d-mars.com Business Journal 128 by d-mars.com

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Business Journal

April 2018

Inspire, Inform & Educate

128th Edition

Dr. Cwanza Pinckney Doctor, Deejay, Author, Entrepreneur 16-17

INSIDE

EBA Charitable Foundation and Houston Chapter to Donate Vital Aid to Blue Triangle Community Center Damaged by Hurricane Harvey

The WO-MAN in the Mirror

“My Letter to the Pearls”

April 2018 | 3

Publisher’s Message

MR. D-MARS

d-mars.com is proud to share the success stories of African American businesses and civic and community leaders. We know that success does not always come easy and it is not always measured in money. How have you helped your fellow entrepreneur? Have you supported your locally-owned African American business? Have you donated to a nonprofit that is working in our underserved communities? Questions to think about and actions to take. This month’s cover story highlights Dr. Cwanza Pinckney, an ER and concierge

Behind the Journal

“The magic is to surrender to God’s dream for you. Quit fighting and pushing against and disallowing against and stop trying to tell the Creator what you’re supposed to do. Get still and know that His dream is for you.” -Oprah Winfrey

contents

Publisher & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr.

our services ADVERTISING | MARKETING MEDIA | COMMUNICATION

04 Business 04 5 Tips to Improve Your Credit 05 “Leader-Ship”

COO & Managing Editor Kimberly Floyd ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Tiffany Black

06 Community 06 EBA Charitable Foundation and Houston Chapter to Donate Vital Aid to Blue Triangle Community Center Damaged by Hurricane Harvey 08 “My Letter to the Pearls” 08 Never Judge by Appearance 09 Adult Survivor

PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter

10 Education 10 The Student Loan Debt Crisis is a Civil Rights Issue

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes

10 Health 10 The Aging Eye 10 12 Celebrate National Minority Health Month! 13 Child Abuse Prevention 14 Black Women Need Better Access to Reproductive Healthcare 15 The WO-MAN in the Mirror

LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Angel Rosa Project Coordinator Keyana Pratt Alexis Wagner

doctor, who also followed a musical passion and became a deejay – DJDrCodeBlue (love it!). Plus, she’s the author of Music and Medicine. Dr. Cwanza is proof that we don’t have to fit our life within a box. We make our own mold! She is definitely living life according to her own beat and it’s her best life. As always, thank you for your continued support of d-mars.com. When you support us, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work. Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

16-14 Cover Story 16-17 Dr. Cwanza Pinckney is Living Her Best Life

DISTRIBUTION Rockie Hayden

18 Political 18 Saving Lives and Protecting Property

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Noel Pinnock Shelondra Peavy Charlotte A. Jackson Alexis Wagner Rhonda Dallas Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner d-mars.com News Provider

22 Games and Quizzes 22 Do You Know Your History? African American Firsts:

16-17

• Business Journal • Health & Wellness Journal • Community Journal • Black Pages Online Business Directory • Top 50 Black Health, Medical & Wellness Professionals • Top 50 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs • Top 30 Influential Women of Houston • Top 25 Prime & Subcontractors for Diversity • Business Connection • Business Development • Business Consulting • Graphic Design • Photography • Printing • Web Design • Online & Email Marketing • Public Relations • Social Media • Advertising • Writing • Promotional Marketing

24 Real Estate 24 Five Tips to Stress-Free Homeownership from the Experts 24

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4 | April 2018 Business

5 Tips to Improve Your Credit By d-mars.com News Provider

pril is financial literacy month, a time to learn how to take care of your finances. With lack of financial literacy resources taught in schools and tons of misinformation online most adults have to figure out financial concepts themselves. Here are five simple ways to improve your credit.

1) Understanding your credit Your credit is dissected and examined in five sections including: open credit card utilization, percentage of on time payments, length of credit history, number of derogatory marks on your credit report and the amount of hard credit inquires. Every time you apply for a credit card, a loan, a house, or a car all of these things are processed and considered for approval or denial based off of your credit. Credit history is important, a lot of lenders will look at the age of your history and see how long your accounts have been open. Cancelling a card or closing an account decreases the average age of your credit accounts. There are plenty of services that allow you to check your credit score in depth and for free like Credit Karma. There are three credit bureaus including, Experian, Equifax, TransUnion and FICO score is the scoring model used most by potential lenders.

2) Credit Cards The easiest way to maintain or build credit is by using a credit score responsibly. If you have bad to no credit you might qualify for a secured

credit card which are backed by a cash deposit or a co-signer. If you have fair credit you might qualify for cards with a lower credit limit or lower rewards rates. If you have good to excellent credit you’ll qualify for maximum credit limits and the cards with the best reward programs. Apply only for cards that you know you’re likely to get based on your credit score. Every credit card application you apply for shaves points off of your score.

interest when you carry a balance from one month to the next. If you find yourself swimming in debt create a budget that includes your monthly income and expenses and see where you can cut costs. Then aim to pay off the most expensive debts, sort your credit card interests from highest to lowest then tackle your debt.

4) Knowing the impact of soft and hard inquiries

3) Reducing balances faster Paying down your debt is one of the fastest ways to improve your credit. Paying your deadlines on time and paying more than the minimum balance towards your debt will have the biggest impact on your credit. If you pay your balance in full each month on or before the due date you won’t have to worry about paying interest, you only accrue

Hard inquiries normally occur when financial institutions such as a lender or credit card issuer checks your credit when making a lending decision. A hard inquiry could lower your score by a few points but be mindful of applying for a handful of credit cards at the same time. Multiple hard inquiries in a short period of time could consider you a high risk customer and can lower your score. A soft inquiry typically occurs when a person or company checks your credit as a part of a background check. Unlike hard inquiries, soft inquiries won’t affect your credit score. Hard inquiries normally occur when you apply for a mortgage loan, apartment rental application, auto loans, credit card applications and student loans. Common soft inquiries often occur when you check your credit score on websites, check “pre-qualified” credit card offers or insurance quotes and employment verification.

5) Practicing Patience Improving your credit may take a while but overtime as your credit history grows and old inquiries fall off you will have a stable consistency that will impact your score. Once you start taking proper care of your credit you’ll be able to sit back and relax and enjoy the benefits of great credit for years to come.

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April 2018 | 5 Business

“Leader-Ship” By Noel Pinnock Contributing Writer

f your dream is big and will require the collective work of a group of people, then any potential people you select to go with you on the journey will need to be people of influence. Influence is defined as the power that somebody has to affect other people's thinking or actions by means of argument, example, or force of personality. It gave me cause for pause when I was enlightened by this compelling definition, partly, because I began to understand that influence is not a cause but an effect and but even more importantly, it is vital to success and the continuity of progress. Those that we invite in our space, without fail, have an influence in our and over our lives. We, oftentimes, fail to realize this until it is too late. My momma used to say, “Watch those you hang around, son, and those who hang around you.” It wasn’t until I began to examine the osmosis effect of influence more forensically, as I grew older, that I realized that I see a lot of dead people. Dead, not in the finality sense of the word, but certainly dead as it pertains to their ability to effectively influence those needing influence. The late and inf luent ia l pastor Myles Munroe in his final words before his fatal airplane crash stated, “true le a der s h ip is measured by what happens after you die. This is why true leaders don’t invest in buildings, they invest in people. If everything you have done dies with you, you are a failure. Success without a successor is failure. Your legacy should not be in buildings, programs, and projects, your legacy must be in people.” However, over the course of last 50 years, we have become a people that turn blind eyes and cold shoulders rather than pull up those who could really benefit socially, culturally, economically, politically, psychologically, demographically, or technologically from the influence we have developed through the sum-total of our life’s experiences, relationships, or opportunities. Leadership has nothing to do with holding your head high, banging your chest, or walking in front. However, leadership is more about influence, and when you think about it; all leaders have two things in common: Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

they’re going somewhere, and they’re able to persuade others to go with them in the spirit of humility and compassion. Notice, I didn’t say, passion…compassion involves one having a heart and a plan to accomplish a predetermined goal or objective. As you look at the people around you, consider the following:

• Who influences them? You can tell a lot about whom they will influence and how they will go about doing it by knowing who their heroes and mentors are. • Whom do they influence? You’ll be able to judge their cur rent level of leadership effective ness by whom they influence. • Is their influence increasing or decreasing? You can tell whether a person is a past leader or a potential leader by examining which direction the level of influence is going.

Good leaders take you where you want to go but great leaders take you where you don’t want to go but ought to be and once you become one, you give up the right do what you would normally do. The greater your influence, the greater your leadership potential and the ability to get others to work with and for you. True leaders work themselves out of the job. True leaders measure their greatness by their absence and not in their presence. Leader-ship allows one to sail, even if the captain is not aboard the ship because true leaders work themselves out of the job, without losing their pay. For more information, visit www.noelpinnock.com

6 | April 2018 COMMUNITY

EBA Charitable Foundation and Houston Chapter to Donate Vital Aid to Blue Triangle Community Center Damaged by Hurricane Harvey By d-mars.com News Provider

esponding to the devastation created by Hurricane Harvey in Houston in late 2017, the Charitable Foundation of the Energy Bar Association (CFEBA) and the Energy Bar Association’s (EBA) Houston Chapter have teamed up to donate $25,000 to the Blue Triangle Multicultural Association. Blue Triangle, a community center focused on water safety for children that opened in 1918 and now operates in Houston's Third Ward, was severely impacted by the hurricane. The donation will support Blue Triangle’s effort to make critical electrical and structural repairs to its facility. The donation was presented by James Cargas, President of EBA’s Houston Chapter, to Charlotte Kelly Bryant, Executive Director of the Blue Triangle, as part of its Celebrate Women’s History Month on Thursday, March 22, 2018. “Shortly following Hurricane Harvey, CFEBA members with the support of EBA’s Houston Chapter banded together to raise donations for energyrelated relief efforts,” said Mark Kalpin, CFEBA President. “With the support of James Cargas and Rick Smead in the Houston Chapter,

this generosity resulted in our being able to raise more than $30,000, including a generous matching grant from NRG Energy. The donation to Blue Triangle is the first and largest step in our efforts to support the Houston community. At least one other grant will be forthcoming to another worthy recipient.”

“This donation is going to make a tremendous impact on our community,” said Ms. Kelly Bryant. “It will assist us to complete necessary repairs caused by Harvey. We are very grateful to CFEBA and EBA for their support.” The Charitable Foundation of the Energy Bar Association is a non-profit charitable organization formed in 2002 under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation engages in a variety of energy-related and general charitable activities, including the support of worthwhile energy-related charitable projects, as well as other community service projects, through financial contributions and volunteer services provided by the Foundation, members of the Energy Bar Association and others. Find more information at http:// www.cfeba.org/. The Energy Bar Association is an international, nonprofit association of attorneys, non-attorney professionals, and students active in all areas of energy law. The EBA promotes the professional excellence and ethical integrity of its members in the practice, administration, and development of energy laws, regulations and policies. The EBA provides superior educational programming, networking opportunities, and information resources. Find more information at www.eba-net.org.

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8 | April 2018 COMMUNITY

“My Letter to the Pearls” By Shelondra Peavy Contributing Writer

n this rapidly-changing world of ours, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to find people of purity and substance. Yet, much to my delight, I recently encountered a group of women who epitomize the importance of sisterhood, unity, advocacy, education, philanthropy, and good-ol’-fashion compassion. Needless to say, the women of this group are ones who work individually and collectively in their own communities and beyond to promote healthy lifestyles, encourage civic involvement, support education, develop leadership, and work toward general peace, health, wealth, and abundant living. In a collaborative effort, the wonderful ladies of I.C.O.N have taken center stage with their most recent heart-warming project. They’ve written a book solely for the purpose of inspiration. “My Letter to the Pearls”. For me, the title alone provoked thought. A letter “to” pearls?... But then, once I read their prologue, I gained clarity. They wrote: Dear Reader, You may be asking yourself what would make us write our letters "to the pearls". And to that we say, "You must first understand who the pearls are". The P.E.A.R.L.S. are the young girls to whom we’re committed to nurturing through leadership, fellowship, education, and mentoring. The P.E.A.R.L.S. are the ones whose character and self confidence we will help to build through community service, involvement, and sisterhood. The P.E.A.R.L.S. are young girls to whom we've made a vow. We've dedicated ourselves to shaping these young girls into productive women of substance. P.E.A.R.L.S. are young girls who strive to fulfill the following oath: P - Perseverance - I will believe in myself and accomplish my dreams and goals. E - Elevate - I will elevate myself and others to the next level. A - Ambitious - I will strive to be successful in school and maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA. R - Respect - I will have respect for myself and others. L - Leadership - I will use my goals to help uplift individuals and my community. S - Sisterhood - I will be a sister to every ICON PEARL Then, they went on to write: Dear Reader - Commit to identifying "a pearl" in your community and give her this book for her to treasure it, ESPECIALLY if she does not yet know her worth. Make her understand the rarity and the value of pearls. And so – I went on to read their letters; many of which

made me cry. Each of the ladies had provided vital “pearls of wisdom” plus nuggets of truth and hope to little girls everywhere; particularly those in high-risk and underprivileged circumstances. They had selflessly given life-saving words of encouragement intended for their “hopeful” young readers and perhaps even more-so for “hopeless” young readers. After all, “hope” is a very powerful gift to give. When I read this book, I thought about myself; my 7-yearold self (the dreamer)… my 12-year-old self (the awkward jazzlover)… my misguided 15-year-old self… my angry 18-yearold self… I thought about how nice it would have been to have known my worth and to have understood the reasons for my rarity and peculiarity. I thought about how great it would have been to have known right away that the ugly duckling was a swan, and that the funny-actin’ chicken was actually an eagle, and that the black sheep was the most valuable one of the fold.

COMMUNITY

Never Judge by Appearance By Charlotte A. Jackson Contributing Writer

here have been so roads that I have traveled that I would not wish on anyone. I started to say, I would not wish on my worst enemy, but then I thought about it, and I pray I have no enemies. This has been a stressful time in my life and if it were not for those few people who refused to let me be alone, I might have given up. The last thing I want to do is leave a legacy for my children, grandchildren and many “adopted” family members that they would be ashamed of. I refuse to give in to an addiction, whether it be drugs, alcohol, overspending, bad relationships or harming myself. The journey did not just start, but I am thankful that I do not have to travel it alone. I have been a single mother 80% of the time I have been a mother. My first son was born in December, 1986. His father and I divorced in August 1988. My second son was born in January 1991 and a little more than 4 years later, that marriage ended. At that point, my daughter was two years old and my sons were four and eight years old. Due to circumstances, such as my first husband having been a habitual criminal, my second husband being of another race and my formal education stopping when I chose to leave a very rough year at the University of Texas, the journey has not been easy. Growing up, the only recollection I had of any form of substance abuse or hearing about mental illness was from the movie The Graduate. As I look around today, I see so many lives in shambles due to poor choices, starting with individuals surrounding themselves with a circle of friends who take you to a lower level of life than many can imagine. I remember my first Pastor, Reverend John A. Brady, Sr., preaching a message about how sin will take you farther than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay and keep you longer than you want to stay. He was also the same man who taught me to realize the same middle letter in PRIDE is the same middle letter in SIN. Once we remove the extra letters, we see that “I” gets us in so much trouble, too much of the time. We must become a generation that is not afraid to share our story with those younger than we are. Last week, I was invited to speak at a Women’s History Month Luncheon honoring Women in Leadership. At first, many of the audience only saw me as a Caucasian female who has been employed for 20 years at a community college. Yet after 1012 minutes with each group of young ladies, they listened, they learned and they realized you cannot judge someone by appearance. At 56, I have been raped by someone close enough to be family. I have been crushed by what I thought was love. I have lived in a private dormitory that was as racist as it could be, without it being operated by the Ku Klux Klan. I have been told to find a job and get out. I have been told to sign over custody of my oldest son and to “put those two little ni—ers up for adoption and move on with my life,” by a parent. I have been abused. I have hit rock bottom and by the grace of God, I have learned to stand. I have learned to reach out and ask for help. And more importantly, I have learned to give back.

I have learned to give back

So, with this in mind, I knew that I needed to convey I.C.O.N.’s message to the community: Dear Reader - Commit to identifying "a pearl" in your community and give her this book for her to treasure it, ESPECIALLY if she does not yet know her worth. Make her understand the rarity and the value of pearls. Sincerely Yours - from "ICONic Women, who were once aspiring pearls" Wow… Hats off to the women of I.C.O.N. and to pearls everywhere! (PLEASE NOTE – see www.iconcares.org for more information about I.C.O.N. Women’s Organization and about their awesome new book: “My Letter to the Pearls”)

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April 2018 | 9 COMMUNITY

Adult Survivor By Alexis Wagner News Provider

earts are easily broken when talking about any type of abuse inflicted on innocent children, but do hearts break the same way when talking about the adults that live their lives as survivors of abuse? Experiencing any form of childhood trauma and abuse have major impacts an adult’s quality of life. It often times subconsciously effects their feelings, relationships, self-esteem and physical health. Adult survivors are often told to move on with their lives, as if it’s an easy task, and are frowned upon for struggling with effects that have extended into adulthood. As a result, they do their best to hide their pain instead of dealing with it appropriately. Published author and poet, Autumn Lawson, is a prime example of a victim of child abuse that has recognized the effects of abuse, but is still affected by it as an adult. Abuse takes many forms, beyond the physical and starting at an early age Lawson was a victim of sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

Sexual abuse At the tender age of 6 Lawson was molested by a family member. A high school aged relative would come into her room at night when the lights were off, make her turn around, and then slowly stick his hinds into her pants. Even as a child, Lawson knew that this was wrong and that she should speak Autumn Lawson up, but she was always too afraid to do so. “I know if I would’ve told someone it would have ended. My aunt used to tell me as a child to say something if anyone

touched me but I never spoke up” Lawson said. Because of what she went through, Lawson says that she has carried the fear of speaking up into adulthood, and is still uncomfortable around of men. “I’m somewhat afraid of being around men and being alone around them” she said.

Emotional Abuse Growing up she was never able to be sensitive without being reprimanded for it. Her guardian would make fun of her hair or how much she ate, and if she got offended by it then she would get in trouble for being “too emotional”. Lawson felt as Autumn Lawson if she had to hide who she really was so she wouldn’t get in trouble for being herself. “My hair was a problem, I had to dress a certain type of way, I felt like I wasn’t allowed to have an opinion, I wasn’t allowed to talk to my mom. I had to do everything in secret and hope that no one found out.” Lawson said. Today some of Lawson’s biggest trials in her adult life are a result of the emotional abuse that she endured as a child. “I am emotionally unattached from everything and everyone”, she said, “I hold everything in until I snap. I won’t tell anyone what I’m dealing with, and I keep my opinions to myself even when I know what I have to say could help someone.”

Physical Abuse Soon enough the psychological abuse turned into physical abuse. As a consequence for having emotions, Lawson would be beat by her abuser. “I would cry when he would say that I eat like a horse. One day I cried and left the dinner table, and when we got home I

got beat for making him look bad in front of everyone” Lawson said when thinking back on the reasons why she would get in trouble. She would also get in trouble for any mistake that she made, whether big or small. The amount of abuse endured has left her memory of ever being loved blank, but instead questioning why she had to go through what she went through. “I can’t remember the hugs and kisses, but I remember when I my grades would lead to a beating” she said. “Was the beating going to improve my grades?” Experiencing any form of childhood trauma and abuse can impact on the way survivors deal with situations and relationships. People think that we simply have the choice whether or not to let our past affect our future or to move on, but sometimes even when we move on we carry our burdens along with us. Autumn Lawson is one of many adults who are doing their best to conceal and open wounds that they’ve had since childhood. “I have learned to hide things and pretend like nothing happened”, Lawson said, “People tell me that I’m extremely happy, kind, generous, and positive and that they can’t believe I have been through anything rough in my life.” Some say that time heals all, but sometimes lack of closure leaves a broken heart in pieces no matter how much time has passed. Some of us remain in loving relationships with their parents and guardians, but others go through each day trying to fill that void by learning how to let go and love themselves. Lawson found an understanding man that loves her and a sweet escape in her writing, but some days the weight of her past still seems to weight her down. “I need to rebuild myself I need to take time to love myself I want to be loved but I don’t know how to love myself And how can I want something from someone, That I can’t give myself?”

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-Autumn Lawson

10 | April 2018 Education

The Student Loan Debt Crisis is a Civil Rights Issue By d-mars.com News Provider

rom attacks on voting rights to police killings of unarmed civilians and growing inequities in earnings and wealth, the civil rights gains of the past six decades are facing threat after threat. But one front in the fight for full equality—meaningful access to higher education—is particularly urgent. With 65 percent of jobs soon requiring more than a high school diploma, the need is greater than ever, especially for African Americans and other communities of color. More than 50 years ago, Congress passed the Higher Education Act (HEA), intending to open the doors to higher education by providing students with financial assistance and low-interest loans. Conventional wisdom has traditionally held two things: 1) Higher education is the great equalizer; 2) It is okay to take out debt for the tickets to upward mobility: a college education and a home mortgage. These life decisions—and the struggles and sacrifices that made them possible—helped to build and grow the Black middle class.

Now, aspirations for advancement are colliding with the discriminatory legacy of the financial crisis. Our country’s student loan bill has skyrocketed. Student debt is now the second-largest source of household debt after housing. Fortyfour million Americans have $1.4 trillion in student loan debt. One reason: Since the 1990s, the average tuition and fees at our universities have jumped an average of 157–237 percent depending on the type of institution. As with the Great Recession, people of color, poor people, and predatory institutions are at the center of this socioeconomic catastrophe. They must also be at the center of the solutions. We must face up to the fact that students of color are more likely to borrow for their education and, unfortunately, to default on these loans. Even Black college graduates default on their loans at almost four times the rate of their White counterparts and are more likely to default than even White dropouts. This increased risk of defaulting on student loans is the direct result of inequities in finan-

cial resources, as well as discrimination in hiring, salaries and, all too often, social capital. In 2013, the median White family had 13 times more wealth than the median black family and 10 times more wealth than the median Latino family. African American students tend to take out more debt than their White counterparts, and both Blacks and Latinos are more likely to default than Whites. Since Blacks with bachelor’s degrees earn only 79 percent and Latinos only 83 percent of what their White counterparts earn, African American and Hispanic students have a harder time repaying their loans. Further contributing to the crisis, Blacks and Latinos comprise 41 percent of the students at the high-cost, low-quality, for-profit colleges. These institutions frequently fail to prepare students for high-salary jobs, instead saddling them with exorbitant debts that they can’t repay. How then can we address these challenges? Education Secretary Betsy DeVos wants to ease regulations on the loan servicers and for-profit colleges that have gotten us into this mess. U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) of the House Education and Workforce Committee would take this effort even further. Her proposal for reauthorizing the HEA, the “PROSPER Act,” would ensure that students will have to borrow more to get a postsecondary education with the very real likelihood that they will never pay off the debt. This would all but guarantee that predatory, for-profit programs would continue to rise exponentially right alongside our national student debt bill. Efforts to make student aid more costly for students rather than hold institutions accountable for what they do with the aid reflects either a catastrophic misunderstanding of the root causes of this issue or something more disturbing: the blatant effort to recreate the system we had before the HEA was enacted. In this system, traditional college was by and large only accessible to the wealthy, who were usually White. Fixing our broken student debt system should not mean un-doing years of progress since the HEA or saddling marginalized groups with a lifetime of debt. Instead, we need to hold student loan servicers, debt collectors, and institutions of all kinds accountable for their practices. African Americans, Latinos and low-income students from all backgrounds need more income-based grants, loans, financial assistance, and admissions policies that tear down barriers of color, culture, and class, not support them. Helping college graduates to repay their loans isn’t the only challenge. The challenge is enabling and empowering all our young people to make their fullest contribution to our country. This is, in the last analysis, a debt that all Americans owe to ourselves and our nation’s future.

The Aging Eye

Age-related eye diseases and conditions Since your 40s, you have probably noticed that you needed glasses to see up close. You may have more trouble adjusting to glare or distinguishing some colors, particularly shades of blue and green. These changes are a normal part of aging. They alone cannot stop you from enjoying an active lifestyle. They will not stop you from maintaining your independence. In fact, you can live an active life well into your golden years without ever experiencing severe vision loss. But as you age, you should know you are at higher risk of developing age-related eye diseases and conditions.

What are these diseases? These conditions affect different parts of the eye. If not caught early and treated, they can lead to vision loss and even blindness. ■■ Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a common eye disease among people aged 60 and older. It gradually destroys the macula, the part of the eye that provides sharp, central vision

needed for seeing objects clearly. It comes in two forms: dry and wet. Each form requires different techniques to be used by eye care professionals to treat the condition.

■■ Cataract. Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens and is common in older adults and people with diabetes. Vision loss by cataract is successfully restored with surgery. Although cataract surgery is one of the most common procedures performed in the United States today, some people never need it. Many others are able to postpone it for years. ■■ Diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common condition among people with diabetes. It damages the blood vessels in the retina, usually in both eyes. If you have early-stage retinopathy, your eye care professional may suggest controlling

your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol to prevent the disease from getting worse. For the more advanced stage, you may need laser surgery. ■■ Glaucoma. Glaucoma is not just one disease. It is a group of diseases that are all caused by the same event; fluid in the eye builds up and damages the optic nerve. Your eye care professional can help control glaucoma by prescribing eyedrops or pills. Laser surgery is another way to open clogged areas so that the eye fluid drains and eases pressure against the optic nerve. Surgery is another option, but is used only when drops or laser surgery fails to control the pressure.

What is low vision? People who have age-related eye disease are more likely to develop low vision. Low vision means that, even with regular glasses, contact lenses, medicine, and surgery, everyday tasks are difficult to do. Reading the mail, shopping, cooking, seeing the TV, and writing can seem challenging. Fortunately, help is available. Low vision specialists can offer a variety of services that help people make the most of their remaining vision. They cannot, however, restore lost vision. As a result, people with low vision can continue enjoying friends, family, hobbies, and other interests just as they always have. The key is knowing there is help.

Information and resources

Get a dilated eye exam. If you are aged 50 or older, make a point of visiting your eye care professional annually. Having a dilated eye exam every year or as recommended by your eye care professional can help detect age-related eye diseases in their early stages. Early detection and treatment can help save your sight. So even if you are not experiencing vision problems, you should get an annual eye exam. This is one of the best things you can do to protect your sight. For more information about age-related eye diseases and conditions, visit www.nei.nih.gov/agingeye.

The National Eye Institute (NEI) is part of the National Institutes of Health and the federal government’s lead agency for vision research that leads to sight-saving treatments, and it plays a key role in reducing visual impairment and blindness. For more information, visit the NEI Website at www.nei.nih.gov.

www.nei.nih.gov/agingeye

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As you age, you are at higher risk of developing eye diseases.

April 2018 | 11

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12 | April 2018 Health

Celebrate National Minority Health Month! “Without health and long life, all else fails.”

By d-mars.com News Provider

ecognizing that health is the key to progress and equity in all other things, Dr. Booker T. Washington proposed the observance of “National Negro Health Week” in April 1915. He called on local health departments, schools, churches, businesses, professional associations, and the most influential organizations in the African-American community to “pull together” and “unite… in one great National Health Movement.” That observance grew into what is today a monthlong initiative to advance health equity across the country on behalf of all racial and ethnic minorities – National Minority Health Month

Minority Health CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity’s mission is to advance health equity and women’s health issues across the nation through CDC’s science and programs, and increase CDC’s capacity to leverage its diverse workforce and engage stakeholders toward this end.

What is Health Equity? Health equity is when everyone has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible. What Are Health Disparities? Health disparities are differences in health out-

comes and their causes among groups of people. For example, African American children are more likely to die from asthma compared to non-Hispanic White children. Reducing health disparities creates better health for all Americans.

Why is Health Equity Important? Health is central to human happiness and well-being and is affected by where people live, learn, work, and play. According to the World Health Organization , health also makes an important contribution to economic progress.

Heckler Report After years of observing poorer health for Blacks and other minorities in comparison to Whites, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Margaret Heckler, commissioned a powerful task force in 1984 to describe these health results more fully and to consider what the federal government could do to address them. The Secretary released the Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health in 1985, known as the Heckler Report. The Heckler Report documented the extent of health disparities affecting Americans of color and recommending action steps for the nation to address these disparities. This was the first time the federal government provided a national picture of the health of racial and ethnic minorities. Since the publication of the Heckler Report, we are better able to describe more fully the health of all Americans.

Hispanic Health Vital Signs This first national study on Hispanic health risks and leading causes of death in the United States by CDC shows that Hispanics had higher death rates than Non-Hispanic whites from diabetes and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (scarring of the liver). The report encourages the use of community health workers, also called promotores de salud , to provide resources to educate the Hispanic community about health risks and preventive services. Source: CDC

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April 2018 | 13 Health

Child Abuse Prevention By d-mars.com News Provider

pril is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Division of Violence Prevention at CDC works to better understand the problem of child abuse and neglect and to prevent it before it begins. Essentials for Childhood: Assuring safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children is CDC’s framework for preventing child abuse and neglect.

Facts about Child Abuse and Neglect Child abuse and neglect are significant public health problems in the United States. • More than 1,670 children died in the United States in 2015 from abuse and neglect. • According to child protective service agencies, about 683,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2015. • One in 4 children have experienced abuse or neglect at some point in their lives, and 1 in 7 children experienced abuse in the last year, according to self-reports from the National Sur vey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV). • The financial costs for victims and society are substantial. A CDC study showed the total life time cost associated with just 1 year of con firmed cases of child abuse or neglect is $124 billion.

Abused children often suffer physical injuries in cluding cuts, bruises, burns, and broken bones. However, physical injury is not the only negative impact of abuse and neglect—it can also affect life long health including: • Mental health. • Social development. • Risk-taking behavior (e.g., smoking, high-risk sexual behaviors, and drug abuse). • Life opportunities (e.g., educational attainment, employment, and income). Child abuse and neglect includes all types of abuse or neglect of a child under the age of 18 by a parent, caregiver, or another person in a custodial role that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. There are four common types of abuse and neglect.

1. Physical abuse is the use of physical force, such as hitting, kicking, shaking, burning, or other shows of force against a child. 2. Sexual abuse involves inducing or coercing a child to engage in sexual acts. It includes behaviors such as fondling, penetration, and exposing a child to other sexual activities. 3. Emotional abuse refers to behaviors that harm a child’s self-worth or emotional well-being. Examples include name calling, shaming, rejection, withholding love, and threatening. 4. Neglect is the failure to meet a child’s basic physical and emotional needs. These needs include housing, food, clothing, education, and access to medical care. Child abuse and neglect and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) cause toxic stress that can disrupt early brain development and harm the nervous and immune systems. Exposure to childhood adversity can increase a person’s risk for future violence, unhealthy relationship behaviors, and poor health and wellness. This impact can be long-lasting and may continue across future generations.

Child Abuse and Neglect Are Preventable CDC works to stop child abuse and neglect before they occur. In doing this, CDC promotes the development of safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments between children and their parents or caregivers. Children’s experiences are defined through their environments (such as homes, schools, and neighborhoods) and their relationships with parents, teachers, and other caregivers. Healthy relationships and environments act as a buffer against adverse experiences and are necessary to ensure the long-term physical and emotional well-being of children. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/features/healthychildren/index.html

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14 | April 2018 Health

Black Women Need Better Access to Reproductive Healthcare OTC Birth Control Pills, Better Access to Reproductive Healthcare Could Be Game Changer for Black Women By Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley News Provider

’ve been a practicing OB/GYN for nearly 15 years, long enough to see patient after patient struggle through the web of systemic barriers that make accessing healthcare needlessly difficult. At my practice in Baltimore, in a state that is a national trailblazer in providing comprehensive and affordable reproductive healthcare, I still hear every day from women who struggle to get the care they need. My patients have told me stories about having to take three buses to get to an appointment, only to be turned away, if they are late. Some patients don’t have the right type of insurance coverage or have no insurance, pushing needed health services or medication financially out of reach. Others can’t take time off work or afford transportation or childcare in order to go to their doctor.

Reproductive healthcare is not a luxury, and for Black women specifically, being in full control of our reproductive decisions can quite literally be a matter of life and death. Data from the CDC show Black women are three to four times more likely to die during childbirth than White women. These statistics remain consistent even when adjusting for factors like age, education, and economic status. There is a growing consensus that the stress of prejudice and racism endured by Black women increases the likelihood of preterm birth and other health consequences. Racial and ethnic disparities in unintended pregnancy also persist. Black women are significantly more likely to have an unintended pregnancy when compared to all women of reproductive age, and the percentage of people who decide to end an unintended pregnancy, instead of give birth, is highest among Black women. Black women at risk of unintended pregnancy are also less likely to use any method of contraception, particularly young Black women. Researchers propose these disparities

are a consequence of implicit and explicit racism when interacting with the medical system, lack of quality information about effective family planning methods, and inability to access or afford reproductive healthcare. What I see in these statistics — and what I hear from my patients — is that the current systems for providing birth control are not meeting Black women’s needs. We need to think bigger about how to overcome these barriers and provide convenient contraceptive options directly in people’s communities. From birth control delivery apps, to pharmacist prescribing programs, healthcare innovators are bringing us closer to a world where the tools to prevent pregnancy are at your fingertips. In my view, an over-thecounter birth control pill is the obvious next step and would be a game changer for giving people the option of getting safe birth control when and where they want it. Women’s health providers are working in tandem with researchers to hone best practices for providing birth control pills—for example, no longer are blood pressure checks or pap smears required prior to prescribing the pill for healthy patients. People are already empowered to provide self-care with over-the-counter medications, and there is no reason a birth control pill should be different. Studies show that individuals themselves can determine whether birth control pills are right for them and if there are any health conditions that might make taking birth control pills less safe or less effective. While having a yearly genecology exam is important for other health reasons, it is not necessary to start birth control pills. Yet, I’m not concerned about my patients disappearing. In a recent survey, the vast majority of women interested in taking an over-the-counter birth control pill reported they would continue to visit their healthcare provider to obtain gynecological screenings, like pap smears. We don’t have to hold patients hostage to their prescriptions for birth control pills in order to get them into the office for other services. We need to work to make all reproductive healthcare more accessible for people where and when they need it. Of course, over-the-counter birth control pills won’t singlehandedly fix the legacy left by discriminatory healthcare programs and the re-

productive coercion experienced by Black women, but it can bring us closer to a future where every person has the resources they need to make decisions about their own bodies and lives with dignity. Source: nnpa

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April 2018 | 15 Health

The WO-MAN in the Mirror

This can be done by first believing you can do it. Look at yourself and tell yourself “Yes I Can.” Do not allow other people and life’s By Rhonda Dallas challenges defeat you so quickly. Being and Contributing Writer staying focused will be very vital. Secondly, start by light weight exercising as am a Michael Jackson Fan. When I I call it. Walk around the house and up and thought and prayed about what to down the stairs in your own home. Look in write The Man in The Mirror song the mirror and do stretches allowing the body kept playing in my head. The lyrics rang out as to become limber before you work yourself up I put pen to paper. The words which simply say, to heavy weight. Next, take a field trip to the grocery store I'm gonna make a change, and look for fresh, raw fruits and vegetables. For once I'm my life Try to abstain from canned and frozen fruits It's gonna feel real good, and vegetables. Find a grocery store that you Gonna make a difference are comfortable with getting fresh items. For Gonna make it right your meats, try to stick with fresh seafood, turkey to replace beef when you can and chicken. I'm starting with the man in the mirror Look for items that do not have a great deal of (Man in the mirror, oh yeah!) nitrates and other ingredients that you (or me) I'm asking him to change his ways cannot even pronounce. (Better change!) Lastly, learn how to or continue your quiet No message could have been any clearer time. Get away and write, read and just medi(If you want to make the world a tate on things that are from above. Try to limit better place) TV where commercials will entice you to go Lyrics by Michael Jackson out and get fast food knowing you have gro-

As a Certified Health Advocate I say if you do not like what you see in the mirror, make a change, if you do not like what the Doctors are saying about your health, make a change. Look in that mirror today and make a change! I know what you are saying, it’s easier said than done. I know we all have struggles with Food, Working out and living a healthier life. We must look in the mirror and start there. Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

ceries in the refrigerator. I know for me, if I already have my food prepared, I am less likely to go get something not so nutritious. It’s going to take time, so be patient with yourself. Rome was not built overnight! We are going to make a difference in our lives and ultimately in the lives of others by sharing what we have learned from our own lives. It’s going to be fun to look in the mirror and see the change right before our eyes.

16 | April 2018

“My goal with that is to provide people with direct care in places that they’re comfortable - work, office, if they’re travelling and they’re just in town and need assistance to provide in-depth care, like in the old days.” —Dr. Cwanza Pinckney

Dr. Cwanz By d-mars.com News Provider

hen Dr. Cwanza Pinckney graduated fro sity, the Dallas native was looking forwar Emergency Room physician. “I was blessed to work with and be mentore and brilliant physician, Dr. Phyllis Gee, throug and college. As a result, I fell in love with medi patient care,” Dr. Cwanza said. Shortly after undergrad, Dr. Cwanza went on cal school and residency training. Although deep love for medicine and her patients, she qui medicine and the real world came with challenges found herself longing for something more. “I love working in the ER, but what I found was t encounters, while rewarding, can be very one-dimensio Cwanza said. “I was getting disenfranchised and thou about quitting. Instead, I had a mindset shift that I wanted to practice and live the way I wanted. So, I started moving my life in that direction. And I started on this journey of knocking off things on my bucket list to make the best life possible.” Always a go-getter, Dr. Cwanza decided to turn to something she enjoyed that would re-

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April 2018 | 17

za Pinckney is Living Her Best Life

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n to excel in medishe developed a ickly learned that s and Dr. Cwanza

the patient onal,” Dr. ught d

lieve the stress of the ER at the same time - deejaying. She rekindled her love for music and combined her life love of hip-hop, rhythm and blues, jazz, soul and electronic music. “Deejaying started as a hobby to relieve stress from work. I taught myself and it just really picked up,” she said. She is now proudly known as both Dr. Cwanza and DjDrCodeBlue. Through her Code Blue Productions entertainment business, DjDrCodeBlue now deejay’s locally, nationally, and internationally. She recently just returned from the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, where she was featured. Deejaying allowed Dr. Cwanza to see that her passions didn’t have to be limited. Her creative mind flourished and through a lot of self-revelation, mind set mastery, and personal development, she found a new joy in medicine and music that has blossomed into exclusive mobile concierge physician services, mobile DJ services, musical production services and mindset mastery coaching.

“I also knew that I wanted to help others with mindset coaching to fulfill their passion who don’t know how to get from point A to B,” she said. Dr. Cwanza opened a mobile physician concierge service to help busy professional patients and families quickly solve urgent medical issues in a comfortable work, home or trusted care setting of their choice. In addition, she also works as a mindset mastery coach who helps clients transform and achieve their goals through the neuro-linguistic reprogramming techniques, meditation, music and a mantra of “Good Vibes Only” that leaves her clients feeling confidently ready to make the positive changes and eliminate the negative external to create alignment with each client’s unique values, goals and purpose. “My goal with that is to provide people with direct care in places that they’re comfortable - work, office, if they’re travelling and they’re just in town and need assistance to provide in-depth care, like in the old days,” she said. “It’s more or less, direct patient care. I handle things like screenings, urgent issues, referring you and helping to organize whatever specialty needs you have without having to be inconvenienced.” Her concierge business is geared toward professionals, busy individuals and families. “I started with a soft launch and people have started to love and catch on to it,” Dr. Cwanza said. “The clients are happy. I take the legwork out of it. That’s really my passion in terms of medical work. I still do hospital work because I love the critical nature.” Since birth, Dr. Cwanza has had many trials that have turned into blessings for herself and those around her. She has overcome odds time and time again, and will continue to do so through her unique and amazing combination of crafts. “I guess you can say I live life according to my own beat,” Dr. Cwanza said, when describing how she continuously turns trial into triumph.

Find out more at www.DrCwanzaMD.com.

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18 | April 2018 Political

Saving Lives and Protecting Property By Sylvester Turner Mayor of Houston

hen anyone perishes in a tragic Houston event, it’s part of city government’s job to examine what happened and see if changes are needed to help prevent the next one. I am glad to report that your municipal government did exactly that. And then we made changes designed to save lives and protect property. I am pleased that City Council approved my reforms for protecting future homes and buildings from flooding. Now, new structures in flood plains will have to be built higher. Existing homes are not affected unless they are expanded by more than a third. We needed to do something to make Houston more flood-resistant after the loss of life and property caused by Hurricane Harvey. Now that we have made the first big flood protection reforms, we will take the next steps to ensure a comprehensive approach to flood prevention. I will also propose changes to the way we

build in areas outside the flood plain and construct public infrastructure, including drainage projects. I will keep working with the county, state and federal government to fund and build projects aimed at keeping flood waters away from neighborhoods: bayou widenings, a third U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir, more water detention basins, a bay and coastal “spine,” and more. In addition, the City Council recently approved new regulations to make boarding

homes and lodging, alternative, and correctional facilities safer and address concerns from the communities where they are located. The ordinances make sure that these multiresident homes meet building code standards, pass a life safety inspection every year, and can be investigated whenever a complaint is made. Additionally, the ordinances require new

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multi-resident homes to be located farther from schools and parks. Facilities can be fined or closed if they do not follow the rules. There are more than 200 such multi-resident facilities in Houston. They often house people from vulnerable populations that need affordable living space. Two fires that resulted in death and injury revealed parts of our systems that could be improved, so we set out to create a way to hold operators of these facilities accountable and control hazards that put residents’ lives in danger. Houstonians deserve a municipal government that does its part to protect families and the places they call home. We will use the changes to flood protection and multi-resident homes to make Houston safer, stronger, and more resilient as we move forward.

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22 | April 2018 Games and QuizZes

Do You Know Your History? African American Firsts: 1. First Heavyweight Champ: Jack Johnson became the first African-American man to hold the World Heavyweight Champion boxing title in _____. He held onto the belt until 1915. A. 1908 B. 1902 C. 1910 D. 1913 2. First Lawyer: John Mercer Langston was the first black man to become a lawyer when he passed the bar in Ohio in 1854. When he was elected to the post of Town Clerk for Brownhelm, Ohio, in 1855 Langston became one of the first African Americans ever elected to public office in America. John Mercer Langston was also the great-uncle of ___________, famed poet of the Harlem Renaissance. A. Robert Hayden B. Alice Dunbar Nelson C. Langston Hughes D. James Johnson 3. First Supreme Court Justice: Thurgood Marshall was the first African American ever appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was appointed by President

____________, and served on the court from 1967 to 1991. A. Richard Nixon B. John F. Kennedy C. Franklin D. Roosevelt D. Lyndon B. Johnson 4. First Eminent Scientist: ___________ developed 300 derivative products from peanuts among them cheese, milk, coffee, flour, ink, dyes, plastics, wood stains, soap, linoleum, medicinal oils and cosmetics. A. Garret Morgan B. Elijah McCoy C. George Washington Carver D. Granville Woods 5. First Woman Representative: ________ was the first African American woman elected to the House of Representatives. She was elected in 1968 and represented the state of New York. She broke ground again four years later in 1972 when she was the first major party African-American candidate and the first female candidate for president of the United States. A. Shirley Chisholm B. Sonia Sotomayor C. Sandra Day O’Connor D. Elena Kegan

6. First Self-Made Millionaire: Madam C.J. Walker was born on a cotton plantation in Louisiana and became wealthy after inventing a line of African-American __________. She established Madame C.J. Walker Laboratories and was also known for her philanthropy. A. purses B. hair care products C. body care D. blood bank 7. First Oscar Winner: In 1940, _______ was the first African-American performer to win an Academy Award—the film industry’s highest honor—for her portrayal of a loyal slave governess in Gone With the Wind. A. Howard Rollins B. Adolph Ceaser C. Hattie McDaniel D. Halle Berry 8. First Into Space: In 1992, Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to go into space aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. During her _____ mission, she worked with U.S. and Japanese researchers, and was a coinvestigator on a bone cell experiment. A. eight-day B. five-day

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C. ten-day D. two-day 9. First in the White House: In 2009, Barack Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. He was inaugurated on January 20, 2009. When he was sworn in, he was only _____. He occupied the White House for two consecutive terms, serving from 2009 to 2017. A. 45 years old B. 47 years old C. 50 years old D. 42 years old 10. First Solo Anchor: Lester Holt became the first African-American solo anchor of ________. Holt joined the network in 2000 and was a versatile force, leading broadcasts on breaking news and anchoring the weekend edition of the evening news, and hosting Dateline. A. Fox News B. CNN C. Boomerang Network D. NBC Nightly News Answers: 1.A 2.C 3.D 4.C 5.A 6.B 7.C 8.A 9.B 10.D

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24 | April 2018 REAL ESTATE

Five Tips to Stress-Free Homeownership from the Experts By Christopher G. Cox NNPA News Provider

or most people, the decision to purchase a home is the single biggest financial commitment they will make in a lifetime of decisionmaking. The decision to buy a home, especially a first home, involves so many competing factors, that it can cause high levels of stress and anxiety. As stress-inducing as a home purchase can be, there are things that a prospective homeowner can do to minimize potential headaches. Ruth Hudspeth, branch manager for Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, says the number one thing homebuyers need to do is be prepared. Know your finances first. “A homeowner should be able to enjoy their new home without being overburdened by the financial commitment. Like any other big decision, however, that takes some planning.” Hudspeth said. “You have to take the time to understand your credit score, your capacity to qualify for a mortgage loan and what your budget will be.” Hudspeth, who has degrees in economics and business administration, recommended that individuals moving from a rental property into a home set aside the difference between the mortgage payment and the rent payment and put that money into a separate account.

“If, for example,” she noted, “your mortgage payment is going to be $1,000 a month and your rent has been $500, pay yourself the $500 difference for a while and see how well you handle it.” A lender might be able to tell you the amount of the mortgage loan you can qualify for, but he can’t tell you how much paying that mortgage will affect your lifestyle. Learn as much as you can about the process of buying a home. “Buying a home is a big decision,” said

Hudspeth. “It doesn’t make sense to wait until you are too close to making that decision to educate yourself.” Dr. Kimya N. Dennis, a criminologist, who does work in demographic and cultural variance in mental health, agreed that careful preparation is the key to reducing the stress associated with getting into the housing market. “I encourage people to take time to communicate with everyone involved in the process of purchasing a home,” Dennis said. “There needs to be open and

honest discussion that weighs all the pros and cons.” Take a hard look at your quality of life. Dennis added that long- and short-term economic goals, location and commuting time, quality of the construction and access to public transportation should also be discussed. Dennis emphasized the importance of carefully reviewing and understanding all the documents required to purchase a home. As part of that process, she suggested that taking advantage of low- and nocost programs designed to educate homebuyers, such as those offered by the local affiliates of the National Urban League, as well as other community organizations. Ask plenty of questions. “If you want to keep your anxiety level low, you can’t be afraid to ask questions,” said Dennis. “As basic as it sounds, sometimes you just have to take a few minutes to pause and breathe.” Remember to breathe. She explained that a common reaction to anxiety is holding one’s breath, especially just before making a big decision. Dennis concluded: “You might be surprised to find out how much it helps to just stop and take a few deep breaths when decisions threaten to become overwhelming.” Source: NNPA.org

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Relocating to Dallas? Let me help you find your dream home.

Mena Freeman Real Estate Agent 702646 (972) 665-2825 menafreeman@kw.com www.menafreemanhomes.com

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T H E

E X P E R T

N E TW O R K

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Charlotte A. Jackson Noel Pinnock Keyana Pratt Alisa Manning Peppers Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner d-mars.com News Provider

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