanders at Jackson State if he consistently won.

Many suspected that Sanders eventually wanted to compete against top-tier programs like the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama. In fact, during an October 2022 interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Sanders talked openly about listening to offers from bigger schools.

Despite these realities, many Black folk wanted to believe Sanders would be in it for the long haul. Now they’re dismayed, believing the momentum Sanders gave to HBCU athletics could come to a screeching halt.

This story has been republished through a creative commons license with TheConversation.

GOD CHANGES HIS MIND

Sanders has also seamlessly adapted to the social media era, regularly posting videos on Instagram to an audience of 3 million followers.

Simply put, he is still one of the most famous people in the world.

Like his younger counterparts with huge online followings–digital natives like Odell Beckham Jr. and LaMelo Ball–Sanders possesses an immense amount of digital clout.

COACH PRIME JOINS THE HBCU RANKS I was hardly surprised when Sanders made a quick splash in Jackson.

Fueled by the talents of his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and former top high school recruit Travis Hunter, Jackson State quickly attracted national attention as a HBCU powerhouse.

After a COVID-shortened 2020 season, Sanders, whose players affectionately call him Coach Prime, led the school to two consecutive appearances at the Celebration Bowl, an annual game in which the champions of the two prominent HBCU conferences face off.

But unlike some prominent Black cultural critics who derided Sanders’ decision, I don’t think he’s a sellout.

Jackson State was arguably chasing some clout of its own when it hired Deion in the first place. At the time, Sanders was a coach with no experience beyond the high school level. He did, however, have plenty of experience performing–and winning–in the brightest of spotlights.

Jackson State probably knew that taking a flier on an untested celebrity coach would be worth it: It would attract attention and, with it, money.

On the flip side, I also believe Sanders knew that he could build his coaching clout further at Jackson State by appealing to what sociologist Saida Grundy calls the Black respectability politics and Christian values of HBCU campuses. You could see this when he said that God told him “to even the playing field” for those who attend Black schools.

It was a symbiotic arrangement all along: Sanders leveraged his clout to grow the program that embraced him, but he was also hoping to attract the attention of an even bigger program.

I believe Sanders ultimately did more good than harm in terms of raising the profile of HBCU athletics. Furthermore, one person was never going to catapult HBCUs to the prominence of Power Five programs.

Sanders is part of a bigger group of former professional players and coaches leading HBCU programs. Former NFL head coach Hue Jackson now heads the football program at Grambling State University; NFL Pro Bowler Eddie George currently mans the sidelines at Tennessee State University; Olympic gold medalist Cynthia Cooper-Dyke coaches the women’s basketball team at Texas Southern University; and NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed was tapped in December to coach at Bethune-Cookman University.

If Sanders was a sellout, it was only in one sense: Jackson State football games routinely sold out during his tenure, shattering attendance records for the program.

Jabari M. Evans is an assistant professor of Race and Media at the University of South Carolina.

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W E A LT H

PROTECTin 2023 YOUR MONEY

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fter a holiday season spent racking up credit card bills, many Americans consider making financial resolutions in the new year. However, now is the perfect time to not only reevaluate your saving and spending, but also commit to creating a more holistic financial plan designed to protect your finances and your family. The best way to close the wealth gap is to follow tried and true sensible finance tips.

Consumers are seeking stability and preparedness in today’s uncertain economic environment, according to a recent Consumer Sentiment Tracker study by Lincoln Financial Group. With ongoing inflation and market volatility, 56% of respondents cited protection from risk as being most important to them. When it comes to thinking about their finances, people said they have the greatest interest in protecting their family (39%) followed by their income (26%).

“Our research reinforced the importance of financial solutions that can help consumers navigate through market cycles and protect their loved ones,” said a finance expert. “People are not only concerned about having enough to pay their bills, but also saving for retirement and preparing for the unexpected. It’s important to have a well-rounded financial plan that can address those risks, protect assets and create positive outcomes for today’s families.”

To achieve a stronger financial future, don’t neglect your finances in 2023—instead, add a little TLC (Talk, Learn, Commit). Resolve to create a robust financial plan using these three tips from Lincoln Financial:

1. TALK ABOUT IT Financial conversations play a crucial role. Be transparent with your loved ones about financial priorities so you can set expectations and work toward your shared financial goals. Initiate ongoing discussions to stay on track with everything from saving for retirement to paying for a long-term healthcare event, which can happen suddenly and be very costly. Also, consider talking to a financial professional who can help identify solutions that best meet your individual needs, as well as drive better outcomes. Lincoln’s research found those who work with financial professionals are more likely to prioritize retirement savings (26% vs. 10%).

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2. LEARN MORE ABOUT TAX-DEFERRED INVESTMENTS Life insurance can be more than just a death benefit, with some types of policies offering income replacement for unforeseen events. It can also protect your financial security from the impact of taxes, market volatility and longevity. It’s not just for individuals and families either, but businesses too. Also, consider diversifying your portfolio with an annuity, which can provide protected growth and monthly lifetime income to help cover expenses in retirement and ensure you have a stream of income.

3. COMMIT TO MAXIMIZING YOUR WORKPLACE BENEFITS Look into supplemental coverages like disability, accident and life insurance that may be available through your employer. Solutions like these protect against unexpected events that can disrupt your ability to provide for your family or drive you into additional debt. If you have an employer-sponsored retirement plan, make sure you are contributing and getting a match, if offered. Tap into any financial wellness tools offered at work to help provide you with an accurate picture of your holistic financial situation and lower stress.

With a robust plan, you can help ensure a solid financial future for you and your family.

BUSINESS

GET PERSONAL DURING MENTORSHIP AWARENESS MONTH, CONSIDER IF A PERSONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS RIGHT FOR YOU.

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hen you think about a “board of directors,” you may envision a big boardroom with a long table full of people with tons of experience making vital decisions for a company or organization. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have all that mental and practical power in your court? Here is how to create your own personal board of directors and it is as great as you imagine!

WHAT IS A PERSONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS? A personal board of directors is a metaphorical concept that enables you to be the CEO of your career. Whether you are just starting out in your career or have your eye on a significant leadership role, or maybe even see yourself as a C-level executive — we all need support and people to advise, guide, help us think differently, expose our blind spots, and be our sounding board for decisions.

Just like companies and non-profits have a board of directors who hold the CEO accountable as a steward of the business assets, investments, governance and decisions, you can develop a similar concept to support your career. Your personal board of directors acts in similar ways, and creating the right blend of diverse experience and perspectives allows the business to grow or shrink where needed.

BY KRISTEN STOCKTON want. Whether you are hiring them or just asking for advice, know why. Is it guidance on how to navigate your industry? Is it to advise you on how to approach a sensitive issue at work? Is it to give you feedback on your resume?

Map It Out and Diversify. Draw a literal large table on a sheet of paper with seats and put you at the head. Then start to identify who is already at the table helping you and do a bit of analysis.

Is this diverse, or is everyone my age, race, gender, and at my company? The more diverse your portfolio the better.

Evaluate. After you’ve been working with this group, evaluate what you have accomplished with your PBD. Are you talking with them at reasonable touchpoints? Are you implementing their advice? If not, they may not be the right fit, or you might desire something they can’t give.

Repeat. Over time you will repeat the steps as new seasons come into your life. People will naturally and organically rotate on and off your PBD.

WHO TO CHOOSE Mentors — people from whom you want to learn Peers — trusted colleagues with whom you can openly converse Sponsors — those who have the internal clout and influence at your current company to get you visibility and help you take risks Experts — an external industry leader Coach — an expert you hire to work with you Family — someone in your family who never steers you wrong and always speaks truth to you Faith — don’t discount your faith as a key part of your decision-making process.

YOUR MINDSET Reframe the words ‘I already know’ into ‘what can I learn?’ Develop a mindset that is open, accepting, and willing to be uncomfortable, because that is what it takes to grow. You need a heart that is soft and flexible not rigid. You are 100% accountable to the decisions you make, and you and you alone will reap what you sow.

NEXT STEPS Be Clear and Specific. Know what you are setting up the PBD to help you with. A PBD can be a powerful tool to support your career and the people you surround yourself with on your PBD are investing their time and experience to help you—respect that and get clear on what you ONYX MAGAZINE 49

WORKPLACE

OFFICE ROMANCE WHAT ARE YOU GETTING YOURSELF INTO?

BY CHANTAL GAUTIER

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alentine's Day has a way of making us feel all mushy inside. We want a love to hold our hands and we yearn for someone to cozy up with after a romantic night of dinner and dancing.

That's all good, but do you really want to see that person in the adjoining cubicle on February 15? Research suggests, maybe not.

There are many reasons someone might enter a workplace relationship.

Research shows that people gravitate toward like-minded people with common personality traits, backgrounds, belief systems and ideas. Proximity and familiarity also influence attraction, something psychologists call the mere exposure effect.

For better or for worse, offices are a place where like-minded people are in close proximity to each other for many hours, so it is no surprise that many people are open to love at work. A 2020 YouGov poll found that 18% of participants met their current or most recent partner through work.

If you are thinking about entering a relationship with your desk neighbor, or even your boss, here are some things to consider.

1. IS IT A HIERARCHICAL RELATIONSHIP? Despite their prevalence, office romances are still frowned upon, and more so after the #MeToo movement. Deciding to enter a hierarchical workplace relationship (when one partner is in a higher position at work than the other) is not something to be taken lightly.

Direct reports who have coupled up with their boss or senior staff member are sometimes confronted with gossip and career roadblocks because of their relationship. While some may think entering such a relationship could help them get ahead in their career, in reality their relationship status could hinder their progress. Research has found that the direct report in a hierarchical workplace relationship is less likely to be promoted or recommended for training opportunities than their colleagues who are not in such a relationship.

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2. HOW MIGHT IT AFFECT YOUR WORK PERFORMANCE? With love and sex on the brain, is anyone getting any work done? The general stance is that canoodling is bad for business and affects productivity.

Studies have found that feelings of passion and love, especially in the early stages of a relationship, can negatively impact productivity because our minds are elsewhere than the task at hand.

This is particularly challenging in a professional environment, and when you may have to work alongside your lover. However, there are measures you can take to curb distractions. Minimize communications that are not of a work-related nature, except when essential, and avoid physical touch like kissing or holding hands in the workplace.

3. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION ALLOW IT? Courtship and dating are natural phenomena, whether organizations like it or not. Prohibiting relationships is not the solution, and if anything will only lead relationships underground.

Despite this, many employers (mainly in the U.S.) manage relationships by deploying “love contracts,” written rules and policies which the couple agrees to, confirming that the relationship is consensual and voluntary. This is not only designed to protect the couple, but to protect

the employer from being sued for harassment if the relationship breaks down.

Employees are not likely to want to disclose to their direct line of report, Human Resources person or relevant peers, who they are having sexual relations with. Employers have to balance their own business interests with their employee’s privacy rights. However, just as there are policies and training for tackling sexual harassment, discrimination and mental health, there is also a need to address workplace romances. Your employer should have accessible (and reasonable) policies and guidelines about disclosing relationships, particularly when they are hierarchical.

4. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU SPLIT UP? While no one plans for their relationship to end, things do happen and it’s best to be prepared. In a non-workplace relationship, a break-up might mean your productivity declines or you need to take a mental health day. But if you work with your now-ex partner, there are other things to consider, like if you have to interact or collaborate on a project.

Where relevant, it may be possible to request a transfer to a different team or to work remotely until the dust settles. Your company may also offer workplace counseling or programs designed to support employees going through tough times, including depression, grief or the aftermath of a relationship.

Ultimately, how employers choose to manage romance at work depends on acknowledging that workplace relationships do happen and understanding that happier and more satisfied employees tend to be more productive and collaborate better in teams. It is in employers’ best interests to support their employees’ wellbeing, even (and especially) when those employees fall in love.

Chantal Gautier is a clinical sexologist at the University of Westminster. This story was republished under a creative commons license with The Conversation.

CAREER

I

FINANCE PROFESSION SEEKS DIVERSE PLANNERS

nterest in, and demand for personal financial advice has never been greater in the United States, due in large part to the aging of the Baby Boomer generation. At the same time, the demographics of wealth in the country are changing. The purchasing power of Black and Latino communities continues to rise, women control one-third of household financial assets, and about $30 trillion in wealth is projected to shift to Millennials.

The current financial planner workforce, however, does not reflect these realities. There are more CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals over the age of 70 than under the age of 30. Among the more than 92,000 CFP® professionals, only 23% are women, and about 8% are Latino and 7% are Black -all smaller proportions than the broader U.S. population.

The gap between the current state of the financial planning profession and what is needed in this shifting landscape presents big

career opportunities for aspiring CFP® professionals, particularly female and minority candidates.

If you're looking for a rewarding and flexible career, financial planning could be a good fit for you. Here are four benefits of financial planning careers: 1. Opportunity to make a difference.

CFP® professionals help people in important, life-changing ways. By taking a holistic look at their clients' finances, CFP® professionals help families build wealth, manage financial challenges and achieve their goals.

2. Career flexibility. You may choose to work for a large firm, a small company, a bank or a broker dealer. You may decide to start your own business. About 20% of personal financial planners are self-employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

3. Work-life balance. Financial planning careers offer the flexibility to balance pro-

fessional demands with your personal life, whether you are making time for family or for other activities that are important to you.

4. Financial rewards. Financial planning careers offer excellent income potential that is comparable to other distinguished careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for personal financial planners is $89,000.

The CFP Board Center for Financial Planning offers a variety of resources and programs to help you launch a financial planning career, including a Guide to Careers in Financial Planning that provides information on career paths for financial planners and the types of firms that hire them. The Center also administers scholarship programs that help cover the costs of education requirements for CFP® certification, as well as a mentorship program that can connect you with experienced CFP® professionals. Visit CFP.net/Center to learn more.

ONYX MAGAZINE 51

BLACK FARMERS

NEED HELP SUPPORTING YOUNG FARMERS OF COLOR CAN HELP THE U.S. MEET ITS CLIMATE GOALS.

A

BY BRITNY CORDERA

t Sanctuary Farms on Detroit’s East Side, Jøn Kent and a team of volunteers use cardboard and paper bags to starve invasive weedy plants instead of using 52 ONYX MAGAZINE

herbicides; they plant marigolds and lavender amid squash, melons, and collards instead of using pesticides; and they turn food scraps into lush, clean compost.

Kent and his business partner, Jean Parker, wanted to grow fresh produce for their working-class community, which Kent describes as a “food desert.” They also wanted to make sure their farming practices didn’t contribute to the area’s water pollution crisis.

“In Michigan, we have been left with polluted waters in Black neighborhoods from Benton Harbor to Flint,” he said. So Kent and Parker, who launched Sanctuary Farms in 2020, turned to regenerative agriculture practices, like alternating flowers with crops to attract pollinators and repel pests, to have a positive impact on the environment.

“The goal here is to really create a food-sovereign, energy-efficient, zero-waste place, so our

ENVIRONMENT community knows it’s possible to live off the land,” said Kent.

Many young farmers share Kent’s commitment to sustainability, according to a new report from the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC). In a survey of over 10,000 farmers across the country, 86% of respondents under 40 said they used regenerative farming practices, which the survey defined as “an approach to farming and ranching that builds healthy soils and ecosystems, supports climate-resilient farms and communities, and addresses inequity in agriculture.”

Of course, as the survey notes, regenerative farming practices aren’t new. Indigenous communities — many of whom were pushed off the land they stewarded for millennia — innovated and practiced these farming techniques for thousands of years.

Overhauling the United States’ agriculture system will be crucial to meeting its climate goals. Farms cover about 40% of all U.S. land, according to the most recent Census of Agriculture, and agriculture accounts for about 11% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Some regenerative farming practices, such as no-till farming, cover cropping, and rotational grazing, can help the U.S. reduce those emissions.

But young farmers — particularly young farmers of color — need more support.

Fifty-nine percent of respondents said finding affordable land to buy was “very or extremely challenging.” Among those those who identified as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), that figure was 65%. Respondents also reported difficulty accessing capital, affording health care, and paying off student loans. In all cases, BIPOC respondents reported greater difficulties than their white counterparts.

These challenges may explain why more young people aren’t taking up the profession.

The average age of a U.S. farmer is over 57 and is steadily increasing, according to the most recent Census of Agriculture. According to that report, less than 8% of farmers are under age 35.

Kent, 29, spent his early childhood in Detroit.

“My community is often hit with the reality that the government doesn’t always come through for us,” said Kent, who is Black. Kent, who only recently paid off his student loans, said accessing capital to finance Sanctuary Farms was a challenge, but added, “In spite of our lack of finances, we have faith. We just gotta keep puttin’ in that work.”

Climate change poses another challenge.

More than 73% of respondents said they experienced at least one “climate impact,” in the form of extreme weather, hotter temperatures, or excess precipitation on their farm, in the past year. That figure is up from 66% in 2017, the last time NYFC released a survey.

For some, climate change has wrought devastation.

Carolina Mueller, a farmer from Austin, Texas, and coalition manager with NYFC, said she suffered over $30,000 in losses when a winter storm in February 2021 froze much of the state.

“Winter Storm Uri last year was incredibly traumatic and damaging,” Mueller said. “Temperatures plummeted quickly, and we lost a lot

“The goal here is to really create a food-sovereign, energy-efficient, zero-waste place, so our community knows it’s possible to live off the land.”

—JØN KENT of our livestock and produce.” All three members of the Texas NYFC chapter decided to stop farming after Uri. For those young farmers across the country who continue to farm, there is an increased awareness of the need to adapt to the changing climate, said Debi Kelly, a field specialist and horticulturist with the University of Missouri’s extension program.

“Some of those old ways of agriculture can’t continue anymore,” said Kelly. “With all these weather events and with population growth, we have to learn how to do things a little bit differently.”

Kelly said younger farmers she works with tend to be more willing to take risks and change their practices than older farmers. She said she also noticed younger farmers tend to be more concerned with how their operations affect their surrounding communities. According to the NYFC survey, 83% of young farmers reported that “one of their farm’s primary pur-

poses for existing is engaging in conservation or regeneration.”

The NYFC report comes out as lawmakers are debating the 2023 Farm Bill, a massive omnibus bill that goes before Congress roughly every five years and includes farm subsidies, climate resilience initiatives, and food assistance programs.

If the U.S. is to meet its climate goal by 2030, which requires a reduction of 50% to 52% in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels, NYFC's Policy Campaign Director Vanessa Garcia Polanco said she believes it will need a transformative farm bill, one that addresses the climate crisis and the rising costs of land.

“Land is climate infrastructure for our young farmers,” Polanco said. But land costs are soaring. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), farmland values increased by $420 per acre, or more than 12%, in 2021. The report, which notes that “land ownership is rooted in the dispossession of Indigenous land,” calls on the USDA to support Indigenous communities in securing greater land sovereignty and for the agency to seat the Tribal Advisory Committee, a body created in 2018 to facilitate coordination between Native groups and the federal government.

Polanco said she’d like to see a farm bill that invests in community-led projects, prioritizing projects led by and benefiting socially disadvantaged and economically distressed farmers and ranchers. She said a successful bill would also invest in climate-smart farming adaptations.

These adaptations would look like an expansion of programs, like the USDA’s recently launched Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative, which supports the production and marketing of climate-smart commodities; increases funding for first-time farmers and ranchers, and improves access to crop insurance programs. The Inflation Reduction Act, which set aside $20 billion for USDA conservation programs, presents an important opportunity for young farmers as well.

Getting young, climate-conscious farmers on the land “is the best way we can fight climate change,” Polanco said. “But we desperately need climate investments that are part of a safety net for farmers, so they can continue stewarding the land when a disaster strikes.”

Britny Cordera is a poet and journalist based in St. Louis Missouri. She reports on environmental justice, climate solutions, and culture, at the intersection of Black and Indigenous communities.

ONYX MAGAZINE 53

R E A L E S TAT E

AMERICAN DREAM

BY KIM CREW

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f you’re a young adult, you may be thinking about your goals and priorities for the months and years ahead. And if homeownership ranks high on your goal sheet, you’re in good company. Many of your peers are also pursuing their dream of owning a home. The 2022 Millennial & Gen Z Borrower Sentiment Report from Maxwell says: “Ma n y yo u ng a d u lts h a ve demonstrated their resolve to embark on the journey toward homeownership soon. More than half of millennials and Gen Zs plan to apply for a mortgage sometime within the next year.”

Let’s take a look at why homeownership makes the top of so many young buyers’ to-do list and what you need to consider to achieve your goals if you’re one of them.

TOP MOTIVATORS TO BUY A HOME Before you start the homebuying process, it’s helpful to know why homeownership is so important to you. The survey mentioned above sheds light on some of the top reasons why younger generations are looking to buy a home. It finds: 95% believe the cost of renting is too high 35% think owing a home is an important wealth building tool 16% seek the sense of security owning a home provides 37% plan to use it as an investment property

No matter which of these resonates the most with you, know there are many financial and non-financial reasons why you may want to buy a home. While your top motivator may be different than that of your friends, they’re all equally valid and worthwhile.

KEY OBSTACLES AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM Whether your homeownership goals come from the heart or are driven by financial aspirations (or both), it can still be hard to know where to start when you’re looking to buy a home. From understanding the homebuying process, to getting pre-approved, and exploring down payment options, it’s a lot to wrap your head around.

The same Maxwell survey also reveals key challenges for potential buyers. Thankfully, the knowledge and guidance of a trusted real estate professional can help you overcome both. Here’s a look at two of the hurdles potential homebuyers say they face:

1. The Mortgage Process Can Be Intimidating In the Maxwell study, 33.37% said one of their obstacles was that the mortgage process is confusing or difficult to understand.

An article by OwnUp helps explain why the mortgage process is so challenging for buyers: “There is a general lack of knowledge about home financing.

Mortgages are a complicated topic with no one-size-fits-all answer. It’s difficult to understand the space, let alone determine what the right course of action is based on your unique financial picture.”

While you may be tempted to do a quick search online to find instant answers to your questions, it may not get you the information you need to understand the full picture. Especially when it comes to financial advice, you want to lean on a true expert. Having trusted professionals on your side can help you to learn what it takes to achieve your dream of homeownership. Not to mention, an expert can give you advice specific to your situation, not generic advice like you’ll find online.

2. It’s Hard To Know How Much You Need To Save In the Maxwell study, 45.75% believe they don’t have enough saved to cover their down payment or closing cost expenses.

What you may not realize is that, today, there’s a growing number of down payment assistance programs available nationwide to help relieve this pressure.

A report from Down Payment Resource says: “O ur Q3 2022 HPI repor t revealed a 1.6% uptick in the number of homebuyer assistance programs available to help people finance homes, raising the number of programs to 2,309, a net increase of 36 over the previous quarter.”

Additionally, as the housing market cools, buyers are regaining some negotiation power and more sellers are willing to work with buyers to help with closing costs. Understanding what’s out there and the options available may help you achieve your dream of homeownership faster than you thought possible.

If you’re serious about becoming a homeowner, know it may be more in reach than you think.

Lean on trusted professionals to help you overcome challenges and prioritize your next steps.

ONYX MAGAZINE 55

Ambassador Andrew Young

Activist Angela Davis

Founder of ASALH, Black History Month Carter G. Woodson

DRUM MAJORS FOR JUSTICE

IN 2023, THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE AND HISTORY (ASALH) BLACK HISTORY THEME IS BLACK RESISTANCE. AFRICAN AMERICANS RECEIVE THE CHALLENGE TO UNAPOLOGETICALLY STAND FOR FREEDOM, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL — LIKE THE LEADERS BEFORE THEM.

BY ASALH

Montgomer Bus Boycott Pioneer Rosa Parks

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Nation of Islam Leader Malcom X

Founder of Bethune-Cookman University Dr. Mary McLeod-Bethune

F E AT U R E

A

frican Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings since our arrival upon these shores. These efforts have been to advocate for a dignified self-determined life in a just democratic society in the United States and beyond the United States political jurisdiction. The 1950s and 1970s in the United States was defined by actions such as sit-ins, boycotts, walk outs, strikes by Black people and white allies in the fight for justice against discrimination in all sectors of society from employment to education to housing. Black people have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all.

Systematic oppression has sought to negate much of the dreams of our griots, like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, and our freedom fighters, like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Septima Clark, and Fannie Lou Hamer fought to realize. Black people have sought ways to nurture and protect Black lives, and for autonomy of their physical and intellectual bodies through armed resistance, voluntary emigration, nonviolence, education, literature, sports, media, and legislation/politics. Black led institutions and affiliations have lobbied, litigated, legislated, protested, and achieved success.

In an effort to live, and maintain and protect economic success, Black people have organized/ planned violent insurrections against those who enslaved them, such as in Haiti, and armed themselves against murderous white mobs as seen in Memphis, Tenn. (1892), Rosewood, Fla. (1923), and New Orleans, La. (1900). Additionally, some Black people thought that the best way to resist was to self-liberate as seen by the actions of those who left the plantation system, of Henry Adams and Benjamin “Pap” Singleton, when they led a mass exodus westward in 1879 and Bishop Henry McNeal Turner of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, who organized emigration to Liberia.

Black faith institutions were spaces where Black communities met to organize resistance efforts, inspired folk to participate in the movements, and offered sanctuary during times of crisis. To promote awareness of the myriad of issues and activities, media outlets were developed including radio shows, newspapers (i.e.

Chicago Defender, Chicago Bee, the Afro, The California Eagle, Omaha Star, the Crisis, etc.). Ida B. Wells used publications to contest the scourge of lynching. These outlets were pivotal in shar-

ing the successes and challenges of resistance movements.

Cultural centers such as libraries including George Cleveland Hall Library (Chicago, Ill.), Dart Hall (Charleston, S.C.) and social, literary, and cultural clubs, such as Jack and Jill, Phillis Wheatley Literary Societies, fraternal and sororal orders, associations (i.e. Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, National Association of Colored Women, etc.) worked to support the intellectual development of communities to collect and preserve Black stories, sponsor Black history and literary events, and were active in the quest for civil, social, and human rights.

Black medical professionals worked with others to establish nursing schools, hospitals, and clinics in order to provide spaces for Black people to get quality health care, which often they did not receive at mainstream medical institutions. For economic and financial independence businesses, such as Binga Bank, Johnson Publishing Company, Parker House Sausage Company, Soft and Sheen, etc., were developed to keep funds within the community. In order to resist inequality and to advocate for themselves, Black men and women formed labor unions based on trades and occupations. Some examples, include the Colored National Labor Union, Colored Musicians Club, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, and Negro American Labor Council.

Education, whether in elementary, secondary, or higher education institutions have been seen as a way for Black people and communities to resist the narrative that Black people are intellectually inferior. When Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week (NHW) in 1926, he saw it as a way to provide a space and resources to critically educate students about their history.

The grassroots network of Black teachers used this week not only to lionize individuals and narratives, but also to teach students about racial progress, and as well as shared and collective responsibility. They developed assignments and curriculum to provide students with the tools to succeed. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), were developed by Northern white philanthropists, but they emerged as a space for the formation of activists, artists, business owners, educators, etc. and their continued operation have stood as testament to Black investment and creative thinking in the face of the changing landscape of higher education. Furthermore, students at HBCUs were at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement, Black Power

Activist Fannie Lou Hamer

Historically and today in the 21st century, Black people have worked the political angle to seek their rightful space in the country.

Civil Rights Leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

ONYX MAGAZINE 57

F E AT U R E

First Black woman to run for U.S. President, Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm

Black resistance strategies have served as a model for every other social movement in the country, thus, the legacy and importance of these actions cannot be understated.

Activist Congressman John Lewis

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Movements, and social justice movements from the nineteenth to twenty-first centuries.

African American spirituals, gospel, folk music, hip-hop, and rap have been used to express struggle, hope, and for solidarity in the face of racial oppression. Music has been used to illustrate societal issues including white and state sanctioned violence (i.e. Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit), sexual politics (i.e. Salt-N-Pepa’s Let’s Talk About Sex), as motivation, for strength against harassment, and to experience freedom.

The Black artists, writers, photographers, and musicians who participated in the Black Arts Movement, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Chicago Black Renaissance were the soundtrack and the visual representation of resistance movements. These individuals created art that supported the resistance movements, but also provided a space for Black people to express love and joy. Creatives used poetry, fiction, short stories, plays, films, and television to counter stereotypes and to imagine a present and future with Black people in it.

Sports are a world pastime, and it both brings people together and separates them. Black athletes have used sports as a way to advocate for social issues and for political agendas. Serena Williams, Flo Jo, Jesse Owens, Tommie Smith, John Carlos, Jackie Robinson, Colin Kaepernick, Simone Biles, and many others have used their public forum to bring awareness to issues that affect society as they resisted the idea that they cannot or should not speak about political, cultural, or social issues. Black athletic activists have often suffered personal and economic consequences due to their stances, speech, and actions, but to them it has been worth it to see changes.

Historically and today in the 21st century, Black people have worked the political angle to seek their rightful space in the country. Where race is concerned, legislative or judicial action to deal with controversial issues has often come late. The historic Executive Orders 8802 and 9346 were responses to A. Phillip Randolph and the all-Black March on Washington Movement’s threat to lead a 50,000-strong Black worker’s march into Washington, D.C. And all three of the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act were concessions to the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Every advance, improvement in our quality of life and access to the levers of power to determine our destiny has been achieved through struggle.

John Lewis advised, “Do not get lost in a sea of

despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

Lewis’ advice is true not just for the 21st century, but also during the antebellum period, as seen in the narratives of the enslaved, such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs, to testimonials about lynchings and ongoing police violence against African Americans. With the murders of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor, and thousands of other Black women, men, and trans people there are new movements (i.e. #Sayhername) and organizations (i.e. Black Lives Matter) that are pushing for the justice system to investigate police involved shootings and white supremacist vigilantes. Nearly 179 years ago, the Rev. Henry Highland Garnett proposed that the only path to freedom, justice, and equality; self-determination; and/or social transformation is resistance.

In thunder tones, Garnett shouted, “Let your motto be resistance! resistance! RESISTANCE! By resisting, Black people have achieved triumphs, successes, and progress as seen in the end of chattel slavery, dismantling of Jim and Jane Crow segregation in the South, increased political representation at all levels of government, desegregation of educational institutions, the passage of Civil Rights Act of 1964, the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History in D.C. and increased and diverse representation of Black experiences in media. Black resistance strategies have served as a model for every other social movement in the country, thus, the legacy and importance of these actions cannot be understated.

As societal and political forces escalate to limit access to and exercise of the ballot, eliminate the teaching of Black history, and work to push us back into the 1890s, we can only rely on our capacity to resist. The enactment of HR 40, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the Breathe Act, and the closure of the racial wealth gap is not the end. They too will require us to mobilize our resources, human and material, and fight for “freedom, justice, and equality”; “self-determination”, and/or “social transformation.”

This is a call to everyone, inside and outside the academy, to study the history of Black Americans’ responses to establish safe spaces, where Black life can be sustained, fortified, and respected.

ONYX PROFILE

TERRY PRATHER CHAIR, VISIT ORLANDO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Past Chair Brian Comes passes the gavel to incoming Board of Directors Chairman Terry Prather at the December Member Luncheon.

Information and photos provided by Visit Orlando.

T

erry Prather, chief operating officer at Lift Orlando, was appointed as the board chair for 2023. Prather succeeds Brian Comes, board chair in 2021 and 2022, and area vice president at Hyatt Regency Orlando.

“Terry’s extensive experience in the travel and tourism industry, along with his commitment to collaboration and service our community, makes him an invaluable asset to Visit Orlando,” said Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando. “I am looking forward to working in partnership with Terry and our 2023 board of directors to further our mission to be the most visited, welcoming and inclusive travel destination in the world.”

Throughout Prather’s career, he has worked in Florida tourism, currently at Lift Orlando, and formerly at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment as

president of SeaWorld Orlando. His board experience includes serving for VISIT FLORIDA, the Florida Council of Tourism Leaders, Bethune-Cookman University’s Board of Trustees, and Dr. Phillips Charities. He is Visit Orlando's first Black board chair.

“As board chair, my three key priorities are to support the organization in the execution of our threeyear strategic plan, help strengthen the travel and tourism industry and showcase the opportunities this industry provides for people of all backgrounds at every stage in their career,” said Terry Prather, COO at Lift Orlando and Visit Orlando board chair.

Visit Orlando is the not-for-profit trade association responsible for branding, marketing, and selling the Orlando destination globally to attract leisure visitors and meetings and con-

vention business for local economic impact. Its members represent over 1,300 companies comprising every segment of Central Florida’s tourism community.

Prather retired from SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment in 2015, where he served as president of SeaWorld Orlando for several years. His SeaWorld career started in maintenance and water quality for SeaWorld San Antonio in 1988.

Prather was a founding Board member of LIFT Orlando… Lift Orlando is a non-profit organization working with residents, business leaders and community partners towards neighborhood revitalization, in the neighborhoods surrounding Camping World Stadium.

Terry has been active in Florida tourism, working with Visit Florida, the state’s official tourism marketing corporation. He served on the Board of Directors, and as the executive director for the Florida Council of Tourism Leaders in 2016…a group of former Visit Florida Board chairs that provide support to the Visit Florida Board of Directors.

Terry served on the Bethune-Cookman University Board of Trustees from 2013 until 2018, where he passionately supported the thousands of students that attend this HBCU. He believes in the mission of BCU “to develop global leaders committed to service, life-long learning and diversity by providing a faith-based environment of academic excellence & transformative experiences”.

In 2016 Terry was honored as a “Father Of The Year” by the American Diabetes Association. Also, he has served on several community boards and associations including Florida Citrus Sports, Hubbs- SeaWorld Research Institute, Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, and Smithsonian National Zoo Board of Advisors in Washington, DC. In 2019 Terry Co-chaired the “Housing For All Task Force” for Orange County Florida. This Task Force of 38 citizens developed an action plan that received unanimous approval by the Orange County Board of Commissioners.

Terry and his wife Shayla have five adult children and ten grandchildren.

ONYX MAGAZINE 59

FLORIDA’S MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION

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PROVIDES ACCESS FOR ALL

says Bryan McCarthy, who has been working on the program from the beginning and is the current M4MM Florida A&M University/ Tallahassee Ambassador. “We have an entire opioid crisis on our hands because of drugs that doctors continue to

here is a new industry in Florida often characterized as the “Green Rush,” which focuses on the use of cannabis for medical purposes. In 2016, Floridians overwhelmingly voted for the adoption of a medical marijuana program aimed at supporting the needs of patients itating illnesses and diseases.

That same year, Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM), a Florida was created by Roz McCarthy aimed at providing education, advocacy, outreach and training to patients and communities of color… medical or adult use), especially those who have been impacted by “the war on drugs” era.

For many up until recently, cannabis use or association has had a serious negative connotation. It is often mistakenly linked to criminal behavior, poor decisions and unproductiveness. In actuality, cannabis is medicine and helps people with a wide array of ailments and conditions.

In 2022, M4MM created Safe Access Florida, a community-based program providing free medical marijuana card education and services aimed at supporting low-income patients and veterans.

“All patients deserve access and education. Knowledge is power, and we’re encouraging our people to take their power back,” says Roz McCarthy, M4MM founder and CEO. M4MM covers the doctor visit fee for low-income patients and veterans guests through support received from industry

he continues before closing with a rhetorical question - “Can you blame people for not trusting?”

With the help of HBCU students and alumni, who are trained on the

more than the card itself. While prices vary, doctor fees make up the majority of costs in medically legal states. Combine that with the inability to use insurance, and it is easy to see why Dr. Joseph Rosado, MD & DJ Howard access can be an issue for those who might be in need of the support.

By bringing certifying physicians both on-site in the community and virtually to meet 1-on-1 with patients and no cost to see the doctor, the resources become more accessible. Still, that is only half the battle.

The education is just as important for people who want to make a sound decision for their health and life. Mistrust in doctors has long been an issue for communities of color, and understandably so.

“People are constantly pushed pills that may help with one ailment, however there are

PAID FOR BY M4MM

in order to help execute these clinics, the M4MM Safe Access program has serviced over 200 people across 4 states since Spring 2022.

According to the M4MM team, they are just getting started.

“We’ve seen people much more willing and able to acquire their medical card in a welcoming environment such as this and with such a reduction in the overall cost,” explains DJ Howard who has been working with Minorities for Medical Marijuana to take the program across the country.

There are three more Safe Access Florida M4MM is using its wide network of supporters which includes Dr. Joseph Rosado, MD, M4MM medical director, to continue providing a safe, inviting environment to learn about and access affordable medical marijuana card services.

If you’re interested in getting your medical card or additional information about the Safe Access Florida clinics contact them at www.m4mmunited.org. or call 877-9000832. M4MM could be in a city near you soon!

Educate. Learn. Talk About Cannabis in Florida.

Learn and talk about cannabis in a safe space.

Explore FAMU’s free online cannabis education modules

MMERI.FAMU.Edu/Educate

Get relevant information about marijuana in Florida

MMERI.FAMU.Edu/Learn

Join Conversations On Cannabis each month on YouTube and Facebook

MMERI.FAMU.Edu/Talk

Follow ‘Conversations on Cannabis’ on

@MMERIForumRadio

SAGE

SANDWICH CHILDREN:

THE PRESSURE IS REAL

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any adults today are juggling the demands of work, household upkeep, finances and school-aged children, while also caring for an aging parent.

This group, known as the sandwich generation, may feel more like a panini — pressed and grilled between the weight of their caregiving duties. According to a recent survey by Home Instead, Inc., 62% of those in the sandwich generation feel they must choose between being a good parent or being a good daughter or son.

These pressures are intensified by economic uncertainty and the impact of the pandemic.

“Caregiving can take an emotional, mental and even physical toll on someone, and it can be hard to divide attention and resources to provide the best care to loved ones of different ages,” says Lakelyn Hogan Eichenberger, Ph.D., gerontologist and caregiving advocate at Home Instead. “While caregivers may feel they have to do it by themselves, it's best to avoid the superhero mentality and recognize where support is needed.”

Hogan Eichenberger offers five ways to help manage stress and survive the sandwich generation press: 1. Seek Support. To help manage the pressure, seek out a group where you can share your experience with others who are in a similar situation and talk through ideas for respite and support. Consider virtual and in-person support groups for caregivers in the sandwich generation or groups geared toward specific conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

2. Prioritize Yourself. It’s easy to view your role as a caregiver as your entire identity. In fact, 63% say that caregiving makes it harder to care for themselves. Set aside time to address your mental and physical health. Aim to eat healthy, exercise regularly and get seven to eight hours of sleep.

3. Line Up Supportive Care. Professional care services can offer much-needed respite and ensure your parent or aging loved one is safe while you’re not there. Many professional caregivers trained specifically

for elder care can assist with tasks such as bathing and housework. Family members or friends can also provide relief. For example, you might team up with other parents to carpool or line up play dates.

4. Consider Delivery Services. As a caregiver, it can be challenging to find time for typical errands. Save valuable time by subscribing to delivery services like Instacart for groceries or your local pharmacy for medications.

5. Communicate With Your Employer.

Seventy-seven percent of caregivers say they have had to make major or minor changes to their work to meet commitments. Help your manager and co-workers understand the responsibilities in your personal life, and discuss a plan that works for you and the team. Ask about benefits or services your employer offers, such as an Employee Assistance Program.

For more information and practical resources to help, visit: https://www.homeinstead.com/sandwichgen.

ONYX MAGAZINE 61

WINE & FOOD

FOR GOOD LUCK

WHY ARE BLACK EYED PEAS GOOD LUCK? The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War. Originally, they were used as food for livestock and later as a food staple for enslaved people in the South. Because of their lowly reputation, the Union Army troops of General Sherman ignored the fields of black-eyed peas while razing or stealing other crops. During the harsh winter, the Confederate soldiers survived on the remaining black-eyed peas, promoting this humble and nourishing legume into a symbol of fortune and prosperity in the American South.

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WHAT DOES TRADITION SAY YOU SHOULD EAT WITH BLACK EYED PEAS? Today, the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for the New Year has evolved into a number of variations and embellishments of the luck and prosperity theme including: • Served with greens (collards, mustard or turnip greens, which varies regionally), the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. In some areas, cabbage is used in place of the greens.

• Cornbread, often served with black-eyed peas and greens, represents gold.

• For the best chance of luck every day in the year ahead, one must eat at least 365 blackeyed peas on New Year's Day.

• •

•

•

Black-eyed peas eaten with stewed tomatoes represent wealth and health.

In some areas, actual values are assigned with the black-eyed peas, representing pennies or up to a dollar each and the greens representing anywhere from one to a thousand dollars.

Adding a shiny penny or dime to the pot just before serving is another tradition practiced by some. When served, the person whose bowl contains the penny or dime receives the best luck for the New Year, unless of course, the recipient swallows the coin, which would be a rather unlucky way to start off the year.

The catch to all of these superstitious traditions is that the black-eyed peas are the essential element and eating only the greens without the peas, for example, will not do the trick.

HOPPIN’ JOHN The most common way to eat black-eyed peas is in the Hoppin’ John dish. The earliest recipe can be found in an 1847 cookbook, A Carolina Housewife, written by Sarah Rutledge. Most recipes for Hoppin’ John call for cooking the black-eyed peas with rice, pork (usually fatback or bacon) and seasonings. Some variations include chopped onions and hot sauce.

Story by Spruce Eats

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f you are planning to celebrate the New Year in the Southeast, it is most likely that you will be offered black-eyed peas in some form, either just after midnight or on New Year's Day. From gala gourmet dinners to small casual gatherings with friends and family, these flavorful legumes are traditionally, according to Southern folklore, the first food to be eaten on New Year's Day for luck and prosperity throughout the year ahead.

be heard.

Story by Spruce Eats

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