Community Journal 49

Community Journal

Faith-based | Non-Profits | Foundations | Community Organizations | Entertainment | Fashion | Lifestyle | Sports

October - November 2015

INSIDE

Connect With Us

Inspire, Inform & Educate facebook.com/dmarsmarketing

49th Edition @dmars_com

Time for a Change

@dmars_com

A Tribute to Marcia Paige

By Kim Floyd Marcia Paige understood that life is a precious gift and should be treated with the utmost respect.

PAGE 6

PAGES 4-5

Mack Performing Arts Collective Brings Star Power to Houston

Believe to Achieve

By Minister Eugenie Doualla We can be a doer, doing all that needs to be done to the best of our abilities.

PAGE 10

VOTE

PAGE 18 PAGES 14-16

What You Can Do to Increase Young Adult Voting

By Kaylan Curvey Commander-in-chief is a huge role to fill and young voters stand to make a huge impact on who fills this position.

PAGE 16

In the Community‌

Universal Elite Aerospace Is Opening Doors for Young Houstonians to Succeed

Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher. – Oprah Winfrey

October - November 2015 3

Journal Behind The

Publisher’s Message

MR. D-MARS

SR. PUBLISHER Keith J. Davis, Sr.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Kevin Davis

VICE PRESIDENT Kim Floyd

ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla

Office Manager Johnny Ray Davis, Jr.

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES C.T. Foster Eric D. Goodwine Tiffany Black

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Time for a Change is the theme for this issue of the d-mars.com Community Journal. It’s almost the end of the year.

Are you ready to make a change in your life? Have you been putting off achieving that goal that you need to accomplish? This is the time to start making that positive change. Some like to wait until the new year to start achieving goals, but there’s no time like the present to start making positive changes that will better you and your community.

This month’s cover story is on Jalene Mack and the Mack Performing Arts Collective (MPAC). Mack is the Founder, Executive Director and Artistic Director of MPAC. Through MPAC, Mack is opening doors for members of the community with an interest in the arts to succeed in the entertainment industry. Recently, MPAC hosted an event open to the public that provided a place to network, with the purpose to learn the business of show business from career changers through casting, comedy, TV, film, broadcast media, business and legal workshops. MPAC is empowering, inspiring and motivating others to succeed.

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.

Dawn Paul

PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter Tony Gaines

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes

LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Angel Rosa

DISTRIBUTION Booker T. Davis, Jr. Rockie Hayden

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kim Floyd Minister Eugenie Doualla Pastor Alan Kaylan Curvey Shelondra Peavy Evangelist J.J. Simmons d-mars.com News Provider

MR. D-MARS

Contents Mack Performing Arts Collective..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4-5 A Tribute to Marcia Paige.......................................................................................................................................................................................................6 Heat Your Home without Wasting Energy This Season................................................................................................................................................8 Believe to Achieve....................................................................................................................................................................................................................10 A Change Is Gonna Come.......................................................................................................................................................................................................12 In the Community........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 - 16 Young Adult Voting..................................................................................................................................................................................................................16 Time for a Change................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Solvable Home Health and Safety Risks.......................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Universal Elite Aerospace......................................................................................................................................................................................................18 A Financial Change..................................................................................................................................................................................................................19 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee................................................................................................................................................................................20 Teachers....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................20

Are you Ready to Take Your Business to the Next Level?

499.99

Tip of the Month

“No one can degrade us, except ourselves.”

– Booker T. Washington

.99 1991year

Presents

BLACK PAGES ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY What this means to you,

The Business Owner: • The ability to stimulate money in our communities • Publicity at an affordable price • The professionalism it provides to black-owned businesses

It’s time we put our future finances into our own HANDS! We must encourage members to patronize black-owned businesses to further expand the economic power of African American merchants and the households that support them.

ADVERTISING | MARKETING | MEDIA | COMMUNICATIONS

Call today 713.272.9511

It’s Just That Simple!!!

www.d-mars.com

contact@d-mars.com

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

4 October - November 2015

Providing Opportunities for the Community to Cultivate the Interest of Performing Arts By d-mars.com News Provider

M

ack Performing Arts Collective (MPAC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation founded by one of the most acclaimed entertainment lawyers in our area, Jalene Mack. As founder, executive director and artistic director of MPAC, Mack is ensuring the mission of the organization, “Cultivating the Interest of Performing Arts by Exposing, Educating and Entertaining our Youth and Young Adults,” through activities, workshops and events featuring key individuals in the entertainment industry.

Recently, MPAC hosted a workshop with celebrities and giants in the entertainment industry that empowered, inspired and motivated.

Jalene Mack, MPAC Founder Jalene Mack, MPAC Founder For Mack, watching Kim Fields in the popular sitcom The Facts of Life, she was inspired to be an actress. Although her acting skills are strong when it comes to drama, Mack gravitated towards comedy. Her improvisational skills provided her ever-expanding opportunities, exposing the world to her comedic talents. Her performance with actor/co-

median Katt Williams in the comedy, Treasure in Tha Hood and her comedic skills in My Big Phat Hip Hop Family, provided her the momentum she needed to continue to present her true comedic acting gifts. Mack’s outgoing personality keeps her in demand as an emcee and host for live celebrations, events and concerts. Emceeing and opening for comedian Ricky Smiley at the Houston Reliant Arena for the Midsummer Meltdown Comedy Show & Concert presented her yet another opportunity to expand as a comedic actress.

Mack’s most notable acting projects to date include roles in Fortress Production Group’s Lucky Girl, Warner Bros. Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Wayne Slaten’s Osprey, Weinstein Company’s Hurricane Season, Maverick Entertainment’s A Gangland Love Story, KNWS Channel 51’s As for Me & My House, Warner Bros.

DVD release of Mike Jones: The American Dream, The Madam’s Family: The Truth About Canal Street Brothel, The Great Divide currently running on Centric and Netflix; and as Jasmine in her 1st self-written/produced play, Off Hollywood: The Play and countless other projects. Her client roster reads like an all-star line-up, including no-

CONTINUED on page 5 Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

October - November 2015 5

CONTINUED from page 4 tables like Steve Harvey, Rushion McDonald, Thomas Miles aka Nephew Tommy, Robin Givens and many other well-knowns in the entertainment industry.

Mack is not only a powerhouse in media, but she also has a spirit of the community, involved in various capacities with The Fort Bend Church, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Houston Lawyers Association, The National Bar Association and other community organizations. Realizing she had invaluable knowledge as a business woman, entertainment lawyer, playwright, producer and actress, having a circle of high profile clients, industry colleagues and contacts ranging from all facets of performing arts, and having resources most often times out of reach of others were right at her fingertips, MPAC was the opportunity for her to give back to her community. Through MPAC, Mack expanded the growth of the performing arts industry in Houston and started making dreams come true.

“MPAC is about bringing access. I don’t care what your income bracket is or education level. Sometimes we just don’t have access.

In the entertainment industry, relationships are extremely valuable and often times the key to being successful.

This recent MPAC conference fostered that type of networking environment.”

– Jalene Mack, MPAC Founder

MPAC Objectives MPAC Objectives

• •

Provide a forum for introducing new playwrights Provide performing arts related classes and workshops to unexposed or underexposed children and adults Provide public exposure to the Arts through festivals that promote acting, film, theater, music, standup comedy, dance and poetry Provide business related classes and workshops to individuals and companies in the performing arts industry Provide master classes in acting, playwright, technical theater, film, dance, stand-up comedy and musical theater Provide a networking environment and information exchange forum for the Performing Arts Provide events that cultivate the local entertainment industry growth through national and global connections that make a profound impact on new and old art goers Provide acknowledgements and awards to selected supporters and performers of the entertainment industry who demonstrate principals consistent with the company’s mission Provide a one-stop resource venue that fosters creativity, expands knowledge, promotes productions and enables growth in the performing arts Provide diverse works that cater to ethnically diverse audiences

•

MPAC is meeting and exceeding their objectives. Mack continues to grow MPAC and its initiatives, to ensure that the organization lives out its mission. To help achieve the MPAC mission and objectives, Mack, Emmy award-winning TV producer Rushion McDonald and attorney Ricky Anderson hosted a star-studded launch of Entertainment MPAC, a one-stop entertainment empowerment resource

tour filled with top industry professional experts in show business that have been career changers for many in the entertainment industry. The tour provided a place to network with purpose and learn the business of show business from career changers through casting, comedy, TV, film, broadcast media, business and legal workshops.

The tour empowered, inspired and motivated success. This inaugural

• • • • •

• •

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

group of celebrity and expert panelists included OWN TV’s Kym Whitley, ABC’s Sherri Shepherd, Emmy Awardwinning producer Rushion McDonald of the Steve Harvey Show and Family Feud and attorney Ricky Anderson.

Mack and MPAC are empowering others to succeed in entertainment through outreach, networking events and education. Opening doors for others to succeed in entertainment is what MPAC is all about. For more on Jalene Mack and MPAC, please visit www.mpac-arts.org.

6 October - November 2015

A Tribute to

Marcia Paige

Celebrating the Life of an Angel, Dreamer and Achiever

By Kim Floyd

Contributing Writer

M

arcia Paige understood that life is a precious gift and should be treated with the utmost respect. She was a shining example of how you should enjoy every precious moment you have here on earth. Paige touched countless lives during her life before losing her fight to breast cancer, and she made many friends along the way.

Paige was an advertising director at MOROCH, and managed advertising campaigns for such giants as Chrysler, General Mills and McDonald’s, just to name a few. Not only was she savvy when it

came to business, but she also gave back to her community. Paige had a heart for the community, and was a mentor, advocate and a dynamic speaker, always sharing her business and marketing acumen around the country. When diagnosed with breast cancer, she took it in stride, and always kept a smile on her face.

Paige never lost that smile during her bout with breast cancer, and that smile is still remembered today. Breast cancer took this angel from her friends, family and colleagues on March 24, 2013. She will never be forgotten.

Recently, LAMIK Beauty hosted a ‘Glammogram’ event that honored the life, legacy and memory of Paige. This fundraising event raised much needed funds for mammograms and benefitted The Rose, an organization that seeks to reduce deaths from breast cancer by providing access to screening, diagnostics and treatment services to any woman, regardless of her ability to pay.

“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.”

—Charles Darwin

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

What a fitting testimony to such an amazing woman. That’s not the only testament to her life. MOROCH started the Marcia Paige Scholars program—an annual, paid scholarship/internship in several MOROCH cities (Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Detroit and Philadelphia) with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. For more information, please visit http://www.moroch.com/about/mar cia-paige-scholars.

October - November 2015  7

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

8 October - November 2015

Heat Your Home without Wasting Energy This Season

I

By d-mars.com News Provider

f you’re interested in living a greener lifestyle, perhaps you’re already trying to reduce your energy usage as much as possible. Maybe you ride your bike to work, unplug your electronics when they’re not in use, use fans during warm weather and avoid wasting water.

Saving energy can get more difficult, however, when the seasons change and colder weather sets in. Heat is a primary source of energy usage. In fact, research from Tulikivi, the world’s largest manufacturer of heat-retaining fireplaces, shows that 52 percent of a home’s annual energy consumption is allocated to heat.

Now is the time to think about reducing your energy usage during the winter. Here are some ideas that will help you enjoy a warm, cozy home while saving both money and energy.

Heat more efficiently A crackling fire makes for more than

just a pleasurable experience; it can also be an energy-efficient heating source.

Fireplaces from Tulikivi help heat your home long after the fire goes out. Tulikivi fireplaces are built from soapstone, which has better thermal conductivity compared to other materials because of its dense structure and mineral composition.

For homeowners, this means once you start a fire in your fireplace, the soapstone will store heat in its thermal mass, allowing a two-hour burn to radiate heat for up to 24 hours. This lets you enjoy the clean, comfortable, costsaving warmth without using additional energy.

You can learn more about Tulikivi, the recycled materials used in its manufacturing process, the clean combustion of its masonry heaters and its commitment to sustainability at Tulikivi.us.

Close the drafts One of the best ways to improve your energy efficiency is to reduce your energy

waste. Window cracks and door drafts allow warm air to escape, which means you’re leaking both energy and money.

Seal those areas by using caulk to shore up any drafty windows and put plastic wrap over the window surface to keep out the chill. For the door jambs, you can purchase a door stopper to plug the gap or you can use a towel at the base to block the opening. Try to close off the bottom of any exterior door, particularly the doors you seldom use.

Make sure your other heating options are running efficiently When you’re not using your fireplace, it’s good to know your backup heating options are operating efficiently. Have your furnace inspected routinely

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

and make sure you change the filter each month. You should also invest in a smart thermostat. This technology allows you to set the temperature of your home for different times of the day so you can lower it when you’re sleeping or away. The calendar option means you can program your home’s temperatures ensuring you never waste energy.

Although it’s still nice outside, colder temperatures are on their way.

That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your green lifestyle when you cheeks turn red. By using the tips above, you’ll still enjoy the same warmth and comfort without the additional environmental impact. To learn more about Tulikivi, visit Tulikivi.us or find them on Facebook and Twitter. – BPT

October - November 2015  9

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

10 October - November 2015

Believe to Achieve

By Minister Eugenie Doualla

W

Contributing Writer

e can be a doer, doing all that needs to be done to the best of our abilities.

However, if our best doesn’t work, what does that tell us? Palms 127:1 tells us that unless the Lord builds the house, the labor of those who build it is in vain.

The people in John 6:28 wanted to know what they needed to do to please God. They wanted to know what to do in order to perform the works of God. “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent’” (John 6:29, New International Version).

There is nothing wrong with achieving, but the way to achieve is to first believe.

When we first believe, that frees us from worry and reasoning and enables us to live victorious and blessed lives. God has work for us to do, but faith must come

first and works to follow. When done in faith, works are easier and God gets the credit instead of us. Faith without works is dead, but we must be careful not to put the cart before the horse. When we do not put faith first, we can make every effort, but will still struggle and see no progress. We need to remember to have the mindset that we are believers before achievers. Our first and foremost work is always to believe!

Today’sPrayer: Prayer: Today’s Father, we come to Your throne of grace to throw our unbeliefs at your feet so that You can renew our minds, increase our faith, renew the joy of our salvation and feed our spirit daily. Lord, please give us the heart to seek first Your kingdom so everything can be added to our lives. Please help us to sow seeds in the fertile ground and take actions that will bless the next generation and our family. In the precious name of Jesus Christ our Messiah, amen.

In my daily reading of God’s Word, I also refer to the teachings and writings of other ministers. This submission was inspired by Joyce Meyer (www.joycemeyer.org).

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

October - November 2015  11

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

12 October - November 2015

A Change Is Gonna Come!

I

By Pastor Alan

Contributing Writer

n 1964, Sam Cooke released A Change Is Gonna Come off of his album entitled Ain’t That Good News? It instantly became a classic and an anthem for change for the civil rights movement. Even to this day, it is one of the most sentimental and soulful singles ever recorded.

Change is inevitable in life. In some form or fashion all of us see the evidence of change that cannot be denied due to time. For some of us, our hairlines have changed, and for others our waistlines have changed. Change can be involuntary or voluntary. Change can be profitable and unprofitable. One thing for certain is that change is inevitable. No matter how we try to deny it, “A change is gonna come.”

George Bernard Shaw said, “Progress

is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” We must change our conscious. Real effective change must first begin with each of us becoming a committee of one and allow our consciousness to convict our thoughts to change how we think about our circumstances, climate and conditions.

What Mr. Shaw said is true in that those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. Sometimes in the African-American community, we are quick to blame Caucasians and the government for the problems in our community, while overlooking our own conscious. Are we guilty of buying high-top (Air Jordan) shoes, but having low ambitions? We have no problem making Michael Jordan richer, but we question whether we should even give to the

church. We must change our conscious.

When we change our conscious we’re able to change our community. No one is going to care about our community more than us. We want law enforcement to respect us in our communities, but we must remember to respect ourselves. We must own up to what we are doing to each other first, rather than fueling our energies into efforts that are not contributing to solutions. Our communities will change when our conscious changes.

When we change our own conscious and then change our own communities, that’s when we then become the creative catalyst for change in our country.

We have the power to make significant strides in changing laws, changing unemployment rates, improving health care and providing quality education

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

for our children. We have the power to make positive progress.

To create these changes in our country and communities, we must first begin with our own conscious by being committed to what Jesus claimed would change His country, community and the conscious of the citizen who was curious (Matthew 12:30-31). In Luke 10:27, it reads, “He answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" When we demonstrate what Jesus declared, that is when we will discover A CHANGE IS GONNA COME! Pastor Alan is the Pastor at Mount Corinth Church located at 4901 Providence Street, Houston, Texas 77020.

October - November 2015  13

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

14 October - November 2015

In the Community…

To View More Photos, Visit Our Website www.d-mars.com and Click on ‘Photos’

DESTINY Moscato Event

The Pinnacle Awards

Houston’s Future 2015 Mayoral Forum

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

October - November 2015 15

In the Community…

To View More Photos, Visit Our Website www.d-mars.com and Click on ‘Photos’

The Links, Incorporated

Chief Justice Nathan Hecht at TSU

The Church Without Walls

The Root Women’s Event

TWEF

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

16 October - November 2015

In the Community…

To View More Photos, Visit Our Website www.d-mars.com and Click on ‘Photos’

Pep Rally for Sylvester Turner at The Power Center

What You Can Do to Increase Young Adult Voting

C

By Kaylan Curvey Contributing Writer

ommander-in-chief is a huge role to fill, and young voters stand to make a huge impact on who fills this position. According to The Economist, young adults, ages 18-24, currently make up 21% of the voting eligible population in the United States.

It is not only in America that the young people don’t express their right to vote.

Historically, youth turnout has never been particularly high anywhere, but in the past few decades things have gotten worse. Why is it so difficult to get young people to the polls?

The data suggest that three factors

consistently make a difference in voting rates for young people: money, marriage and homeownership. Having children and owning property give citizens a direct interest in how schools and hospitals are run, and whether parks and libraries are maintained. But if they settle down, young people are waiting longer to do it. By putting off traditional markers of adulthood, the road to such has lengthened, while the responsibilities of voting have not. Many don’t realize how precious it is to have a voice by voting in a nation so great that gives equal rights to all American adults to vote, whereas other countries lack this fundamental freedom. Although the casting process is not perfect, voting can be your part in helping it take a turn in the right direction. Together, young adults can make a difference in the 2016 elections and have their voices heard.

How can we encourage more young people to vote?

Registering: By registering to vote and becoming an advocate for voting, you could encourage and inspire others

do the same.

Pre-registering Teens: Some states have put a bill in place that will allow 16 and 17 year olds the ability to pre-register to vote when they apply for a driver’s license or state ID. This is a simple step to increase the number of young voters.

Since having an ID at this age is required

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

by law, combining it with registering to vote will make the voting process easier.

Contact: Making sure that your friends and family members who can vote are registered and are actually going to the polls can directly help the number of young voters. Consider calling, texting, and using social media to encourage people to get out and express their voice by voting.

Making an Educated Vote: There is a big difference between just casting a vote and voting for someone you feel will better this country. Becoming knowledgeable about the candidates and knowing how your own beliefs align with those who are running is important. Candidates have different views on popular issues, like equal pay, gun control and global warming. Having a president who will bring forth the change you want to see is a part of the process of voting.

Everyone can do more when it comes to encouraging others to get out and vote. While it can all be overwhelming, this process is very important for the nation. Together voters can ensure their ideas are reflected as they make their choice for America's political leaders.

October - November 2015 17

Time for a Change

By Evangelist J.J. Simmons

W

Contributing Writer

e are living in a time when everything is always changing, products are getting better and companies are looking for ways to serve their customers in a faster way.

I believe we should always be looking for new ways of improving ourselves, because if you don’t change for the better and stay ahead of the times, you will get left behind in this fast-paced world. Let me give you a few tips that I still use today that helped challenge and transform me a few years ago:

Self-Examination I will never forget one day when God spoke to me. He told me to change the way that I think. If you change the way you think, it will change you for the better. What you put out in your thoughts, you will attract. I remember one day when I was selling my CDs,

I was getting discouraged and having doubts about whether or not the price was too high and thinking if my CD would be received and have interest.

The inner me wasn’t seeing clearly, and my thought life was not what it needed to be. I was not thinking positive, and my mind was filled with doubts, negativity and clutter, that I wasn’t seeing positive results. It was at that point that I had to examine myself and fix my thought pattern.

Revelation I had to search myself and take a good hard look in the mirror daily and truly come to a full understanding that God had empowered me to be great and do great things. The revelation came to me through daily prayer, daily reading of the Bible and being sensitive to God’s voice and what He had to say about my true potential and purpose. When I started to hear God’s true voice, I saw my CD evangelism ministry increase and make a positive impact on a growing number of people. Though it’s true that there are struggles in life, you have to keep a positive mindset and stay focused on God. When you do that, God will reveal things to you about yourself.

Many times we don’t see what God sees in us, but the truth is that He sees in us an awesome person who can accomplish anything.

Visualization You have to visualize the person you want to become. Bodybuilders do this all the time. They go find a picture of someone whose body is exactly what they want to look like and work towards making it happen. I must admit that I do this all the time. On my prayer wall, I have pictures of every person I admire who has played a huge part in helping me grow. Visualization is super important, because you must see who and what it is that you want to be to help you on your journey of growth.

Execution A few days ago, I recorded a video on the power of thinking small for my Instagram page. With everyone talking about thinking big, you may think I’m

crazy for encouraging people to think small. Many people talk about thinking big, and it’s true that you need to think big, but I learned a powerful secret about thinking small. When you make short-term goals and accomplish those, the bigger goals become much more attainable. For example, you can say you want to lose 50 pounds, but it can maybe be overwhelming or intimidating thinking about a 50 pound weight loss. However, making a goal of losing 2-3 pounds a week will get you to that 50 pound weight loss. The small goals help you reach those big goals.

I hope the above mentioned tips put you in the mindset to change for the better and to start making improvements in specific areas of your life.

You can do it!

For more wisdom, please visit my website at www.jjsimmons.org.

The Most Common - and Solvable - Home Health and Safety Risks By d-mars.com News Provider

F

or many Americans, “home” evokes warmth, comfort, security and safety. But while home may be sweet, statistics show it’s far from safe. From falls and other types of accidents to fires and poor indoor air quality, home can be a dangerous place — so it’s important to make simple home improvements that can help minimize avoidable home safety and health risks.

Falls Falls are the leading type of accident that sends people of all ages to the emergency room, each year, and they’re particularly dangerous for older people and very young children, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Simple changes to your home can help reduce the risk of someone falling: • Make sure all stairways are equipped with handrails that are securely fixed to the wall.

• Outfit bathrooms used by seniors

with grab bars in shower and toilet areas.

• Provide adequate lighting for when people move around at night, especially in stairways, hallways and bathrooms.

The same is true during the day, especially for older adults and for anyone with reduced vision. Traditional or tubular skylights can bring abundant natural light into these and other areas of the home.

• Remove or tack down area rugs to reduce the risk someone will catch a toe and trip.

• To prevent small children from falling out of windows, install window guards with an emergency release device in case of fire.

• Use safety straps when placing babies and young children in high chairs, carriers or swings, and never leave a child alone while he or she is strapped in to a device.

Indoor air quality While you may think of pollution as an outdoor problem, the air inside your home can actually host more harmful irritants than outside air, according to research by the Environmental Protection Agency. Air pollution has been linked to

a host of health problems, from respiratory ailments like allergies and asthma, to headaches and even depression. Several home upgrades can help improve air quality inside your home.

When painting choose low or no-VOC paints. Consider removing carpets if you suffer from allergies or asthma. Good ventilation can make a home more comfortable and the air inside it healthier.

You can improve ventilation in a variety of ways, including by installing fresh air skylights. In addition to venting stale indoor air through passive ventilation, Energy Star-qualified solar powered fresh air skylights deliver the health benefits of natural light. Energy-efficient, remotecontrolled solar powered fresh air skylights and solar powered blinds are eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit as are the installation costs. Visit www. veluxusa.com to learn more.

Fires Each year, thousands of Americans are killed or injured in home fires, according to data from the National Fire Protection Association. Yet homeowners can do a lot to reduce the risk of a fire

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

occurring: • Every home should be equipped with smoke alarms. If your home is older, it may not already have alarms. Add them — smoke alarms reduce the risk of home fire fatality by half, according to the NFPA. If you do have smoke alarms, but they’re old, replace them with newer models, and consider the investment of having your home hard-wired with alarms.

• Replace old electrical wiring and appliances — they’re a leading cause of home fires.

• If you have a wood-burning fireplace, use a safety screen to catch sparks and prevent burning material from rolling out.

• Finally, if you’re building a new home or renovating an existing one, consider adding a home fire sprinkler system.

According to the NFPA, they reduce the chance of someone dying in a home fire by 80 percent. When installed during new construction, a home fire sprinkler system costs about $1.35 per square foot of covered space, the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition says, noting that’s about what you would pay to upgrade your carpeting. – BPT

18 October - November 2015

Universal Elite Aerospace Is Opening Doors for Young Houstonians to Succeed By d-mars.com News Provider

K

enneth Morris is a proud U.S. Navy veteran and Houstonian.

Growing up in the Fifth Ward area, he knows all too well the importance of positive outlets and initiatives for the youth in our Houston community. Morris is Founder and CEO of Universal Elite Aerospace, a nonprofit organization exposing Houston’s youth to the areas of aviation and aerospace.

Our youth are in need of experience in this area, and Morris’ philanthropy expanding our young people’s opportunities in the fields of aviation and aerospace will give them a great future and a unique experience that will open them to a whole new world, creating positive change. Morris believes that for Houston’s youth to want to be something different, they have to be exposed to different opportunities, experiences and activities, and that is just what he is doing with Universal Elite Aerospace.

Prior to creating this foundation, Morris became the primary caretaker for his son’s mother, who is also a U.S. Navy veteran who is now 100% disabled after an unsuccessful brain surgery to remove a tumor. Morris is teaching his son to be a respectable, intelligent and caring young man, who has a spirit for the community.

Morris, through Universal Elite Aerospace is inspiring, motivating, mentoring, educating and leading countless young people. He believes in his vision so much, that he is financing this endeavor to better young people with his own financial resources. So far, the

feedback has been positive, the impact has been amazing, and the impressions

made on the young participants have been long-lasting.

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

Some of Universal Elite Aerospace’s accomplishments and achievements include, but are not limited to: • Received a Letter of Recognition from President Barack Obama • Nominated for NAACP Hometown Hero Award • Voted “1 of Top 40” Nonprofits in Houston, Texas • Orchestrated first Aviation Black History Month Program in Houston • Universal Elite Aerospace has made more than 30 appearances at community events Universal Elite Aerospace is leaving its mark in Houston neighborhoods and surrounding areas and the school system. Morris says, “Universal Elite Aerospace is helping our youth realize their true potential to achieve greatness at whatever it is they desire to become.” For more information on Universal Elite Aerospace, please visit www.universalelite.org.

October - November 2015 19

A Financial Change: It Will Not Be Televised

By Shelondra Peavy

H

Contributing Writer

aving thrived in the past, middleclassed Americans are steadily losing ground in this day and time.

Unvaryingly, the lines that separate the middle-class from the poor are vastly becoming blurred, while our country drifts into dividing itself entirely into only two classes of people; rich and poor. Meanwhile, in communities and cities across the nation, political candidates are presenting their best game faces and applying their greatest efforts to sway voters to the polls on their behalf. The rising cost of living, stagnant rates of pay, inflated tax rates and oppressive laws are among the hot topics dominating the discussions of town hall meetings, barber shops, and workplace break-rooms.

Yet, where does the problem truly lie? Are we placing too much re-

sponsibility on politicians and policy makers? Is it possible that we are our own worst oppressors by way of unhealthy personal actions and preferences? Members of today’s society are gripped by media images that have a great inf luence on their choices of associates, fashion, foods, mannerisms, general habits and beyond.

This leads to the following rhetorical question: “Are certain gainfully employed people in a critical financial condition because they’re underpaid, or is it because of their misdirected priorities?” And while such an alarming matter is left to linger, we remain in the balance, longing for an opportunity to escape the choke-hold that our financial disorder has us in. Society at large is spending valuable time clutching television remote controls and surfing across the network for a person or situation that could usher in a much-needed change.

But the fact is: the answer to an effective financial breakthrough will not be televised. A magic cure to society’s disproportion in commerce and finances will not likely be found through any broadcasted debate or election. Instead, the true agent of change should begin from person to person, house to house and from one community to the next. Collectively, a change of mindset and perception is indeed powerful enough to catapult

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

us out of the clutches of economic disparity. We need to realize that ‘prosperity’ is measured by “how little we need” as opposed to “how much we’ve accumulated”. In the long run, it’s better to simply exit the “rat wheel” instead of remaining inside of it and racing vigorously against certain neighbors and co-workers for the sake of assessing who “has the most” or “looks the best.” In fact, it’s smart to finally recognize that running at top-speed in such a race will literally get us no further ahead (in the area of wealth and/or worth) than we would be if we didn’t run at all.

Even if it stems from elsewhere, the need for change is always personal, and if a person never changes anything, then nothing is likely to change. Likewise, it’s sensible for people to change whatever they can change, accept the things they cannot change and understand the difference between the two.

As it’s defined, government means control, management, rule, and direction of affairs, including concerns, distresses and otherwise. That said, it’s wise for us to elect like-minded individuals to represent us in appointed seats of government. Nonetheless, it seems that the most beneficial government would begin with each individual making a conscious effort to appropriately govern themselves.

20 October - November 2015

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Holds Ribbon Cutting and Tree Planting Ceremony at the Charles Drew Academy Garden By d-mars.com News Provider

O

besity and other health problems are plaguing the adults and youth in our community. Health is a top priority to many, but unfortunately, they do not have the financial means to afford fresh fruits and vegetables to help sustain a healthy lifestyle. Community gardens are a great way to give members of the community access to these healthy foods.

Keeping the community healthy is a priority for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, as she recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for an initiative that will help make for a healthier community.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee held a ribbon cutting and tree planting ceremony at the Charles Drew Academy Garden. Also at this event, the Congresswoman announced the awarding of a USDA grant for its community garden. “This important USDA grant will help the students of Drew Academy participate actively in growing foods that they currently eat for better health,” says Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. This USDA grant will help with the development of a community garden. This community garden will help the next generation receive the tools necessary that will help keep them healthy going into their adulthood.

These community gardens are collab-

orative projects on shared open spaces where participants share in the maintenance and products of the garden, including healthful and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables (www.cdc.gov).

Community gardens help offer physical

and mental health benefits by providing opportunities to: • Eat healthy fresh fruits and vegetables • Engage in physical activity, skill building and creating green space

• Beautify vacant lots • Revitalize and beautify communities • Decrease violence • Improve social well-being through strengthening social connections Some of the health problems in our community are due to lack of proper nutrition. Unfortunately, there are some in our community who do not have access to fresh fruit and vegetables.

Under the leadership of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the community garden at Charles Drew Academy will help our youth participate in growing healthy food and leave a legacy of health in the area.

Teachers: The Resource Students Need Most Remains in Short Supply By d-mars.com News Provider

T

he role of teachers in today’s society cannot be understated. Outside of a child’s parents, teachers are often the primary adult influencers in a young person’s life. Yet this essential role is getting harder and harder to fill as school districts across the nation face significant teacher shortages according to the U.S. Department of Education. To counteract this critical problem, recruiting new talent to the profession has become a national priority. What shouldn’t be lost in the quest for teachers, however is the intrinsic rewards of influencing and educating young people. The educators of tomorrow must view teaching as a path toward improving lives, not simply as a means to meet the demand.

of teachers are satisfied with their choice to become a teacher, according to a recent University of Phoenix College of Education survey of more than 1,000 K-12 teachers. Additionally, 68 percent of teachers, who entered the field in the past 10 years, say they would recommend the profession to others.

Recent federal data supports these findings as well. Eighty-three percent of teachers who entered the field in 20082009 were still working in education five years later, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of The modern teacher shortage can be tied to many things - including a wave teachers

Morale remains high

of retiring educators and national education funding challenges - but teacher morale does not appear to be an issue. Research shows that 88 percent

Efforts to grow the teaching ranks must focus on teacher recruitment, particularly in STEM subjects. Research also shows that expanding access to

Teacher preparation programs that offer flexibility and relevance to the dynamics of today’s classrooms are a must for student success. In addition, the curriculum offered by higher education institutions should also provide today’s teacher candidates with real-world scenarios that encourage critical thinking and decision-making skills. These lessons will be vital when managing their own classrooms in the years ahead.

Inspiring tomorrow’s teachers

teacher preparation programs and providing prospective teachers with experience that will help them navigate the critical first few years in the classroom is essential.

Higher education institutions play a vital role in ensuring potential candidates understand the opportunities that exist in education. Today’s teacher preparation programs must be able to accommodate modern student schedules and meet unique education needs.

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

As most teachers will attest, they did not join the profession to get rich, but rather to inspire children and young adults to learn, set ambitious goals and achieve them. The University of Phoenix survey found that past generations of teachers were quite successful at this.

Nearly half of respondents were inspired to join the profession by a teacher they had when they were young, according to the University of Phoenix survey.

Recruiting, retaining and supporting the individuals who are so critical to the future of today’s children, takes a team effort. But the efforts are worth it as the successes of today’s teachers will ultimately translate into the victories of tomorrow’s leaders. – BPT

October - November 2015  21

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

22  October - November 2015

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

October - November 2015  23

Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication