All About Us Youth Magazine Winter 2015 by All About Us Youth Magazine

ISSN 2373-8960

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MINDING YOUR Robby Wells-2016 MANNERS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

RISE UP! HOPE TO OBTAIN

PASSION TO ENDURE

STRENGTHENING

Parent and Teen Communication

Sydney M. DeTiege YOU HAVE

THE POWER MINDING YOUR

MANNERS

AAUYM.COM MARCH 2015

DIABETES TODAY

In Children and Adolescents

AAU Youth Magazine ™

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2015

March contents

AAUYM.COM

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

Beauty Talk With Sketch

Written by Debricka S. Taylor

8 Diabetes Today In Children and Adolescents Written by Dr. Julissa Hernandez

INSPIRATION

The Greatest Love of All

ritten by Dr. Katrina O. Dortch W Make a step-by-step plan to becoming the new you.

14 Minding Your Manners

ritten by Monica Lewis W Manners bring about confidence; a powerful tool.

COVER STORY

11 Sydney M. DeTiege

Written by Brittany DeTiege Art is Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world and she is inspiring others to believe in their PASSION.

15 Hope to Obtain Passion To Endure

Written by Chevonna Johnson H.O.P.E that is aligning on a collision course for a new beginning.

ETIQUETTE CORNER

EMPOWERMENT

22 How Can I Reboot?

A Connection Between Understanding the Global Economy

ritten by LaToya Wilson W College students are not the only ones who have access to internships.

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

Marlette Dixon

Written by Debricka S. Taylor God is there and we need to draw close to Him.

PARENT CORNER

20 Strengthening Parent

and Teen Communication

Written by Bernadette Marson, PhD ACSW, LCSW-R Effective communication is the common thread for enhancing the relationship between parent and teenager.

Written by Dr. Renee Sunday Finding your motivation something personal.

24 Six Degrees of Empowerment

Herman Dunnom Jr. The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.

POLITICAL CORNER

Let's Take Our Country Back

Written by Debricka S. Taylor It is time for us to take a stand and it is time to move in another direction.

ENCOURAGEMENT CORNER

29 The Youth is the Hope of Our Future

Written by Felicia Meadows We must entrust the future to our youth to tap into their potential to help equip them to succeed.

30 You Have the Power!

Written by Lisa Rodriquez TV Meteorologist & Fitness Model A positive attitude can create opportunities you never knew existed.

31 Friends, Focus and A Future Written by Dr. Jai Armstrong They say your friends and associates are with you for a reason and some a lifetime.

TECHNOLOGY CORNER

32 A Tinystic Brings

Big Possibilities

Written by Debricka S. Taylor TinyStic is changing technology and is changing access to many far and wide.

35 Science Is All About Us!

Written by Dr. Jill So get yourself ready and prepare yourself for adventures in learning about science.

COMMUNITY CORNER

36 Let's Talk About Hepatitis C! Community Health Forum 38 Cooking With Chef Oliver Saye

EDITOR’S CORNER

Welcome To All About Us Magazine™

e are thrilled to introduce and welcome readers to our very first issue of All About Us Magazine. All About Us is a dynamic youth magazine created specifically for and about you; our young people. We provide high interest topics that we believe you will appreciate, relate to, and connect with personally. Through our publication we wish to be a literary support; serving as a source of inspiration, creativity, guidance, and overall encouragement in assisting you in navigating day to day life. It is our goal to present exciting and thought provoking articles within the magazine to help you reflect and make positive life-enhancing choices. The articles include information about relevant topics you or a friend may have experienced at some point and offer advice on how to work through and overcome some of the challenges. We will also feature and spotlight teens who are making improvements in their lives. All About Us is fun, upbeat, and has information and ideas that you and your family can appreciate and utilize. Founded by an inspirational woman, Chevonna Johnson, All About Us was born from her mentoring young women at risk, through her Young Women Rising Above Perceptions (YWRAP) program, as well as the work she conducts as vice president of the Whitney E. Johnson Foundation. Mrs. Johnson believes in enhancing education and increasing awareness of youth needs which is apparent through the development of programs, symposiums and events, including her radio and television programs. All About Us serves as an extension of these programs to ensure that young people near and far will be reached in a meaningful way. I am honored to serve as chief editor for All About Us magazine. Let me start by sharing a bit of who I am. On the surface I am an educator, a daughter, a mother, and a wife. These titles, which I happen to take pride in encompass much and are either relatable to you

AAUYM.COM MARCH 2015

or to someone you may know. We all have similar titles but where we differ lies beneath the surface. So, I am shy and quiet around unfamiliar people. I love to laugh but not when I’m the butt of a joke, which is why some (my husband mostly) may say I lack a sense of humor. I am more comfortable expressing myself in written form than verbally. I am passionately loyal, overly empathetic, and extremely caring. I dream to shield our young people, protecting them from the ugliness that surrounds them and providing them with tools to emerge from their abyss. This is my personality; some of what makes me who I am. All About Us is dedicated to leading you toward your hearts desires, allowing you to believe that you are capable of accomplishing great feats. I say to you; EMBRACE who you are because it is your differences; what lives within you that makes you most beautiful of all. Here at All About Us we are interested in connecting with one another, encouraging each other through life’s journey; in celebrating our successes and helping us in situations that appear less than hopeful. A circumstance may seem small to some however colossal to the person sitting in the thick of it. Sitting, waiting, wondering, just how they will or if they can find the strength to pull themselves from the darkness, which swarms around them ever so heavily without signs of stopping. We can tell someone simply; “Don’t worry about it, everything will turn out fine.” But what makes us, the expert, so sure that this will be so? The theme of this issue is simply Hope. So I want you to think about where hope resides for you? Hope is regarded as an expectation, desire, or belief in good outcomes related to events and circumstances in one’s life. The origins of hope come from Greek mythology. I’m sure most of you have heard of Pandora ’s Box. Though Pandora was instructed not to open the box under any circumstances, she

was unable to control her curiosity and opened it. With her small gesture all the evil contained in the box escaped and spread across earth. Pandora is said to have unleashed oppressive labor, terminal diseases, among other miserable pains. It is interesting that the one thing that lay at the bottom was–the Spirit of Hope named Elpis. According to Hesiod’s Greek epic, “Works & Days,” only Hope remained in an unbreakable home and did not fly out the door.” Day to day we may use the word hope quite generally saying: “I hope I get a good grade on this test” or “I hope I don’t get in trouble.” Our focus for this issue is finding hope in a hopeless situation, when you fear the worst and don’t feel that things will get better, or when you are lost, alone, and feel as though you have nowhere to turn and no one to turn to. I want you to be aware that hope is within you; within your “bottom,” your core. The spirit of hope lives inside each of us; we are the unbreakable home. When despair creeps upon us hope remains as an ever present reminder that the silver lining exists and will become your reality.

Remember: We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. ‑Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Thank you. We hope you enjoy All About Us and feel free to utilize the contact information if you have any questions or comments for us. We are here for you! Shine On, Debricka S. Taylor Editor-in-Chief AAU

ISSN 2373-8960

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CEO/CFO

Photography

Educational Advisor

Roger C. Johnson Sr. & Chevonna Johnson

Roger C. Johnson Jr.

Editor-in Chief

Publisher

Debricka S. Taylor

Roger C. Johnson Sr. & Chevonna Johnson

Verdel Jones Master of Secondary Education Master of Educational Leadership

Creative Director/Design

Advertising Manager

Roger C. Johnson Sr.

Sydney Bennett Sirrah Graphics

Website Designer ShaChena Gibbs

ShaChena Gibbs

Spiritual Advisor Dr. Katrina Dortch

Account Manager

Advertising Office

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

www.dollarphoto.com

Beauty Talk with Sketch by Debricka S. Taylor

s young ladies, many of us may remember a time of eager anticipation; yes–the day when our parents would permit a purposely color-stained lip and lid, shimmery cheeks, smokeylined eyes, and elongated midnight lashes. If you were like me, you snuck and did it anyway, unwilling to wait. Though some of us have moved long passed adolescence, with license to wear, do, and say what we like–an unfortunate truth is that we, like some young ladies neglect our skin day in and day out. This became apparent to me during my conversation with the talented, New York City based makeup artist and hair stylist, Sketch. He has a remarkable, emotional connection with educating young ladies and women about the concern we should have in caring for our skin. This connection began with a person he absolutely adores: his mother. She is the reason for the development of his passion for skin care and make-up artistry. The Florida native grew up in a hair salon, watching women transform and renew their beauty day in and day out. “I used to hate going to school and her hair was always done and put together, but she never got into make-up and 6

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skin care,” he says. One day he started playing with his friend’s make-up and during his college years at Fordham University and while dancing at Alvin Ailey he started learning more and more about make-up, teaching his mom what he learned. “The first time I did my mom’s face was for a surprise birthday party in North Carolina. I did her face and my mom and dad had a blast, and mom said she had never felt prettier,” he shares. In that very moment, Sketch decided that make-up would be his dedication. “Make-up makes you feel good on the outside, but it’s much more than that. It is about making people feel good

“Make-up makes you feel good on the outside, but it’s much more than that.” on the inside and it makes me feel so much better to help them change their own lives for the better,” he says. He believes; the more we care for our skin, the less make-up we will need to wear and depend on. “It should really be about the real you that is inside. When you remove your make-up, the goal then is to love what you see without it,” he says. Sketch’s testament is a reality: Always remember that “skin care is

permanent and make-up is temporary.” Sketch is currently in the process of developing his own line of make-up. Working with a distribution company all that he needs is financial backing to get it launched. “I have tested the products and I love the texture and the smell. There is a vanilla and cherry fragrance and I’ve already created my own lip color,” he says. The exotic lip color creation was born at a photo shoot, starting as eye pigments, turned into shadow and mixed with gel and voilá: a lip gloss emerged. He describes it with enthusiasm as a “very mysterious kind of color” of bronze but with slightly green and pink hues at the same time. My realization from our talk: I need to care for my own skin because as Sketch told me indirectly yet fervently, “if you show your face off you want it to still look good.” So since the skin is our largest organ of the body, protects us from microbes and the elements, helps regulate body temperature, and permits the sensations of touch, heat, and cold, doesn’t it deserve our devoted attention to be nurtured and loved? It’s quite simple: Stop neglecting your skin. Nourish it as you would your body and soul. Look forward to reading Sketch’s Beauty Tips in future issues of “All About Us.” He shares some awesome and affordable products to enhance the beauty of your skin.

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

Sketch’s Skin Care Tips

1. Use an avocado, 4 tbsp. of honey, half of a citrus lemon. Blend it all together and use it as a mask. Leave on for about 5 minutes. This hydrates the skin because citrus boosts the radiance of the skin and honey locks in the moisture. This doesn’t need to be done daily but whenever you feel that your skin needs a bit of pampering. 2. For a nightly regimen use Dermasil when you use make-up. It is inexpensive. Aveeno Positively Radiant cleanser and moisturizer is also a good product to use daily.

Lancome Sensation Totale–It is a vitamin C concentrate. I’ve seen it remove redness by increasing circulation.

MAKE-UP: Mac make-up–It gives long last and very good coloring. Missha-A Korean line, you can find a few in New York. They have good foundation and products are no more than 10 dollars. Skin care is wonderful and beautifully priced. They have moisturizer and cleansers, body gels, shower gels, hand soap and body lotions. ◊

Hair Tips

1. Natural products to use are avocado, cocoa butter, olive oil, and shea butter gives a nice healthy shine. Make sure you wash it out thoroughly. 2. For shampoo I recommend Axe men’s shampoo. It works wonderful on all hair types and cleanses the hair fully and completely. 3. Egg and mayonnaise removes all dandruff off the scalp and residue off the hair. 4. Motions CPR is a deep conditioner and it smells good. It has bits and pieces of natural ingredients that wrap around the hair and penetrates and bonds the hair together. It costs about $10 and you use it once a month.

Sketch’s Staple Products

www.dollarphoto.com

MOISTURIZER:

Lancôme High Resolution Moisturizer–From laughing and smiling so much I had crow’s feet while working with Lancôme as a manager they let you try it out. The moisturizer is not just moisturizer it completely removed my crow’s feet.

MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

Diabetes Today In Children and Adolescents

iabetes: A disease among adults, and unfortunately, children and adolescents, that is growing at frightening rates... Our main focus in this article is children/adolescents and diabetes. Many diabetic children and adolescents feel at times it is impossible to bring their blood sugar levels back to balance. And prescribed diabetes medication and insulin will never correct this imbalance, only mask the problem, symptoms, bringing on negative side effects. But some parents and children have figured out a way to better their health, maintain normal blood sugar, and control diabetes naturally by following specific steps. First, know I will express myself in this article as I am known to be: Blunt. Direct. Raw. Why? Because Health is too important to beat around the bush. With that said, let’s begin... According to the American Diabetes Association, “...by the year 2050, one in three people will have diabetes. Children from certain racial and ethnic groups are at higher risk, including African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian/ Pacific Islander and Native American children.” Something must be done. And it begins with adults AND children/ adolescents becoming aware of the risk factors associated with diabetes, learning alternatives to controlling it, and using preventive measures. Yes. Yes I said it. It is time adults AND children/adolescents, (yes that’s right, I mean You, society’s youth), took matters into their own hands a bit. Of course, there are some cases

where parents were buying unhealthy foods, and maybe even, because of cultural norms, threatening children to ‘eat what we have or else.’ But I also know of cases where the parents have tried to teach the child to eat properly, all their life, purchased healthy foods for the home, and the child was going ahead behind their parents’ back and eating the worse junk food they could get their hands on... Kids, it’s time to learn to take your health seriously and into your own hands, not just become dependent on mom or dad to know what to feed you, or dependent on your conventional doctor to just prescribe medications ‘for life’ when there are other ways to control and prevent this disease. Type 2 Diabetes, a vicious cycle disease, is considered so because it is a behavioral disease. It is associated with ‘the behavior’ of a diet overloaded with sugar, highly processed foods, and very little or no fiber. Children and adolescents who are overweight or obese are at the highest risk for being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, especially since they do very little or no exercise, and live on mainly fast foods on a daily basis. Obesity comes about from poor sugar and fat metabolism. This leads to diabetes. And the cycle then viciously continues. Diabetes makes those crave more fat, more sugar, more junk food, more caffeine, etc. In turn, more symptoms are experienced. The pancreas can only take but so much, and when overloaded and damaged, the body loses its ability to use or produce insulin correctly. Diabetics suffer

Dr. Julissa says... “Something must be done. And it begins with adults AND children/ adolescents becoming aware of the risk factors associated with diabetes, learning alternatives to controlling it, and using preventive measures.”

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HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS Pay attention to these signs to take immediate action to help the body heal. Please note, in Naturopathy, Natural Medicine, Holistic Medicine, we in this field of study and Alternative Medicine maintain the view that there is no Type 1 Juvenile onset diabetes worse disease than Diabetes. Why? Because it is a disease -Usually Insulin Dependent that destroys ALL body systems; from the circulatory system, -Is the child urinating often? to the urinary system, etc. And yet, there is a way to control -Is the child excessively thirsty? this disease and support a body to help it begin to heal. - Is the child unusually hungry? Even after eating Prescribed drugs and insulin are sometimes used by diabetics a meal? to regulate their blood sugar. Then there are other diabetics - Is the child excessively angry, irritable, drowsy, that can balance their blood sugar, control their diabetes fatigued? without drugs, by making diet improvements, adhering to -Is the child dealing with unusual grief? a healthy diet consisting of smaller portions, exercise, and -Has the child lost weight for no apparent reason? combining alternative medicine natural therapies. -Is the child dealing with slow learning lately? So, let’s talk diet. Diet. Diet. Diet. The diet is of utmost -Do injuries, bruises, cuts take a long time to heal? importance. Improving a diabetic child or adolescent’s diet is imperative to overcome diabetes. I will say this: it is difficult Type 2 diabetes for some to perceive junk food as ‘bad’ when they have been -Many times Non-Insulin Dependent inundated with commercials and ads featuring brilliant -Is the child urinating often? advertising and bright color additives in food that make this -Is the child always thirsty? ‘poison’ look so delicious. What makes it easy for a diabetic -Do injuries, bruises, cuts take a long time to heal? to finally ‘get it’ and finally understand that the soda and fast food meal before them is poison, is when they think about -Does the child get frequent infections? another insulin injection, pain, popping another diabetes pill -Is the child constantly angry? Drowsy, fatigued? with side effects that cause even more symptom discomfort, -Has the child lost weight without trying? and how sick they feel in general being a diabetic... These -Is the child mentally alert? reasons, and so many more, are enough to encourage anyone -Is the child experiencing blurry vision? to make the proper changes to control - Is the child feeling ‘pins and needles’ in toes this disease. and/or fingers? Here are some food ideas to help with balancing blood -Is the child feeling leg cramps? sugar levels and in achieving/maintaining a healthy weight: Breakfast: Plain yogurt with added frozen berries; oat bran; whole grain cereal or granola with almond milk, rice milk, fatigue often because insulin is the hormone that helps apple juice, and for those that like it and prefer it, soy milk; convert food into energy. If there is improper insulin use and production, sure lethargy and fatigue set in. A whole grain, spelt, or buckwheat pancakes with apple juice. child or adolescent with diabetes may lose the ‘oomph’ to Lunch: Tofu (seasoned or marinated) in a green leafy want to go out and play with friends, or lose interest in a salad (romaine lettuce, arugula, etc. all green veggies are social activity involving friends because,as one adolescent wonderful and encourage good blood flow); veggie and/or diabetic patient once said to me, ‘I feel like I’m dragging tofu burgers; steamed broccoli with melted soy cheese on top; my body...’ soy grilled cheese sandwich with whole grain, or spelt bread; When carbs and sugars are not metabolized, they accumulate as fat in the body. Unfortunately, today’s youth tuna sandwich with olive oil on whole grain bread with is much more sedentary due to television, video games, romaine lettuce and/or watercress. computers, cell phone usage, etc. Lack of exercise and an Dinner: Eat light at night. Broiled or baked fish (eat excess of body fat causes insulin resistance, and the cells salmon at least twice a week, preferably wild fish, instead of of the body receive less energy. The difference between a farm-raised) with brown rice. Note: Eating a minimum of Type 2 and Type 1 Diabetic is: Type 2 diabetics produce 1 cup of brown rice every week lowers diabetes risk by 11%! insulin, but do not use it properly. This is insulin resistance. Veggie or whole grain pasta salad with tuna; vegetable quiche, Juvenile onset diabetes, or Type 1 diabetes, is much organic chicken, organic turkey (hormones in non-organic more serious, and the person is dependent on insulin to meats full of injected hormones disrupt body chemical maintain life. The body in this case is attacking its own balance, can cause obesity, and can cause blood sugar insulin-creating cells in the pancreas categorizing Type 1 imbalances) with steamed veggies. diabetes as an auto-immune disease.

What are signs of diabetes?

MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

www.dollarphoto.com

Snacks: Best fruits are frozen berries, grapefruits, lemons and limes (squeeze juice from these onto food), baked potatoes, raw veggies with veggie dip, drink green or white tea. Drink plenty of water! Chromium stabilizes blood sugar. Eat chromium-rich foods such as: eggs, (preferably organic), liver (preferably organic), string beans, cucumbers, onions, whole grains. Fresh vegetables, raw or simply cooked, are metabolized by the body easiest to prevent blood sugar spikes. My favorite vegetable for diabetics? Artichokes! Start loving this unique veggie to significantly lower blood sugar. Increase healthy fats in your diet. Use extra virgin olive oil drizzled on food after preparation, eat avocados and unroasted nuts. Eliminate foods that are fried, fatty and high in cholesterol, caffeine or caffeinated foods, foods with food coloring, and sodas. Yes, I said it. Eliminate soda, Even diet soda, which unfortunately many diabetic children believe is ‘ok’ to drink. Sodas and diet sodas have phenylalanine that affects blood sugar levels. Avoid fatty dairy foods like milk, fatty cheeses, ice cream, etc. Fruits should be eaten in moderation and best to focus on the ones previously mentioned above. Avoid bananas as they have the highest glycemic index. Use natural alternative sweeteners such as stevia herb, or my favorite for diabetics, Xylitol (find these and more information on the website link below). These help to reduce food cravings. Increase fiber. Constipation contributes to uncontrolled glucose metabolism. In some mild diabetic cases, high fiber foods and supplements have been key to a discontinuation of insulin therapy. 10

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The following natural therapy recommendations are excellent for children and adolescents. Combined they will help balance sugar levels, boost energy, prevent nerve damage, provide fiber to assist in blood sugar balance, normalize insulin and pancreas activity: • • • • • • • •

GTF Chromium (Glucose Tolerance Factor Chromium) B-Complex Psyllium Hulls Omega-3 Vitamin D3 Cinnamon (in capsules) Xylitol Stevia

Multi-vitamin and mineral, most necessary, since most diabetics suffer nutrient deficiency. Yes. It is possible for a diabetic to live a ‘normal’ life again. Taking advantage early of a young body, a diabetic child or adolescent, still in the process of maturing and developing to adulthood is the ideal way to alter an imbalanced body chemistry dealing with this disease by feeding the body everything it needs to heal itself. Make the changes. For You. My motto about Your health, ‘You should not have to be convinced to be well. Decide to be well.’ TM ~Dr. Julissa For more information on the therapies mentioned above, visit and search at: drjulissa. • mynsp.com • http://drjulissa.mynsp.com • http://drjulissa.com © 2014 by Julissa Hernandez, ND, CNHP. All rights reserved.

COVER STORY

Sydney M. DeTiege By Brittany DeTiege

MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

encil. Curve. Brush. Stroke. Pink. Sparkles. Paint. Splatter. Thread. Needle. Dolls. Dress. Sugar. Rush. Lip gloss. Blush. Bound up in one cute 14-year old girl named Sydney M. DeTiege is a world of creativity, curiosity, and care. There is not a day that goes by where Sydney is not thinking of something to draw, sketch, color, sew, cook, watch or talk about. Though Sydney loves to cook for others, offer comfort and assist in assembling fixtures without reading the enclosed instructions, her biggest passion is art. She lives, thinks and breathes art…literally. With fresh, unfinished paintings and a couple cans of lacquer here and there, it is kind of hard not to breathe it in occasionally when prancing to her room. Of course, that is not what drew Sydney towards the colorful world of art, but the one stirring up this acrylic midst might just as well have stirred up her interest in her toddler times. Sydney’s father, René DeTiege, has been demonstrating his artistic talent via various mediums for over 30 years. From still-life and acrylic touches to sculptures and patina, her father has created plenty of awe-inspiring pieces and was more than eager to artfully influence his newest star pupil once she could sit upright safely in a chair. Along with her business savvy mother, Paula DeTiege, media altering older sister, Brittani, cheering siblings, Trinity and Judah and a host 12

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of encouraging family and friends, Sydney has a team of support that is ready to believe in her talent even when she is not. See, life hasn’t been always glitter and sparkles for little miss artsy. Sydney was born a seemingly healthy baby at 7 lbs. 11 oz. two weeks before her due date, but was later diagnosed with severe eczema and asthma. The years that followed were difficult for Sydney due to these conditions and added to this roster was dyslexia a couple years after. Academics, physical activity and a sense of normalcy in general became an obstacle since reading was such a challenge and attending three different schools didn’t help much socially either. Sydney’s natural love of sugar gave her a sweet tooth that sparked a number of asthma attacks and a couple of ER trips. It took a lot of prayer, persistence and practice on everyone’s end to get Sydney to where she is today. Thanks to determined parents, consoling siblings and the collective faith of those close to the family, Sydney is now learning how to: make healthy snacks to help tame her asthma, find crafty ways to diminish her dyslexia and laugh, laugh, laugh her way through trials and tribulations. Sometimes keeping a positive outlook on a troubled situation is not always the easiest thing to do and this inward emotional tug of war will surface onto Sydney’s artwork. Darker

colors and scenes will reflect the tones that shade her emotions. Other times art is the very vehicle that drives her to a better mood and creations of weird yet cool, different yet intriguing, and strange yet…still strange art will form from her hands. Creations such as the baked thumb-sized clay bear with a bow in its hair and a bowling ball in its hand or the pink polka dotted dress with black chiffon on the edges that she sewed for her and Trinity to wear during their tea parties are just two examples of the work that sprouts from her adolescent hands. But that’s what makes Sydney DeTiege’s art so inspiring. It’s not so much the perfect execution of the piece itself, which is an angle that she currently sharpening under the professional guidance at Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts, but it’s the story and the mood behind her art; the reason why she chooses the colors and textures that she does. Often times her reason is just for fun and that’s the joy and innocence of this teenager’s love of art. Art, to her, is not to get attention or to get an easy A on her report card. Art, in Sydney’s world, is a place where fun is the very air itself, comfort from the extremes of reality is found and seemingly undoable mistakes can be transformed into figures of beauty. Art is life. ◊

INSPIRATION

The Greatest Love of All

here was a song that Whitney Houston sang which she popularized entitled “The Greatest Love of All.” Some of the lyrics were:

I believe the children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride to make it easier Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be What is the greatest love of all? Well, the song goes on to say: The greatest love of all Is easy to achieve Learning to love yourself It is the greatest love of all

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Who’s looking back at you? Do you see a future president, a future teacher, a future business man or business woman, a future nurse, a future college graduate, a future actor or actress, a future novelist, a future journalist, a future chef, a future musician, a future pastor? Do you see you in your future? What is the hope that you have for yourself? If you could do or be anything at all, what would you do or be if you knew you could not fail? Think about it. Would your life start going in a different direction? Are you on the path that you want for yourself? I know these are a lot of questions, but these are things that you need to think about. Plan now, or pay later. Your future is too important to leave it to chance. So many youth today are affected by violence, drugs, homosexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, mental health issues, teen pregnancy, rape, incest, pornography, low self-esteem, self-hatred, self-mutilation, just to name a few. If you can identify with any of these issues, you are not alone. You are the only one going through what you’re going through; no one understands how you feel; you can’t talk to anyone because no one can help you and, perhaps, you’d be better off dead. Don’t believe those negative thoughts. The Bible says that in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack”

(Contemporary English Version). He desires to attack you and to steal everything good from you, but God has a plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (New International Version).

"Don’t give over control of your life to the enemy. Give it over to God. God said “I will never leave nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 – King James Version).

He’s there to help you through. Have you ever tried fixing something but the more you try to fix it, the worse things get? That’s because you’re trying to fix it on your own. Have you ever prayed and asked God to help you? I mean…really prayed, from the deepest part of your heart? He said “ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9 – New International Version). I’m a big person on “how to” books…”How to Organize Your Dresser Drawers in 5 Easy Steps”, for example. If there’s a need in my life, I need to know what I can do to meet that need. If there’s a problem, I need to know what to do to solve my problem. Are you like that? If not, you can be. You don’t have to take the junk (problems/issues/ troubles) that are thrown at you. Sometimes attacks come from situations that arise in our lives that are none of our doing, and then sometimes they are a result of unwise choices that we’ve made. Whatever your individual case may be, there is a way out. Like the song says…trouble don’t last always. If you need help with an issue, find an adult you can confide in to help you–a teacher, counselor, mentor, relative, pastor, police officer, your doctor…someone who will get you the help that you need. We all have to trust MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

INSPIRATION someone. Pray to God and ask Him to lead you to the right person and to help you with your situation. He’s there to help. Talk to someone. Don’t keep your problems to yourself. Go for counseling. If you know that the “so-called friend” you hang with is not a good influence and are not good for you, drop them like a hot potato. You have to cut loose some baggage if you want to rise to the occasion and be all you can be. Make a step-by-step plan to becoming the new you…to be all that you can be: 1. Pray for guidance 2. C onnect to someone, if possible, who can be a mentor to you– someone you can talk to when you need to 3. List your obstacles and the steps you need to take to overcome or to work through them 4. List your goals and the steps you need to take to achieve them 5. C heck off your goals as you achieve them 6. Remember, don’t just “write” the list…”do” the list

You owe it to yourself to be the best that you can be. Take pride in yourself…the way you act, the way you dress, your looks. You don’t have to wear designer clothes, just ensure that they are clean and neat. YOU are a Designer’s Original…designed by the Great Designer Himself - God. There’s only one you and you are precious to Him. This life that God has given us will be filled with lots of adventures, unexpected surprises, disappointments, joy and pain. Thank God we are not on this journey alone. I’d like to leave you with this–Oprah once said that Quincy Jones told her “your future is so bright that it burns my eyes.” Now, let me say to you…your future is so bright. How bright? That’s up to you. Don’t dim your own light and don’t allow anyone else to dim your light. Don’t follow the pack…be a leader. Be an independent thinker. Always keep your goals in mind, and know that God has your back…He just wants you to seek His face. God loves you and that’s the greatest love of all. ◊ by Dr. Katrina O. Dortch

Minding Your Manners

our parents probably often remind you to say “Please,” “Excuse me,” and “Thank you,” but did you know that there are lots of other social rules that you should be aware of? Here are some of them to help you out. By far, the most important thing to guide your manners is the “Golden rule”: Treat others as you would want to be treated. By minding your manners, your friends and other kids will look up to you, and adults will be impressed with your maturity. Let’s discuss a few etiquette tips in public places: Etiquette in Public »» Being “in public” means being anywhere not in your house. This includes being at school, out with your parents, or just on the street. »» If you are with a group of people, don’t take up the entire sidewalk. »» If someone bumps into you or if you hit

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someone, say “Excuse me” or “Sorry.” »» Remember that everyone is different, and no one deserves to be made fun of, so never point or stare at people. »» Never throw your trash on the ground. Use the public trash and recycle bins. »» If someone says “Have a nice day,” respond with, “Thank you. You too.” »» If you are on a busy street and need to stop for a moment, step off to the side so you are not in the way of other people. »» If you meet someone for the first time, shake his or her hand and say “Nice to meet you.” »» W hen someone holds a door open for you, remember to thank him or her. It is also polite to hold doors open for others, especially people in wheelchairs, on crutches, or someone with a stroller. »» If you are on a bus and someone comes on who might need a seat

(for example: if they have a baby, are elderly, or are injured), offer your seat to him or her. »» Before you get into an elevator, let the people who have arrived at their floor get off first. Always remember, manners bring about confidence which is such a powerful tool, for with it we’ll be more equipped and capable to communicate our ideas as well as build great social skills. ◊

Monica Lewis: Certified Etiquette Consultant

Monica Lewis School of Etiquette Telephone: (281) 974-6701

Email: info@monicalewisschoolofetiquette.com

Website: www.monicalewisschoolofetiquette.com

INSPIRATION

Hope To Obtain Passion To Endure

ope is defined in Webster’s dictionary as: desire together with the expectation of getting what is wanted (a cause for hope). You are the cause for hope because you have the capability to change your circumstances to prevail against all odds that rise against you. The challenge is to recognize that you are an individual with great strength, courage, understanding and wisdom to stand for a cause with the ability to have HOPE that is aligning on a collision course for a new beginning. Life affords us free will and the responsibility to comprehend right from wrong. How often are we afforded the opportunity to make a change and make decisions that interrupt the momentum to endure the challenge to see a great end? This is your greatest opportunity to create a vision that fuels your passion to endure and become a trailblazer to unlock all your gifts and talents to achieve goals you thought were not attainable. Hope is a new beginning and your success depends on how you will take advantage of a pivotal moment in your life. This is a defining moment where you must make decisions to accept and define who you really are, and take a deeper look at some rooted issues to let go and see yourself. You were created to be a KING or QUEEN, to reign in your destiny, with dominion and authority, to abide by integrity, stand up against injustice and pursue your passion, soaring with your wings out-stretched, to land on your feet and walk in authority taking on all those who said, you ain’t, will not, have not, did not, who have spoken illegal influences over you. It is important to stand up and take control of your life and no longer allow your brokenness to rule your life, some of you feel like there is nowhere else to

go, but I have a news flash, “DO NOT be part of your problems, be a solution to your destiny.” You rule your existence, and it is your responsibility to set your boundaries and let those who want to be a part of your life know that you have a new direction with endless unlimited possibilities. This is a challenge that is not going to be easy, but the struggle to propel yourself will require you to stay in positive influences, that means letting go of some friends, habits, etc... Ask yourself this. How many times you are going to keep playing the same scenario in your life with the same drama and the same actors and the result is ending in the same place? Until you take responsibility and recognize that being incarcerated is a form of psychological slavery, that you do not have to endure, yet your scenario will be the same. You will be able to embrace the new YOU once you understand that your life is valuable and you have a purpose to fulfill. Yes, I understand it has not been easy nor has the struggle been fair, but it is up to you to take ownership and change your circumstances that have impacted your life. Yes, you are valuable and everything about your existence is worth celebrating. Our goal in this very moment is to encourage, empower, and enrich, our journey with faith and Hope! You must find inner strength to face the impossible hurdles that will try to derail and deny your success that you have begun to outline for your new beginnings. The one thing about new beginnings is that the old things that existed in your life are no longer a part of your existence. Listen and understand to what I am saying. Some old issues or concerns

that will affect you negatively are not encouraging, empowering or enriching your life, “Let It Go!” Everything about this moment is significant for you to move forward and will impact your life to cause a domino effect, whether upwards or downwards.

"Humility is strength of character and a testament to your faith and belief in your ultimate goal that you must be true to yourself for your PURPOSED destiny." If you are determined to prevail and overcome challenges then stop allowing the old you, to be drawn into negativity. Chase the new person you have become, to meet you in the same position and circumstances that got you here in the first place. The process of change is a laboring task that requires you to connect with positive influences that will cause you to prevail and defeat the fear of FAILURE! Sometimes it feels as though you cannot shake the fear of giving in, giving up and giving out, but I am here to say you are a trail blazer and the moment you realize this you will understand that No-One Defines You But You! ◊ by Chevonna Johnson MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

ETIQUETTE CORNER

A Connection Between Understanding the Global Economy

mericans need to recognize that the economic environment has changed drastically, and as a result, must change how they market themselves for employment. Global Economy is knowledge base that requires employees to obtain a higher level of skills compare to twenty years ago. In the past, a high school diploma was sufficient to enter careers that allowed them to earn middle class status, now businesses are upgrading their skills requirement to keep up with the demands of the global economy. Unfortunately, the global economy will continue to negatively impact the older and disadvantaged population, unless they become proactive in building their skills. In order to recognize how to market themselves to potential employers, struggling Americans must understand how the global economy impacts business/recruitment practices, the need to create great first impressions, and the power of networking. First, technology is a dominating force in our society, which impacts how employers manage businesses, the workplace, and the recruitment of new employees. The main purpose of technology is so that productions and tasks are completed more efficiently in fewer amounts of time with less human power. Technology influenced how employees must complete their tasks, prepare reports, conduct presentations, and calculate budgets. Telecommunication is creating a concept that their peers are accessible despite the fact that they may be located either across country or in another part of the world. Most importantly, telecommunication is creating the idea of “work from home” and allowing disabled employees to work more effectively. And above all, employers are requiring applicants to apply for employment and complete assessments electronically, since they utilize computers to screen applicants. Employers will heavily depend on their employees to become comfortable with the constant use and changes of technology. Next, the global economy has allowed the business environment to transition into decentralization, meaning 16

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and Developing the Ability of Marketing Skills...

even front-line workers must participate in the decision making process and work independently. Employers expect their workforce to possess critical thinking and leadership skills. Lastly, many businesses are increasingly partnering with and/or competing against international counterparts. Therefore, employers are increasingly seeking employees that are comfortable interacting with overseas partners, contractors, and clients. Particularly, since the ability of understanding different cultures can “make or break” business relationships. How should applicants change their marketing strategies to potential employers?

“Networking and creating great impressions are extremely critical when seeking employment in the global economy because it’s about who you know.” 10-15 years ago, applicants would only need to complete an application and wait for an employer to contact them. Now applicants would have to personally introduce their skills by joining organizations, volunteering in communities, completing training programs, and attending social events. Most professions are represented by national/international membership organizations where they offer discount rates for workshops and conferences. Many of these organizations allow members

ETIQUETTE CORNER

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to volunteer on projects and network with other members. Develop an elevator speech, which is providing a potential employer a short summary about a skill, product or service in 15 about seconds. The concept is that a person can meet a potential employer anywhere, whether it’s a grocery store or an elevator, therefore, will only have a short amount of time to make a remarkable first impression. A person should develop a clear goal and determine how they want to promote themselves in a natural manner. College students are not the only groups that can obtain access to internship opportunities; most organizations are willing to accept interns and volunteers from any willing participant. The key is to accept assignments that will offer participants to build up their skills and use critical thinking skills. Websites, such as idealist, city limits, and direct organization/community websites are valuables sources in seeking opportunities. Always treat volunteer and internship opportunities as a job because: • Applicants can include that experience on a resume

• Management can be used as references, and • Most companies prefer to hire within Lifelong learning is a requirement because the market, technology, and skills requirement appear to evolve constantly at a rapid pace. Lifelong learning programs are typically offered in education programs, workshops, conferences, and on jobsites. Regardless, of how many degrees a person has, there will always be a need of utilizing training programs to improve their skills. Critical points to consider when creating an effective resume. A resume is a screening tool that will determine whether the applicant is fit for a certain position and company. W hat are the major key points in creating an effective resume? • Make sure the resume aligns with the job description/task • Job descriptions represent potential employers’ expectations • Make sure the structure is uniform Ex. If bullet points are used for one section, please use bullet points for all sections. • If there is a gap in the resume, please

use volunteer/internship experiences • Make sure key words are used to show intelligence and knowledge of the industry • Employers use a computer system to search for key words to screen applicants • Do not use long sentences when listing experiences • Employers typically take about less than a minute to read resumes and prefer not to read life stories • Information must be truthful • Must use a working number and address • Optional sections should be used to market specialized skills, such as computers, licenses, certifications, and past projects. Many Americans do not have access to this sort of information, and as a consequence, are wondering why they are struggling to re-enter or remain in the job market. Seeking employment in the global market can be a strenuous job itself, but an effective marketing strategy is what will get a “foot into a door”. ◊ by LaToya Wilson MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

Encouraging Praise Written by Debricka S. Taylor

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ARTIST OF THE MONTH

inging since the age of 4, gospel music is ingrained within the talented and spirited Marlette Dixon. The Virginia native (Cape Charles to be exact), currently residing in Delmar, Maryland keeps her family and faith close to her at all times. Her fondest memories: singing with her brother and sisters in as many church programs her dad could involve them in. Though rehearsals left her little down time she absolutely enjoyed it. It is no wonder that gospel would become a passion she will never abandon. Giving glory to God through her unwavering praise and gift of moving others to worship she is sure to be a success in the world of gospel music.

AAU: When did you decide that gospel music was what you wanted to pursue? Dixon: I guess I always knew if I had the opportunity I would sing gospel. I grew up with gospel music around me and have a close relationship with Christ. AAU: Who are some of your musical influences? Dixon: I would say the Winans Family– BeBe and CeCe, the Clark Sisters, Hezekiah Walker, Donnie McClurkin, Kirk Franklin. They are the ones that stick out the most. They helped to build gospel music into what it is today. With me being a praise and worship leader at my church I also listen to Martha Munizzi, Stephen Hurd, Tasha Cobbs, Anthony Brown & Group Therapy, and Israel & New Breed. AAU: What is being a praise and worship leader like? Dixon: I love it! I do it every Sunday and I love ushering people in the presence of God. I love to see God move during a service. It is always exciting to see people being drawn to God by giving their life to Christ and being delivered. AAU: Your rendition of “Draw Me Close” is very beautiful. Why did

you choose it as your debut song? Would you say that you connect with it on an intimate/personal level? Dixon: I did it because it was one of the worship songs I’ve always sang. We go through periods of doubt. God is there and we need to draw close to him. I want him to be my desire. I had that yearning to be close and I felt that I was drifting. Yes, I connected with it personally. AAU: Now I was told that you sang the background vocals and the lead? Do you sing all your songs this way? Is this challenging to do? Dixon: No, it was just for this song. This song is to introduce me to the public. It wasn’t hard for me because as a praise and worship leader we have rehearsals every week. I have to teach people to sing alto, soprano, and tenor parts so it wasn’t hard to do. AAU: What can listeners expect to hear from you once your album is complete? Dixon: I just did the single with Vashawn Sampson who is the producer. I’m in the planning process. I’m still praying about it–the album. I am planning to share a little about my journey and how God has bought me through and how he can do the same for others. I wrote a song about his word to encourage others. I remember finishing college and entering the real world, wondering what is my purpose? The album will be a mixture of everything about me. The fact that God can get you through your problems and you can come out with a praise. AAU: How would you describe yourself as an artist? Take some time to introduce us to who Marlette Dixon is and what we can expect from her? Dixon: I don’t think of myself as an artist. God had given me a gift to sing and share the gospel of Christ. It is my purpose to help others seek him and be close to him, to find joy and happiness through Him. God revealed that praise

and worship was my purpose before I really knew what it meant. I didn’t know when a pastor spoke the word into my life and told me that I was a worshipper. Seeing myself as an artist may be cultivated over time but God has called me to share the gospel and compel listeners to him. I use my voice to get their attention. AAU: Though this is your debut song, I’m sure you have experience performing live. What is it like singing in front of a crowd of people? How do you prepare for performances? Dixon: I always pray and rehearse the songs. Sometimes people call you to sing on the spot but I always try to be prepared. I have initial nervousness but I’m there to minister and pray that they are blessed by it. I haven’t performed in front of 1,000 people yet. AAU: You will and you will share how that feels with us I’m sure. AAU: Your debut web page is titled “My Journey.” Can you share a little bit about what your musical journey has been like? Dixon: My journey has involved my family. My sisters and I always get together now and then to sing. They have been very supportive of me. It involves my experience serving in the church and personal experiences. The church I attend now, my sister and brother-in-law are the pastors. AAU: What advice would you like to give our young aspiring gospel singers? Dixon: Today the youth are coming out gifted and talented. I would tell them to make sure they understand what they are doing and what they are singing. When you reach the top you can quickly fall. We go through things and are not perfect but live a life of integrity. Unfortunately, integrity is lacking but you have to remember that people are watching what you do. AAU MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

PARENT CORNER

Strengthening the Communication Gap and Improving the Relationship Between Parents and Teenagers Using Supportive Communication

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the social and interpersonal skills necessary to gain greater autonomy and independence. Think of a fruit ripening… it will occur, but you cannot manipulate the timing! The home should be an environment where teenagers feel safe, where they can recharge their batteries, and where there is support and supportive communication. The significance of supportive communication helps the teenager to develop a positive identity, social, and coping skills. Supportive communication helps in stopping the rollercoaster that is so evident in this phase of the teenager’s life. The aim of supportive communication is to help the parent and teenager explore and resolve problems in a supportive and positive way. Supportive communication focuses on the problem and solutions to the problem. It does not focus on the individual traits of the parent or child. Both parent and child should listen to each other and each should be given the opportunity to express their view on the issue being discussed without becoming defensive or expressing blame. Listening respectfully and agreeing to

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hether you are already the parent of an adolescent or looking forward to being one, in many ways those years between childhood and adulthood can be very challenging to both parent and child. Many teenagers report “My parents do not listen to me.”, or “My parents are always yelling at me.”, or “My parents are always butting heads with me.” At the other end of the spectrum, parents are saying, “What happened to my child.”, “My child does not talk to me anymore.”, or “Why doesn’t my child listen to me?” Does this sound familiar? Moreover, why is the word “teenager” causing so much anxiety to some parents? For many parents, it is easy to become a mother or father but difficult to be a parent. While adolescents need love and support from their parents, they also need less complexity in the communication with their parents. During the teenage years almost all arguments between parents and adolescents are about breaking the rules, personal hygiene, schoolwork, household chores, hanging out with deviant peers, social events, drugs and alcohol, social media, sexuality, religion, and conflict with siblings. When these and other situations arise, parents and adolescents require effective communication and problem-solving skills to resolve problems with the least possible conflict and to avoid the rollercoaster that is prevalent during this period. In turn, teenagers should be aware that while the teenage years are a time when they are searching for their own identity and independence they cannot rush mother nature. Development happens on its own timetable and they should not rush this stage of development because they lack

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PARENT CORNER

disagree by expecting each to express different opinions is important. Many parents share the view that because they are the parent they are not required to listen to their teenager. Teenagers should be allowed to express their views and opinions in a respectful and responsible way. Parents should have rules and enforce them. However, it is important for parent to set boundaries at an early age and not wait until the teenage years to do so. There may be times when a teenager would prefer to share their thoughts and feelings with another teenager rather than a parent. This is not unusual, however, parents still need to know what is going on with their teenager. If a parent treats a teenager with the proper tact and discretions, then the teenager would be willing to confide implicitly. Many parents do not know what is going on with their teenager and becoming mindful of their “indirect” communication is important. It is important for teenagers to know that they often seek the advice of their peers who are not equipped with the mechanisms necessary to cope with situations because of their lack of experience. Remember, they are in the same developmental stage and would provide advice based upon their level of cognitive and social functioning. At times, in order to effectively communicate and intervene with their teenager, parents must have the assistance and support from family members, friends, co-workers, teachers, clergy, and other significant adults. Parents should know their teenager’s friends and their friend’s parents, both at school and in the community.

Teenagers are changing in many different ways during adolescence and parents would benefit from altering their communication style to reflect these changes. This includes, parents not comparing their teenage experience with that of their teenager or hovering over the teenager. Teenagers are growing up in a time that is very different from their parents, who should understand that times are different and so are the ways in which they communicate. Hovering can result in negative consequences such as the teenager staying away from home, lying about his/her whereabouts, or social isolation. In later life, this can also result in anxiety and depression for teenagers. Developing comfortable moments where a parent and teenager can talk and spend one-to-one time where direction and openness to new insight is acknowledged helps the teenager feel accepted, valued, and understood. It is best for both parent and teenager to refrain from negative commands. Effective communication is the common thread for enhancing the relationship between parent and teenager. If a parent and teenager are experiencing communication and other problems, it is important that they both seek professional help, in order to resolve the problem. Parents who are employed can seek professional help by speaking to their Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or contacting their behavioral health insurance provider to find a therapist who specializes in treating adolescents. The information provided to EAP and the therapist is strictly confidential. These professionals are available to help parents and teenagers as they go through this challenging period in time. ◊ by Bernadette Marson, PhD, ACSW, LCSW-R

MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

EMPOWERMENT

How Can I Reboot? Hope Flows All Around

o you ever feel lost when trying to achieve your goals, especially when progress seems so far away? If you’ve lost your way in trying to achieve a goal, you may find it difficult to rebuild your motivation. But there’s nothing stopping you from picking yourself up again! If you feel like you’re off track, now is the perfect time for you to gather your thoughts and move forward again. This is a perfectly achievable feat, but you must be willing to give it your all.

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“If you have a large goal, break up the goal into a series of small, achievable tasks and set each task as a separate goal.” This helps you maintain motivation because you’re constantly achieving your goals. You can see the results of your hard work! 4. Hold yourself accountable. In order to ensure that you don’t stray from your chosen path, evaluate your progress every week or even every day. Determine how you can do better the next week. • If you find that it’s difficult to keep yourself accountable, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You may enjoy having others check up on you to make sure you stay on task.

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No More Excuses - Motivate Yourself Today You may already know that motivation is one of the keys that determine success or failure. However, just knowing doesn’t make it any easier to gain motivation. If you feel that you’re having trouble properly motivating yourself, it’s time for you to act. Not tomorrow, but today. Finding your motivation is something personal. The best way to find motivation is to explore your options and discover something that works for you. Consider the following ways to motivate yourself today: 1. Avoid just going through the motions. One reason you may find it difficult to perform everyday tasks is that you get bored. Of course you’re going to try to avoid something that you find tedious! You can combat this mentality by adding some depth to your thinking while you’re engaging in tasks you dislike. • Brainstorm ways that you can complete the task in a more efficient manner. Then you can compete with yourself to see how quickly you can complete the task in the future. The quicker you get it done, the sooner you can move on to bigger and better things! 2. Be spiritual. Don’t be afraid to get in touch with your spiritual side. It is highly motivating! When you discover some answers to life’s tough questions, it brings you clarity, and you may be more likely to work harder to achieve your desires.

3. Set a goal. You might lack motivation because you don’t have a goal. If you aren’t even sure what you’re working towards, you’ll have difficulty finding motivation.

EMPOWERMENT

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5. Think positive thoughts. Negative thinking and lack of motivation go hand in hand. You can increase your motivation by concentrating on eliminating your negative thinking patterns. Replace negative feelings with optimism and positive thoughts and images. • When you catch yourself feeling down, make an extra effort to seek the silver lining. It’s always there. If you take the time to look hard enough, you’ll find it. 6. Make a change. If you think you’ve tried everything and you still can’t get motivated, perhaps you should consider a life change. Maybe there’s a reason why you’re feeling this way. • If you don’t feel motivated to work toward your major life goals, consider some alternatives that may be more in line with your true desires. • If you’re having trouble finding motivation for everyday chores, see if you can find a way to hire some help. Always keep in mind that “the time is now.” Put procrastination into your past and you’ll feel happy and accomplished at the end of the day, instead of stressed out or regretful. When you’re motivated, life is more fulfilling. Use these strategies to wake up your motivation and enjoy the difference! Try some of Dr. Sunday’s strategies to rediscover your Motivation: 1. Figure out where you want to be.

What do you want in your life? What matters most to you right now and where do you want to go from here? Take the time to visualize your dream life. Try to envision as many details as you can so you can get a feel for what you truly desire.

2. Commit these ideas to paper. Write the details out clearly. Focus on what you do want rather than what you don’t have or don’t want. Put all of this information down on paper in a format that works for you, such as a mind map or a brainstorm cloud. You need to be able to process this information after you jot it down on paper.

3. Review your current goals. How do your current goals and aspirations relate to your dream life? Are you setting specific goals for what you really want to achieve in life? If not, then revise your goals so they’re in line with what you actually want. Your goals are only effective if they’re driving you toward the future you desire. 4. Create visual representations of your goals. It’s important to keep your goals in mind. Leave reminders for yourself on note cards, sticky notes, poster boards, dry erase boards, and anywhere else that you’ll see them and be able to think about them. • Keeping your goals in mind is essential to developing the motivation to see them through to their fruition.

5. Enlist help and support. Surround yourself with loved ones that support you and your goals. They’ll be some of the best help for relocating your motivation. Encircle yourself with people that motivate you, cheer you on, and feed you positive energy at every turn.

6. Remind yourself consistently. Why do you want these specific goals? Close your eyes and visualize your dream life often, in detail, and review your action plan to remind yourself how you’re going to get there. • When the “why” of your goals is important to you, the “how” more easily appears. Knowing exactly what you want and how you’re going to get there brings consistent motivation. With a detailed action plan of achievable steps, you’re excited about your next step and tackle challenges with gusto to get past them and move on! When you take decisive action to achieve your goals, you can find the strength and motivation to carry on. Avoid letting obstacles in your path prevent you from attaining the dream life that you deserve because, with hard work, the ability to bring your dreams to life is just around the corner. ◊ by Dr. Renee Sunday

Don’t Stop! Go For It! MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

EMPOWERMENT

Six Degrees of Empowerment

ecently, I was privileged to conduct a two-day workshop in the Bronx, NY to a group of twenty young people (ages 15-20) in two very interesting, imperative and existing challenges every school and urban community is facing. The subject titles were “Gang Association & Respect.” Two challenges of great concern throughout any American family and society as a whole, as to what is truly going to reverse this growing and destructive epidemic that has gripped young people in a way that “they” cannot independently escape from. As a Personal and Professional Development Consultant, my education, training and experience going into any youth development group has always offered an advantage. The ability to connect, accurately assess, and then expose Six Degrees of Empowerment required for transformation. Sounds quite easy, however, dealing with young people who’ve experienced/experiencing gang association, homelessness, parental abandonment, addiction and/or death, and educational issues are just the external challenges. Inside, most are scared, lonely, and angry, which are emotional issues. Then, there is a lack of strategic choice and decision making skills, as many have been influenced and/or consumed with criminal thinking (a consistent failure to think responsibly) and antisocial personality traits. Also, there is a lack of appropriate hygiene, social living skills, character, morality, and overall respect and responsibility. However, those imperative issues are exacerbated through the usage of and addition to alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, sex, guns, violence and oppositional defiance. These issues and challenges, which are often in combination

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or co-dependent of each other, is actually determining the present, future and the legacy of the Black and Latino American family, culture and community. If for a moment we reflect upon “the role each of us have played in this” whether from being an acting participant or standing on the sideline watching as people, places and things have become worse. Now, the timely question remains; “how do we reverse the cycle that has consumed young people to the degree that they are incapable to independently remove themselves, and refuse most assistance from the adults willing to help them move forward?” That is what I felt both days in the Bronx, working with that group of young people who have been told many times before or knew and understood that they didn’t have enough of something to pull, push or propel them forward into the life they felt they deserved. Therefore, many were pretending to be someone or something they are not, in order to be accepted by each other and left alone from loving and assisting arms. What we have here is a serious challenge of a cycle, whether it is mental and/or physical incarceration that can only be broken through a process which is so evident throughout history, but misunderstood by the masses. In 1947 while attending Morehouse College, the late, great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote an article for the Maroon Tiger titled; “The Purpose of Education.” In it, Dr. King described his perception and performance of a true and complete education. It goes on to describe how a complete education isn’t based upon academics alone, but the incorporation of character, morality and skills such as: strategic thinking,

decision-making and performance. Dr. King, once again is leading us through a contagious, unproductive and destructive mental-genocide or menticide that continues to elude even the best educators, leaders and organizations attempting to independently solve a challenge they have yet to fully and accurately assess. “Education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society–the one is utility, and the other is culture. Education must enable man to become more efficient to achieve with increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life. Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of halftruths, prejudices, and propaganda. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal and the facts from the fiction. The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But, education which stops at efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals. We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence –plus character–that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only the power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate. The broad education will, therefore, transmit to one not only the accumulated knowledge of the race, but also the accumulated experience of social living.” During the Bronx presentation, I utilized the Purpose of Education to keep me focused on what could be missing from the home and in the

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EMPOWERMENT

NYS Educational system of the participants. Surprisingly, a few were doing very well academically which made it fairly easy to challenge their self-defeating thoughts and behaviors. However, a majority of the group were infected with enormous anger, pain and ignorance which affected their morality, choices and positive decision-making. By answering imperative questions such as: (1) Are we creating opportunity for new and better-choice options to exist? (2) Can our young people recognize and utilize these new choice options to their advantage? And, (3) Can this new choice lead to achievement of a desired result? The answers came through the Six Degrees of Empowerment: 1) The Installation of Hope: connectivity, empathy, a motivational opportunity for visionary achievement. 2) Self-Empowerment: intense personal development and personal leadership. 3) Chief Principle-Centeredness: providing success paradigms and principles to build character and influence thinking. 4) Substantiating Personal Security: trust, confidence and habitual performance of the newly acquired skills. 5) Predictable Behavioral Outcomes: (utilizing math to solve problems) consequential thinking, strategic planning and performance execution. 6) Continuous Care, Education & Training: building new relationships and utilizing additional resources. My mission was to empower the participants with the paradigms, principles and skills of leadership and character education to increase strategic thinking, personal and interpersonal performance from the inside-out. My assessment–Mission Complete! Herman Dunnom, Jr. is the President of Beautiful Men & Women Personal and Professional Development Consulting. As a motivational speaker, trainer and program

developer, Herman has worked with young people through community organizations to challenge the thinking, reasoning and behavior of those under his tutelage. Herman’s mantra; “change is a formidable task, you have to overcome you” has propelled him to bring change and transformation to young people who lack a sense of identity, purpose, meaning and direction. His current programmatic strengths are in the “train the trainer” leadership classes which include a tailored version of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” written by the late, great Stephen R. Covey. Herman’s definition of leadership is: the ability to holistically (psychological/intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual, social and financial) consistently and effectively communicate, demonstrate and quantify personal characteristics, beliefs, principles, values and ideals in and of personal, interpersonal and professional performance. Through PDC’s execution of leadership, consultations, motivational trainings, workshops and other core performances begin and end with a thorough leadership mind and skill-set goal. Depending on the level of motivational training and presentation, PDC effectively establishes the hope and vision required for leadership to emerge as a characteristic for personal security–a perfect foundation to building human capital and self-esteem–and to grow a level of confidence necessary to persevere through the required work associated to accomplishing any desired goal. Herman can be contacted at: PDCINFO@BeautifulMenAndWomen.com or www.beautifulmenandwomen.com

Herman Dunnom, Jr., President, CEO Beautiful Men & Women Personal and Professional Development Consulting

MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

POLITICAL CORNER

Let’s Take Our Country Back “It is time for us to take a stand and it is time for us to move in a different direction.”

All About Us: Essentially, who is Robby Wells? Robby Wells: Well, Robby Wells is a man that has known he was going to run for president since he was eight years old. I was adopted as an infant by a Baptist minister and his wife. My father worked for Jimmy Carter when he was the governor of the state of Georgia. My father was on the committee that oversaw the special needs kids in the state of Georgia. I saw Jimmy Carter going from being a peanut farmer, to being the governor, to being the president of the United States. He won the White House in 1976 when I was just eight years old. It just put a stamp of inspiration on my spirit that one day not only was I going to run for president but I was going to be the president of the United States. So here I am, many years later and I’m in the process right now of going after that lifelong goal of running for president. AAU: How did you come to decide on your campaign slogan “Rise Up?” Robby Wells: I don’t know if it was divine intervention but after sitting down and looking at this country and where we have gone in the past 8 to 10 years as far as our economy basically tanking. You see unemployment in the millions, you see millions of manufacturing jobs that have gone overseas, and you see constant conflict in the Middle East for the past 25 years. You see government gridlock in Washington DC and in the past 20 years we’ve had three government shutdowns. We are in an economic meltdown as well. I believe it’s time for “we the people” to actually rise up and say enough is enough. I do believe that my step-by-step common sense approach that I have in my platform will actually rise this country up. And you know America is not easy but America is beautiful and we have to work at it; we have to work at it every day. I’ve taken a very strong stand for the people of the United States and at this point I’m asking each and every one of them to rise up with me. AAU: What is your approach to addressing the two top issues you believe need to be remedied in our country? Robby Wells: My number one issue of course is to bring back millions of manufacturing jobs that we have lost in the past 25 years, creating massive unemployment here in the United

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States. This economic meltdown started back in 2007 and it hasn’t gotten any better. So my number one plank to my platform is to bring these jobs back to this country. We have a plan to actually do that. My second major plank is to become energy independent. We are rich with resources here in the United States, yet we rely on foreign countries for energy. A lot of these countries that we are relying on for energy don’t like us very much. In fact, in the past 25 years we’ve been in constant conflict because of it, with Desert Storm, 9/11, the war in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq, Libya. About ten months ago we were threatening to bomb Syria and every six to eight months we seem to be threatening to bomb Iran as well. All because we are not energy independent and we are relying on that sector of the world to help us with our energy supply. My plan is to become energy independent. My plan also calls for us to be at least 25% oil independent within the first 3 1/2 years of my presidency. This will get us out of doing bad business with countries in the Middle East because we get about 25% of our oil each year from that sector of the world. AAU: Why does the United States rely on other countries for resources? Robby Wells: Back in the early 90’s the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was enacted and within itself it looked like it was good because we would be able to get cheaper goods from across the globe. And yes we have been able to do that but at a detriment of actually losing those manufacturing jobs overseas. In fact a lot of the small towns across this country were actually mill villages. Many of the mills actually shut down in fact Graniteville, South Carolina was known for the Graniteville mill and old sweat mill. Literally thousands of people relied on jobs from the mills and when NAPTA was put into place those mills shut down, not just in Graniteville but all across this country. Those people were all of sudden unemployed and it wasn’t just the people who were unemployed, there were family members that relied on them. It just made an awful situation and we’ve got to right

POLITICAL CORNER this wrong. Now if you look at any other country that has a free trade agreement except for a handful of them they have a value added tax which basically blocks a large portion of the imports and drives down the cost of manufacturing within their own country. We do not have that here and that’s why we have the problem that we have. My plan calls for having a revenue mutual value added tax which will not hurt the consumers pocket but it will drive down the cost of manufacturing here in the United States. It will block a high portion of the imports coming in from other countries and is going to bring these manufacturing jobs back to the United States. AAU: Do you think your role as public servant will have an impact on the way in which you will lead the country? Robby Wells: Absolutely it does. One thing that I will tell you about myself is that I believe that my priorities are correct. I love my God. I love my family. I love my country. And if any of those are not taken care of then we as a people will suffer. I think that’s what you see going on in this country right now. We’ve got to have the correct attitude in leadership in Washington and let me tell you why. I do not believe the attitude starts at the bottom and works its way up through the organization. No, I believe the attitude starts at the very top; whether it is a business or government. It starts at the very top and it permeates its way throughout that entire organization. So if the correct attitude is sitting in that Oval Office that is going to permeate throughout the government, throughout the entire country and the entire world because people look to the United States from across the globe. AAU: I love your quote: ‘We are not the Left Wing or the Right Wing. We are the bird that sits in the middle representing the American people.’ Where does your philosophy come from? Robby Wells: If you look at my economic plan it is called Eaglenomics. Eaglenomics takes the absolute best from the left wing and the absolute best from the right wing so when someone comes to me and says are you left wing or right wing I say I’m neither. I’m the bird that sits in the middle. We are going to take the absolute best from the right and the absolute best from the left and we are going to lay aside all of our egos. We are going to lay aside all of our differences we are going to start working hand in hand, side by side. It is time for us to stare down the fear of our differences with the face of courage. And like I always say whether you are black or white, young or old, male or female, gay or straight, democrat or republican, constitutionalist or libertarian, Green Party or Independent. Whether you are a Protestant or a Catholic, a Mormon or Agnostic, a Muslim or an

atheist, or those of the Jewish faith we are all very unique in this country and we can embrace our differences. We have one common bond and that bond is we are all Americans and it’s time for us to start pulling together to make this nation great again so we can once again prosper. AAU: With your 20 year expertise as an educator and educational leader, what changes would you like to implement regarding our educational system? Robby Wells: At the same time we have to give the students a chance at gaining higher education because many people can’t afford it we’ve got 46 million Americans that live in poverty right now and 149 million Americans that exist on low income and rely on the federal government for some kind of assistance. That is not what this country is supposed to be about. We’ve got 17 million single parents and 20 million children here in America. This is about 25% of the children in this country being affected by a single parent home. We’ve got to put programs and a system in place that is actually going to take care of the American citizens for a change. We worry so much about helping people and giving foreign aid. But we’ve got 36 million people living in poverty and about 20 million Americans unemployed, and another 50 million underemployed. It’s time for us to take care of our own backyard or we are not going to have a backyard. If you look at the free education system that we have here in the U.S. it gives every individual an opportunity to get free education from grades K-12. That was great and good 100 years ago when the program was set up because all you needed was a high school diploma to succeed in life. Times have changed and my plan calls for having free education all the way through 4 years of college whether it is a 2-year trade school or a 4-year bachelor’s degree. We have got to move forward with the times to get back on track with our educational system. Right now we rank 36 in the world in the field of education. The first thing we can do is go back and empower the teachers on the state level so they can get back to teaching the curriculum. AAU: When you think about the youth and future generations, what America do you envision for them? Robby Wells: One thing that my father told me when I was young he said, ‘When you grow up and take a job you always want to leave that job in better shape when you leave than when you actually got the job.’ I believe it’s the same thing with this country. We need to leave the future generation a better country than the country that we were given. If you look at our country right now and the economic mess we are in we are not leaving our future generation a better America than we had. 17 trillion in debt and that keeps climbing and because of that you’ve got homelessness and unemployment. We’ve lost millions of jobs, constant gridlock in Washington, and three government shutdowns in the past 20 years, and the list goes on and on. I believe that it is time for a new direction and not to step on any toes and say that what people, have been doing up in Washington is completely bad. I just think it is time for us to move in a bit of a different direction. One thing for sure; if we keep doing what we are doing, we will keep getting what we are getting. AAU: Let’s fast forward and say you have served two terms as president of the United States. At the end of your presidency what would you like the world to remember most about you? MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

POLITICAL CORNER

Robby Wells: That I truly had the best interest for the people at heart. When I become president–and I do intend on becoming the 45th president of the United States, it will not be about Robby Wells; it will be about the people. I love people, I love working for people, and I love seeing people succeed. I love seeing come back stories. Someone that has been on top, lost it all and decided they were going to get up, dust themselves off, climb up out of the hole and begin again. You see, I’ve been there. I’m not going to stand and talk to you today and say that everything has been a sun shiny day for me and a bed of roses. I’ve had some deep valleys and some very dark days. I understand what the American people as a whole have been going through. You see 99% of us are considered to be middle class and below. I’m right there–waking

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up and wondering how am I going to provide for my family like millions of Americans do. I feel like my American dream has been stolen from me and replaced with an economic nightmare. Well when my presidency is up I hope they will say he truly had the best interest of the people at heart, he was able to bring the jobs back, and the economy rebounded, and once and for all see the country be energy independent at the same time. I believe this county needs to be lead down the path of righteousness and that is not to say that I’m a perfect guy because none of us are. But I do know what I believe and not that I’m trying to push my faith on anyone. In fact, my faith basically goes right along with the first amendment. The first amendment says we have the right to choose how we want to worship, who we want to worship, where we want to worship and when we want to worship in this country. We also have the right to say what we want to say. My Christian faith that I learned as a child and my teaching and upbringing that came through my family was to respect and love all people, even those that believe different from me which I believe goes right along with the first amendment.

AAU: What advice do you have for a young person with aspirations of becoming the president one day? Robby Wells: What I will tell them is the same thing that I have done every day: Wake up and take each step closer towards that goal. I see a lot of people say they want to do something and they have it as a goal but if you don’t actually take the steps to make if actually happen then it never will happen. So we have to be able to put action behind those goals to make the goals come true. Get up every day and realize that each little step gets you further along that journey of becoming whatever it is that you want to be. Maybe it’s the president, maybe it’s to become an astronaut, and maybe it’s to become a doctor or a lawyer or maybe a governor of a state. Maybe it’s to be a minister or a teacher but you don’t just wake up and snap your fingers and do it. You have to take a step-by step, day-by-day approach of having a lot of small goals, attainable goals that you can reach and the one day you will wake up and have the greater goal whatever the goal may be. AAU by Debricka S. Taylor

ENCOURAGEMENT CORNER

The Youth is the Hope of Our Future

to that career. Step two would then be to ensure that the courses they are taking are aligned with their career aspirations. School Counselors or Academic Deans would be the point of contact and are instrumental regarding correct course selection. Lastly, young people should find volunteer opportunities in the career field that they are interested in. For example, if their interest in in politics, volunteering for a political campaign would be the ideal opportunity. Most School Districts have adopted volunteer hours as a graduation requirement; therefore young people would be able to fulfill that obligation while gaining valuable experience. If we are to entrust the future to our youth, we must not only uncover their potential, but equip them with the tools that are necessary to help them succeed. Since our goal is to leave a better world for them than we had, we must show our young people how they can carry on the legacies that we will leave behind. The youth are not only the hope for the future of our Nation but for the world. Therefore, we must provide them with all of the resources they need to manifest their dreams and fulfill their destinies. â&#x2014;&#x160; by Felicia Meadows

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hen you turn on the television or listen to the news, you hear stories of juveniles committing heinous crimes against each other, teens neglecting their parental responsibilities or just youth behaving badly in general. With so called role models like hip hop artists and athletes to emulate; you would think that their generation is lost. Unfortunately, these are the images that the media would have you believe represent our youth. While there are some young people who are disillusioned and mislead by what they see and hear, the majority of them have dreams and aspirations that go far beyond wanting to be the next NBA player or reality TV star. They desire to be the next President of the United States or lead research to find a cure for cancer. So, how do we as adults nurture and cultivate their vision? We must not only encourage young people to dream but to create a plan to help them fulfill that dream. The first step in helping them discover who they are is by assessing their skills, interest and abilities. The easiest way to do this is with a career assessment. Many middle and high schools give students career assessments to not only help them determine which careers that they would best suited for, but to help plan the coursework that is related

MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

ENCOURAGEMENT CORNER

You Have The Power!

ou have the power to achieve your dreams regardless of your circumstances. Believe in yourself first and foremost. Write down your goals and make an action plan to achieve them, with an emphasis on education, having a strong work-ethic (desire to continue to work hard) and a positive attitude. Regardless of the obstacles you may face, if you do not give up, you will have a harvest of many good things ahead. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor grew up in the South Bronx and lost her father when she was only 9 years old. Sonia’s path to success was sparked by watching a Perry Mason episode as she saw the power the Judge held. Also, Sonia’s mother instilled in her the value of an education along with hard work, a powerful combination. Sonia established an action plan and followed it all the way to the Supreme Court. Decide what career you want, design your action plan to achieve your goals and then go for it. Pursuing a college degree should be at the top of your action plan. I can’t stress enough the importance of higher education. A good education is an essential tool for success and it will give you leverage in a competitive workplace. As you develop your action plan, you will need to include both long term goals and short term goals to chart your path to success. For example, once you select a dream career and the college that will get you there, you will need to achieve short-term goals such as maintaining good grades while in high school and preparing for your SAT exam, to help you meet college admission requirements. 30

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It takes hard work to make an action plan, to stick with it, and to adjust it as needed–never losing sight of your dream. Strive to keep a positive attitude so you can see through the challenges that may arise and achieve the next milestone. Maintaining a positive attitude will help you get through the hurdles in life. A positive attitude can create opportunities where you didn’t know they existed. I’ve been a TV Meteorologist for many years and as a result of having a positive attitude, I’ve been blessed to have many other doors open for me, providing a wide array of opportunities. Those opportunities range from hosting a cable TV show while I was in college to producing/presenting TV

commercials and weather forecasts from my own home weather studio. A positive attitude will open doors for you, but hard work will keep those doors open. Having a strong work ethic is essential, as everyone will experience challenges in his or her journey. That’s why you need to create a plan, follow it, and be flexible. If you have an action plan supported by a solid education, a positive attitude and strong work ethic, you will be unstoppable. You have the power! Sonia Sotomayor: http:// www.biography.com/people/ sonia-sotomayor-453906#earlylife&awesm=~oD41dF4tSUsc0r ◊ by Lisa Rodriguez, TV Meteorologist & Fitness Model

ENCOURAGEMENT CORNER

remember when I was in 2nd grade. I was invited to attend a summer camp that focused on computer technology for girls. By the end of the summer, I spent a lot of time with a new friend and our summer time had come to an end. We would chat ever so often, but eventually lost touch. Five years went by and a lot had changed in my life as a young girl; friends had come and gone; schools had changed, and of course, friends changed as well. Middle school was a time of discovery and identity; one of excitement, with growing independence, as well as confusion because I didn’t know what to do with this ‘independence’. I learned to adjust. I changed classes from 6th to 7th grade, entering higher into the college preparatory levels. Yes, this was in middle school. I walked into my class and had a great discovery –my friend for second grade was in my class!! We had reunited and she introduced me to some of her friends as well. I felt welcomed, but yet, I was still bullied and made fun of by other kids because I didn’t dress like them. No matter how I may have looked to some, this group of girls to which I was introduced accepted me as I was and vice versa. Yes, I was smart, labeled a “nerd”, but in comparison to my group of friends, I felt as if I weren’t performing up to par. I hated Social Studies and did the bare minimum, which was staying in the C+/B- range. Though some will say, “That’s not

bad at all”, my parents expected more. I would give them all that I could in the other classes but Social Studies sucked rocks to me. So though I had really good grades otherwise, Social Studies kept me off of the honor roll, so academically, in comparison to my friends, I felt inferior. They tried to push me, but honestly, I just didn’t have it in me. I didn’t want to, really, but that didn’t stop me from still doing my best to get to the next academic level, successfully. An all-female group of 9 from middle school, pressed on to go to the same high school. We supported each other, loved each other like sisters, argued, and such, but no matter what, we will all great friends. This made me realize the essence of growing into a woman. Though I didn’t know then, the importance of friendship, understanding and support would be needed as I grew into my role as a wife and mother. They say that your friends and associates are with you for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. This is so very true, but how long they stay with you is based on your need for them and their need for you as well. We cannot control the roles in which we are placed; only God knows the answer to why he places certain people in our lives. Some we honor and are grateful; with others, we face trials and learn lessons. Either way, it’s still a growth experience. I am truly blessed to say

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Friends, Focus and a Future

that my second grade friend and all are STILL friends, 30 years later; the group of 8 other women, we are still very much in contact with each other after 25 years: as wives, as mothers, as college graduates, as career women, and as nurturers, either within our families or in our communities. Though I didn’t like Social Studies as taught in school, I can truly appreciate the social opportunities I have had with have great women as not only great friends, but as awesome family!! All of this to say, as you continue to grow and make encounters, value each moment that you have met someone. It may be short or long term, but the impact of that meeting can change lives. Think about this: Who are the people that you call your “friends”? Do you feel empowered to grow when you are with them? Do they help nurture and support your dreams? If not, value the reason they are here and thank them for the season in which you make your connections. After that, focus on those opportunities that will help you continue to grow, in your lifetime. ◊

Friends with Focus Impact Your Future! by Dr. ‘Jai’ Armstrong MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

QUESTION & ANSWER TECHNOLOGY CORNER

A Tinystic Brings Big Possibilities He’s “made some mistakes,” “seen some things,” and now “knows how to get things done.”

Eric Hamilton

AAUYM.COM MARCH 2015

TECHNOLOGY CORNER

echnology entrepreneur, Eric Hamilton’s 25 year journey of “ups” and “downs” have certainly been worth it since the purchase of his first computer at age 12 to his development of his new invention, the TinyStic. In 1982, organizations like All Star Code and Black Girls Code stocked with mentors were nonexistent. He had to learn how to essentially learn this new craft alone. Earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Michigan State, he describes his academic journey as the “hardest thing” he’s ever had to do. His experiences display the result of remaining driven. Coupled with his passion for software, his entrepreneurial spirit, and employment experiences as a consultant for Yahoo and Netscape and a computer engineer for Chrysler, his invention the TinyStic, is not only great for streaming movies and gaming, but has the potential to conquer the digital divide. “Why the heck do I have to carry around this heavy laptop if I have 2 gigahertz processor in my pocket?”

This was the question that Eric Hamilton set out to find an answer to. He just knew there had to be something that connects to his smart phone turning it into a desktop computer. To his surprise it was nowhere to be found. So, to solve the problem he invented what he calls, the TinyStic. TinyStic started as a thought in Eric’s brain around late October of 2013. “The phone in your pocket is 10 times more powerful than the computers you used to get on the internet just a few years earlier,” he says. “One of my mentors recommended that I make a wireless solution myself.” Since Eric has always been more of a software guy he found a partner able to manufacture the hardware that he needed. What is TinyStic and how does it work? TinyStic is a device about the size of a cigarette lighter and here’s how it works. 1. You plug it into the HDMI port on your TV, flat screen monitor, or plasma. 2 You load the app on your phone. 3. And voilà–everything you see on your phone you will see on the big screen. Why do I need TinyStic when I can just use my phone for that? Maybe you want to work on an Excel spreadsheet or Word document from work or school that requires a bigger screen. TinyStic can be used for your entertainment purposes as well: playing your favorite video games and watching movies on a larger screen. Eric explained how TinyStic comes in handy during spontaneous circumstances as well. “I had the prototype with me and I just finished mentoring a young man. A soccer match was on and we

Eric says, “On your phone you will have the drop down menus because of the app you loaded and see that on the big screen TV. You can launch a word processing app or web browser. Anything you do on your phone is going to be on the big screen.” wanted to watch the soccer match. We were in a classroom with just a TV and nothing else. There wasn't any cable there and everyone was considering leaving to go to a bar to watch it. I pulled out the TinyStic, plugged it into the TV in the classroom, launched the app from my smartphone and went to the ESPN browser and watched the game.” How does TinyStic have the power to conquer the Digital Divide? Digital divide is a term used to describe the disparity between demographics and regions that lack access to modern information and communications technology. “The TinyStic is not only convenient and enjoyable; it is expected to reach far and wide allowing all groups access to information and technology.” “There are even further use cases that I hadn't even thought about,” Eric says. “There is a woman who does technical training in Detroit and she loves TinyStic. You have probably heard about the digital divide meaning the rift and divide between the “haves” and “have nots” as it pertains to technology. It is a fact that African Americans, many of us don't own home computers and we are not on the cutting edge of technology to make money or use technology to benefit ourselves. Technology is more than playing X-Box and playing Angry Birds.” So, “are we using technology to network, to write our resumes, to learn how to develop apps?” It is a fact that there is saturation of smart phones among African Americans. 54 percent of African Americans have smartphones. “We have these smartphones but we don't even have a computer at the house. Why? Because a lot of us are too busy using if for Instagram and Twitter and FaceTime with friends. TinyStic has the potential to level the playing field and the ability to be a game changer with the digital divide because they already have this 2 gigahertz processor.” With TinyStic they have the ability to, “use it MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

TECHNOLOGY CORNER

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to upload their resume to Monster. com, set up a LinkedIn profile, and job search for opportunities.” If you are still asking yourself as you are reading, “Okay, so what’s the big deal?” Here it is… the special thing about TinyStic is “the fact that though people don’t have a monitor in their home, most likely they have a TV.” With the Tinystic you can use your smartphone as a computer that is about 30,000 times more powerful than the computer Eric had at 12 years old. You can type your resume from the phone or you can add a Bluetooth keyboard and type as you would on a regular computer. What is the future of TinyStic? TinyStic is compatible with both Android and iPhone devices. As Eric gazes into the near future he believes TinyStic is going to be the accessory to have between now and 2018. “I see them at mall kiosks, major mobile carriers: T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint.” He envisions a monitor with the TinyStic plugged into it and a phone next to it. With major plans 34

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for his product he thinks TinyStic will have a huge impact on the Caribbean and Pan Africa because in these places, desktops and laptop computers aren't as prevalent as they are here. Since the early 1990s mobile phones were so prevalent in Africa because they never had the landline infrastructure like the United States had. “They skipped the landline and they went straight to wireless,” Eric says. “It made sense for that infrastructure because of the lack of landlines; now fast forward 25 years and you have the lack of desktops and laptop computers in these places. Now they can skip the desktop and go straight to the TinyStic. So just as it was a huge market for cell phones in Pan Africa there is going to be a huge market for TinyStic as well.” Be sure to follow Eric’s top three tips for young people interested in starting their own business. 1. You have to talk about your idea. So many people think I don't want to talk about it because someone is going to steal my idea. First of all,

your idea by itself without any juice or action is worthless. The only way you will see if it's a good idea is if you start to talk about it. And get real advice and feedback from people.

2. You have to be curious about everything! I'm not a hardware guy but I learned every facet of my product. I can talk about HDMI standards, slim port, MHL cables, and bandwidth. I know how it compares to the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on these hardware devices. I'm curious and I’m learning everything I can about hardware as it's pertains to what I'm trying to do. 3. Understand the market and the market demand. There have been so many times when people ask me advice about something that has zero demand. Test the market and know the demand. I didn't understand the market demand for TinyStic so I started asking people. AAU by Debricka S. Taylor

TECHNOLOGY CORNER

www.dollarphoto.com

Science IS ALL ABOUT US!

ome people stay away from science, avoid reading about science, or don’t consider pursuing science careers because they think that science can be confusing, complex, or even boring…or they perceive it to be so. But I’m a scientist (and an engineer), and I’ve come up with 3 reasons that you should LOVE Science! 1. First and foremost, Science IS ALL ABOUT US! Science (my definition) is only the study in detail of what IS…it is a way to examine what exists already. By studying various topics in science you can learn about yourself–everything from how your body works, how your environment is changing, why the latest diet craze will OR will not work for you, how your life choices and those of others around you can affect you in the future, how to fight off sickness and disease, what beauty products contain the best ingredients to meet your needs, why you have certain allergic reactions or sensitivities to things, how your environment will be affected by the factories in your local area, what kind of traits you inherited from your ancestors and how that has made you similar or different from other family members…the list goes on and on! 2. Some of the problems of the world will be solved by YOU! Even if

you’re not the ‘scientist on the case’ your basic understanding of science will help you to remain part of the conversation in solving some big problems related to issues important to you and the world. You are on your way to be a leader in your community…whatever role (or roles) you will play–from PTA parent or concerned citizen, to elected political official, high profile board member or CEO of your company, there will be issues that are solved because YOU decide they are important. The information gathering, fact-finding and decision–making processes will often be a team effort. Your participation will ensure that your perspective and that of those in your community are taken into consideration as resolutions are made. 3. The world of science discovery is every changing. With so many different areas of study available in science, and with continual advancements in science technology and tools, there are always new topics to explore and learn about. Taking advantage of the opportunity to learn something new can be exciting, eye opening and brain stimulating. In fact, there are several studies that report that learning can actually change your brain. This suggests that learning science may lead to an increase in your

ability to learn other subjects that interest you. You might be thinking…I don’t really like science, so this information is not for me. Think again! Remember #1–science is all about us! Science is about you! So get yourself ready and prepare yourself for adventures in learning about science! If at this point you do not like science the issue may really be that you don’t like the science teaching styles that you’ve been exposed to. If you haven’t gotten really excited yet about science I’d like for you to challenge your science teachers and yourself. When in science class, ask questions about how each lesson relates to what YOU’ are interested in or how it’s relevant to your everyday life. You may be surprised by how interesting the lessons become when you put them into your perspective. OR, if you already excited about science and you do love science, great for you! Perhaps you’ll soon become a scientific leader guiding and inspiring others by influencing thinking and ideas with your scientific hypotheses and findings. In either case, the world is waitng for you. There is an assignment with your name on it. In all things, focus, find your purpose and your passion. Be well! ◊ Dr. Jill MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

COMMUNITY CORNER

LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TALK ABOUT HEPATITIS C!

Freeport United Methodist Church

Community Health Forum David E. Bernstein, MD, Chief of Hepatology and Center for Liver Disease at North Shore-LIJ Health System Ilvan Arroyo, Associate Director, Center for Public Health Education at Stony Brook University Dr. Tabassum Yasmin, MD, Director of HIV/Hepatitis C Coinfection Clinic, NuHealth

Photogrpaphy By Roger C. Johnson, Jr.

AAUYM.COM MARCH 2015

COMMUNITY CORNER

David E. Bernstein, MD

Rick-Anthony Richards, Jr. NBLCA

Ilvan Arroyo, Associate Director

Dr. Tabassum Yasmin, MD

Sydney Bennett, Rev. Edward Norman, Mrs. Daryl Norman

This event was sponsored by NBLCA in partnership with Freeport United Methodist Church, Rev. Edward J. Norman, Pastor MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

COOKING with Chef Oliver Saye

Apple and Pear Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing 1 Granny Smith apples 1 Bosc pears ¼ cup craisins® ¼ pecans 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon mustard, dijon ½ cup honey 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 cups of spring mix Julienned apples and pears, add 1/4 cup of the honey dijon dressing to the apple pear mixture...set aside Dressing Combine vinegar, mustard, honey, olive oil in blender and blend for for 20 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of dressing to the spring mix, tossed together. Add spring mix to plate, topped with the apple pear mixture, garnish with craisins and pecans.

Portobello Mushroom Sandwich 1 portobello mushroom 1 Roma tomato 1 cup balsamic vinegar 1 sprig thyme 1 sprig rosemary Salt and pepper Pesto 2 cups packed basil leaves 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves of garlic ¼ cup walnuts ½ cup parmesean cheese 38

AAUYM.COM MARCH 2015

1 herb focaccia bread 1 buffalo mozzarella 1 tablespoon pesto Procedure Clean the spores out of the mushrooms and marinate in balsamic vinegar for 30 minutes. Cut tomato in half, season with salt and pepper, thyme and rosemary, place on baking pan and roast for 30-40 minutes at 350°F.

In a food processor, add 2 cups packed basil leaves, 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup parmesean cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Process for about 20 seconds and set aside–pesto. Place marinated portobella mushroom and grilled 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside. Take tomatoes out of oven, set aside. Slice mozzarella

in 3 slices, set aside. Slice focaccia bread, drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil on bread and toast on grill, 1 minute per side.

Assemble Sandwich Apply a tablespoon of pesto on both sides of the bread, add mushroom, then add the tomato, then the mozzarella cheese. If you do not have a grill, you can saute the mushroom in a pan. Enjoy!

MARCH 2015 AAUYM.COM

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