Health + Wellness

Assistance, support from others vital to surviving with a disability   Why did I “survive” as a Black “crippled” child? I believe I survived so others can see it is possible. How did I “survive?” I believe I was born with the intestinal fortitude, true grit, and determination to survive. What did I survive? I […]

However, wellness gap remains between White youth and youth of color Collectively, Minnesota’s teens are doing better today on key health measures than they were in the 1990s, according to a recent analysis by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Since the 1990s, students 12 to 19 years old from all racial and ethnic groups […]

Third of a three-part column This is the last in a three-part series focused on the effects that enslavement, cultural uprooting, and geographical and spiritual dispersing have had on our culture — Black culture — and the ways that we relate to ourselves and each other at present. During the late 1800s, after savagely ripping […]

By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer Released earlier this year, Endgame: AIDS in Black America (PBS-DVD), produced and directed by Renata Stone for WGBH/FRONTLINE, is an important documentary for the subject alone, keeping up awareness of a medical crisis many choose not to think about, much less candidly discuss. Stone also is producer of The Age […]

By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Nearly 50 persons attended “A Gathering for Media Justice” held last weekend at Hamline University for community members and local non-mainstream media representatives. Sponsored by Community Action Against Racism (CAAR), Main Street Project and KFAI-FM, the December 8 half-day “conversation-based” event discussed media justice issues with an emphasis on local […]

Power, politics, and policy and the influence they have over African American people According to Pastor Terrance Jacobs, former director with the Gamaliel Organization who was appointed to Africa, power is the concentration of “organized people and organized money” (taken from the Alinsky model). Pastor Jacobs went on to explain, at the Minneapolis Neighborhood Hub’s […]

The holidays are in full swing! Christmas parties at work, family gatherings, and a host of other events are filled with sweet treats — I love the holidays and the spirit that they bring, but my waistline doesn’t love the sweet treats (or maybe it loves them too much). Every year, the holidays present us […]

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Minnesota presented Minneapolis psychologist Bravada Garrett-Akinsanya, executive director of the African American Child Wellness Institute and president of the Brakins Consulting and Psychological Services, with a Professional of the Year award at its Annual Conference, held Nov. 3 in St. Paul. The award recognizes a professional who […]

Often, when we hear the term “healthy relationship” we think of intimate or romantic relations. However, healthy relationships expand past your partner and you. We need healthy relationships amongst members in our families and communities to be healthy individuals ourselves. The holiday season is a period of time when families come together, share stories, catch […]

As we look forward to spending quality time with family and friends over a hearty spread, you might be pleased to know that holiday dinners are as good as it gets when it comes to healthy eating! Sweet potatoes  This holiday staple is a treasure trove of health benefits! Rich in Vitamins C, B6, D, […]

By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Alphonse Reff, Sr. accepted the call to ministry in 1962. “I thought I could do some other things other than [being a minister],” admits the reverend, adding that ever since he took “a whipping from God, He whipped me into shape, and for 50 years I’ve been trying to tell […]

This is a very trying time for the African Americans in Minneapolis. First let me start off by saying there are two very important things missing that allow this tragedy to happen. First is the love of God at the center of many of our people, and second is the outright hatred of ourselves. I […]

Walter Bond teaches audiences the importance of connecting By Charles Hallman Staff Writer After leaving the NBA, Walter Bond was told he didn’t have enough experience during his job searches. “We’re looking for someone with more experience,” he vividly recalls being told by interviewers who didn’t think playing against and with the world’s best athletes […]

With 35 percent of U.S. companies relying on smaller staffs since the recession, the landscape of the labor market is changing substantially and more employers are beginning to emphasize the contingent, flexible workforce. A recent survey from CareerBuilder finds that this trend is fully expected to continue through 2012, as 36 percent of responding companies […]

Salut a los espíritus of this house and the espiritu que abre las puertas,” (greetings to the spirits of this house and the spirit that opens doors), I said as I entered the small one-bedroom apartment of my spiritual godfather from Cuba. Kneeling down to greet Elegua, the gatekeeper of the crossroads in Cuban Santeria, […]

November is National Pet Diabetes Month, and BluePearl Veterinary Partners encourages pet owners to become more aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetes. Diabetes is a relatively common disease in which the body doesn’t use glucose properly. If left untreated, diabetes is life-threatening. It is manageable and if detected early enough, pets with diabetes […]

Diabetes affects nearly 26 million people in the United States. In addition, another 79 million people are estimated to have pre-diabetes, a condition that puts people at increased risk for diabetes. All people with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, are at risk for diabetic eye disease, a leading cause of vision loss and […]

Hello to all the followers of the “Starting Anew” column. I am pleased to announce that after many triumphs and struggles as well as other issues, I have landed a permanent working position at St. Stephens Human Services. It was four years ago this month when I was given the opportunity to start this column. […]

Hotep (Be at peace, be at rest, be free) In this the second in a three-part series, I want to share another core idea: “SIA” an ancient African teaching that I have had the great honor of having verified in travels to the elders in Africa and in the 20 years of study in the […]

Living (the early years) Part two of a series  Many of you may be wondering what my disability is. The medical term for my disability is “left side hemiplegic.” Simplified, I am partially paralyzed on my entire left side. My left leg is two inches shorter than my right leg. The shorter leg causes a […]