Columbus & Dayton
April 2020
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FREE
Parenting Through A Pandemic By Michelle Page Golla, MD
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Coronavirus Self Care and Separation Can Make A Difference
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COVID-19: Telehealth - Virtual Healthcare Visits
By Lisa Benton, MD, MPH
By Charleta B. Tavares
LEON MCDOUGLE, M.D.
“No Fluff. No Flair. Just Results.”
PUBLISHER’S PAGE Founder & Publisher Ray Miller
Layout & Design Ray Miller, III
Assistant Editor Ray Miller, III Dayton Editor Benette Decoux Distribution Manager Ronald Burke Student Interns Jada Respress Olivia Deslandes
Lead Photographer Steve Harrison
Contributing Editors Tim Ahrens, DMin Jasmine Ayers, MA Lisa D. Benton, MD Rodney Q. Blount, Jr., MA Anne Branigin, MJ Stacey M. Brown Edwina Blackwell Clark Michelle Page Golla, MD David Ingram, Esq Cecil Jones, MBA Eric Johnson, PhD Darren Lundy, MBA Jacqueline Lewis-Lyons, PsyD William McCoy, MPA Fmr. Sen. Charleta B. Tavares Christopher Washington, PhD
The Columbus African American news journal
I know why I do what I do! As I’ve grown older, I can better connect significant events and actions which impacted my life and shaped my thinking. But, I am fortunate not to have been unaware of the causes of my behaviors or the resultant consequences of my decisions. Someone reading these opening statements has already concluded that there is no profundity in what I have shared thus far. Maybe not for you; however, there are millions of people who simply react to the circumstances of their lives as though they have no control over them or intellectual response to them. In a few days, I will be 71 years old. I was born in Hampton, Virginia on April 6, 1949. Because my father was in the military, (Air Force) I was keenly aware of President Dwight David Eisenhower’s second election to the Presidency in 1956. My father had a hat that was embossed with the phrase, “I like Ike” as most military men did. Eisenhower was a Five Star Army General. We lived at Langley Field Air Force Base in Hampton. My early life was spent moving from one Air Force base to the next--Lackland and Randolph in San Antonio, Texas; Sheppard in Wichita Falls, Texas; and finally, Lockbourne, in Columbus. I remember reading Life, Look, and Ebony magazines. I lived through school desegregation, stemming from Brown vs Topeka, Kansas Board of Education Supreme Court decision in 1954, the murder of Emmet Till in 1955, Civil Rights Marches in Birmingham in 1963, the Assassination of John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, and Malcolm X, the signing of the Civil Rights Act by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and The Fair Housing Act Amendments in 1968. My generation was heavily impacted by the Vietnam War and Campus protests for more Black students, faculty, staff, services, and programs. I could go on, but the point has been made. The genesis for virtually everything that I have done in my professional career can be found in the preceding two paragraphs--Ward Committeeman, Legislative Assistant, Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs for AFSCME, Deputy Special Assistant on the White House Staff of President Jimmy Carter, Member of the Ohio House of Representatives, Member of the Ohio Senate, and Founder and Publisher of The Columbus & Dayton African American. I know and have been in conversation with countless individuals who honestly do not know why they do what they do. Consequently, many of their dreams and aspirations have gone unrealized. One truly is blessed when they know and act upon those critical events that transpire over the course of their lives. I am old enough to have experienced racial segregation in the South, an alcoholic father, poverty, the death of my younger brother from Leukemia, the murder of a drug-addicted brother by crack dealers, the attempted murder of a sister as a result of multiple gunshot wounds, the rape of a sister by a sick step-father, domestic violence, and teenage pregnancy--virtually all of these horrific events before I reached the age of 21 years old. I know why I do what I do! Allow me to pivot quickly here to The Columbus African American news journal. This month marks nine years and three months of operation for our publication. We want to thank you for your loyalty as a consistent reader of the news journal, and for those who are advertisers we want to sincerely thank you for your support. Oddly enough, I am still periodically approached and asked how we are able to sustain a free publication of such high quality every month for more than nine years. The answer is quite simple--Paid Advertising. As you read the news journal, I would ask that you also read the advertisements and be supportive of those organizations, businesses, and candidates for public office who have shown the wisdom to support Black-owned enterprises. The absolute key to our success is the quality and loyalty of our Contributing Writers--they are phenomenal! Further, our Contributing Writers are brilliant, credentialed, connected, and highly respected throughout our community and beyond. They are able to bring what many trained journalists cannot, i.e., a constituency of supporters and those who are loyal to the news journal in countless ways. When you have the opportunity please thank the following writers for their contribution to our work: Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens, Jasmine Ayers, M.A., Dr. Lisa Benton, Rodney Q. Blount, Jr. M.A., Benette Decoux, MSW, Billi Ewing, Atty. David Ingram, Dr. Arthur James, Cecil Jones, MBA, Eric Johnson, Ph.D., Darren Lundy, MBA, William McCoy, MPA, Charlotte McQuire, B.S., Fmr. Sen. Charleta B. Tavares, Christopher Washington, Ph.D., Tim Anderson, Frederic Bertley, Ph.D., Robin Jones, Ph.D., Rev. Dr. C. Dexter Wise; Dr. Jacqui Lewis-Lyons; and Ako Kambon. Very special thanks need to be extended to Ray Miller III, Assistant Editor, Ronald Burke, Distribution Manager, and Steve Harrison, Lead Photographer. Take care of your health. Follow the advice of the experts and Thank You for all that you do. With Appreciation and Respect,
was founded by Ray Miller on January 10, 2011
The Columbus & Dayton African American 503 S. High Street - Suite 102 Columbus, Ohio 43215
Ray Miller Founder & Publisher
Office: 614.826.2254 editor@columbusafricanamerican.com www.CAANJ.com
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
In This Issue
(L-R) Founder of Baylor COM Saturday Morning Science Program, Prof Emeritus Jim Phillips, MD, Rayne Royce, MD, Toi Blakely Harris MD, Leon McDougle, MD
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Managing Life During COVID-19 By: Jacqueline Lewis-Lyons, PsyD
Three Lessons on Love and Compassion to Help Us Face This Pandemic By: Tim Ahrens, DMin
Caring for Someone With Alzheimer’s Disease with COVID-19 Restrictions By: Edwina Blackwell Clark
5 Apocalypse Now? Coronavirus Pandemic 2020
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Black Communities Are on The Frontline of the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Parenting Through a Pandemic
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Coronavirus Self Care and Separation Can Make a Difference
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Stigma and Access: African American Mental Illness and Barriers to Treatment
18 Managing Life During COVID-19 19 COVID-19: Telehealth - Virtual Healthcare Visits African American Scientist Breaks Ground in 20 Cancer Research
Three Lessons on Love and Compassion to Help Us Face This Pandemic
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
Caring for Someone With Alzheimer’s Disease with COVID-19 Restrictions COVER STORY
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22 Child Abuse Prevention During COVID-19 Crisis 23 Stimulus Package or Widening the Wealth Gap? 24 Digital Technology - Are You Ready? 25 Wells Fargo Announces Aid For Customers and Communities Affected by COVID-19 26 The Unholy Matrimony of Politics and Public Health, Implications of Global Health Pandemics Including COVID-19 28 Pastor’s Issue Stern Warning to Black Community on COVID-19 29 Book Bags & E-Readers 30 Diversity is Not Enough! Transcending Persistent Barriers Faced By Underrepresented Students in STEM 31 Legislative Update 32 Franklin County Launches New Racial Equality Initiative 33 Incarceration in the Age of COVID-19 34 Katherine Johnson: Pioneering NASA Mathematician 35 Global Pandemic! Are You Prepared to Grow Through What You Go Through? 36 St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church Launches Worship on Wheels 38
Jails and Prisons Will Be Ground Zero for COVID-19, If We Don’t Act Now
All contents of this news journal are copyrighted © 2015; all rights reserved. Title registration with the U.S. Patent Office pending. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, and illustrations will not be returned unless accompanied by a properly addresses envelope bearing sufficient postage. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials.
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
APOCALYPSE NOW? CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC 2020
growing. A $2 Trillion “recovery package” has been passed by Congress and signed by Donald Trump in a desperate attempt to keep America is like the proverbial America’s economy from collapsing. The frog sitting in lukewarm water, future is uncertain at best and bleak at worst. even as the water is slowly heated. At some point, the water begins to boil and the No one knows where the Coronavirus unsuspecting frog is cooked. The frog was originated. Speculation is rampant. Some say unaware, unable, or unwilling to react to the COVID-19 started with a bat in China, others gradual threat. Eventually, it was too late. contend it was man-made, and others debate Our leaders are the frog and the water, tepid whether COVID-19 is divine punishment or at first and boiling later, is the Coronavirus- the work of Satan. Who knows? initially nonthreatening, then deadly. We do know some scientists and public “It’s apocalyptic.” That is how a doctor at health officials began sounding the alarm the Elmhurst Hospital Center described the about a coming epidemic years ago. Instead situation in New York City, after a recent of mobilizing the nation and taking action, surge in the number of deaths caused by the some of our religious and political leaders Coronavirus (aka COVID-19). By March lied, denied, downplayed, and deflected. 31, 2020, the United States led the world They refused to acknowledge the emerging with over 160,000 cases and 3,000 fatalities. health threat or deal with it. We do know the The COVID-19 virus has now killed more United States sent China nearly 18 million Americans than the 9/11 terrorist attacks. tons of medical equipment and supplies Donald Trump and his most visible public weeks after the first COVID-19 cases health expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, estimate as appeared in Washington State. Now, we do many as 200,000 Americans could eventually not have enough to meet our needs. die from the disease. We know the notion the Coronavirus “came Apocalyptic is derived from the word out of nowhere” and “blindsided the world” is “apocalypse,” which Webster’s Dictionary not true. In 2018, the Trump administration defines as “the complete final destruction dismantled the National Security Council of the world, as described in the biblical directorate (established by President Obama) book of Revelation; an event involving charged with preparing for when, not if, the destruction or damage on an awesome or next pandemic would hit the nation. This catastrophic scale.” Revelation describes office had been planning for this contingency the “Four horsemen of the Apocalypse.” for years. The Trump administration also One horseman rides a white horse, which tried to cut the Center for Disease Control some biblical scholars believe symbolizes (CDC) budget. infectious disease, plague, and pestilence (like COVID-19). Religious symbolism Americans are hearing a cacophony of aside, the Coronavirus has already infected voices offering misguided, misinformed, and over 800,000 people and killed 40,000+ mistaken information and advice. A March people around the world. The COVID-19 29, 2020 article by Bill Browning said, plague has been officially classified as a “Evangelist (Landon Spradlin) who mocked Coronavirus response as anti-Trump ‘mass “pandemic.” hysteria’ dies from COVID-19. He was likely Contrary to what some say, the Coronavirus already infected when he posted a misleading is not going to “disappear.” It is not “fake meme that claimed media coverage of the news” or a “hoax.” Experts say COVID-19 ongoing pandemic was a political attack on infections and deaths will increase in the President Trump” (see www.lgbqtqnation. near-term. Cities and states, businesses, com). My late grandmother used to say, “It’s churches, and others are being shutdown, bad when you don’t know, and don’t know quarantined. The stock market has imploded, you don’t know.” Even worse, think of all unemployment is exploding, bankruptcies the people who are or will be infected and/or are rising, and the federal deficit and debt are die, because they blindly followed the blind. By William McCoy, MPA
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So, what are we to do? The CDC and public health experts say we should wash our hands often, disinfect the surfaces and spaces around us, practice social distancing, and avoid people and places at-risk of carrying or being compromised by COVID-19. Isaiah 26:20 (Holy Bible) instructs us to “enter into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.” While this scripture was written for another time and people, it remains good advice for us living today. We must be careful who we heed, who we follow. Six people were on an airplane when one saw the pilot parachute to safety. Five people remained. The plane descended into a rapid, downward spiral, hurtling toward certain destruction. The airplane had five passengers, but only four parachutes. The public health expert said, “I have to find a cure for the virus,” took a parachute and jumped. The religious leader said, “The world will need spiritual guidance,” took a parachute and jumped. The politician said, “I’m the smartest man in the world,” took a parachute and jumped. The social worker said to the remaining child, “I’ve lived my life and you have yours in front of you. You take the last parachute.” The 10 year-old girl said, “You can come too. The smartest man in the world took my book bag.” Keep safe, be smart, and stay well. William McCoy is founder of and principal consultant with The McCoy Company- a world-class, personal services consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, economic development, and training that helps its clients articulate and achieve their visions, solve problems, and capitalize on their opportunities. He has served every level of government, foundations, nonprofit and forprofit enterprise, and others. Mr. McCoy is an award-winner, published author (100+ works), and a sought-after speaker. He holds BA (economics) and MPA (finance) degrees, and numerous professional certifications. You can reach William McCoy at (614) 785-8497 or via e-mail at wmccoy2@ themccoycompany.com. You can also visit his website at www.wmccoy29.wixsite.com/ mysite.
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2020 The Columbus African American Journal • February
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
PARENTING THROUGH A PANDEMIC
By Michelle Page Golla, MD Anyone feeling the stress of the Coronavirus Pandemic? This new virus has left many of us feeling increased anxiety about what the next few weeks will entail. Medical information is changing rapidly, and the confusion can lead to you and your children having feelings of anxiety. We docs are learning more about this virus everyday, including exactly how it spreads and who is more at risk. Please remember the importance of remaining calm and measured. Anxiety often decreases when you understand the facts about what is happening. Children, too, need direction and simple, honest answers to their questions. As a parent or caregiver, be sure to stay informed through reliable resources such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and your local public health agencies. I’ve come up with a few practical points to support my MomDocDiva family during these unpredictable and swiftly changing times. Practical Pandemic Parenting tips: How to explain what Coronavirus is to kids. Explain that a virus is a germ that can make people sick. Germs like to travel from person to person. When you get a cold, it is often caused by a coronavirus germ. This new germ (coronavirus, COVID-19), is different because it is more contagious than the flu, and it has made many people extremely ill. Say This: We can be Germbusters and help keep other people safe from the virus. That’s why we are staying home, washing our hands and cleaning our house more! This won’t last forever, so let’s be our best to keep the world healthy and safe. Demonstrate how to wash your hands properly. Wash your hands with soap and
water for at least 20 seconds. Rinse with clean running water and dry with a disposable paper towel or air dryer. Hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol) is effective when soap and water are not available. Do This: Have fun singing Happy Birthday or the ABC’s. The time it takes to sing this is about 20 seconds and singing helps the time to pass. For older children, sing or hum their favorite theme song twice over. Catch that Cough! Teach your littles to cough and sneeze into their elbows. This can be a tough new habit to develop, but stay positive and practice what you preach. Avoid touching the face as much as possible too. Try This: Make it a game. Cheer when they catch the cough in their elbow! If any sneaky coughs escape into their hands, practice hand washing and restart the game. Explain Social Distancing. Social Distancing is a basic but powerful public health tool to slow the spread of infections like COVID-19. Since we can not physically see the spread of this virus, the best way to decrease the spread is minimizing our number of close contacts. Say This: We can be heros by keeping other members of our family and the community safe. A hero is someone that does the right thing for others even when they don’t have to. We really are saving the world by keeping to ourselves for this short time. Dealing with the uncertainty of the spread of this virus can be difficult, but here are a few ways you can be working through these confusing times with your littles: Talk with your children about how they are feeling. Encourage your children to ask questions and share information that is simple and understable. If they are old enough, let them direct the conversation, and affirm their feelings. Limit the amount of media you and your
The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
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littles consume! News stories are often dramatized and are not always accurate. Talk to your children about what they are seeing on the news and discuss what might be misinformation. Be specific about screen time limits. Empathize and stay flexible. With little warning, COVID-19 has turned our world upside down. Be sure not to minimize or dismiss your child’s fears or frustrations. Life’s disruptions can be hard to cope with, but you can help your little start to understand the importance of being flexible. With schools closing abruptly, acknowledge that these changes make a big impact and be sure to involve your child in the new plans. Some children are more overwhelmed than others with changes in routine. Allow time for them to adapt to the new system. Consider making a fun calendar together, so they can envision how things will go. Be a good role model. Take care of your own body by eating good foods and keeping a routine. Exercise and spend time outdoors. Do things that make you feel good and centered. Taking care of yourself is one of the most powerful ways you can parent. Take time over the next few weeks to connect in new ways. Slow down. Play games. Read books. Cook together. FaceTime or Skype with family, and let the kids have virtual playdates too. Create some positive changes now that you will incorporate into your future everyday life. It is my sincere hope that this pandemic will revolutionize public health and direct us to prioritize our health and strengthen our communities. Dr. Michelle Page Golla is a practicing pediatrician with Building Blocks Pediatrics/ Central Ohio Primary Care. She is also the founder of Mom Doc Diva, a parent guide blog. To reach Dr. Gola, you can visit www. copcp.com/practices/details/82-buildingblocks-pediactrics or at www.momdocdiva. com.
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
CORONAVIRUS SELF CARE AND SEPARATION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE people versus 100 versus 2 people the right answer and why? It seems that on average each person with the virus transmits it to two (2) other people next to them or in close contact. That is why some countries have stricter gathering restrictions than we do in America.
By Lisa Benton, MD, MPH It’s surreal that when you wake up in the morning and as you go through your day that you have to think about hand washing, using hand sanitizer, wiping down almost every surface you may contact that someone else might have touched before you and keeping 6 (six) feet away from others. I recall how talk show hosts and guests would joke about it. But clean hands now could mean the difference between life and death. No one is laughing. Who would’ve thought we’d be living through “the black swan event” that economists predicted would likely almost never happen? When I worked as a state public health officer and physician specializing in preparing risk communication messages for educating and alerting workers, diverse and most at-risk communities for health and safety, I learned some very important and potentially lifesaving lessons. We would walk through worst-case scenarios to find the gaps in telling the public how to stay safe and protect themselves. One exercise was based on a chemical spill that happened during a train derailment. Another event was when a river or large drinking water source was contaminated. Living in California, earthquakes and oil refinery accidents with air contamination or out of control forest fires were very real emergencies that would stress the local, regional and state resources for responding and caring for people in the path of disasters. Just as real were the infectious disease outbreaks that touched the ground when passengers with measles, zika virus, SARS, and dengue fever landed in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco airports. We also got a taste of the problems that come with working in special and underserved populations when tracing the contacts of people who were exposed and infected when norovirus outbreaks closed a nursing home, anthrax was found at the post office and there were fungus outbreaks in nail salons. The biggest lesson I took away was the fear that if Americans caught a cold, underprivileged and underserved communities, mostly poor, working class and of color were at risk of dying from pneumonia. As a case in point, I point out how America responded to Katrina and the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Also as another example, in West Oakland, California, a neighborhood near the Port of Oakland that is plagued by higher rates of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other
Similar clarification was needed for other details about spreading the coronavirus. In the media there were different messages about how far virus particles traveled from coughing, lingering in a space such as a closed elevator and how long they lived on surfaces. Consistent and clear answers for these questions were relevant for many churchgoing seniors who are the bedrock and information sources of our families. They need extra special attention to make sure the messages and instructions they get to respiratory problems due to the increased stay safe make sense so they can pass on the truck traffic and diesel exhaust from the ships wisdom for staying healthy and staying alive in the Bay, the local hospitals were quickly to the rest of us. overwhelmed when the smoke and fumes from the wildfires drifted downwind to the You can hear the taped broadcasts from conference calls or pastors and leaders cities in that area. at: https://radiopublic.com/nanasOften these communities needed special granddaughter-6vlon9 attention because they were skeptical and slower to trust authorities giving orders Use the local and state health department of any kind. Making sure messages are and other community phone numbers set up translated into different languages and at the to answer questions about coronavirus. You right literacy level for the audiences is only can go to https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/ portal/gov/covid-19/ Or call 1-833-4-ASKthe tip of the iceberg. ODH (1-833-427-5634) As one community leader reminded me, “You’re talking to people who live constantly The AARP website is well-organized and being terrorized about a new attack that is loaded with helpful information for seniors and people who care for them. Please check coming. You’ll have to get in line.” it out at: https://www.aarp.org/ I took that to mean you must show people you care about them to get them to care I also highly recommend tuning into the BBC about what you are trying to tell them. I’m channels which you can do online or through apps because their programing is filled with paraphrasing, but you get the message. facts and consistent and timely messaging For making a positive impact in a health that is absent the political bickering and care, business or education, emergency yelling back and forth. of any kind, it means connecting with a neighborhood, communicating and building The BBC more regularly shares information about what other parts of our world are doing bridges before there is a crisis. to fight coronavirus and more importantly, Learning how a health department responded news about what will come after the virus to contain these potential disasters only gave clears. https://www.bbc.com/ us a small glimpse of the issues on issues and challenges that would come and continue to For questions about your health, call your doctor’s office before going in. A lot of be revealed with coronavirus. health care providers are set up to speak with I heard several pastors and leaders say patients even using FaceTime, WhatsApp in a conference call that the messaging (whatsapp.com), or some of the apps found about protecting one’s self from catching in the Google Play store. the coronavirus is confusing. That is particularly worrisome since members of Now that they know having high blood faith communities tend to gather and get pressure, hypertension that is not controlled physically closer for support, prayers and puts you at risk of being sicker when the virus encouragement to respond to and get through hits, make sure you take your medicine, limit your salt and fat intake, try a little harder crises. to get exercise in, even if it means walking The almost daily guidance about people up and down stairs over and over again, gathering and safe social distances kept marching in place or walking in circles. changing so leaders did not know how to Continued on Page 8 properly advise the congregations. Was 250
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The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2020 The Columbus African American Journal • February
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH Continued from Page 7
There are endless benefits to exercising. Just 15-20 minutes each day will help you get your inside and your outside stronger to fight coronavirus and so many other illnesses.
Public television and other channels have early morning senior stretching that can be modified for beginners. Also, YouTube, the AARP website and other Internet sites will come in handy. Ask family members, kids, grandkids, and even great grandchildren to help you get set up. Remind them to wash their hands and take the social distancing and separation rules seriously.
Continue to take your asthma inhalers, wear your CPAP machines, use your oxygen and control you blood sugar. Of course, quit smoking too and get your lungs healthier and We are now seeing young, old and every age, better able to fight the coronavirus invasion. race and ethnicity of people in between dying from exposure to coronavirus. We know that Getting plenty of vitamin C and D as well people can spread the virus and infect many as staying hydrated matters. If you don’t other people before they get sick or even have access to the fresh fruits and vegetables show signs that anything is wrong. you’re used to, frozen and canned vegetables When people recovered after having a and fruits will do. coronavirus infection, they continue to shed My mom likes the V-8 brands of juices but virus for at least 20 days and maybe even watch the sodium content. Take advantage over a month later. People are also possibly of the special times set aside for seniors to getting re-infected even though they should shop and use the supermarket and store apps have antibodies to fight the virus from when they were sick the first time. to order ahead.
While we’re all wondering what tomorrow will bring and when will it end, either by a new vaccine, special antiviral medicine or summer sun killing the virus, we have to do what we can to stay sane and keep healthy apart from our usual routines. One of my favorite pastors, Dr. Rhonda Gibbs likes the saying “You do not know the flavor of tea until you put it in hot water.” Take the social distance and separation rules seriously. Being physically separated for now, in this season keeps us well, but will challenge us to reach out and touch and be touched in new and creative ways to show others we love and care enough to keep them healthy too. Lisa D. Benton, MD, MPH (The Doctor is In) breastsurgeonlb@gmail.com, Twitter:@ DctrLisa (415) 746-0627
MANAGING LIFE DURING COVID-19 By Jacqueline Lewis-Lyons, PsyD I am sure that we are all experiencing many thoughts, emotions, and concerns as we prepare for the next few months of this ‘new normal’ – maintaining social distance, shopping at certain times, stocking up on pantry goods, and keeping ourselves safe while we try to avoid cabin-fever. No doubt, these are challenging times. Many of us are wondering how to pay the bills, what to do about our children’s’ education, as well as just staying as healthy as possible. Fear is real, and it is more painful when we feel unequipped to fight what is causing the fear. While it is true that we have never see something like this, we still must prepare ourselves to do what we can to maintain some semblance of normal life. The key here is doing what we can. Yes, I mean action, not sitting around worrying and obsessing about what you read on Facebook. We must not let our stress levels overwhelm us, because we have to do the work of living each day, keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe and riding out this storm. It is more true now than ever before, we are all in this together. This virus doesn’t play favorites. It is not just attacking the poor and weak, or people in certain areas. It is not something that you can see coming. But, as we listen to solid medical advice, we can take steps to help lessen our chances of contracting COVID-19. I agree, being at home all day, every day without a break at Starbucks (just me?), can be challenging but this is what is necessary at this time. It will not last forever. If we can manage to keep
our heads on straight, we may just come out of this situation better – stronger, with new skills, and definitely have a greater appreciation for everything. It is important that we find and utilize various techniques to help reduce the stress in our lives. Yes, I know it’s hard but we are focusing on what we can control. After all, right now, our world is essentially within each home. Feelings of anger and frustration are normal at this time, but we cannot give in to temper tantrums (again, just me?) or take it out on those close to us. Stress increases cortisol in our bodies and that weakens our immunity systems. We need to keep our bodies and minds as strong as possible. So, here are my seven tips for reducing your stress levels. 1. Exercise. Yes, moving your body is an excellent stress reducer. Even though gyms and recreation centers are closed, there are lots of other options. Dance around the living room with the family. Try a yoga video on YouTube, or take a walk outside. Fresh air is definitely recommended during this time. 2. Stay hydrated. Drink water and tea throughout your day. It could be fun to create a new activity with the family – have a tea time scheduled where everyone takes a break from work and studying for a few minutes. 3. Do not watch or listen to the news constantly. I know you want to be informed but plan a few times a day to check in, and then do something else. It is often just a rehash of the last 8 hours so give yourself a break from it. 4. Plan to have a daily meal together as a
The Columbus African & Dayton American African American News Journal • April • February 2020 2015
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family. All the extra activities are stopped so you now have time to connect over a meal. And, it could be fun to let the kids help in the kitchen. 5. Have a schedule set for the household. If you are working from home, make sure your children respect your need for space and quiet. And, have them do schoolwork during the day. There are many resources to keep them learning while at home. I would suggest reading and writing short stories/poems to share with the family. 6. Get your rest. You may be finding it difficult to sleep well, but try to avoid napping during the day. Practice meditation, pray or listen to calming music at night. And, definitely watch your caffeine and sugar intake. 7. Focus on what you are grateful for. Dive deeper into your faith and connect with God. It is impossible to hold a positive thought and a negative thought at the same time. You must choose. No matter what is happening, there is always something to be thankful for. We just have to look. I hope that each of you are practicing ways to stay safe and healthy during this crisis. And, remember…This too shall pass. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis-Lyons’s office is located in north Columbus. Her practice centers on helping clients with depression and anxiety related disorders. In recent years, after discovering a love of running, she expanded her practice to include servces related to Sports Psychology for athletes of all ages and levels. To reach her, call 614-443-7040 or email her at Jacqui@DrLewisLyons.com
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
COVID-19: TELEHEALTH - VIRTUAL HEALTHCARE VISITS CORONAVIRUS SHIFTS TO TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE HEALTHCARE
By Charleta B. Tavares April has been designated by the federal government as Minority Health Month. This month is extremely important to reflect on and give serious thought on how racial and ethnic populations (commonly referred to as “minorities”) are faring during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While the disease does not discriminate in who contracts or dies from it, the care and services provided may be unequitable based on many factors. As the Chief Executive Officer of a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), I am keenly aware of the inequities and injustice that has permeated healthcare and systems since the beginning of this country’s founding. Truth be told, we have been battling the lack of care, practitioners that will serve African American and people of color, inequitable services and care in rural and urban areas and horrific experiments performed on women and people of color (i.e., Tuskegee syphilis experiment, Henrietta Lacks, etc.). COVID-19 has forced America and the world to change the healthcare system and how we address this pandemic that has seen 163,539 confirmed cases and claimed the lives of more than 2,860 Americans (as of 03/31/20). The statistics for Ohio are approximately 2,199 confirmed cases and 55 deaths as of 03/30/20. What is not calculated in these figures are the number of people who have self-quarantined because they believe they have some of the symptoms, have had a close contact with someone who tested positive or were told by their healthcare practitioner, hospital or employer to go home because they suspect that they might have COVID-19. This last category will undoubtedly change the overall number of cases – albeit not confirmed because either they did not have COVID-19 or they recovered because their symptoms were not acute or their immune systems were strong enough to get through the Coronavirus. COVID-19 has changed the way we are performing healthcare in private practices, hospitals, nursing facilities, FQHCs and healthcare centers across Ohio and the nation. Due to the coronavirus disease’s contagious nature, we are seeing fewer patients and eliminating non-urgent appointments, elective surgeries and those that are not emergent, as well as expanding Telehealth or Telemedicine services. What is Telehealth and Telemedicine? The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines telehealth as the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support and promote longdistance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration.
Technologies include videoconferencing, the internet, store-and-forward imaging, streaming media, and terrestrial and wireless communications. Telemedicine (also referred to as “telehealth” or “e-health”) allows health care professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients in remote locations using telecommunications technology. Telemedicine allows patients in remote locations to access medical expertise quickly, efficiently and without travel. Although Telehealth has been around for more than fifty years “…according to a paper written by researchers from Saint Louis University and Bentley University and published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.”1 Its use has not been widely adopted or accepted until the advent of the proposed “Connecting America; National Broadband Plan” proposed by President Barack Obama on March 17, 2010. This proposal and the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 provided grants and emphasized reaching and serving un/underinsured residents and rural and urban communities who were unserved.
heretofore prohibited FQHCs and other providers from participating in Telehealth completely. The suspension of the rules during this pandemic have allowed FQHCs and other healthcare providers to not only see the patients with video and audio conference visit but also, with telephonic (phone) visits. The practitioner can be in the office, home or other location and conference visit with their patient who is in their home, care/treatment facility (nursing home, residential treatment facility), car etc. Their smartphones are able to connect them to care and enable them to get their prescriptions filled that are needed to stay healthy.
Telehealth provides a new avenue to protect the health and safety of the patient, practitioner and other healthcare staff during this period where social distancing is mandated and face-to-face contacts are limited. As healthcare providers, FQHCs including PrimaryOne Health are focusing our patient access and visits on Telehealth. If you are in need of health care services, we are providing services to our existing patients and accepting new patients. Please call 614.859.1851 or visit our website at Many private and public non-profit health www.primaryonehealth.org care providers and hospital systems did not have the resources to purchase the technology We are all in this – together. We (hardware and software) and did not know (PrimaryOne Health) are One. if their intended patients would adopt this technology or have the ability to connect. In Footnotes: addition, many insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid did not provide reimbursement 1The History of Remote Monitoring, for the Telehealth services for some Telemedicine Technology by Vera Gruessner, healthcare providers or the payments were mHealth Intelligence negligible. This issue was compounded by the cost to purchase the technology for both Charleta B. Tavares is the Chief Executive the health care provider and the patients they Officer at PrimaryOne Health, a Federally wanted to serve. Qualified Health Center (FQHC) system COVID-19 has provided the opportunity providing comprehensive primary care, for healthcare providers and systems to O B - G Y N , p e d i a t r i c , v i s i o n , d e n t a l , turn to this technology to reach out and behavioral health and specialty care at 10 serve patients in a safe environment. In locations in Central Ohio. The mission is addition, the Centers for Medicare and to provide access to services that improve Medicaid (CMS), Health Resources and the health status of families including Services Administration (HRSA) and the people experiencing financial, social, or Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) have cultural barriers to health care. www. waived some of the existing rules that have primaryonehealth.org.
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
AFRICAN AMERICAN SCIENTIST BREAKS GROUND IN CANCER RESEARCH
Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green, an assistant professor at Morehouse School of Medicine in the Physiology Department, has reportedly become the first person to successfully cure cancer in mice using laser-activated nanoparticles.
“They are not toxic, so without the laser, they won’t kill anything, and the laser by itself is harmless, so without the particles, it won’t hurt anything,” Dr. Green told AL.com in Alabama. “Because of their need to work together and their inability to work apart, I can ensure that the treatment is only happening to the cancer cells we target and identify.”
According to Black Culture News, Dr. Green’s revolutionary and unique nanoparticle technology was found to cure cancer after testing on mice within 15 days successfully.
The news outlet noted that, while Dr. Green isn’t the first to think of using lasers and nanoparticles to treat cancer, she’s been able to work the bugs out of parts of the technology that have been problematic.
By Stacy M. Brown
The technology used by Dr. Green, who received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to expand her nanoparticle cancer treatment research, doesn’t require chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. She spent more than seven years developing a way to target cancer cells – not the healthy cells around them. Dr. Green’s technology uses an FDAapproved drug containing nanoparticles and injects it into a cancer patient, which then causes the patient’s tumor to glow under imaging equipment. The laser activates the nanoparticles by heating them.
Smith, who also was diagnosed with the disease and experienced the adverse side effects of chemotherapy treatment. Dr. Green started the Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation in honor of her aunt, who served as her legal guardian. “When Auntie announced that she had cancer and would rather die than experience the harsh side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, I knew there had to be a better way,” Dr. Green stated on the foundation’s website.
“The purpose of the Ora Lee Smith Cancer Those bugs include nanoparticle delivery Research Foundation is to support the and being able to see success in mice. research that Auntie inspired in hopes that one day no one else will have to opt-out of “As a physicist I’ve created a physical treatment to avoid the side effects of today’s treatment that is not specific to the biology of cancer treatment.” the cancer,” Dr. Green stated. “It’s a platform technology. It’s not cancer type-specific, Further, Dr. Green stated that the mission is to though it can treat cancer specifically. That’s “change the way cancer is treated and reduce a concept my friends who are biologists human suffering by providing cancer care struggle with.” that is accessible, affordable, and effective.” For Dr. Green, the mission is also personal.
Stacy M. Brown is staff writer for Black Her interest in cancer treatment began as she Press USA. witnessed the demise of her aunt, Ora Lee, who had cancer, and her uncle, General Lee Article from www.blackpressusa.com
To Advertise in The Columbus - Dayton African American contact us at: editor@columbusafricanamerican.com Ray Miller, 503 S. High StreetPublisher - Suite 102 750 East Long Street, Suite Columbus, OH 43215 3000 614-571-9340 Columbus, Ohio 43203 The Columbus African & Dayton African American • April 2020 American News Journal • February 2015
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NATIONAL SKILLED TRADES NETWORK WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT “CHANGING PERSPECTIVE CHANGING LIFE”
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The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
BLACK COMMUNITIES ARE ON THE FRONTLINE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. HERE’S WHY By Anne Branigin Every new day of the coronavirus pandemic has brought with it a dizzying amount of change. Teachers are now forced to explain class projects to their students over Zoom, while friends and family use FaceTime to inquire about loved ones, alternating between laughter and anxiety while holding pixelated drinks in their hands. Asian Americans have reported hate crimes and assaults in droves with mounting xenophobia driven in part by the president’s branding of the disease as the “Chinese virus.” A record 3.3 million people filed for unemployment last week as restaurants, bars, salons, laundromats, clothing shops and bookstores across the country shuttered their doors. As a recession looms, more are guaranteed to follow. Sadly, as of Monday night, nearly 160,000 cases had been confirmed in the United States, killing more than 2,000 people. Public officials and health experts across the country warned that we may be in this for the long haul, and the effects of this public health crisis will be deeply felt by everyone in the country. The most recent estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have the virus infecting between 160 million and 214 million—approximately 48 to 65 percent of the U.S. population. “I expect that almost everybody will know of somebody who’s died of COVID-19 within the next year,” Dr. Mark Mitchell, associate professor for climate change, energy and environmental health equity at George Mason University, recently told The Root. This news would be devastating enough. But even as the mode of infection may be indiscriminate, the inequality deeply embedded in the American landscape guarantees the coronavirus will hit some communities much harder than others. The pandemic then, like everything else, is deeply political. There’s a rich and tumultuous history that brought us here. As Andre Perry recently wrote for the Brookings Institution, decades of segregationist housing policy meant black people and other communities of color endured a kind of “social distancing” long before this moment—being systematically pushed into the most polluted, least desirable neighborhoods in a practice known as redlining. With housing segregation and social discrimination came poverty, disinvestment and lower health outcomes— all of which now put black communities at particular risk for COVID-19. Few decision-makers have specifically pointed to redlined communities and communities of color as “vulnerable populations,” even though data shows they are much more likely to have chronic conditions like asthma, hypertension and diabetes—all of which place them at higher risk for COVID-19. They’re also less likely to have access to medical care when they do
get sick, less likely to be insured, take time off or receive paid sick leave. And “shelterin-place” orders crucial for mitigating the spread of the virus can be dangerous for people who have lead in their homes, live in polluted areas or don’t have adequate heating or cooling during extreme weather. As Perry succinctly points out, it is undoubtedly true that the virus doesn’t discriminate—but our country’s policies do. And if our government has any interest in preserving these communities, and preventing a staggering and unnecessary loss of life, the time to start prioritizing them is now.
illnesses and conditions that have been going on in our frontline communities that are a part of this overall vulnerable community paradigm that folks should be talking about,” says Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President of Environmental Justice, Climate, and Community Revitalization at the National Wildlife Federation. When we spoke on the phone a couple of weeks ago, Ali was on Capitol Hill, trying to persuade lawmakers to consider the coronavirus’ potentially devastating impact on communities of color. Ali defines “frontline” communities as those likely to be impacted most severely by the crisis. As the number of coronavirus A ‘Natural Progression’ cases continues to rise exponentially, he Redlining was born out of a moment, not is alarmed that no one seems to be talking unlike the one the country is currently about the particular vulnerabilities of black, barreling toward. In the 1930s, as a indigenous and Latinx communities. prolonged economic crisis spurred the need for The New Deal, federal lawmakers Many of these problems can be traced sought to increase rates of homeownership back to housing segregation and by Homeowners Loan Corporation to save discrimination. Black neighborhoods, as property owners who were defaulting on well as predominantly Native and Latinx their mortgages. Security maps were drafted communities and low-wage areas, tend to to give a lay of the land: neighborhoods have more air pollution, toxins and other that were considered safe investments were environmental hazards. Because they were coded in green, government officials and systemically disinvested from, there’s less private organizations marked the riskiest access to the sorts of services essential to neighborhoods in red. Frequently, they keeping a population healthy such as clinics were the neighborhoods with the highest and primary care physicians, healthy food, rates of black people and people of color reliable transportation, and safe, affordable living in them. The maps became a way housing. to protect the investments and properties of white Americans, while for redlined Not only are black people more likely to neighborhoods, systematic disinvestment have the kinds of chronic conditions that and neglect fulfilled the “risk” prophecy. leave them vulnerable to COVID-19, they’re also potentially less likely to be aware they In America, the policies and circumstances have them or receive treatment for them. that governed our families and neighborhoods According to a ColorLines study from last can be mapped in our bodies. Not all black year, the percentage of Black Americans communities were formally redlined, and who are uninsured sits at 9.7 percent, nearly gentrification and housing shortages in double the 5.4 percent rate among white urban areas have reshaped many cities, but Americans. In 2017, the uninsured rate in the legacy of that disinvestment, as well as the Latinx community far eclipsed either the structural and personal racism African of these rates, standing at a whopping 17.8 Americans still face, can be measured in percent. The same ColorLines study also their physical health. found that black Americans were more likely to be underinsured and live in “medically The U.S. has high rates of diabetes and underserved areas.” The disparities don’t end hypertension, and these rates are even when access is equal either. One 2003 study higher among African Americans, says Dr. found racial and ethnic minorities received Mitchell, who has worked for years as a worse health care than non-minorities; public health physician (he also noted that researchers found explicit and implicit bias COVID-19 was the first infectious disease played roles. he had seen where hypertension—high blood pressure—puts people at risk for This isn’t a secret to public health officials. developing severe symptoms). Black people In 2009, the CDC found black people were also disproportionately suffer from asthma, a disproportionately hospitalized for H1N1 particular risk given COVID-19’s effect on at a rate of 35 percent, despite being just the respiratory system, as well as disorders 13 percent of the U.S. population. The like sickle-cell anemia and lupus, which CDC theorized that asthma and diabetes greatly reduce the resiliency of the immune made them especially susceptible to the system. Then there are psychological virus. While research has long established stressors, which studies have shown can correlations between residential segregation greatly impact one’s ability to fight off and environmental racism, recent studies sickness. have made this connection even more explicit. One study from the University of “Relative poverty is the most stressful event California Berkeley and the University of that large numbers of people are exposed to,” California San Francisco found residents says Mitchell. “Racism has also been shown to also be a very, very large stressor.” Continued on Page 16 “There is a longstanding set of chronic
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
Photo by Robyn Beck, Getty Images
Continued from Page 15
of historically redlined neighborhoods were more than twice as likely as others to go to the emergency room for asthma.
coronavirus to access better, more robust unemployment insurance. However, this money doesn’t automatically cover the cost of health insurance—without this, the poor, undocumented and uninsured face greater barriers getting help from a health care system that is already being pushed past its breaking point
Anthony Nardone, a UCSF med student who was the lead researcher for the analysis, told The Root these health disparities are “a natural progression of the policies that were America’s racial caste system does far put into place 80 years ago, and perhaps even more than guarantee the black and brown before that time.” underclass gets sicker and loses more resources in times of crisis. Home is not a safe ‘Sacrifice Zones’ place for everyone, and protection protocols These factors all contribute to elevating a like shelter-in-place, essential as they are, person’s individual vulnerability to getting are substantially more difficult for people deathly sick from COVID-19, but as the living in dense, highly-polluted areas or who pandemic has made clear, coronavirus is are regularly exposed to toxins, like lead or a communal, not a personal problem. And asbestos, in their homes. New York City, the the conditions black, Native and Latinx current epicenter of the coronavirus in the communities live in not only ensure that U.S., is expected to keep a shelter-in-place they’re more likely to develop severe policy until at least mid-April, with Mayor symptoms from the coronavirus, but that it will Bill de Blasio suggesting that these protocols have a profound effect on their communities. could last well into May. That means Not only are these communities more likely hundreds of thousands of low-income New to get sicker than others, but occupational Yorkers will be forced to stay in the 135,000 and housing segregation also ensures they’ll city-owned apartments that are suspected of have a harder time recovering and protecting having lead paint, but haven’t been properly themselves when they do get sick. inspected or had the potentially deadly toxin removed. Historically redlined communities tend to be more dense than others—the combined Ali refers to the communities caught in these effect of redlining, gentrification, and crosshairs as “sacrifice zones”—places like an ever-present need to pool resources. “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana, a town where There are 3.3 people in the median Latinx many of the black residents descended from household, compared to 2.62 for the rest of sharecroppers now have disproportionately the U.S. population, according to the CDC. high levels of cancer due to the level of air Black and Latinx households are also likely pollution. They are defined by disinvestment, to be multigenerational, increasing the risk and by the fact that they have little sway over of sickness spreading, particularly among the policy decisions that could mean life or the elderly. African American and Latinx death for them. Since Trump took office, workers are the racial and ethnic groups his administration has relaxed important least likely to be able to work from home environmental regulations, allowing or receive paid sick leave, and are over- industries to dump more hazardous waste represented in the industries most devastated and toxins into communities whose bodies by the economic fallout of the coronavirus. bear the literal scars of decades of unchecked Not only is shelter-in-place less of a viable pollution; in the midst of the pandemic, the option for these households, but many of White House has given industry even more these families were also the first to have leeway to overstep these guidelines. Even important financial lifelines cut off. if they are spared by the coronavirus, some The recently-passed stimulus package does marginalized communities may not escape a lot to help Americans impacted by the the hazards of their own homes. The Columbus African & Dayton African American • April 2020 American News Journal • February 2015
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Southern states—most of which as of March 31, had not put in place statewide shelter-in-place orders—have put their black communities in, particularly vulnerable positions. Many of these states, like Alabama and Mississippi, have refused Medicaid expansion for years, cutting off healthcare access to many of their residents. And black Southerners, in particular, tend to have worse health outcomes and less access to medical providers than their counterparts in other parts of the country. When pressed by the media and by their own citizens about why stricter measures weren’t being enacted, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves cited economic concerns as a defense for their “wait-andsee” approach. This response marks a clear divide between the South and many other parts of the country and flies in the face of internationally proven guidelines for how to best mitigate the devastating effects of the virus. You only do what your networks do, and while the “business as usual” approach may certainly feel better in the moment (and give Southerners another chance to scoff at the preciousness of coastal elites), refusing to incorporate social distancing measures also ensures that the virus will circulate undetected through many communities in the South until it is far too late. The agreement among public health experts is widespread and unambiguous: it’s not a question of whether shelter-in-place delays will cost lives, but how many. And because nearly 60 percent of all black Americans live in the South, this inaction will disproportionately and disastrously affect them. A handful of lawmakers have attempted to battle back against these systemic inequities: New Mexico Congresswoman Deb Haaland, who has often been a lone voice in protecting indigenous rights, recently sounded the alarm to protect Indian Country, particularly its native elders. On Monday, Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Robin Kelly (D-IL), along with Senators Elizabeth
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
exposure: the coronavirus has exposed the failures of our social safety net and health care system, it has exposed our fragility and interdependence, it has exposed the worst, most foundational of our problems. But these experts also offered some hope: times But few other policymakers have of crisis are also opportunities to make big, acknowledged—let alone fought for— structural changes. the distinct needs and vulnerabilities of “Poverty and inequality [are] not unfortunate, communities of color. like a car accident. It is manufacturing and “I don’t think that most of our policymakers it is manufactured by those in power,” said have thought that far down the road,” Ali Rashad Robinson, president of the civil said of the disparate impacts these decisions rights advocacy group Color of Change, have on historically redlined and segregated “Unless we do something to change the rules and change the dynamics, they will continue communities. to use this moment to manufacture more.” “They need to because what you focus on and what you prioritize is where resources Dr. Mitchell echoed that point.“The whole go and where actions actually happen,” he American society is going to be changing continued. “You have not heard them say over the next year,” he said. “Things will anything about indigenous communities and never be the same as they were weeks ago. the impacts, or the lack of infrastructure. And this is an opportunity for people to So for me, that means that they have not influence how that change is made.” yet understood that there is a unique set of There are simple changes that could greatly challenges and opportunities.” benefit all communities in the short term— Nardone, the leader of the 2019 redlining There Is Opportunity in a Crisis Taking stock of all the evidence is study, suggested a dedicated coronavirus overwhelming. During the course of this hotline for people seeking information and reporting, I found myself overcome with resources. But he also points to one big anxiety: the racial fault lines of the coronavirus policy proposal—a single-payer health care were so clear, the problems facing historically system like Medicare-for-all—that would redlined and disenfranchised communities so protect millions of Americans against future layered, I felt caught underneath the weight pandemics. of processing it all. But what was most maddening was how invisible those most vulnerable to COVID-19 are: few media Now is the time to think big, say these public outlets have focused on communities of color health experts. as a high-risk group for the coronavirus; in all the press briefings given by the Trump Some of the changes already enacted—like administration, they have never once been expanding unemployment insurance benefits to gig workers and independent contractors, or mentioned. increasing the amount of money unemployed A word that came up with every health Americans will see each week—will greatly and public policy expert I spoke to was impact black workers. Ali reminded me that Warren (D-MA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ), wrote a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services to collect racial and ethnic demographic data on testing and treatment of the coronavirus.
these changes had been advocated for for decades. Now, because of the urgency of the moment, these policies, and the funding for them, have “all of a sudden” materialized. He’d like to see real investment into historically redlined communities, including banking and increased access to medical providers. Dr. Mitchell stressed the importance of getting toxic industries out of marginalized areas—proposing investment in solar panels so communities of color can produce their own electricity, decreasing the kind of pollution and toxins that wreak havoc on their health. These measures aren’t just about equity and fairness—they have never been. As the coronavirus makes clear, these policies are about survival in a world where future pandemics are an inevitability, thanks in part to global warming. Ali points to a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which found that infectious diseases carried by mosquitoes and other insects and animals will likely increase as the world’s climate continues to change. “This is a deadly test run we’re going through,” he said of the coronavirus. And the strongest chance historically marginalized communities and communities of color have to protect themselves is to have a seat at the table when decisions about their health, their homes, and their futures are being made. “We need to do things differently,” said Mitchell. “We can’t build things back to what they were previously and not expect that they will be destroyed again.” Anne Branigin is a staff writer for The Root. Article from www.theroot.com
STIGMA AND ACCESS: AFRICAN AMERICAN MENTAL ILLNESS AND BARRIERS TO TREATMENT By David Ingram, Esq. At the barbershop, hair salon, among friends at a social gathering, or with family at home, no topic of discussion seems to be off the table for African Americans. We can talk critically about the economy, racism, politics, and even police brutality — heavy topics. When it comes to the topic of mental illness and treatment, discussion falls flat or we don’t discuss it at all. It could be the fear of stigma or that some of us can’t talk about the topic because we’ve never been to treatment due to the lack of access — or both. Maybe the best way to begin the discussion on the topic of mental illness within the African American Community is to address the stigma and lack of access itself.
American culture. This stigma, however, is magnified within the African American culture. As a culture, African Americans have overcome tremendous adversity and have learned to endure and work through pain. We are indeed strong and resilient but struggle with being vulnerable and admitting that everything is not ok. Destigmatizing treatment for mental illness is essential for our health and future well-being.
Many of us are taught early on that showing emotion is a sign of personal weakness. We also subscribe to the idea — subconsciously — that publicly acknowledging a mental illness will result in being labeled as crazy or lead to rejection. Even worse, treatment is often viewed as punishment. Our silence and fear of being stigmatized position us to fail when we do seek treatment. Research has shown that African Americans Stigma are over-diagnosed with schizophrenia The stigma associated with mental illness is rather than post-traumatic stress disorder cross-cultural and is not specific to the African because of the inability to properly articulate The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
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mental illness and the provider’s lack of cultural competence. But how can anyone properly articulate an issue that is ignored or never discussed? African Americans have to break this generational cycle and our cultural perception of mental illness and treatment. Acknowledging that you are not ok and seeking treatment for mental illness is not a sign of failure or weakness, it’s a sign of wisdom and strength in pursuit of triumph. Access For many African Americans, the issue is not the stigma associated with mental illness — its access to treatment. A recent study published in 2019 by the Department of Health and Human Services found that only 8.7 percent of African American adults over the age of 18 received mental health services during the past year. That same study found Continued on Page 30
The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
THREE LESSONS ON LOVE AND COMPASSION TO HELP US FACE THIS PANDEMIC
By Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens Our lives and our reality have been taken hostage by a microbiotic terrorist named COVID19. As we go through these difficult days, I want to offer some thoughts for you, from a faith perspective. First, please take care of yourself and then take care of others. We have to look out for each other and practice safe, healthy actions in all that we do. Every day, please answer these six “quarantine questions:” 1. What are you grateful for today? 2. Who are you checking in on or connecting with today? 3. What expectations of “normal” are you letting go of today? 4. How are you getting outside today? 5. How are you moving your body today? 6. What beauty are you creating, cultivating or inviting in today? Beyond this, I share with you three lessons I have learned on love and compassion that help me in times like this. Lesson #1, practice the presence of absence. This lesson I learned from my teacher and mentor, Fr. Henri Nouwen 38 years ago. In the fall of 1982, Fr. Nouwen and I were in a conversation with other students at Yale Divinity School about the challenges of ministry. He said, “in time, you will learn to practice the presence of absence.” He went on to say, “You cannot be with everyone. You cannot be everything to all people. You must trust God every day that God is in control and God is present when you are absent.” The presence of absence means that even when we are not there, God is there. God is always present. God’s amazing grace is at work when we are not around. This is a hard lesson to learn. While we are separated from one another, God is not separated from each one of us. God is constantly present with us – even when we are absent one from another. In the hospital ICU units we can’t get to – God is there. God is working through the doctors and nurses who are there to minister and heal the people we long to see and be beside. When we separated from our family and loved ones God is present in our absence. In places locked down from our normal flow and constant contact, God is there. Remember our faith and hope come from God who is present in our absence. Lesson #2 - When you truly love, you are blind to the faults of others. When you do not love, you are blind to their virtues. Have you found yourself judging the people you
(say you) love? Are you able to point out all the faults in their behaviors, all their shortcomings, all their faults and failings? Have you found yourself blinded to their gifts, their talents, their delightfulness, their humor, their love – yes – their virtues? Have you simply lost track of love? When you “burn” inside, are you burning with love or judgment? Are you fueled by your own insecurity and anxiety or by your admiration and belief in the other?
to think that a person can lead us out of a desert who has never been in a desert. By that I mean, a leader who has not suffered cannot lead us through suffering. No one can lead you out of the shadow of death unless he or she has been through the valley of the shadow of death. Only one who suffers can lead us through suffering to new life. This is truer for our times and our circumstances than ever before. As each one of us face these days of uncertainty, we must all remember that our God has gone before us and faced suffering time and time again. Our Savior went to the cross, suffered an excruciating death and rose again to new life to show us the way into, through and out of suffering.
In the Gospel of John, chapter 9, Jesus heals a man born blind. Outside the miraculous power of God, it is simply impossible to heal a man born blind. That is who Jesus is (not just what he does). He sees a man who doesn’t see and believes he will see again. With spit and mud and the power of God, Jesus opens the eyes of the blind man. Jesus Christ is believable and is worthy to be praised and followed because he has gone If Jesus can do this for a man born blind, through Hell, gone to Heaven, returned from imagine what he can do for you. Heaven to Earth and shows up each day to lead you through all that you face. Trust that In these days of pandemic pandemonium, I our God will lead you through these days, am calling upon you to summon the power of too. Our God, who suffered unto to death in God and the unconditional love of Jesus, to God’s son Jesus Christ, will not abandon you see others for their virtues and not their vices. in your greatest hour of need I am calling on you to love those close by and far away in a new way. Become blind to the I close with these thoughts from the Apostle faults, idiosyncrasies, narcissistic tendencies, Paul in Philippians 4:8-9, “Summing it all and obsessive-compulsive behaviors of up, my brothers and sisters, I’d say you’ll those around you and love them. Open your do best by filling your minds and meditating eyes to the love that drew you together in the on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, first place. As partners in relationship, see compelling, gracious—the best, not the the grace and greatness of your beloved. As worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to parents, see your children as the beautiful praise, not things to curse. Put into practice Children with whom God has graced your what you learned…, what you heard and saw life. As children, see your parents with eyes and realized. Do that, and God, who makes of love and compassion. In the words of everything work together, will work you into St. Francis, “Seek to understand, not to be God’s most excellent harmonies.” understood.” See virtues, not vices. Just love one another. May God bless and keep you all. Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens is the Senior Minister of Lesson #3 – no God can save us except a First Congregational Church, United Church suffering God. We are blessed as Christians of Christ in downtown Columbus. A church to follow Jesus Christ, who suffered unto known for its witness to social justice since death to show us the way to life – both life in its birth as an abolitionist congregation in this world and life eternally. 1852. Rev. Ahrens is the fifth consecutive senior minister from Yale Divinity School and The Way of Jesus has particular power for is a lifelong member of the United Church of us today. The great illusion of leadership is Christ.
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MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE WITH COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS By Edwina Blackwell Clark Deneen Day’s mother and uncle live in the same assisted living facility. As a caregiver for both, she misses the personal level of care she used to provide before the coronavirus pandemic. Her mother, Tillie Day, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, is under hospice palliative care. Two weeks before visitors were banned, she started a decline. She’s got a picture of her mother from March 10 – the last day she saw her in person. “The biggest fear for me is her declining and her being by herself. It is just devastating, and it is just hard,” Day said. The facility has set up videoconferencing, Day said, but videoconferencing does not work for everyone. “They are confused, they don’t understand, they can’t hear, you can’t touch them, you can’t console them, and you do it, but it does not give you any solace,” Day said. While the COVID-19 pandemic threatens the health of millions in this country and around the world, the novel coronavirus presents unique challenges for more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. For Ohio’s 600,000 Alzheimer’s caregivers, the Coronavirus outbreak and the stay at home order issued by the Ohio Department of Health and the governor’s office impacts the heart of day-to-day care for loved ones whose minds and bodies are diminished by the ravages of this fatal brain disease. Most notably, public health strategies aimed at limiting contact with others is nearly impossible for people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, who rely on family caregivers and others to live their daily lives. This reality affects these individuals across all settings, including home, adult day services, residential and assisted living facilities and nursing homes. “Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or other dementias is exceptionally demanding,” said Eric VanVlymen, who oversees all of Ohio’s Alzheimer’s Association chapters. “The level of assistance provided by caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s tends to be extensive, compared with caregivers of other older adults, and caregiving responsibilities often persist for many years – even decades.” To support caregivers during COVID-19, the Alzheimer’s Association offers dozens of virtual caregiver support groups throughout the state, care consultations and education programs that can be accessed via telephone or through online videoconferencing at home. The Association’s 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900 provides around-the-clock support. “These are extremely stressful times that can make caregivers feel lonely and isolated,”” VanVlymen said. “We must stand together as a community and help each other. Our resources are all free and easily available.”
Deneen Day and her mother Tillie Day The Impact of Alzheimer’s on African Americans Terri Littlejohn has been caring for her mother, Dorothy Crane, ever since her mother moved into her home in 2002. Alzheimer’s disease took Terri Littlejohn’s grandmother. Eight siblings of her grandmother – out of a total of 13 kids - had Alzheimer’s. Mrs. Crane also has the disease. “My mother has been living with us 18 years. I’ve been taking care of her as long as she had been taking care of me as a child. Now the roles are reversed and she’s the child,” Littlejohn said. African Americans are about twice as likely as whites to have Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Even though African Americans are more likely to get Alzheimer’s, studies show that African Americans are less likely to have a diagnosis and when African Americans are diagnosed, they are typically diagnosed in the later stages of the disease, when they are more cognitively and physically impaired. As soon as her mother was diagnosed in 2008, Day connected with the Alzheimer’s Association. When Day started working with the Association, she realized the importance of the organization and now does what she can to help promote the Association and spread awareness of the disease. She is an Alzheimer’s Association advocate, volunteer and participates in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which brings together thousands of people united in the fight. “There is just a huge underrepresentation of people of color (accessing services) and that is just maddening to me,” she said. “You have to have help, if not you will isolate yourself.” “I think culturally we have always had Uncle Cookie who had dementia. We have wanted to care for them on our own and keep it in the family but that is really hard,” Day said. Family and Friends Provide Most of the Support Eighty-three percent of the help provided to older adults in the United States comes from
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family members, friends or other unpaid caregivers, according to the Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report. Nearly half of all caregivers (48%) who provide help to older adults do so for someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Dorothy Crane, 86, has a village surrounding her and providing care. In addition to her daughter Terri Littlejohn, her care team consists of her son-in-law, two granddaughters, two grandsons-in-laws and some great-grandchildren doing whatever is needed 24/7 to make sure she is cared for, loved and living in a stable environment. “I do basically everything,” Littlejohn said. “Self-care, bathing, I have to pick out her clothes because if not, she will wear the same clothes. She does not cook, and I help with her medication.” “Being a caregiver, I have struggles with it,” Littlejohn said. “I’ve always had to take care of her. Should I be mad? Should I be angry? Should I be happy? It’s a struggle at times,” she said. “You’ve got to do it out of love so that you won’t be mad, angry or sad. If you do it out of love, it gets easier, but it’s still hard.” Littlejohn said it hasn’t always been easy. The stress of being responsible for her mother and living up to her own expectations can at times feel unbearable. “I want to be the best caregiver, I want to be the best daughter, I want to be the best,” Littlejohn said. “When I am not, does that mean that it is wrong when you forget to do something?” Since the spread of the Coronavirus, Littlejohn said everyone who comes into the house has been washing their hands more and keeping their distance so as not to unknowingly make Ms. Crane sick. “That social distancing, we are practicing that in the house. Whenever my nieces come over, they don’t come near her.”
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The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2020 The Columbus African American Journal • February
COVER STORY LEON MCDOUGLE, M.D., M.P.H. - NO FLUFF, NO FLAIR, JUST RESULTS
By Ray Miller, MPA One of my favorite things to do, while having lunch in my office - alone, is to eat ramen noodles and watch a YouTube video. The other day, I stumbled across an astounding video featuring President Barack Obama addressing the British Parliament in Westminster Hall, in London, England. The formality of the occasion was awash with protocol. The gentleman who introduced the President was stately and eloquent to a fault. When President Obama stood to speak, it was as if he was having a highly principled conversation with a few of his thoughtful friends in the dining room of his home. He was beyond comfortable and the intellectual equal of anyone in the Hall. I share this rather pleasurable experience as I contemplate how to present the life story of a man who communicates just as effectively as those men in Westminster Hall, but with a greater sense of urgency and a cultural understanding needed to move individuals and communities toward lifesaving action. BACKGROUND Who might this man be who is deserving of such high praise? To even invoke his name in the same breath with President Barck Obama would be considered by some to be heresy. Yet, the result of his work clothes him in the garment of self-sacrifice, humility, liberation, equality, and dignity. Enter Leon McDougle, M.D., M.P.H., the President-elect of the National Medical Association; the first African American professor with tenure in The Ohio State University’s Department of Family Medicine; the first Chief Diversity Officer for the OSU Wexner Medical Center, and the Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion. Dr. McDougle was born and raised in Sandusky, Ohio, the eldest of five children. He was not born into a life of privilege or the trappings of society. McDougle states, “ I was not a straight “A” student. “I went to church occasionally, he said, and prayed for guidance.” I was not endorsed by anyone and I didn’t fall prey to what I call the “Impostor Syndrome,” pretending to be someone that you are not, he added. McDougle went on to graduate from the University of Toledo with a degree in Biology, and The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He completed a family medicine residency at the Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, California, and earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan School of Public
(L-R) Howard Epps, MD, President-Elect HMF; Leon McDougle, MD; Alicia Monroe, MD, Provost & Senior BP Baylor College of Medicine; Toi Blakely Harris, MD, Associate Provost of Institutional Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Kathrym Espana, MD, President of Hispanic American Medical Association of Houston; Jennifer Christner, MD, Dean of Baylor College of Medicine; and Faculty Member
(L-R) Acara Turner, Baylor College of Medicine SNMA President; Melvyn Harrington, MD, Baylor Orthopedic Surgeon; Leon McDougle, MD
Health, Department of Health Management and Policy. “I AM NOT ENDORSED BY ANYONE” I queried further on Dr. McDougle’s forceful pronouncement that he was not endorsed by anyone. He equated this “endorsement” that some people obtain to having your name associated with a certain kind of tennis shoe. Wear this and you can be like me. “I didn’t need a stamp of approval, he said. I knew that I was just as smart as anyone in the classroom. Moreover, I was not afraid of hard work. You have got to put the work in, he said, if you want to be the best or succeed at a high level.
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When asked of Dr. McDougle, what motivated you to pursue a career in Medicine? He responded without hesitation, Dr. William Waddell Hunter who graduated from the OSU Medical College in 1936. He planted a dream in my head that I could be the kind of Doctor that he was and be as respected and revered in our community. McDougle said, I never met Dr. Hunter, but I truly admired him, even as a young 10-year-old boy. Because of the care that he provided to the people of Sandusky. Dr. McDougle also recalled the words of his Fourth Grade teacher, Ms. Wilma Stacy, a graduate of Kentucky State University. Ms. Stacy told young Leon’s mother, “You might
COVER STORY
Baylor College of Medicine of Excellence Scholars (early career faculty & fellows) following career advising discussion. Leon McDougle, MD, (center)
as well start preparing now for college.” That was a real motivator for me and gave me a sense of real value that I was bright enough to attend college one day.” PREPARATION FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE IN LIFE “You’ve got to put the work in.” That is Dr. McDougle’s mantra. “Whatever your job is, do it well,” he says. When one reads Dr. McDougle’s 20-page Curriculum Vitae (CV) it shows his vision, his commitment to the pursuit of excellence, and his understanding of knowing the foundation of your work. What Dr. McDougle has done for students as Director of the Medical Pathways (MEDPATH) Premedical Postbaccalaureate Program is life-changing. His achievements, accolades, and service to The Ohio State University Medical College is worthy of high praise and honor. Yet, that is not why he gives so much of his time and talent. He knows his roots. He knows where he comes from. And, he knows that others can achieve what he has in the field of medicine, and even more. THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Preparation for Leadership. You just don’t wake up one morning and say, “I think that
I should be the President of the National Medical Association.” As it is stated on their website: The National Medical Association (NMA) is the collective voice of African American physicians and the leading force for parity and justice in medicine and the elimination of disparities in health. You earn the right to lead such an influential organization! The NMA is the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States. The NMA represents the interest of more than 50,000 African American physicians and the patients they serve. Time nor space will allow me to chronicle Dr. McDougle’s service to the National Medical Association. A few highlights will have to suffice: 121st President-Elect and ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees Executive Committee; Chair, Health Policy Committee of the Board of Trustees; Treasurer and exofficio member of the Board of Trustees Executive Committee; Constitution and Bylaws Committee of the House of Delegates; Chair, Committee on Administration and Financial Affairs of the House of Delegates; and Chair, Aerospace, Military, and Occupational Medicine Section.
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In addition, Dr. McDougle is a retired Naval Officer. His agenda as President-Elect of the NMA includes continuing medical education, decreasing maternal mortality and gun violence, opioid abuse, abolishing capital punishment and increasing the number of African American males in medical schools. Finally, Dr. McDougle is a Diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine and Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He is a member of the Rhema Christian Center and has been a member of the National Medical Association since 1992. He and his wife, Natasha Jean JonesMcDougle, M.Ed. are the proud parents of two daughters, Peri and Autumn. Ray Miller is the Publisher of The Columbus & Dayton African American which he founded in 2011. Prior to establishing the news journal Miller served as a Member of the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives for a combined 24 years. In addition, Miller served on The White House staff of President Jimmy Carter as a Deputy Special Assistant. Miller is a graduate of The Ohio State University and holds a B.A. in Political Science and a M.A. in Public Administration.
The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
Dorothy Cane and part of her care team - Terrie Littlejohn (top left), Husband-Randall Littlejohn (top right), Granddaughters Tanda Thomas-Bates (left) and Tierra Thomas (right) Here are some additional tips for dementia caregivers at home: • If a person living with dementia shows rapidly increased confusion, contact your health care provider for advice because increased confusion is often the first symptom of an illness. • Consider placing signs in the bathroom and elsewhere to remind people with dementia to wash their hands with soap for 20 seconds. • Demonstrate thorough hand-washing. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can be a quick alternative to hand-washing if the person with dementia cannot get to a sink or wash his/her hands easily.
• Ask your pharmacist or doctor about filling prescriptions for a greater number of days to reduce trips to the pharmacy Littlejohn said as a caregiver, “you just have to hold your head up and keep going even though the days and nights get hard. If you are blessed to still have your loved one, that is wonderful. If you don’t, you should be thankful for the time you had with them.” Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Services The Alzheimer’s Association in Ohio provides around-the-clock support for individuals dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias through communitybased services, 24/7 Helpline and resources available at alz.org
24/7 Helpline: 800.272.3900 Individualized Care Consultations 800.272.3900 Website: Alz.org Online Educational programs and support groups Alz.org/crf Edwina Blackwell Clark is the Director of Communications for the Alzheimer’s Association of Miami Valley and Northwest Ohio Chapter.
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS (Columbus, Ohio)- Franklin County Children Services (FCCS) takes very seriously the safety of children. Child abuse affects everyone and during these times we need the assistance of the community to help prevent abuse. The Corona virus outbreak has created a “Stay at Home” order from our governor and many parents need assistance. Share ways to manage stress. Parents need resources and assistance from the community to help during this stressful time. We are encouraging parents that feel stressed or isolated to reach out to a neighbor, friend or family member. Staying connected to others will help reduce stress, frustration, and anxiety. Stay informed about what is happening but do not overwhelm yourself with information. If you feel overwhelmed
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seek help, if you feel your children are in danger contact the 24-hour Child Abuse Prevention Hotline at 614-229-7000. During this time of isolation, we are asking friends, family members and neighbors to actively participate in preventing child abuse and neglect. Regularly check with families who may be at risk. Also, pay attention to signs of neglect and abuse. The Franklin County Children Services Child Abuse Prevention Hotline is open 24-hours a day, seven days a week. If you suspect abuse or neglect call 614-229-7000. We all want our children to be safe and happy. Let’s work together as a community to uplift each other during this crisis. Let’s all do our part in keeping our children safe! For more information visit www. childrenservices.franklincountyOhio.gov.
BUSINESS
STIMULUS PACKAGE OR WIDENING THE WEALTH GAP? in government Treasuries and $200 billion in government and mortgage-related bonds to protect the economy.
By Darren Lundy, MBA The World Health Organization has declared the rapidly spreading coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. This virus began in China and quickly spread to the United States creating not only a healthcare crisis, but a financial crisis. Non-essential businesses have been forced to close, unemployment skyrocketed, and the stock market went into free-fall. The death rate is mounting. The market continued to plunge after the federal reserve cut interest rates to zero. Due to the rapid spread and uncertainty surrounding transmission, major sporting events have been cancelled, universities, libraries and schools closed, and stay-in-place orders imposed. The U.S is now in a recession. We all remember the financial crisis of 2008; it was the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression on all Americans. However, no group felt its’ sting more severely than African-Americans who were already the most economically and financially vulnerable. The biggest winners during these deep recessions are the federal reserve, the federal government, and corporations. ECONOMIC CYCLE The economic cycle follows four distinct stages: Expansion, Peak, Contraction, and Trough. A contraction also referred to as a recession is a general decline in economic activity, usually identified by a fall in the gross domestic product. No one was surprised by this recession, it’s the next stage in the economic cycle. The average economic expansion last 4.5 years and the U.S. economy has been expanding since 2009. Commonly referred to as a bull market when stock prices rise by 20%, usually after a drop of 20% and before a second 20% market decline. Many Americans have forgotten the devastation of the 2008 recession. It started with the collapse of the housing market, unemployment spiked, and stocks fell into a bear market. A bear market describes a condition when securities prices fall 20% or more from recent highs amid widespread pessimism and negative investor sentiment. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lost approximately 50% of its value but only lasted from 2007-2009 due to extraordinary interventions by the federal reserve and the federal government.
2. The senate approved and President Trump signed into law an $8 billion emergency spending package to combat the growing coronavirus cases. 3. A $6 Trillion fiscal stimulus package is on the way, 4 Trillion represents Federal Reserve lending power and 2 Trillion was passed in the senate. This proposal will inject trillions of dollars into the economy to help workers, families, small business and large corporations.
$30.7 billion to the federal government.2 The Treasury negotiate a government equity stake in companies that received bailout assistance. Investing billions of dollars in depressed assets at the bottom of the economic cycle will drastically increase wealth as markets appreciate in value. Ingenious! FINANCIAL IMPACT ON AFRICAN AMERICANS A decade later, many African Americans still have not fully recovered and remain in a vulnerable financial position. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate peaked at 10 percent in 2009 for all Americans. African-Americans exceeded 16% compared to just under 9% for whites. AfricanAmerican family income also suffered more than whites. The average household earned $50,654 in 2010, which was 61 percent of a white family.
This package will provide direct payments to most Americans, expand unemployment benefits and provide a $367 Billion program for small businesses. It’s time for African Americans to stop watching and waiting and get in the financial game. We must realize each recession puts us further behind financially, while others profit. For example, the federal reserve profits by buying up corporate debt or equity before infusing dollars into a struggling economy. Corporate owners’ profit by using the cash injection to buy back low-priced stock and profiting as the economy recovers and using bailout money to pay dividends to corporate shareholders. Small businesses profit from government loans as well as receiving money consumers spend from their stimulus checks. Who is really benefiting from a financial crisis? If you want to build personal wealth, let’s stop just consuming and follow our governments lead and own undervalued assets. Now is the time!
If you have questions or want to learn more, please give us a call, at 614-468-1660 for a African American incomes have somewhat complimentary consultation. recovered. However, African-Americans are still making only 63% of what whites References: earn. More importantly, net-worth and 1. U.S. Department of the Treasury. “TARP homeownership has not recovered. It has Tracker from November 2008 to January regressed since the recession ended, making 2020,” Accessed Feb. 27, 2020. blacks even more vulnerable to another economic downturn. This can be better 2. Brookings Institute. “An Address on understood by looking at the sharp difference Jobs and the Economy by President Barack in the rate of homeownership – one of the Obama,” Accessed Dec. 3, 2019. key pathways to long-term financial stability. Homeownership for African-Americans is 3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban just 42 percent – down from a high of 48 percent in 2004 – compared to 73 percent for Development. “U.S. Housing Market Conditions.” whites.3
THE EMERGENCY ECONOMIC The federal government has actually forced STABILIZATION ACT OF 2008 us into a recession. To slow this pandemic, The Emergency Economic Stabilization the government is ordering Americans to stop Act created the Troubled Asset Relief supplying labor for the production of goods Program known as (TARP); $700 billion and services. People are being told to stop dollars was authorized under this program.1 going to stores, restaurants, and the work The U.S. Treasury only disbursed $441.8 place. Our country is in dire straits. Help is billion because President Obama limited on the way! Another government bailout. the companies who could participate in the government bailout.2 By 2018, $442.7 billion STIMULUS PACKAGE had been paid back into the fund, making the government $900 million dollars of profit. 1. The Federal Reserve dropped interest rates The (TARP) program returned a total of to zero and agreed to buy at least $500 billion 23
Darren, a Columbus, Ohio native has earned degrees in Business, Accounting, and an MBA. He has over twenty-five (25) years’ experience in financial services. The Ohio Company, First Union Securities, and Merrill Lynch were instrumental in his career prior to starting his own Wealth Management Firm, Wealth Conscious LLC, (614) 4681660, www.wealth-conscious.com. He holds his Series 65 and Life and Health licenses. Investment advisory services are offered through Foundations Advisors, LLC an SEC registered investment advisor.
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2020 The Columbus African American Journal • February
BUSINESS
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY - ARE YOU READY?
By Cecil Jones, MBA The stay-at-home, work-from-home and other orders resulting from COVID-19 has changed our society forever, digitally. The Dayton Metro Library branches are closed. The Columbus Public Libraries are closed. Public elementary through high schools are closed. Colleges known for their personal touch and personal outreach to students are operating digitally, only. Quickly, companies, restaurants, schools, musicians, artists and most of our society must operate digitally via the web in order to continue to operate. As a result, organizations now have better realization of what is possible with digital technology. Similarly, because this situation has forced newer and different technologies on many organizations, they will continue going forward using technology to accomplish their goals. They are not as conservative or hesitant now. The new standard is set. What Do You Do, NOW? Well, the good news is that we continuously learn and adapt. The activities that are occurring includes new learning, that is how to better operate in newer digital spaces. The outcomes include more digitally savvy people (you and your family). In the last 30 days, there are new/modified digital systems that organizations from colleges, to restaurants, to families, to corporations, are using. Education Libraries have provided customers with access to online textbooks, articles and learning for the last few years. Now, that is their primary option since walking into a library and getting a book is not available. They have had to review their online offering and change practices and offerings, and change their websites, overnight.
and reference material in online courses. Videos are easily shown in online courses. Interacting and communicating with students is different in online courses. It does require some basic digital technology skills. It is a different ballgame. Corporations and Large Organizations Corporations must allow work from home, web from home solutions (no choice) if their businesses are to continue. How do you do that when your network infrastructure was designed for 90% of the employees working in the buildings at work and just 10% working from home? There are solutions (cloud access on demand, distributed applications, meeting tools like Zoom, Citrix, Microsoft Teams, FreeConference.com, etc.). Unions and other parties may need to be consulted before making large workplace changes. Processes will need to change to understand when work is completed. Something as basic as ‘attendance’ may need to be defined. It may be a little different for work online environments. Remember the online charter school(s) problems around defining attendance?
Elementary through public schools have thought about (emphasizing just “thought about”) how to provide education when children physically cannot get to that school building. Now they must go beyond “thinking” about how to role out devices for children to access online class materials. They must understand and implement how to Support, particularly technology support, provide access to the web for students who do is different for the work from home environment. When you were working in not have access at home. a building, you might have a process that Colleges can easily change their face-to-face allows you to solve when you have a problem classes to web classes, right? WRONG! I with a computer or access to an application. develop online classes with colleges. There You might just walk down to the IT Help are many colleges that have few online Desk. In some cases, in the work from home courses, sometimes intentionally. They environment, YOU may be the front-line may say it is not a big part of their brand, Help Desk for your problems. philosophy or approach to learning. There are colleges that have professors who are not Social Interaction – People Must Interact; comfortable teaching online. The approach A Basic Human Trait to teaching online courses is different than face-to-face. The materials used are different. The usual social gathering spots are not Of course, you can provide links to websites gathering locations for now: work, churches, The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
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restaurants, etc. So, you can imagine the traffic that Facebook, Zoom, Facetime, cellphones, and so forth are getting right about now. If you are just setting up any social media account like Facebook, please click on the ‘Settings’ icon and take 5 minutes to read and define your settings. If you do not want others to know whenever you are logged on, go to Settings and click that. If you do not want the entire world to know when you post something, go to Settings and click that. If you only want your friends to see your page, go to Settings and click that. You have the pattern, now. Please do NOT set up any account, including a basic gmail email account without going to Settings. The default settings are almost never what most of us want. Default settings often allow others (or the application provider) more viewing of our information that we would like. In summary, the usage of digital technology has ramped up. We can work to ignore it. We can also choose to adapt and learn a bit more. Many (families, educational institutions, government, businesses) have had to ramp up quickly with new tools, after stay at home orders were issued. Take a Breath! Learn something new, at your own pace. We will be better than OK. Are you looking for a technology networking group to help you get smarter? What new technology or process have you learned this month? Need advice on how to look for that technology position? Are you considering technology education (courses, certificates or degrees) and need information? Do you have a business, process, project management, personnel or technology question? Please let me know. admin@accelerationservices.net Cecil Jones MBA, ABD, PMP, CCP, SCPM, FLMI, Lean Professional, 614-726-1925.
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
BUSINESS
WELLS FARGO ANNOUNCES AID FOR CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY COVID-19 SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced additional comprehensive steps to help customers, communities and employees grappling with the impact of COVID-19. The company has suspended residential property foreclosure sales, evictions and involuntary auto repossessions. Additionally, the Wells Fargo Foundation will distribute $175 million in donations to help address food, shelter, small business and housing stability, as well as to provide help to public health organizations. “The coronavirus is disrupting the daily lives of many people around the world, and Wells Fargo has taken — and will continue to take — the steps needed to support our customers, employees and communities during this difficult time,” said CEO Charlie Scharf. “We will continue to evaluate this fluid situation and take additional action as necessary.” Wells Fargo is taking several other steps to meet the needs of customers, operate safely and effectively and reduce the risk to employees and customers, recognizing that the company provides critical and essential services to the stability of the economy and the financial wellbeing of customers. Meeting customer needs Wells Fargo is working on a daily basis to put measures in place to support the needs of customers impacted by COVID-19 in the most effective ways possible. Wells Fargo is suspending residential property foreclosure sales, evictions and involuntary automobile repossessions. The company also is offering fee waivers, payment deferrals and other expanded assistance for credit card, auto, mortgage, small business and personal lending customers who contact the company. Additionally, Wells Fargo continues to take the action needed to ensure it can best serve customers, while also prioritizing employee and customer safety. The company is temporarily closing some branches, adjusting operating hours of branches, relocating employees to busier branches and utilizing drive up instead of lobbies where possible. Customers can check Wells Fargo’s branch locator for ATM locations and the status of branches and can use mobile and online banking tools almost anywhere 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Across the company, including in branches, contact centers and corporate locations, the company is taking significant actions to ensure safety, including enhancing social distancing measures, staggering staff and shifts, enabling work from home for as many employees as possible and implementing an enhanced cleaning program. Accelerated national and local giving Donations from the Wells Fargo Foundation will be allocated via expedited grant-making at the local level and also via relief efforts in partnership with national organizations
that work in a number of key areas across the U.S. Resources will be focused on helping nonprofits serve the immediate needs of the most vulnerable populations including for food, housing and other emergency needs. This includes a $1 million grant to Feeding America to support their 200 member foodbanks as they work to feed people during this time of crisis.
In an effort to assist employees who may experience their own hardships, the Wells Fargo Foundation will donate $10 million to its WE Care Fund, which provides resources to colleagues who face a catastrophic disaster or financial hardship resulting from an event beyond their control. This program is available to those affected by coronavirus and is intended to help employees, especially Charitable donations will also be focused on those with limited resources, get back on their three key areas through collaboration with a feet with basic necessities. number of national and local organizations – housing, small business and financial health: Wells Fargo has made several significant enhancements to its U.S. benefits and Housing stability: Funding will be allocated time away programs to provide additional to critical housing needs such as helping support to all U.S. employees during this renters and homeowners stay in their homes public health emergency, including benefit through foreclosure prevention assistance, enhancements specifically for employees eviction assistance and financial counseling directly affected by coronavirus through and coaching. illness or school closures. Small business: Resources will be deployed to meet the urgent needs of small businesses, About Wells Fargo $2 million of which will focus on the deployment of flexible capital in collaboration Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is with Opportunity Fund and will also provide a diversified, community-based financial immediate cash boosts and financial coaching services company with $1.9 trillion in support of entrepreneurs and their low-wage assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy workers in coordination with SaverLife. our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 Financial health: Donations will support and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells efforts to ensure ongoing financial health Fargo provides banking, investment and for families and individuals including for financial counseling and coaching and mortgage products and services, as well as through grants to help struggling hourly, part- consumer and commercial finance, through time, lower-income and gig economy workers 7,400 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, navigate broad financial stability challenges the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 32 countries due to loss of income. and territories to support customers who The Wells Fargo Foundation will also support conduct business in the global economy. With the creation of the Coronavirus Pandemic approximately 260,000 team members, Wells Financial Resilience Resource Center to help Fargo serves one in three households in the the 100 million people with disabilities and United States. Wells Fargo & Company was chronic health conditions nationwide with ranked No. 29 on Fortune’s 2019 rankings alternative and accessible information and of America’s largest corporations. News, financial counseling, 24 hours a day, seven insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo days a week. are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. Supporting employees experiencing Article from www.blackpressusa.com hardship
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
THE UNHOLY MATRIMONY OF POLITICS AND PUBLIC HEALTH, IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL PANDEMIC INCLUDING COVID-19
By Eric Johnson, PhD Public health refers to that area of science and government specifically dedicated to the task of dealing with infectious disease, contributors and challenges to life expectancy, and general community wellbeing. Public health is particularly designed to respond to medical and health issues that affect large segments of the population to which no group or single individual could adequately respond. In this way hospitals are designed to address gun-shot wounds but Public health is uniquely positioned to develop policy and approaches to overall gun violence in all its aspects. Politics on the other hand by its very nature is the deliberate attempt to serve certain interests at the expense of others. Unlike public health, political interests don’t serve the “common good,” they serve the interests of the advocates. Liberals serve liberal interests, Republicans serve republican interests, Conservatives serve conservative interests, Democrats serve democratic interests and so on. Generally, these two areas of life operate in very distinct theaters, but occasionally acute national health crises create an unholy matrimony of these two arenas in ways that are at best complicated. The intersection of public health and politics is a very dangerous place. Public health at its essence has to be driven by the pursuit of some version of a “common good.” However, a political process is evaluated by winners and losers. Answering the questions; What interests will be addressed and at what expense?” Because it will never be possible to do everything that needs to be done in any society, a political process is required to determine what will be done. In fact, in that way a legitimate political process is part of the common good because it is necessary for the losers to accept the results. To the contrary, in public health we all win or we all lose as a collective. Public health at its core requires each member of society to see mutual self-interest in optimizing basic conjoined necessities like water, air, food, and safety. However, only the most naïve among us believes there is no political element to the construction of the pursuit of a “common good.” Public health requires decisions to be made about the allocation of resources to an effort as well as a determination of how much attention any issue receives by the public. As a consequence, there will always be overlap between Public health and politics. However, when public health is driven less by the pursuit of the common good and more by individual interests there is an overt and shared danger to the public as a whole. When the members of a society no longer subscribe to a sense of mutual selfinterest in the pursuit of the common good, the society’s existence itself is at risk.
The unholy matrimony of public health and politics represents a relationship that is fraught with all the elements necessary to destroy any union. This union is unholy because its connection is the death of public trust, good will, a perceived common good, and mutual interdependence. The recent declared pandemic related to COVID 19 (the latest Coronavirus), has again highlighted this unholy alliance. In times of acute health crises people have to be reminded of the unavoidable interdependence that is any great society’s biggest strength and most identifiable weakness. The spread of COVID 19 has compelled society to remember how we all rely on the presence of a shared understanding of a common good. The idea that all of us are at risk for the public behaviors of any one of us. Ideas such as washing hands, covering one’s mouth during a cough or sneeze, the spread of germs, or simply being informed about unusual potential health risks. When large swaths of people no longer endorse a healthy sense of interdependence in support of the collective self-interest, that in many ways represents an existential threat to any society and every person in it. Moreover, when people cannot trust information from leaders in a crisis, they are left with a survival of the fittest mode of operation which results in the disadvantage of the most vulnerable and least protected groups who often bear the brunt of the breakdown. While any global pandemic will test societal connections, leadership integrity, and preexisting disagreements, COVID 19 has done all that and more. In any global pandemic arrogance and ignorance are always two major challenges. Ignorance is often fueled by preconceived notions, bigotry, and prejudice, while arrogance is too often driven by an unwarranted comfort with an ever-changing situation. Ignorance often encourages a public health crisis to worsen because lack of information often causes people to make decisions that feed the problem. Arrogance often contributes to the worst-case scenario because it invites comfort when concern is far more appropriate. COVID 19 and any other pandemic requires each of us to call upon the appropriate humility to learn and
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change what is necessary for a successful collective response. A national response to COVID 19 and any other pandemics will always be complicated by the approximately 30 million people without health insurance or the estimated 1 million people sleeping on the streets on any given day in the U.S. Not to mention the millions of people who are undocumented in this country. While certainly the U.S. has some of the most capable public health minds in the world, that does not mean the international response models in South Korea or China are not worthy of investigation and study. While COVID 19 does represent a new threat on the public health front, it also represents a sobering opportunity to revisit policy and practice in a way that makes us stronger in the long term. While the unholy matrimony of politics and public health is never a small challenge to overcome, we need not compound the problem with ignorance and arrogance. Our success is directly related to both our willingness and our ability to accurately assess the challenge. Pandemics from Small pox to Ebola serve as reminders of human frailty and endurance. Global pandemics have historically resulted in uneven responses based on bigotry, prejudice, ignorance, fear, and sometimes privilege; in that COVID 19 is not the exception. While clearly there is a testing shortage for the average American sick or not, it appears that power and privilege played a role in the NBA’s ability to secure tests for its largely healthy work force. There should be no doubt that COVID 19 is a formidable opponent to us as a collective but our ability to respond is significantly shaped by our individual circumstance. While the response to the latest pandemic is uneven based on geography, social status, or other factors, we are all nonetheless invested in a shared successful and cooperative response. Like it or not! Dr. Eric L. Johnson currently serves as the Chief Consultant with Strategies to Succeed and is on the faculty at Virginia International University. He is the former Chief of Research Publications for the United States Air Force Academy.
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
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The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
PASTORS ISSUE STERN WARNING TO BLACK COMMUNITY ON COVID-19 “DON’T PLAY WITH THIS”
By Ray Miller, MPA Four Pastors of four of the city’s largest Black churches came together to implore the Columbus Black community to take the deadly coronavirus very seriously.
Bishop Lafayette Scales quoted the Bible-Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” This scripture was used to underscore the importance of having all of the information in a timely manner regarding the economic stimulus package passed by Congress. He referenced Black-owned businesses and thanked Congresswoman Joyce Beatty for convening a meeting with 20 Pastors to discuss the contents of the stimulus package and how to be positioned to receive needed funds. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” he added.
Bishop Timothy J. Clarke, Pastor of First Church Of God hosted the press event and set the tone for addressing the issue. Other Pastors present were: Reverend Keith Allen Troy, New Salem Baptist Church; Rev. Dr. Roderic Reid, Mt. Vernon A.M.E. Church; Dr. Reid said, “We need greater unity and Bishop Lafayette Scales, Rhema amongst our small businesses in order to Christian Center. capitalize on securing economic stimulus funds. He said we must utilize both, Bishop Clarke said, “This press event has inspiration and influence, and intentionally been called because we are concerned patronize small businesses. Finally, Dr. Reid that those in the City’s African American said our businesses must be willing to act in community are not taking this issue a more collaborative manner.” seriously.” He particularly referenced young African American men who had been shown In addressing the economic stimulus on television swimming at beaches on Spring package, Rev. Keth Troy said, “We need break. Bishop Clarke added, “The young and the elderly members of our congregations, to look beyond Government help. It is in particular, need to follow the protocols very important that we patronize our own for protection as issued by those in official businesses. Rev. Troy used as an example leadership positions within the government-- theclosing of a first-class, Black-owned local, State and national. Do not sleep on this, restaurant - Hen Quarter. “We’ve got to do he said. We must adhere to healthy practices.” a better job of supporting businesses owned In concluding his opening remarks, Bishop bypeople who look like us,” he said. Clarke quoted Proverbs 22:3 “ The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple In responding to a question premised on God’s omnipotence, Bishop Clarke said the keep going and pay the penalty.”
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statement was based on faulty theology. The specific statement was “ If I get sick, God will take care of me.” Bishop Clarke said, “God has given us the ability to reason. He has also given us wisdom,” he added. Expressing great concern, Bishop Clarke said, “Beloved don’t do this. The numbers (of those who are infected and those who have died) are getting larger. Don’t play with this.” Dr. Reid joined in, supporting the principle of “Faulty Theology” articulated earlier by Bishop Clarke. He concluded the press briefing with a bible quote from the Book of James 2:18. “ Faith without works is Dead. Yea, a man may say Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Ray Miller is the Publisher of The Columbus & Dayton African American which he founded in 2011. Prior to establishing the news journal Miller served as a Member of the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives for a combined 24 years. In addition, Miller served on The White House staff of President Jimmy Carter as a Deputy Special Assistant. Miller is a graduate of The Ohio State University and holds a B.A. in Political Science and a M.A. in Public Administration.
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
By Ray Miller The Substance of Things Hoped For A Memoir of African American Faith By Samuel DeWitt Proctor
Benjamin Elijah Mays Schoolmaster of The Movement By Randal Maurice Jelks In this first full-length biography of Benjamin Mays (1894-1984), Randal Maurice Jelks chronicles the life of the man Martin Luther King Jr. called his “spiritual and intellectual father.” Dean of the Howard University School of Religion, president of Morehouse College, and mentor to influential black leaders, Mays had a profound impact on the education of the leadership of the black church and of a generation of activists, policymakers, and educators. Jelks argues that Mays’s ability to connect the message of Christianity with the responsibility to challenge injustice prepared the black church for its pivotal role in the civil rights movement.
Samuel Dewitt Proctor knew and served with several Presidents and/ or their families including Eisenhower, the Kennedys and Johnson. After the death of Adam clayton Powell, Proctor served as the Senior Pastor of the 18,000 member Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. He was active in the Civil Rights Movement and was a close friend of and mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In his memoir, The Substance of Things Hoped For, Proctor successfully communicates why, based on his experiences in the church, the segregated South, mentoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his life in Africa and trips to other foreign countries, he believed that African Americans are inherently American. His memoir also calls on the African American church to liberalize its attitudes toward women and he puts forth strong recommendations for reclaiming our lost youth.
James H. Cone - Said I Wasn’t Going Tell Noboday By James H. Cone
The Words of Gardner C. Taylor: 50 Years of Timeless Treasures By Gardner C. Taylor
In this powerful and passionate memoir-- his final work-- Cone describes the obstacles he overcame to find his voice, to respond to the signs of the times, and to offer a voice for those-like the parents who raised him in Bearden, Arkansas in the era of lynching and Jim Crow- who had no voice. Recounting lessons learned both from critics and students, and the ongoing challenge of his models King, Malcolm X, and James Baldwin, he describes his efforts to use theology as a tool in the struggle against oppression and for a better world.
Redeeming Mulatto: A Theology of Race and Christian Hybridity By Brian Bantum
Gardner C. Taylor was an American Baptist preacher who was greatly admired for his eloquence and as his understanding of Christian faith and theology which earned the title of, “the dean of American preaching.” Taylor was a close friend and mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and played a major role in the religious leadership of the Civil Rights Movement. He was the Senior Pastor of Concord Baptist Church of Christ in New York for 42 years where the congregation grew to more than 10,000. He went on to help found the Progressive National Baptist Convention and served as its president from 1967 to 1969. Taylor received numerous awards and recognitions during his lifetime including the Presidential medal of Freedom awarded by President Bill Clinton. Taylor retired to Durham, North Carolina and later died on Easter Sunday in 2015. Just Medicine - A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care By Dayna Bowen Matthew
In Redeeming Mulatto, Bantum reconciles the particular with the transcendent to account for the world as it is: mixed. He constructs a remarkable new Christological vision of Christ as tragic mulatto--one who confronts the contrived delusions of racial purity and the violence of self-assertion and emerges from a “hybridity” of flesh and spirit, human and divine, calling humanity to a mulattic rebirth. Bantum offers a theology that challenges people to imagine themselves inside their bodies, changed and something new, but also not without remnants of the old. His theology is one for all people, offered through the lens of a particular people, not for individual possession but for redemption and transformation into something new.
Just Medicine offers us a new, effective, and innovative plan to regulate implicit biases and eliminate the inequalities they cause, and to save the lives they endanger. Over 84,000 black and brown lives are needlessly lost each year due to health disparities, the unfair, unjust, and avoidable differences between the quality and quantity of health care provided to Americans who are members of racial and ethnic minorities and care provided to whites. Health disparities have remained stubbornly entrenched in the American health care system—and in Just Medicine Dayna Bowen Matthew finds that they principally arise from unconscious racial and ethnic biases held by physicians, institutional providers, and their patients.
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The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2020 The Columbus African American Journal • February
MINORITY HEALTH MONTH Continued from Page 17
only 6.2 percent of African American adults over the age of 18 received prescription medication for mental health services. Social determinants of health contribute in part to the lack of access to treatment demonstrated by this study. Social determinants of health — where people are born, live, learn, and work — restrict African American’s ability to gain access to health care. Factors such as the lack of affordable housing, poverty, income inequality, and racism are barriers preventing African Americans from receiving treatment for mental illness. A great example demonstrating the impact of social determinants on mental health within the African American community is the Flint water crisis. Flint residents — over 50 percent African Americans of a lower socioeconomic demographic — learned their families were bathing in and consuming water with toxic levels of lead. Imagine the trauma of learning that your family is being poisoned, your income does not allow you to relocate, and the government chooses not to intervene. How are the residents coping with such trauma? Better yet, do they have access to affordable health care that would provide mental health services to diagnose and treat the trauma? The Flint water crisis is a snapshot of what many African Americans experience throughout the United States. Another barrier preventing access treatment
is the lack of diversity in the mental health profession. Only 2 percent of psychiatrists, 2 percent of psychologists, and 4 percent of social workers in the United States are African American. A lack of diversity in any profession creates a lack of cultural competence and a disconnect. In the case of treatment for mental illness, the lack of cultural competence creates a disconnect between the provider — psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker — and the patient. Feeling misunderstood or that the provider cannot relate to African American issues leads patients to dismiss treatment as an option. The solution to the lack of diversity and cultural competence disconnect is increasing the number of African American mental health professionals and for current providers to increase cultural competence training.
African American clients, and how cultural competence training is used to treat African American clients; • Faith and spirituality can serve as a form of treatment but not should be the only option you pursue; and • Increase diversity in the profession by joining the profession or encouraging others to join. Community-Based Solutions to Fight Stigma and Access Barriers
• Hold your elected officials accountable by demanding access to health care and supporting candidates with a plan to address access issues; • Insurance companies limiting the cost of health insurance premiums and out-ofpocket costs; • Ensure access to quality providers and Despite the fear of stigma and lack of access addressing provider shortages; and to treatment, there are measures that we • Strengthen trusted community-based can take individually and collectively as a treatment providers through funding. community to eliminate the stigma and gain David is a skilled attorney practicing access. business law and regulatory/administrative Individual-Based Solutions to Fight law at Kegler, Brown, Hill + Ritter. Awarded by National Black Lawyers Top Stigma and Access Barriers 40 Under 40 2016-2019, his clients rely on his experience to provide counsel on • Start the conversation and talk about business matters, licensing, compliance, mental health and treatment; and professional license defense before all • Seek treatment when needed; of Ohio’s regulatory agencies. He enjoys • Screen the potential provider to determine writing on topics from the legal perspective their training and experience on cultural and community service through his church competence, experience counseling and the 411 Foundation.
DIVERSITY IS NOT ENOUGH! TRANSCENDING PERSISTENT BARRIERS FACED BY UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS IN STEM 2015). Unaddressed barriers to career By Zayd Abukar attainment by underrepresented identities & is causing what the literature refers to as a Rebecca F. Kemper “leaky pipeline” within STEM, whereby enrollment in degrees to prepare students for these fields are not translating into meaningful, sustainable careers within STEM (or even a complete failure to enter any of Introduction these industries altogether) (Funk & Parker, A recent article in Science discussed how 2018). a computer algorithm used in assessing patients’ need for follow-up medical care Understanding Why the Lack of Diversity displayed a substantial racial bias (Obermeyer within STEM is a Problem et al., 2019). This bias occurred because the algorithm’s proxy measure for medical need The 21st century has brought with it -- past healthcare spending by the patient dramatic changes within communications, -- failed to consider systemic racial barriers energy and transportation technologies to medical care. This is just one example (Rifkin, 2008). This revolution has imposed highlighting why diverse representation in dramatic change upon humanity and requires science, technology, mathematics/medical professionals within STEM-based industries to understand, adapt and sustain meaningful fields (known as STEM for short) is vital. advances for humanity (Butler-Adam, 2018; Despite an increase in diversity over Chen, 2017). The disruptive nature of these the past thirty years within American revolutionary technologies has challenged science, technology, engineering, and STEM professions to consider the social, mathematics / medicine (STEM) degree cultural and psychological impacts of these enrollments, considerable concerns remain technologies -- and for STEM educational in terms of degree and career attainment by spaces -- to better prepare diverse graduates underrepresented minorities (“URM”) and for a holistic understanding of technological identities (“URI”) within these industries impact (Sakhapov & Absalyamova, 2018). (Griffith, 2010; Malcom-Piqueux & Malcom, A lack of diversity in STEM means that The Columbus African & Dayton African American • April 2020 American News Journal • February 2015
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foundational changes in these industries may not properly integrate perspectives and needs of all people, inhibiting innovation and risking the perpetualization of inequity (Block, 2008; Manski, 2017). What Barriers Exist on Campus that Inhibits STEM Degree Completion and Success While colleges across the nation increasingly emphasize diversity and inclusion in STEM-there are still persistent barriers that under-represented students face. One major challenge is academic preparation. Many students of color, by virtue of being overrepresented in under-funded school districts, are more likely to matriculate into college under-prepared for the rigors of STEM curricula (Strayhorn, 2011). The toll of being behind academically is further compounded by the classroom dynamics and cultural factors many URM’s and URI’s face within STEM programs: gender or racial stereotyping from faculty and peers, alienating environments, and lack of role models (Dancy et al., 2016; National Continued on Page 37
A 400 YEAR HISTORY OF COURAGE, LEGISLATIVE UPDATEBRAVERY, LEADERSHIP AND SACRIFICE - OUR MILITARY SERVICE By Senator Charleta B. Tavares (Ret.) By Tim Anderson State Rep. Erica C. Crawley* I am the son of applauded a career (D-Columbus) militaryMike parent. My father Gov. DeWine for served in theinto United the signing law States House Bill 197for onthirty Friday, March 27, 2020 which Airforce years achieving the highest will provide needed supports to working rank for a noncommissioned officer, Chief people,Sargent. families and Ohio amid Master His businesses father, my in grandfather, the coronavirus outbreak. It passed both James D. Anderson Sr. (1915-2010) from legislative chambers unanimously last week. Ruleville, Mississippi attended Jackson State and later attended the Tuskegee Army Pilot “As there is always more that can be Training Center, he becamemost a pilot done, House Billwhere 197 addresses of as a Tuskegee Airman during WWII. After the challenges presented for Ohioans by the war he would in the Angeles COVID-19,” saidresettle Crawley. “AsLos we continue area and for fly the eleven years formore the California to work people, now than ever, Civil AiratPatrol. Myand brothers have need served leaders the state local level to in the military as together well; onetoserving fifteen continue to work ensure that our neighbors what theyAir need in order to years in thehave United States Force and the successfully make it through this crisis.” other serving in the Ohio Air National Guard. Finally, my oldest son John, served four HB in197 contains several long-held years the United States Army, where he Democratic priorities, such as was stationed in South Korea in theexpanded missile unemployment benefits out defense deployment unit. for FourOhioans generations of work as a result of the coronavirus, an of black men from my voting family for havetheserved extension of absentee Ohio during war and peace time with honor and primary to April 28, and commonsense distinction. solutions to support K-12 education and healthcare access for all Ohioans. In our four-hundred-year history military service not initially part of our Other keywas components of HBa197 include: experience. Although prior to August 1619, • Moving were state tax deadline from April 15 Africans among earlier expeditions to July 15; to North and South America, primarily as • Prohibiting waterEuropean shutoffs for Ohio These laborers on board vessels. consumers during crisis; expeditions were by and large, military • Suspendingofstaff-to-child ratios and expansions colonial European monarch maximum group sizes at childnations. Those nations included Spain, care centers; England, France, Portugal and the • Giving the Director of Medicaid Dutch empires which were alltoheavily additional flexibility supportinvolved the healthin thecare slave trade andand theproviders colonization of North workforce during and South America and the Caribbean. The crisis; first Africansrecent not ofnursing an expedition, who • Allowing graduates to came a temporary to practice prior toobtain colonized north license American were from to passing the licensure examination; Angola. They were aboard a Portuguese slave • Waiving testing by forother the 2019-20 ship which state was pirated slave traders school year and allowing students to these and sold to the British. Eventually graduateAfricans who werewould already on themselves track enslaved find to do so; in Jamestown, Virginia in August of 1619. • Exempting schools from food processing Jamestown would becomechildren the epicenter requirements to ensure have for slavery, migrating the slave trade along the access to nutrition even if their school eastern seaboard colonies from Georgia to is closed; Massachusetts. • Limiting EdChoice school buildings for 2020-21 to those eligible in 2019-20; The slave traders, European • Allowing schoolsthe to use distanceMonarchs learning to make formilitary missed days or hours along withup their brought slavery into of instruction caused by statewide what is commonly referred as the Middle K-12 closures; Passage. In 1770, the descendant of an • Allowing licensed education enslaved African andspecial a former slave, Crispus providers to serve students through Attucks would die at the hands of a teleBritish health and other electronic soldier at the Boston Massacre Rebellion communications methods; in Boston Massachusetts. death and would • Extending validity of stateHis licenses beproviding recognized as the first blood shed for a 90-day renewal period; America’s independence from England. • Permitting public bodies to meet electronically as long as the public has ability to participate as the well; and other Both colonial states and British military provisions. offered slaves their freedom if they chose to serve in their respective military. of Slave Rep. Erica Crawley is a member the owners allow their slaves to enlist in Franklinwould County Delegation and serves on the powerful Ohio House Finance Committee;
Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education (Ranking member); Armed Services and Veterans Affairs and Primary and Secondary Education committees. She is serving in her first-term in the Ohio General Assembly. *OLBC member There are currently eighteen (18) members including one Asian American member participating in OLBC. For additional information on the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, contact info@ ohiolegislativeblackcaucus.org or visit ohiolegislativeblackcaucus.org. 2020 Primary Election Postponed until April 28, 2020 The Ohio General Assembly passed legislation to adopt a new date for the 2020 Primary Election. The Governor and Secretary of State originally announced that the Primary 2020 Election was going to be postponed until June 2, 2020 due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). After lawsuits, confusion and clarity on whether they had the authority, the state of Ohio Health Director announced a public health emergency and the election was canceled/postponed. The Ohio General Assembly is the entity that has the authority to determine election dates and therefore passed House Bill 197 (see above article) to select the new date, April 28, 2020. Absentee ballots and voter information can be found below: The April 28, 2020 and November 2020 Elections will provide an opportunity for the voters throughout the 88 counties in Ohio to elect all 99 members of the Ohio House of Representatives and sixteen (16) members of the Ohio Senate. There will be Primary Elections in at least 10 races in the Ohio General Assembly as of the final filing date deadline, December 18, 2019. The race that is of most interest to the members of OLBC and the African American community in Franklin County is the primary race for House District 25 in Northwestern Columbus. The seat was most recently held by Rep. B. Kennedy Kent a Democrat who fell out with the House Democratic Caucus and OLBC. She decided two days before the filing deadline not to run for re-election to her seat, which sets up a highly contested primary race.
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This is your opportunity to review the records in office for those who are incumbents, as well as those who have not yet been appointed or elected. These individuals all have records in how they have spent their time, talent and money, as well as their record of accomplishments or not. This information will serve as a signal of where their priorities and focus will lie. - Who has or is standing up and taking action on the issues that are important to you, your family and community? - Who has just occupied the seat – going along to get along, talking and not listening to the community? - Who has taken on the tough issues affecting the African American community – police brutality, criminal justice reform, business development and equity for African American businesses, lack of affordable housing, health care justice and racial disparities? - Who has demonstrated their commitment through contracting and employing African Americans (in their elected office, business and campaigns)? These are just some of the questions you should look at before casting your absentee/early voting ballot for the April 28 Primary Election. Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), there will be no same day or in-person voting. Additional Contacts UPDATE: The Ohio General Assembly sessions and the House and Senate Committees are televised live on WOSU/ WPBO and replays can be viewed at www. ohiochannel.org (specific House and Senate sessions and committee hearings can be searched in the video archives). Former Sen. Charleta B. Tavares, D-Columbus, is the 1st Democrat and African American woman to serve in the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate from Franklin County. She is also the first African American woman to serve in leadership in the history of Ohio and the 1st Democrat woman to serve in leadership in both the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate (House Minority Whip and Senate Assistant Minority Leader).
The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
POLITICS
FRANKLIN COUNTY LAUNCHES NEW RACIAL EQUALITY INITIATIVE
Columbus, OH – The Franklin County Commissioners Tuesday approved a partnership between Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services and Raising the Bar Performance Group to lead a racial equity initiative. This new partnership aims to address the role racism and implicit bias play as underlying conditions of poverty and is the latest demonstration of the Commissioners’ ongoing commitment to racial equity. In 2019, the Commissioners released Rise Together: A Blueprint to Reduce Poverty In Franklin County, which was developed in partnership with residents as well as large system leaders in both the public and private sectors. The Blueprint consists of 13 goals with more than 120 short- and long-term action steps for the Franklin County community, including taking on the challenge of long-standing racial inequities. “Our Blueprint lays out many goals and big ideas to ‘disrupt’ poverty across Franklin County, but we simply cannot move the needle by tip-toeing around the role of racism,” Commissioner John O’Grady said. “We need to name it and own it.” The conversation started in the earliest phase of developing the Blueprint, as members of the Commissioners’ appointed steering committee were candid and direct about the historical and ongoing role race and racial inequities play in perpetual poverty. The steering committee held thoughtful discussions about public policies that have and continue to impact communities of color in Franklin County. It reviewed research from the Ohio State University Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, which used empirical data and poverty indicators to further illustrate the impacts. Just as importantly, it considered first-hand accounts from conversations with hundreds of residents, which became the basis for the Blueprint’s action steps.
While the Commissioners and JFS are taking ownership of this initiative, they will be working with the Rise Together Leadership Council – the governing body tasked with coordinating and implementing the action The Commissioners have tasked Franklin steps laid out in the Blueprint – in addition County Department of Job and Family to a host of other community partners and Services, working in conjunction with stakeholders. all the agencies that fall underneath their appointing authority, to lead this initiative. “There’s something wrong when year after Raising the Bar will work with JFS and year, decade after decade, the same people County Administration to operationalize are falling behind,” JFS Director Joy Bivens racial equity, drawing from recognized best said. “The Blueprint provides a framework for aligning and integrating efforts across practices and developing shared metrics. the Franklin County. We want to model that “We know that historic policies and by creating racial equity framework that decisions implemented at all levels of will have the same collaborative focus and government shape our system today and relationships.” limit opportunities – often intentionally – for people of color,” Commissioner Kevin Raising the Bar Performance Group is a Boyce said. “We need to use the same level locally based training and development of intentionality to dismantle those racist company focused on whole-system capacity building. The firm provided policies and institutions.” project management services for Franklin Over the next 12 months, Raising the Bar County during the development phase of the Performance Group will work with JFS to Blueprint. shape a collaborative racial equity process “Advocates and racial justice practitioners that includes: have long declared and recognized this as - creating a new racial equity council to guide a problem. The solutions we are trying to efforts among Commissioner-appointed reach and problems we want to solve cannot happen if we are not looking through a racial agencies; equity lens,” said Courtnee Carrigan, CEO - coordinating content and curriculum from and Executive Trainer for Raising the Bar third parties, such as the Racial Equity Performance Group. “The ultimate goal is to have our communities, systems and sectors Institute, for educational services; apply a racial equity lens in all that we do.” - developing and facilitating racial equity The Franklin County Department of Job workshop and trainings; and Family Services provides timely - working with partners to create and scale public assistance benefits and builds a racial equity curriculum for continuing community partnership through inclusion, responsiveness and innovation. Learn more education; and at https://jfs.franklincountyohio.gov and - engaging with residents, community and follow FCDJFS on Facebook, Twitter and civic leaders, partners and organizations YouTube. focused on racial equity to establish a set of shared priorities and outcomes for the For more information, contact Bart Logan, county as a whole, as well as identifying an Deputy Director of Communications, ongoing training process. FCDJFS, 614-984-0522 and unconscious biases that continue to permeate throughout our community,” Commissioner Marilyn Brown said. “It is absolutely critical that we do so.”
“This process is just the start,” County “What all of us understood is that for real Administrator Ken Wilson said. “We need Racial Equity Contact: Courtnee Carrigan, change to take place, we need a concerted racial equity ingrained in our DNA. That’s Consultant, Raising The Bar Performance Group, 513-884-1913 effort to counteract the institutional racism the goal.” The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
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The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
POLITICS
INCARCERATION IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: GRACE, MERCY, & EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES By Jasmine Ayers As Ohio’s COVID-19 crisis grows, so does concern about its impact on people living and working behind bars. Many Ohioans are understandably worried about their incarcerated loved ones. They are desperately seeking information and assurances of safety, but Governor DeWine has not included jails, prisons and detention centers in his robust Richardson, assistant dean for Graduate statewide response like he has with nursing Education in Public Health at Morehouse School of Medicine. She says the Black homes or schools. community must practice “preventative As Ohioans band together to lift up family measures that are crucial for our survival.” and community, our leaders can’t forget those who live and work in our prisons and Incarcerated Ohioans and the people working jails. In the short-term, state leaders must in our jails and prisons cannot practice social implement safety precautions for people who distancing. Swift and decisive action from the are incarcerated and correctional employees. DeWine Administration may not only save In the long- term, Ohio policymakers must the lives of those in the corrections system, reform the criminal justice system so fewer but their families and communities as well. people are punished by being put behind bars. Another concern is the lack of medical capacity in Ohio’s youth detention facilities. This crisis makes clear that Ohio needs long- More than 20% of youth in Department of lasting criminal justice reform, not just as a Youth Services facilities are incarcerated short-term act of grace and mercy, but as a for a nonviolent property crime. “Children fundamental acknowledgment that we over- should not be incarcerated to begin with” incarcerate our neighbors. Overcrowded said Juvenile Justice Coalition Policy prisons and jails are breeding grounds for Director Kenza Kamal. “Leaving them in disease and that puts all our communities at these conditions, during a pandemic unlike risk. Senate Bill 3, stalled mostly by Republic anything we’ve ever seen, should not even inaction, would reduce our prison population be an option.” Returning youth back to their by reclassifying small level drug possessions families is the safest thing for them and for into misdemeanors. When the legislature the entire community. returns to its normal functions, lawmakers Gov. Mike DeWine and his administration should pass the bill. have acted quickly, thoughtfully and compassionately to protect Ohioans during Why Race Matters the coronavirus outbreak. By issuing a stayPolicy Matters Researcher Piet van Lier has at-home order, closing schools, restaurants written about the particular ways people who and other gathering places, and postponing are incarcerated are at risk for COVID-19. the primary election, DeWine has helped “Incarcerated people are more likely to have slow the virus’s spread so our hospitals won’t chronic health conditions that make them be as overwhelmed. DeWine has allowed his more vulnerable to COVID-19,” he said. response to be guided by proven, evidence“Because disease can spread quickly in based practices. But he is overlooking the crowded jails and prisons, they’re likely to incarcerated adults and children in Ohio’s produce large numbers of patients at the same prisons, jails, detention centers and halfway time, overwhelming not only institutional houses. healthcare systems but the capacity of nearby hospitals to which they may be transferred.” Some local authorities are taking steps to People who work in prisons or jails can catch address this looming crisis. Courts and law the disease there and bring it home to their enforcement authorities in Cuyahoga, Erie, Franklin, Hamilton, Richland and Summit families and communities. counties are working to reduce the number Racism in the criminal justice system, of people in jail. disparities in health care, toxic stress and many other structural factors make African The DeWine Administration can build on Americans particularly vulnerable to these actions. All people, whether they are in COVID-19. In 2018, the last year for which their homes or being held in a jail or prison, numbers are available, approximately 79,000 have the right to be safe and cared for during Ohioans were incarcerated in state and federal the COVID-19 outbreak. This looming crisis prisons, local jails, and youth facilities – a demands a response that treats everyone in disproportionate share of whom are African a just and humane way. The new statewide Americans. To a lesser degree, Black people ban on face-to-face visitation is particularly are also overrepresented disproportionally concerning as incarcerated people and their families must pay for video visits and calls, among correctional officers. if these options are allowed at all. “Black people already face disproportionate T o a d d r e s s t h i s c r i s i s , t h e D e W i n e health issues when compared to whites. administration, the Ohio Supreme Court and Our community is already at risk for heart the state legislature can develop a coordinated disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, state-wide response that is executed by county which ultimately will make Blacks bigger judges, corrections facilities and local law targets for contracting and succumbing to enforcement authorities. Recommendations the coronavirus,” said Dr. Stephanie Miles- include the following: 33
- Release, at minimum, those who are incarcerated for nonviolent offenses with fewer than 90 days left to serve, and people being held because they couldn’t make bail. - Release youth who are currently detained or incarcerated halt the incarceration of additional youth. - Stop detaining people before their trials for nonviolent offenses. - Decrease the number of people being incarcerated who don’t require immediate confinement, especially by eliminating cash bail and using alternative sentences for people facing nonviolent charges. - Stop incarcerating people for technical violations of probation and parole such as failure to pay a fine, loss of employment, or a missed curfew. - Review for release vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly and those who have underlying health conditions that put them at greater danger of succumbing to COVID-19. - Corrections officials can provide free video visits at least until in-person visitation is restored. - Suspend enforcement of probation conditions that require travel, social interaction, and which cost the families money. Call to Action Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Administrative and Presiding Judge Brendan Sheehan said COVID-19 will eventually arrive in the county jail. “If that virus hits our jail, our jail will not be able to operate, and everything will be crippled,” he told Cleveland.com Gov. DeWine and the professionals leading Ohio’s COVID-19 response must extend the scientifically led, family-focused, compassionate response to those who are in our prison and jails. While individual counties are acting, a time like this calls for strong state leadership. It is in Ohio’s best interest to act now, while keeping an eye on long term restorative change for our communities. Immediately reducing our prison population and returning to Senate Bill 3 are the best ways to ensure we learn our lessons and make lasting, meaningful change to our criminal justice system. Jasmine Ayres is Policy Matters Ohio’s policy liaison. In her role, she connects the group’s research and analysis with state policymakers, allies and the general public. Policy Matters Ohio is a non-profit policy research institute. They create a more vibrant, equitable, sustainable and inclusive Ohio through research, strategic communications, coalition building and policy advocacy. www.policymattersohio.org
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2020 The Columbus African American Journal • February
HISTORY KATHERINE JOHNSON: PIONEERING NASA MATHEMATICIAN By Rodney Blount, Jr., MA Hidden Figures was a groundbreaking 2016 movie, based on a non-fiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly, about three brilliant African American female NASA mathematicians. These three women (Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson) worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during the historic Space Race, a 20thcentury competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. These women and many other women helped and even led the United States to be an indomitable force in aeronautics and were essential to the safety of the nation. In 1949, Dorothy Vaughan became acting supervisor of the West Area Computers, the first African American woman to supervise a group of staff at the center. In 1958, Mary Jackson became NASA’s first African American female engineer. In this article, I will highlight Katherine Johnson, the first African American woman to work as a NASA scientist. Creola Katherine Coleman (a.k.a. Katherine Johnson) was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, to Joylette and Joshua Coleman. She was the youngest of four children. Her mother was a teacher and her father was a lumberman, farmer, and handyman, and worked at the Greenbrier Hotel. Johnson was a very bright child who had an early fascination with mathematics. “I counted everything. I counted the steps to the road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed … anything that could be counted, I did,” Johnson said in an interview with NASA in 2015. White Sulfur Springs did not offer public schooling for black children past eighth grade, so her parents arranged for Johnson and her siblings to move 120 miles away so that they could attend high school. Johnson excelled in the classroom and was able to skip several grades. She graduated high school at just 14 and college at 18, securing degrees in both mathematics and French from the historically black West Virginia State College in 1937. Katherine Johnson received a lot of support from her teachers and professors. One of her professors, William Schieffelin Claytor, developed a geometry class just for her and encouraged her to become a research mathematician. Upon graduation, Johnson began teaching for two years in Marion, Virginia, before she was accepted to West Virginia University’s graduate math program. In 1939, she became the first black woman to attend the university. In 1939, she married James Goble and left the graduate program at West Virginia University to focus on her family. They had three daughters and Johnson taught in public schools in Virginia for the next 13 years. James Goble passed away in 1956. In 1952, a relative told her about a life changing new opportunity: The National
Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the predecessor to NASA, was hiring black women to solve math problems. Johnson swiftly applied for the job and was soon hired as a “computer” at the Langley Research Center with the all-black, all-female West Area Computing Unit, led by Dorothy Vaughan. She was tasked with performing and checking calculations for flight tests and analyzing topics such as gust alleviation for aircraft. Johnson excelled at her job and was extraordinarily fascinated with all aspects of NASA, frequently making inquiries to her colleagues and requesting inclusion in important meetings. When she started at NACA, segregation was enforced. Johnson and her black colleagues were required to work, eat and use restrooms separately from the white employees. Johnson fought against the racial and gender barriers of the time. In 1960, she coauthored a paper with one of the group’s engineers about calculations for placing a spacecraft into orbit. She became the first woman in her division to receive credit as an author of a research report. Johnson authored or coauthored 26 research reports during her career. Johnson was a member of the Space Task Group at NASA. Johnson had a zeal for geometry, which was valuable for calculating the trajectories of spacecraft. Astronaut John Glenn specifically asked for Johnson to handcheck the trajectory equations that had been input into the IBM 7090 computer and he refused to fly unless Johnson verified the calculations. Johnson knew that the trajectory would be a parabola, a type of symmetrical curve, for NASA’s 1961 Mercury mission. Consequently, when NASA wanted the capsule to come down at a certain place, she was not dissuaded. “You tell me when you want it and where you want it to land, and I’ll do it backwards and tell you when to take off,” Johnson said. Johnson used a celestial training device to perform her calculations. Johnson was tasked with calculating the trajectory for Alan Shepard’s historic flight, during which he became the first American to reach space. From 1958 until her retirement in 1986, Johnson worked as an aerospace technologist, moving during her career to the Spacecraft Controls Branch. Johnson was also part of the team that calculated where and when to launch the rocket for the Apollo 11 mission of 1969, which sent the first three men to the
The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2020
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Moon. Johnson later worked on the space shuttle program. She also played a vital role on the Apollo 13 mission, providing backup procedures that helped ensure the crew’s safe return after their craft malfunctioned. She later helped to develop the space shuttle program and Earth resources satellite. “Charismatic and gregarious, Johnson embraced her work and her colleagues with the same enthusiasm. Lunch usually found her at her desk, playing a fiercely competitive game of bridge with engineers Al Hamer and John Young.” She retired from NASA in 1986. After 1986, Johnson spent the following years speaking to students about her remarkable career, encouraging them to pursue STEM education. “Some things will drop out of the public eye and will go away,” she said. “There will always be science, engineering and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics. Everything is physics and math.” In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor. And in 2016, the NASA Langley facility at which Johnson worked renamed a building in her honor: the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility. Johnson was also an active member of Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Johnson died Feb. 24, 2020, at age 101. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years James “Jim” Jordan (a United States Army officer) and her daughter Constance. She is survived by her daughters Joylette and Katherine, six grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. Johnson lived a long and astonishing life. Fortunately, towards the end of her life she was able to receive well deserved recognition about her long list of accomplishments. Johnson commented, “Every time engineers would hand me their equations to evaluate, I would do more than what they’d asked. I’d try to think beyond their equations. To ensure that I’d get the answer right, I needed to understand the thinking behind their choices and decisions.” Katherine Johnson was not just a trailblazing mathematician, but a symbol to the world of the limitless accomplishments and potential of African Americans and women to math and science, particularly aeronautics. Works Cited https://www.nature.com/ https://www.space.com/ https://www.britannica.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/ Rodney Blount is an Educator and Historian. He received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from Ball State University and a Masters of Arts degree from The Ohio State University. His work has been featured in several publications. Rodney is a native of Columbus, Ohio and is a member of several organizations.
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
EDUCATION GLOBAL PANDEMIC! ARE YOU PREPARED TO GROW THROUGH WHAT WE GO THROUGH?
By Christopher Washington, Ph.D It is said that “necessity is the mother of invention.” This proverb reflects one’s drive to create and adapt to changes in times of need. The Global Pandemic of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting us all in 2020. Governments around the world are requiring individuals to self-quarantine and shelter in place. This has all resulted in major disruption to the global economy. In the U.S., fewer people are spending money in restaurants, on travel or in hotels. Schools around the globe have closed, colleges and universities have all gone online, hair and nail salons, restaurants, and shopping malls have also been closed. The impact of the Coronavirus places a magnifying glass over both occupational segregation and the vulnerable populations in the United States. At the writing of this article, 3.3 million vulnerable Americans filed for unemployment in one week, by far the worst week ever recorded by the US Department of Labor, reflecting the human tax of the pandemic on individuals and families. By March 27, 2020 the United States government had approved an unprecedented 2.2 trillion dollar economic rescue package. As a result, most Americans will likely receive a $1,200 stimulus check and many business and institutions will receive aid. However, we all know that a government stimulus program will not be enough to stem the economic, health and psycho-social consequences resulting from the widespread restrictions implemented to slow the spread of the virus. Nearly everyone on the planet is faced with a new landscape and with decisions to adapt themselves to a new world. There are certainly lessons to be learned from the past on how to adapt to both disparate and desperate conditions. Barbara Worley writes about the increase in the number of Black physicians and the establishment of Black Hospitals during a previous era of great need in “Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience.” She notes that Blacks during the pre-Civil Rights era were turned away from treatment in hospitals. Disparities in healthcare access, and in service related deaths, inspired Blacks to attend black medical schools, establish Black hospitals, and ultimately care for the health and wellness of Black Americans. By 1923 there were more than 200 Black run
hospitals established to address healthcare needs. Since the adoption of Civil Rights laws and policies, the need for separate Black hospitals has decreased. Nevertheless, the establishment of Black Hospitals by Black Physicians illustrates how the needs of a community result in individuals’ desire for self-preservation, drive to learn, and ability to adapt new capabilities during tough times. Barriers to Personal Growth Some will point out that adapting to tough times is easier said than done. There are, of course, a number of structural, societal and psychological barriers to pursuing personal growth and development opportunities during a pandemic. In addition to the health related threat to the population, pandemics constrain organizations in ways that can prevent reskilling opportunities, and bring about social isolation and psychological injuries in the population. The psychologist William Bridges in his book, “Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change,” suggests that people can be their own biggest obstacle in adapting to change. While we are all affected by the pandemic in some way, some people have unproductive responses to the situation. For them the restrictions on their current lifestyle and plans are viewed as a threat to their individual freedoms. This leads some to ignore the required limitations under the guise of, “I’m just keeping it real.” This simplistic excuse for doing what’s comfortable or desired regardless of the threat, can be quite dangerous. A prime example of an unproductive response is the behavior of college students who crowded Florida beaches to party on their spring break despite measures being taken by government officials to promote social distancing practices and reduce community spread of the coronavirus.
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Growing through the Pandemic: On Managing Transitions Alternatively, William Bridges points out that many individuals will pursue productive responses to the global pandemic by being quicker to let go of the past and adapt to new situations. He uses the term “transition” to describe the way people let go of the past and accept the new situation. For Bridges, transitions happen in three phases that people progress though at different paces. According to Bridges, Transitions first start with endings. People at this stage start to establish what they will lose, how they can limit their losses, and what they can salvage for the future. During the current pandemic, people are losing their routines, some are losing their income, others their sense of identity or community. This phase can lead to feeling of anxiety, sadness, frustration, and loneliness. Growth minded individuals seek to understand the purpose of the change and their emotional reaction to it, clarify what exactly will change and what will stay the same, and seek out opportunities in the new situation. The second phase is the neutral zone. This is the period between the old reality and the new one. It’s in this stage that individuals create a new sense of identity. In the neutral zone individuals tend to be impatient, confused or insecure, and may give way to fear. Some people get stuck in this phase or fail to renew themselves in beneficial ways. Growth minded individuals on the other hand, may see hope for the future, seek out new goals, learn new skills, adapt new habits and practices, and/or develop new social relationships. Continued on Page 36
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2020 The Columbus African American Journal • February
EDUCATION
companies, like Scandinavian Airlines, are offering free fast track healthcare training programs for airline employees who have The third stage of the Bridges Transition been temporarily laid off. Model, called the new beginning, is a period of acceptance and renewal. One starts to So where are you in this transition model? develop an understanding for the sense of What challenges are you ready to take on? it all. Individuals start to think about the Should you consider going back to school, ways in which they can prosper in the new transitioning to the healthcare profession, environment. Individuals in this stage will or encouraging others to do so? Remember be energetic, eager to learn, and feel more that in most cultures around the world there engaged in the new situation. Growth is an expression that reflects the idea that minded individuals have 1) a clear purpose when the need for something becomes great, for themselves, 2) a picture of the outcome individuals are moved to find ways to thrive and prosper. “Necessity is the mother of for themselves and their future, 3) a plan of invention.” “Misery teaches.” “Poor people action, and 4) clarity on the part they must are crafty.” Regardless of the proverb, a play in achieving their desired results. great need can be a driving force for personal Continued from Page 35
There will certainly be a number of opportunities available to those seeking to transition during this global pandemic. As a university leader, I am invested in providing short term and long term learning opportunities that enable people to adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances. The healthcare industry for one, is in a period of rapid change with heavy needs. This industry represents a target for new or more advanced career opportunities. The state of Ohio is providing funding to upskill citizens through their Tech Cred program. There are Federal Pell grant dollars available to support the pursuit of higher education. And some
renewal. So I ask, are YOU ready to grow through what you go through?
Christopher Washington, Ph.D. is Executive Vice President of Franklin University, where he serves as CEO of its Urbana University branch campus. He is the Chair of the Board of the Washington D.C. based Global Ties U.S. which strengthens relations between individuals and nations through international leadership exchange programs. He is a blogger for the American Council on Education on topics relating to universities’ roles in civic and community engagement. He can be reached for comment at Christopher. washington@urbana.edu
COMMUNITY ST. LUKE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH LAUNCHES WORSHIP ON WHEELS DAYTON, OH - St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church is providing a safe way to worship on Sunday given the restrictions by the Ohio Department of Health and the Governor’s Office. The church will launch a Worship on Wheels initiative on March 29 where the public can come to the church’s campus, located at 2262 N. Gettysburg Ave., Dayton, and stay in their cars while a one-hour service is broadcasted live from 10:45 – 11:45 a.m. in the parking lot. For individuals unable to attend, a portion of Sunday’s service will be aired on WDAO “The Real Rhythm of the City” on 1210 AM and 102.3 FM.
to Governor DeWine, St. Luke is currently considered a people and place of ‘essential business.’ In light of this, we have a heightened sense of obligation to find creative but appropriate ways to be of service to both our members and the community-at-large during this unprecedented time of uncertainty and lockdown. So long as we are permitted to keep our physical doors open, we shall remain committed to using our campus to provide spiritual and practical services to the community as we are able.”
Pastor Allen and the band will practice social distancing. Cars are encouraged to arrive at 10:15 a.m. to be set in place when service begins promptly at 10:45 a.m. Again, the service is open to the general public. St. Rev. Renard D. Allen, Pastor of St. Luke Luke Missionary Baptist Church remains “A Missionary Baptist Church, said, “According Ministry for People on the Grow.”
The Columbus African & Dayton African American - April 2020 American News Journal • February 2015
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For College & University Faculty & Staff
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2016).
The environments faculty and staff create, the words they say, and their conscious and unconscious behaviors can significantly influence students’ experience. One study found that low levels of perceived care from instructors strongly correlated to students dropping their STEM major (Dancy, Rainey, Mickelson, Stearns, & Moller, 2016). We know promoting a sense of belonging is critical for the retention of these populations (Strayhorn, 2011; Tomasko, et al., 2016).
Many STEM programs feature an additional admission process to start the STEM degree. These processes rarely take into account the additional hurdles students have had to navigate. When a URM or URI student does not gain admission into their major, they are more likely to perceive it as reflective of their fixed ability, rather than a testament to the difficult landscape which they had to navigate or institutional structures that fail to support them (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2016).
It also important for faculty and staff to review scholarly literature or their own diversity and inclusion institutional data to learn more about the characteristics, needs, and potential best practices for students they will be working with who have these identities. Efforts as simple as consulting with academic support units, residence life, or other institutional departments to identify opportunities to collaborate and better serve at-risk populations can go a long way as well. For Students
All of these factors contribute to feelings of academic inadequacy (referred to as “imposter syndrome”), eroding one’s sense of belonging and creating an additional barrier to students o persisting in STEM (Lay, 2011). Potential Solutions in Higher Education Academics are investigating these challenges, and the question of how to best support URM and URI students in STEM is now becoming widely researched. In recent years, scholars have identified several critical best practices that institutions can enact in order to mitigate these barriers. Our review of literature proposes peer mentoring, involvement, and summer bridge-type programs as most effective at promoting their academic success. Peer Mentoring Programs Peer connection has a demonstrably positive effect on STEM student academic engagement and retention (Wilson, Kim, & Bates, 2013). Shin, Levy, & London (2016) found that role model exposure addresses several of the barriers to success discussed earlier: sense of belonging, interest in STEM, and academic self-efficacy. Institutions and programs that provide avenues for their under-represented students to connect to peers with similar characteristics drastically improve retention and graduation. Moreover, peer-mentoring programs can nurturing more inclusive STEM program environments for URM/URI students. Involvement in Research and / or Clubs
programs. Bridge programs are designed to ease the transition from high school to college by providing students with early exposure to college-level coursework and faculty and staff interaction before the start of their first semester. Students in bridge programs are more likely to perform well in core major coursework, and are more likely to form positive relationships within their program (Lisberg & Woods, 2018). Bridge programs that focus on academic as well as social needs have proven most effective at helping to retain underrepresented students in STEM (Toven-Lindsey, Levis-Fitzgerald, Barber, & Hasson, 2015; Tomasko, Ridgeway, Waller, & Olesik, 2016) Recommended Action Steps For Parents Parents can play a pivotal role in their children’s STEM career. They can create a home environment that values science, scholastic achievement, and actively challenges society’s stereotypes on who can be successful in STEM (Dabney et al., 2013; Seo et al., 2019; Wang & Degol, 2013). Parents can also help initiate extracurricular STEM activities, such as clubs or camps, that provide positive experiences, or enroll their children into these programs; these extracurricular activities can help them retain their enthusiasm for STEM and prepare them for skills needed for the future (Beymer et al., 2018). You can also help your child advocate for their own safe spaces to access needed social support for STEM degree enrollment, preparation, and completion (Allen et al., 2019; Jackson, 2013; Ong, 2018).
College student involvement in research or participation in STEM-related student organizations provides opportunities to apply classroom concepts toward real-world scenarios. This kind of application and engagement fosters deeper understanding of the field, promoting a sense of professional identity and belonging in STEM. Researchers overwhelmingly agree that these experiences improve students’ self-efficacy (Hurtado, Newman, Tran, & Chang, 2010; Palmer, Maramba, & Dancy, 2011; Chang, M. J., Sharkness, J., Hurtado, S., & Newman, C. Parents can empower children to be the B., 2014). change in their schools and their community. The emotional support they can provide for Summer Bridge (Bridge-type) Programs their children should not be underestimated, as it is crucial for their persistence in STEM As earlier stated, one of the barriers to (Restubog et al., 2010). Your child will URM and URI success in STEM majors encounter challenges along the way, so is academic preparation. One common, creating a home environment where they feel successful intervention institutions use supported to take risks can be key to their to mitigate this issue is summer bridge long-term success and happiness. The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
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As a URM/URI student, it is important to first understand the barriers described in this article and how they may or may not apply to you individually. From there, scan the environment and investigate what peer mentoring, research, student organization, or summer bridge opportunities exist within the institution you are applying to or already enrolled in. Most institutions offer some version of these resources, but students are either unaware or do not fully understand their long-term benefits. Additionally, connect with your academic advisor at least once per semester. They can help you with strategically selecting coursework to stay on track for getting into your major--and eventually graduating--but they are also typically knowledgeable about the resources offered to students on campus. Lastly, identify at least one mentor. This can be an older peer, a faculty member, or a staff member who understands your path. Take time to consider who you would be comfortable approaching to ask sensitive questions and seek advice about your career. If you are having difficulty, start with activities like attending office hours, attending student organization meetings, or talking to peers in your classes or residence hall. Overall, the key is to be proactive. See it as a maze: the barriers may be there, but there are ways to get around them to eventually reach your goal. You would be surprised by how many people are invested in your success. Zayd Abukar is Manager of Tutoring and Academic Services for The Ohio State University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. He is also a Higher Education and Student Affairs EdD student, and has served on the university’s student conduct board since 2015. Rebecca F. Kemper is a researcher at the Center for Research & Evaluation at COSI. Kemper is also a PhD candidate at The Knowlton School of Architecture and is the co-founder of the Latina/o/x Engineering Graduate Student Association (LLEGA) at the Ohio State University.
The Columbus & Dayton African American - April 2020
JAILS AND PRISONS WILL BE GROUND ZERO FOR COVID-19, IF WE DON’T ACT NOW
Photo by Fred R. Conrad - NY Times
to live in apartments, in close and frequent being released to their communities—nearly contact with neighbors. They return home 11 million every year.” “Inhumane” conditions inside America’s daily to aging parents, pregnant partners or People of color will be disproportionately detention centers pose a threat to everyone family members with chronic conditions. affected by these health concerns, according in the country,” says Dr. Amanda Klonsky in a recent New York Times op-ed. As Colorlines reported on March 13, to Dr. Homer Venters, former chief medical advocates have been calling on prison officials officer of the New York City jail system, Any American inside of or living near a jail to release low-risk incarcerated people in an who is quoted in Klonsky’s piece. “We or prison faces even greater danger from the effort to curb the spread of the virus. Klonsky should recall that we have 5,000 jails and full of people with high rates of Coronavirus pandemic, according to an op- makes a similar point in The Times, saying, prisons health problems, and where health services ed published March 16 in The New York aging incarcerated people “have a recidivism are often inadequate and disconnected Times. Dr. Amanda Klonsky, a scholar of rate close to zero.” She encourages officials to from the community systems directing the education and mass incarceration, says that “consider a one-time review of all elderly or coronavirus response,” he says. “Coronavirus the new coronavirus spreads “at its quickest infirm people in prisons, providing immediate in these settings will dramatically increase in closed environments,” which makes the medical furloughs or compassionate release the epidemic curve, not flatten it, and prison population and those close to them to as many of them as possible.” disproportionately for people of color.” extremely vulnerable. The situation inside prisons and jails across And while it’s true that the U.S. Department Klonsky writes: the country is extremely dire. Klonsky writes, of Justice (DOJ) should have come up with a plan to get ahead of this brewing catastrophe, The American criminal legal system holds In America’s jails and prisons, people share Klonsky is encouraged by government almost 2.3 million people in prisons, jails, bathrooms, laundry and eating areas. The leaders who stepped up to take necessary detention centers and psychiatric hospitals. toilets in their cells rarely have lids. The precautions. “The San Francisco district And they do not live under quarantine: jails toilet tank doubles as the sink for hand attorney, Chesa Boudin, together with the experience a daily influx of correctional staff, washing, tooth brushing and other hygiene. public defender, Manohar Raju, were the vendors, health care workers, educators and People bunked in the same cell — often as first to take proactive steps to release as visitors — all of whom carry viral conditions many as four — share these toilets and sinks. many people as safely possible who are at at the prison back to their homes and Meanwhile, hand sanitizer is not allowed heightened risk from coronavirus. Mr. Boudin his prosecutors not to oppose release communities and return the next day packing in most prisons because of its alcohol directed motions for misdemeanor or nonviolent the germs from back home. How will we content. Air circulation is nearly always felony pretrial detainees where the person prevent incarcerated people and those who poor. Windows rarely open; soap may only poses no threat to public safety,” she writes. work in these institutions from becoming ill be available if you can pay for it from the and spreading the virus? commissary. Another crucial step in the right direction is for prison and jail staffers to receive training …Jails are particularly frightening in this The unsanitary, inhumane conditions inside on how to prevent the spread of coronavirus. pandemic because of their massive turnover. jails and prisons “represent a threat to anyone Klonsky says it’s also necessary for them to While over 600,000 people enter prison gates with a jail in their community,” as Klonsky have access to diagnostic tests for the virus. annually, there are about 612,000 people in notes. She stresses that there is a jail in every And maybe most importantly, “incarcerated jail on any given day. More than half of the county in the United States. “According people who test positive for the coronavirus people in jail are only in there for two to to health experts, it is not a matter of if, should be offered immediate access to free, three days. In some communities, the county but when, this virus breaks out in jails and high-quality health care,” she writes. jail or prison is a major employer. Jail staff prisons,” she writes. “People are constantly members are also notoriously underpaid, may churning through jail and prison facilities, Shani Saxon is a staff writer for ColorLines. not have paid sick leave and are more likely being ushered to court hearings, and then com By Shani Saxon
The Columbus African & Dayton African American • April 2020 American News Journal • February 2015
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