Urban Voice April Edition- Mental Health

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April • 2016 Edition

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER 2016 featuring ConFunkShun Midnight Star

RACISM INCARCERATION The incarceration rates disproportionately impact men of color; 1 in every 15 African American men are incarcerated in comparison to 1 in every 36 Hispanic men and 1 in 106 white men.

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People who are excluded, impoverished , homeless, incarcerated or have substance abuse problems are at a higher risk for poor mental health.

POVERTY Poverty disproportionately affects the black community, due in part to the legacy of slavery, segregation and racial discrimination in America. African-Americans are 20% more likely to report

HEALTH DISPARITIES Only 6.7% of adult blacks, verus 16% of adult whites, received treatment for mental health concerns. Barriers in access to care make it harder to get help.

VIOLENCE The U.S. Department of Justice has linked Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to gang violence.

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Lalah Hathaway LIVE! in Chattanooga - August 20th

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NATIONAL NEWS BRIEF 14 Million Americans Live in Extremely Poor Neighborhoods 51% of Blacks in Chattanooga Live in Extreme Poverty Neighborhoods through 2014.

ll Nearly 14 million Americans are living in extremely poor neighborhoods, more than twice as many as in 2000, a new report has found.

The economic downturn in the early 2000s, which was followed by slow job growth and then the Great Recession, sent the poverty rate soaring. The growing concentration of poverty is closely linked to the availability of affordable housing, the report from Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program found.

Poverty often becomes concentrated in neighborhoods with blocks of public or subsidized housing.

Also, it can happen when middle income families move away, leaving the poor behind, said study co-author Elizabeth Kneebone, a Brookings fellow. Or, working class neighborhoods can slide into concentrated poverty if the local economy goes south and residents lose their jobs.

In 2000, there were just over 2,000 Census tracts with concentrated rates of poverty -- where 40% or more of residents are poor. in the period between 2010 and 2014, that number had grown to nearly 4,200. Brookings compared data from the 2000 decennial Census and from the American Community Survey that looked at 2010

A growing body of research shows that one’s chances of getting ahead in America depends on where one grew up. For instance, young children who moved to better neighborhoods had higher incomes as young adults.

This is particularly true for boys, Harvard researchers Raj Chetty and Nathaniel Hendren found.

Strict policies are enforced to prevent these relationships from

influencing the association’s science content. Financial information for the American Heart Association, including a list of contributions from pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers, is available at www.heart.org/ corporatefunding.

The intersection between poverty and place matters.

Poor neighborhoods come with an array of challenges that negatively affect both the people who live in those neighborhoods—whether they themselves are poor or not—as well as the larger regions in which those neighborhoods are located.1 Residents of poor neighborhoods face higher crime rates and exhibit poorer physical and mental health outcomes. They tend to go to poor-performing neighborhood schools with higher dropout rates. Their job-seeking networks tend to be weaker and they face higher levels of financial insecurity.

The many barriers imposed by living in a poor neighborhood make it that much harder for residents to move up the economic ladder, and their chances of doing so only diminish the longer they live in such neighborhoods. Moreover, in regions where the poor are more segregated into poor places, the dampening effect on mobility extends beyond distressed neighborhoods to lower economic mobility for the region as a whole.

The concept of concentrated poverty reflects the fact that while pockets of deep neighborhood poverty can affect the well-being of all residents, they are especially troubling for poor families who already face burdens associated with their low incomes, and who may have fewer housing and neighborhood choices available to them. These challenges disproportionately fall

Number of Women-Owned Businesses Growing at Highest Pace Since the Recession nearly 9 million people and are generating more than $1.6 trillion in revenue.

NEW YORK-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Over the past nine years, the number of womenowned firms has grown at a rate five times faster than the national average, reaching a post-recession high, according to the 2016 State of WomenOwned Businesses Report, commissioned

by American Express OPEN (NYSE:AXP). The sixth annual report, which is based on historical and current U.S. Census Bureau data and Gross Domestic Product data, found that between 2007 and 2016, the number of women-owned firms rose by 42% with women starting 1,072 (net) new businesses per day.

Additionally, the report indicates that womenowned firms now number 11.3 million, employ

Women-owned firms are outpacing the national average in both job creation and revenue generation postrecession. Employment growth among womenowned firms is strong with an increase of 18% since 2007, while hiring declined 1% among all businesses during the same time period.

In addition, business revenues among womenowned firms increased by 35% since 2007, compared to 27% among all U.S. firms. With this growth, women are now the majority owners of 38% of the country’s businesses, up from 29% in 2007.

“We are pleased to see the continued rise of the vital role that women-owned businesses play in our country’s post-recession recovery,” said Susan Sobbott, president of American Express Global

Commercial Payments.

“We are inspired by these women who are continuing to pursue their entrepreneurial passions, and are strengthening our communities and economy even further.”

of color since 2007 (an increase of 2.8 million).

Significant growth in firms owned by women of color

•

Among women-owned firms, one of the fastest growing sectors are businesses owned by women of color. Over the past nine years, the number of firms owned by women of color more than doubled, increasing by 126%. In addition, the nearly five million businesses owned by women of color make up almost half of all womenowned firms. These businesses employ two million workers and generate $344 billion in annual revenue.

When comparing the growth in the number of firms owned by women of color with women-owned firms overall, nearly eight in 10 (79%) of the net new women-owned firms were started by a woman

to people of color, and, while they have long been particularly pronounced in inner cities, as poverty has spread beyond the urban core, so too has concentrated disadvantage.

For poor Hispanics and African Americans, concentrations of poverty rose even more sharply, particularly in the postrecession period (Figure 1). Between 2005-09 Metro Areas with Largest and 2010-14, the share Concentrated Poverty of poor residents living in distressed neighborhoods Rates climbed by 4.7 percentage • Syracuse, NY 58% points for Hispanics and • Rochester, NY 3.9 percentage points for blacks, compared to a much 53.3% more modest increase of 1.4 • Toledo, OH 54.6% percentage points for whites.

• Chattanooga, TN By 2010-14, poor Hispanics were more than three times 51% as likely as poor whites, and poor blacks were almost five times as likely as poor whites, to live in an extremely poor neighborhood.

Although whites made up

Rapper Jay-Z and His Mom, Gloria Carter, Announce New 2016 Scholarship Program via the Shawn Carter Foundation Jay-Z) to offer a unique opportunity to students who have been incarcerated or faced particular life challenges but still want to pursue higher education. The program gives them a chance that most other programs do not offer. The Carter Foundation is a firm believer in helping young people not only reach their career goals but also establish a secure future.

As of 2016, there are an estimated: •

1.9 million African American womenowned firms; just under 1.9 million Latina-owned businesses;

Since the recession, the greatest growth in number of women-owned firms was seen in the South. Eight out of the 10 fastest-growing states for number of women-owned firms between 2007 and 2016 are located in that region and are: Florida, Georgia, Texas, Michigan, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, The District of Columbia, South Dakota and Louisiana.

44 percent of the nation’s poor population in that time period, they accounted for just 18 percent of poor residents living in extremely poor neighborhoods. High levels of neighborhood distress thus remain a much more prominent feature in the lives of poor blacks and Hispanics than for their white counterparts.

ll Nationwide — The Shawn Carter Foundation Scholarship provides financial support to high school students as well as undergraduate students entering college for the first time. The purpose of the scholarship is to help under-served students who may not be eligible for other scholarships.

Students who have either graduated from high school or earned their G.E.D. may apply.

Minimum grade point average is 2.0. Students must have a strong desire to go to college and earn their degree. Students must also have a desire to give back to their communities.

Students up to age 25 may apply.

The scholarship can be used for tuition, room and board, books, fees and other college-related expenses. All high school seniors, undergraduate students at twoyear or four-year institutions and vocational or trade school students are eligible.

The deadline for this scholarship is on April 30th, and the award amount ranges from $1,500 – $2,500.

For more details and/or to apply, visit: www.scholarshipsonline. org/2013/05/shawn-carterfoundation-scholarship.html

The scholarship fund was established by Gloria Carter and and her son Shawn Carter (better known as rapper/ business mogul URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 3

APRIL

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EAST TENNESSEE EDITION NEWSMAGAZINE APRIL 2016

APRIL 2016

Price: $1

Pas letter from the

CHAIRMAN/PUBLISHER Jermaine D. Harper, MBA

In ancient West African tradition, there is an individual known as the griot. The griot has one purpose – to keep, tell, and retell the oral history of the tribe or village. In much the same way, the Black press has served this same purpose. Beginning in the year 1827, when Freedom’s Journal, the first newspaper produced by Black Americans went into circulation the black press has been the griot for Africa’s sons and daughters on the western shore, keeping, telling, and retelling the history of their experience, the Black Experience, so to speak, for almost two centuries.

In Freedoom’s Journal’s very first issue the editors, Rev. Samuel Cornish and John B. Russwurm, made a very bold statement - “Too long have others spoken for us … We wish to plead our own cause.” Those men believed, as the African Proverb instructs, that there was a need for a medium in which African Americans could communicate their views on the various social, political, and economic issues that were affecting their communities. In other words, there was a need to tell their own stories in their own words. There was a need to plead their own cause – to have their own voice.

For 189 years, the Black press has stood on the front lines printing the news of interest of Black America, chronicling and commenting on events as they have occurred and impacted our communities and giving voice to our struggles as we have sought to overcome the effects of enslavement and discrimination in an effort to attain social equality. That has been the tradition of the Black Press, from the griot to Freedom’s Journal, and now to the Urban Voice.

Why the black press?

until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter

-African Proverb If there was ever a time for needing the Black press, that time is NOW. In both Chattanooga and Knoxville we have experienced a renaissance and revitalization of some parts of our cities while other areas have been cursed with the plague of disinvestment. The revitalization and renaissance has been celebrated and reported from local and national press rooms. But these same press rooms ignore the voices shouting from communities in the urban core. For the urban core, the daily headlines of the mainstream press read like criminal rap sheets full of tales of murder and mayhem. It is the tale of two cities and only one of the two is being told, accurately.

Almost five years into this game and I’m still being asked – “Why do we need black publications?” I toss the question right back. How many black journalists work for the local newspaper? How many times have you read a story in mainstream media thinking, ‘they didn’t get that right, they should have asked so and so’? How many positive stories do you read about people in your community? Blacks are more than people in prison, on drugs, gang members or homeless. We are scholars, inventors, philanthropists and taxpayers who contribute to society.

Over the next 30 days, I challenge you to pick up 10 different local publications and count the number of smiling black faces.

Hit us up on social media and share what you find out.

You ask the question, “What is the need for the Black Press, or why The Urban Voice? Because it is needed! Simply put, we give voice to the many voiceless.

The Black perspective is not always the same, but certainly differs from mainstream, as though we are talking about different subjects and different people. We see the world differently as we still live differently. We embrace our differences. We need our very own voices. The role of the Black press has always been to talk about what mainstream hasn’t.

Our hope at The Urban Voice is to continue to provide insight on health, business, faith, finances and other issues impacting the black community from the black perspective. We will be progressive and inclusive as we write about people differently, we will challenge the status quo, we will talk about discrimination, lifestyle issues, politics, community events, and the party that happened last week. We will be engaging, and sometimes controversial. We will tell the stories of the many voices of our communities, and not allow one voice to speak for all black people.

We are the Urban Voice. We will continue to deliver stories that have been mistold, gone untold, and need to be retold.

Until Next Month,

- J.D. Harper

Chief Creative Officer

Jermaine D. Harper, MBA Email: jd.urbanvoice@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Archie Lynn Cole George Curry Sharetta T. Smith Jermaine D. Harper DaVette Jones Jessica Pierce Clint Powell Shanelle Smith Brtittany Thomas ADVERTISING Email: ads.urbanvoice@gmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY BA Photography, Brian Archie Look Within Photography, Shakeesha Semone WEBSITE: www.urbanvoiceonline.com COPYRIGHT All material appearing in Urban Voice NewsMagazine is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material. Urban Voice Newsmagazine takes all care to ensure information is correct at time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or editor.

Website theurbanvoice.org

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Columnist: James E. Clingman, an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati’s African American Studies department, is former editor of the Cincinnati Herald newspaper and founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce.

Mental Health: What is It? & What to Do About it?

Congresswoman ProPoses Bill to suPPort HBCus

If approved, the HBCU Innovation Fund Act will provide $250 million in competitive grants for historically Black colleges and universities. <<<<<< <<<<<<voices

HatHaway @ 22lalaH tivoli tHeatre in CHattanooga, tn august 20tH <<<<<<

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Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles Honorered Kyles, 81, has been in poor health since before his retirement.

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$250,000 HBCU Innovation Fund Act Introduced to Congress the outlet.

The legislation would also help HBCUs redesign course offerings to improve student outcomes and reduce education costs; enhance the quality and number of teacher preparation programs; expand the use of technology; and strengthen postgraduate employment outcomes for students.

Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, of the 12th Congressional district of North Carolina announced this week the introduction of the HBCU Innovation Fund Act, or H.R.4857, reports HBCU Buzz.

The legislation would create the HBCU Innovation Fund, where $250 million in competitive grants would be made available to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country, and allow for the planning and implementation of programs that improve student achievement, increase recruitment, increase graduation rates and increase enrollment and completion of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees, reports

As has been reported over the last few years, HBCUs and their students have been decimated by changes to federal loan programs (including Parent Plus loans); declining student enrollment in a “post-racial America”; low graduation rates; and fundraising difficulties. Many recognize, though, that HBCUs are a haven for some black students and entree for many into higher education.

“HBCUs provide opportunities for many low-income, first generation and often minority students to get a quality education,” said Congresswoman Adams, the co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus and member of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education.

“HBCUs give students the chance they deserve to succeed; however, they have been historically underfunded and lack many of the resources needed to address some of their most extreme challenges.

The HBCU Innovation Fund Act is one way to help close some of the gaps that persist on HBCU campuses and within HBCU administrations.”

Adams, who received her bachelors and masters from North Carolina A&T University, is joined in cosponsorship of the HBCU Innovation Fund Act by a bevy of African American Congresspersons including Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Corrine Brown (FL), Barbara Lee (CA), Donna F. Edwards (MD), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), Stacey E. Plaskett (VI), Alcee L. Hastings (FL), Bennie G. Thompson (MS), Terri A. Sewell (AL), Joyce Beatty (OH), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX) and Chaka Fattah (PA). It is also cosponsored by Representatives Patrick Murphy (FL), Chris Van Hollen (MD) and Steve Cohen (TN).

First Tennessee creates $50M fund for community grants First Tennessee has created a $50 million Community Development Fund, from which the bank will award $3 million a year to organizations serving low- to moderate-income people and neighborhoods.

The Memphis-based bank this week is announcing its first grant awards from its new fund, some of which include $150,000 for a Habitat for Humanity construction project this summer in Uptown, $100,000 for the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA), and $100,000 for United Housing, which promotes home ownership.

But the bank will spread the annual grants among its entire region, including Chattanooga; Knoxville; Nashville; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; and Richmond, Virginia.

„Our goal is to provide financial empowerment tools and support our low- and moderate-income neighbors and neighborhoods so the entire community grows stronger together,” Bryan Jordan said in a written statement. He is chairman and chief executive officer of the bank’s parent company, First Horizon National Corp. „When all segments of our communities are strong, First Tennessee Bank will be more successful.’’

First Tennessee has created an advisory board to give strategic direction to the new fund. Members are: Ruby Bright, executive director of the Woman’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis; John Hope Bryant, chairman of Operation HOPE; Erik Cole, director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic

Opportunity and Empowerment in Nashville; Scott Pierce Ledbetter Jr., CEO for LEDIC Management Group in Memphis; and Alvin Nance, CEO of development and property management, Lawler Wood Housing Partners in Knoxville.

For more information about the grants, contact Black at (901) 6 8 1 - 2 3 5 1 o r a t DY B l a c k @ FirstTennessee.com.

In Tennessee, Consumers Are Shut Out of Choice, Financial Options NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Games aren’t just being played in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena—a game of the strong versus the weak is being played just down the street, in the state capitol building. Big Insurance is using its influence and power to prevent consumers access to an important financial tool called legal funding. And in the end, the people of Tennessee are the ones losing out and getting crushed.

Kathleen Wisnewski of Mount Juliet went in search of legal funding after her husband was injured in 2013. With over $30,000 in medical bills, Wisnewski has been under enormous stress to make ends meet. „Everything has a copay or deductible. One medicine costs $700, and we’ve started just forgoing treatments. We have no family to lean on. I don’t know how we are going to make it.”

„Their only intention is to make it so providers can’t afford to operate.

They’ve voiced their intention to ban the industry completely before. The hypocrisy is glaring,” said Johnson.

State Farm Insurance, the largest provider of auto insurance in the country, testified in a Tennessee sub-committee against the use of arbitration by legal funding providers to reduce the cost of litigation. But, they use arbitration in their own contracts.

For people who have been in an accident and are pursuing a legitimate legal claim, consumer legal funding can be an alternative to taking an unfair, lowball settlement offer from an insurance company just because they can’t meet their daily living expenses. Insurance companies know legal funding can help normal people settle fairly. So, motivated by profit, they have used their immense lobbying power to quash this consumer-friendly option.

The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, also testified against the use of arbitration, though they operate their own arbitration service for their members. They arbitrate disputes for their insurance company members regarding damage to motor vehicles, medical payments, and other claims.

Last month, Tennessee lawmakers refused to forward House Bill 1161, which intended to roll back improper regulation passed in 2014.

That legislation effectively barred consumer legal funding from the state by making it all but impossible for providers to operate. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Susan Lynn (RDistrict 57), would have provided a lifeline to injured consumers in Tennessee.

Johnson helped pass legislation in his home state to preserve access to legal funding while implementing robust consumer protections that were both pro-consumer and promarket. He’s now working with the Tennessee legislature to get people like Wisnewski access to the financial option when they need it.

Wisnewski was dismayed when she found out that legislators didn’t forward the bill. „It’s just cruel to refuse us the option. We need someone to help!” „Big insurance has a long history of opposing access to consumer legal funding. Insurance companies don’t want to live up to their agreements.

It costs them money, and money has taken precedent over people and policyholders,” said Rob Johnson Executive Director of The Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal funding (ARC) and former Republican member of the Oklahoma Legislator. „This isn’t a game. Real people are getting hurt.”

The insurance industry muddies the waters when asked about their

6 | URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE 2016

motives for opposing legal funding.

Yet, their arguments for the businesseliminating measures make things clear. Though insurance companies in Tennessee use arbitration agreements, the assignment of receivables, and other commonsense business practices to make their operations viable, they oppose these same practices for legal funding providers.

„It’s sad to see them taking such dishonest stances that hurt consumers,” said Johnson.

„I hope that legislators can overcome the pressure being put on them by the insurance industry and act for their constituents in the next legislative session,” said Johnson. „I don’t wish for anyone to go through what we are going through.

Legislators shouldn’t be letting this happen. We aren’t pawns, we are people,” said Wisnewski.

REGIONAL NEWS BRIEF

News logs NOTICE The City of Chattanooga will host a public meeting* on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Development Resource Center, 1250 Market Street, Room 1A regarding its Annual Action Plan for Program Year 2016 with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds. The City is expected to receive: $1,655,373 CDBG, $854,868 HOME, $148,145 ESG, and $284,373 program income for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016. All funds are contingent upon final approval by H.U.D

Summer Camp Opportunity VW accepting aaplications of Techtronics Summer Camp Chattanooga’s Volkswagen Academy is hosting an upcoming summer camp with a high-tech twist.

Leaders are taking applications for the second annual Volkswagen Techatronics Summer Camp being held July 18–22.

The camp is designed to give 14- to 17-year-old students a „dynamic, hands-on introduction to the Automation and Car Mechatronics programs taught at the Volkswagen Academy.”

Attendees will choose an area to explore during the five-day camp. They can choose from the following areas of emphasis: Auto CAD, Explore a Passat, Robotics, 3-D Printing/CNC Machining, Pneumatics or Intro to Lean Manufacturing.

News logs Atlanta Municipal Court Announces Warrant Amnesty Program ATLANTA – Atlanta Municipal Court recentlty announced the launch of the warrant amnesty program.

This program offers amnesty to individuals facing arrest and other penalties due to delinquent traffic tickets, city ordinance or misdemeanor violations, and waives contempt fees for failure-toappear. The program began on April 1, 2016 and ends on May 13, 2016.

“Our goal is to ensure that we have licensed and lawful drivers on city streets.

We want to work with the public to reach these goals in innovative and amenable ways,” said Ryan

Shepard, Municipal Court Administrator. “This program creates an opportunity for people to voluntarily resolve outstanding cases in a fair and efficient manner.”

The program is available to individuals with citations issued before January 1, 2015. Court sessions will be held weekdays at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Court will offer signups for these sessions starting at 7 a.m. each day for same day service.

Saturday, April 16 at 10:00 a.m.

American vocalist and

For information on warrants issued by the Municipal Court of Atlanta, please visit http://court.atlantaga.gov or call 404-954-7914.

Hathaway is a naturalborn musician. Her raw talent sparks conversations amongst fans and musicians alike. In 2015, she released Lalah Hathaway LIVE! which truly embodies every sense of her as a live performer.

You will have the opportunity to see her live when she comes to the Tivoli Theatre on August 20th! Winning Grammys for “Best R&B” and “Best Traditional R&B Performances” in 2014 and 2015, Hathaway continues to put us in awe.

City Council daughter Updateof the famous Donny Hathaway, Lalah

Lalah Hathaway to Serenade Chattanooga This August!

The court will also hold three special sessions during nontraditional hours: Wednesday evenings, April 6 and 20 at 6:00 p.m.

sNApsHoT Opportunity Sankofa Fund Accepting Applications

Applications will be accepted until June 30.

The Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement, a local philanthropic fund started by a group of twenty community-minded African American young professionals, held a grant technical assistance workshop on March 21, 2016 at 6:00 PM at the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga.

Announcement Chattanooga Recreation Centers To Get Cameras, Starting With Carver Center City Youth and Family Development centers will be getting camera systems, starting with the Carver Center.

The City Council was told that the Carver cameras should be in place in a few weeks. They will go in areas with the highest crime rates first.

The Sankofa Fund grant application is available online. Completed applications are due by April 15th.

The council was told that the city police will have access to the cameras and use them to make the centers safer.

The cameras will initially go in 6-7 centers.

Do you HAVE AN EVENT? Do you have an upcoming event takig place?

The editorial staff of the Urban Voice is happy to consider your event submission for publication in “What’s the 411” section. Send a brief description of the event, along with the date, times and location to pr.urbanvoice@ gmail.com.

Entries must be recieved by the first of the month for events taking place the following month.

Thousands Gather to Honor Samuel Billy Kyles in Memphis, Tennessee In April 1968, Kyles helped bring Dr. Martin Luther King to Memphis on behalf of the striking sanitation workers. Early on the evening of April 4, Kyles was with King at the Lorraine Motel.

sAVe THe DATe!!

The Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement is a membership-driven giving circle committed to funding and supporting organizations, projects and efforts which improve Chattanooga’s communities of color. Sankofa literally means to go back and get what was taken. After the term made its way to the United States, African-American scholars coined the term to mean remembering our past, to protect our future.

Latin Festival 2016- April 30th at 11:00 am- 3:00 pm Latin Festival is designed as a free community celebration with event proceeds to Chattanooga State Foundation’s Latino Scholarship Fund and the Chattanooga State’s Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language Programs offered in Highland Park since 2001.

Latin Festival 2016 has the spirit of a Caribbean carnival with fun for all ages and backgrounds.

The Festival features traditional folkloric dance and musical performances by local artists and regional performers, a parade of nations, authentic food court, pavilion of faith, Latino-American soccer

tournament, visual artists’ showcase, a Hispanic Heritage Fashion Show and plenty of family fun!

We are honored to have leadership support for Latin Festival from the Benwood Foundation (link is external), Macleland Foundation, EPB

and we are seeking additional Partners and Sponsors to help make this free community event come to life. Contact me to learn more: gladys.pinedaloher@chattanoogastate.edu (link sends e-mail) or call 423-697-3204.

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 7

events Atlanta, GA April 2 Atlanta Festival Of Laughs With Mike Epps, Bruce Bruce, & Sommore 8 PM |Phillips Arena April 8-9 JeCaryous Johnson’s “Married But Single” Apr. 8 @ 8PM & Apr. 9 @ 3PM & 8PM | Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center April 30 Tracy Morgan 8PM | Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center Nashville, TN April 9 Fisk Jubilee Singers 8 PM |Ryman Auditorium

Rites of Spring Featuring, Future, Porter Robinson, Lil Dicky, Bad Suns, & Kat Dahila 6 PM |Vanderbilt University Alumni Lawn April 16 The Spinners 7PM |Nashville Municipal Auditorium April 30 Cedric The Entertainer 7 PM & 9:30 PM |Ryman Auditorium Macon, GA April 16 The Affordable Old School Music Festival: Keith Sweat, Morris Day, Juvenile, Cherelle 8PM |Macon Centreplex Coliseum

April 15 -16

CHATTANOOGA Christy’s Sports Bar 3469 Brainerd Road (423) 702-8137 Glass Street Lounge 2208 Glass Street (423) 622-3579 T Roy’s 2300 Glass Street (423) 629-8908 Chocolate City Lounge 27 W 19th Street (423) 534-4411 Jay's Bar 1914 Wilder Street (423) 710-2045 The Elks Lodge 1211 Doods Ave (423) 629-5831 8 | URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE 2016

KNOXVILLE THE GALLERY (Knoxville) 2658 E. Magnolia Ave (865) 964-9294 Jarmans BBQ & Lounge 3229 E. Maganolia Ave (865) 227-5326

Shanklin & Son’s CARPET+ HARDWOODS + LAMINATES

2640 E. Magnolia, Knoxville, TN. 9 A.M to5P.M (423) 522-6161 Fax- (865) 525-7881

mental Health What is It? And What Can be Done to Treat it?.

By Lynn Cole According to the United States Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, adult blacks living below poverty are two to three times more likely to report having feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and worthlessness than adult whites.

David Satcher, former US Surgeon General

Have you ever heard any of the following phrases? “Sumthing wrong with that girl”. “That boy ain’t wrapped too tight”. “You know those folk’s elevator don’t reach the top floor”.

Unfortunately, a number of us heard these phrases growing up and they were used to describe individuals who were thought or known to have some sort of mental illness. But that was over thirty years ago.

public awareness campaigns. In fact, all of this movement concerning mental health has moved the conversation away from being hushed, private whispers among family members to all out community discussions in the public sphere. This month, The Urban Voice joins that conversation and talks about Mental Health: What is it and What Can We Do About It.

Beginning in 1999, when then United States Surgeon General, David Satcher, released the first ever Surgeon General’s report on Mental Health, simply entitled Mental Health – A Report of the Surgeon General, there has been a shifting in how we think about mental health.

What is Mental Health?

Satcher’s historical report was the very first comprehensive, national report on mental health and warned that mental illness was an urgent health concern. The report also stated that one in five Americans experience a mental disorder over the course of a year and that mental illness was the second leading cause of disability and premature death. Today, almost two decades later, the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) reports that the numbers have not improved. Still, one in five adults in America experience a mental illness in a given year, and mental illness is now the number one leading cause of disability worldwide.

But, when it comes to mental health, it’s not all bad news.

Despite the fact that the number of people suffering from some form of mental illness has not changed, more and more people are talking about their experiences and seeking treatment. Government is getting serious about improving funding and access to care. Health experts are diligently researching for tools to aid in diagnosis and treatment. Even celebrities are coming out with their own mental health stories, giving the disease a public face and leading 10 | URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE 2016

In a number of urban communities across the United States, including those here in Southeast Tennessee, mental illness has shown up at our doorsteps. Whether we point to the death of Javario Eagle this past winter at the hands of the Chattanooga Police Department who reportedly had a history of mental illness or the suicide of an East Knoxville teen, Ty’Shawn Spears, a bright, young man with a promising future who had been battling depression since middle school, IT was somewhere mentioned in the conversation. But what is IT? What exactly is mental illness?

For many, the term mental illness brings up images of Stephen King’s title character from the horror classic Carrie or The Silence of the Lamb’s Hannibal Lector. However, those are rare and extreme cases that have been fictionalized for entertainment purposes. Clinically, mental illness covers a wide range of conditions that can affect a person’s mood, thinking, or behavior. According NAMI the most common forms of mental illness include: • Major depression – a mood disorder causing a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest; • Anxiety disorder – characterized by feelings of worry, anxiety, or fear that are strong enough to interfere with one’s daily activities; • Bipolar disorder – episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs;

• Schizophrenia – a brain disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally; and • Post traumatic stress disorder – mental health condition triggered by experiencing or seeing a terrifying event The occurrence of mental illness has been linked to trauma, brain injury and genetics. For the African American community, historical adversity, which includes slavery, sharecropping and race-based exclusion from health, educational, social and economic resources, translates into socioeconomic disparities experienced

by African Americans today.

Socioeconomic status, in turn, is linked to mental health. People who are impoverished, homeless, incarcerated or have substance abuse problems are at higher risk for poor mental health.

According to the United States Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, adult blacks living below poverty are two to three times more likely to report serious psychological distress than those living below poverty, and are more likely to report having feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and worthlessness than adult whites.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no “look” that is unique to a person suffering from a mental illness. In fact, the majority of persons suffering from a mental illness look much like us. They are the corporate executive under a lot of stress and drinks martinis to get through the day, the college student struggling with depression that shrugs it off as a mild case of homesickness, and the housewife riddled with so much fear that it is difficult to leave her home. They are people like Javario Eagle. They are people like Ty’Shawn Spears.

bright and athletic 16 year-old in the beginning of his junior year at East Knoxville’s Austin East High School. By September, he was gone. Described by his mother, LaTonya Howard, as a strong – willed child that was loved by everyone, Spears ended his own life for reasons that his loved ones can only guess.

“Ty’Shawn suffered from depression”, said Howard.

According to Howard, Spears was diagnosed with bi-bipolar disorder and depression when he was eleven years old. Howard said that her son’s emotional instability caused her to seek help.

“He would get really angry - I mean just go from 0 to 10 in a heartbeat”, said Howard. “He would be really, really sweet, but if he decided to be mean would be really, really mean. He was also struggling at school. He made very good grades, but was always lacking in the area of conduct.”

Howard said that before the formal diagnosis, Spears would come home and cry, and would often be very mean, and then express that he did not understand why he often felt this way.

“I took him in to the doctor, because I have an older son that also suffers from manic-depression, and Ty’Shawn (Spears) was displaying some of the same behaviors”, said Howard.

At eleven years old, Spears was put on medication – a regiment that required that he take two pills every day to help stabilize his moods.

Ty’Shawn’s Story

“Getting him to take medication was a fight,” said Howard. “He didn’t stay on the medications long because he didn’t like taking the pills or going to the office every day at school to have them administered. He felt like people knew he had to take pills, and he did not like that.”

Last August, Ty’Shawn Spears was a

Howard added that Spears stop taking

his medication and felt like he was absolutely fine, and it appeared that he was until he entered high school.

Once Spears entered high school, the conduct problems and strange behavior started back again. He wouldn’t sleep at night. He once broke into an ice cream store in the middle of night only to clean up and restock the shelves. He stole a credit card at a church- sponsored function and ordered clothing off the internet and then had the clothes sent to his own house.

“He was a very a bright child, but he would do things that made no sense”, said Howard. He was impulsive, and when he made up his mind to do something he was going to do it. There was no talking him out of it. There were no consequences to deter his behavior”.

Over the years, Howard sought counseling, but according to Howard, Spears convinced the counselor that he didn’t need help. She tried prayer.

She tried talking. She tried punishment by taking away Spears’ phone and restricting his whereabouts. However, nothing she did could deter his behavior.

The day before he took his own life, Spears had skipped school. Howard found out about it and put him on punishment – taking away his phone and other privileges.

“On that particular night Ty’Shawn came into my room and he apologized”, said Howard. “He said ‘I am so sorry for disrespecting your house. You really don’t deserve that. I know you work hard for us and I love you’. I said, ‘That’s fine. You go to bed and we will talk about it in the morning’.”

Howard said that shortly after that conversation she heard Spears leave out the house. Her immediate thought was “OK, he went through all this and he is still going to break the rules and leave.”

“At that time, I had no idea what was on his mind”, said Howard. “He was not a person that talked about it [suicide]. I never heard him one time talk about taking his own life. I never, ever heard him say it.”

Around five o’clock in the morning, on Tuesday September 22, 2015, Howard’s doorbell woke her up. It was the authorities. Ty’Shawn was dead.

Listening to Howard relate Ty’Shawn’s story – two words come to mind – strength and resilience. One would wonder how less than one year after the death of her teenage son, a mother would find the courage to go on.

When asked how, her response is full of conviction and purpose– “because my family needs me and these kids need

me too”.

“There were so many young people affected by Ty’Shawn’s death”, said Howard. “Many of them are hurting and suffering with depression and other conditions. Many of them have since reached out to me”.

Howard said that she was surprised at the large amount of young people that have reached out to her that are suffering from depression that just want someone to talk to about the things that are bothering them, the things that are going on in their lives that have made them think about ending their own lives.

“As parents, we have to stop being so defensive about who our children talk to”, said Howard. “I wish someone would have talked to my son. But as parents, especially, black parents, we too often live by the rule of ‘what goes on in my house, stays in my house’, and we get defensive when people reach out to help our children.

Howard said that if she learned some very important life lessons from Ty’ Shawn’s death: • There needs to be more African American mental health providers.

“Counseling wasn’t successful for my son because the counselor lacked the skills to relate with my son on a cultural or experiential level. Ty’Shawn would often say ‘What is he going to talk to me about? What does he know what it’s like to be me?’. I understand why Ty’Shawn felt that way. Howard asked how a white man with Khakis and glasses and no idea of the social pressures that young, black men face was going to be able to relate to her black son wearing a hoodie and with dreads in his hair?

• Mental illness is a serious disease that you cannot let up on. “Do not give up,” said Howard. “Take mental illness very seriously. If you have a loved one that is suffering from a mental illness do not put anything past them. Don’t assume that because you see them smiling, and because you see them with friends that they are OK”.

A DEADLY STIGMA Although mental disorders are real and mental health is a vital component of overall health, getting treatment is not always easy, and according to experts that is usually for one reason the stigma associated with a having a mental disorder.

The number one challenge in mental health care is stigma said one East Tennessee mental health provider.

A recent study in, Psychological Medicine, a popular health journal shows that the stigma associated with mental illness is still a major barrier to seeking treatment.

According to medical data, the

treatment success rates for mental illness ranges from 60 to 80 percent, and the success rates for common surgical treatments for heart disease are 40 to 60 percent. Yet more people will seek help for heart disease before they do a mental illness because they are afraid they may be labeled or seen as “crazy”.

Within the African American community, cultural attitudes about mental illness can add to the stigma.

An MHA national survey on clinical depression revealed that in African American communities, 63% of African Americans believed that depression is a personal weakness, and only 31% of African Americans believed that depression was a “health problem”.

“Imagine the stigma of reaching out to get help about a problem in a community that labels you weak for needing help”, says Dr. Tyffani Monford, an Ohio clinical psychologist that conducts workshops with African American faith based groups. “For years the Black church has been theprimary place of refuge for persons with mental health issues, but has not sufficiently addressed those needs beyond the standard advice of ‘pray about it’. The stigma associated with mental health issues is double the problem in the Black community as compared to the general population and that attitude helps feed the stigma.”

Diagnosis and What to Look For Unlike diabetes or cancer, there is no medical test that can accurately diagnose mental illness. A mental health professional will use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, to assess symptoms and make a diagnosis. The manual lists criteria including feelings and behaviors and time limits in order to be officially classified as a mental health condition.

Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a mental illness isn’t always easy. There’s no easy test that can let someone know if there is mental illness or if actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors of a person or the result of a physical illness.

• Avoiding friends and social activities • Difficulties understanding or relating to other people • Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy • Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite • Changes in sex drive • Difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don’t exist in objective reality) • Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior or personality (”lack of insight” or anosognosia) • Abuse of substances like alcohol or drugs • Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”) • Thinking about suicide • Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress • An intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance (mostly in adolescents) Mental health conditions can also begin to develop in young children. Because they’re still learning how to identify and talk about thoughts and emotions, their most obvious symptoms are behavioral.

Symptoms in children may include: • Changes in school performance • Excessive worry or anxiety, for instance fighting to avoid bed or school • Hyperactive behavior • Frequent nightmares • Frequent disobedience or aggression • Frequent temper tantrums Where to Get Help Don’t be afraid to reach out if you or someone you know needs help.

Learning all you can about mental health is an important first step.

Reach out to your health insurance, primary care doctor or state/country mental health authority for more resources.

Contact the NAMI HelpLine to find out what services and supports are available in your community. In Tennessee, you can call 1-800-4673589.

If you or someone you know needs helps now, you should immediately call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or call 911.

Each illness has its own set of symptoms but some common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:

May is Mental Health Month 2016 THE Urban Voice is raising awareness of the importance of speaking up about mental health,

• Excessive worrying or fear • Feeling excessively sad or low • Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning • Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria • Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger

If we want to break down discrimination and stigma surrounding mental illnesses we need to start talking about mental health before Stage 4 and sharing how it feels to live with a mental illness. Having healthy relationships and getting on a path to good mental health begins with being able to talk about how you feel.

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 11

COMMENTARY

opinion Byline James Clingman

Do BlaCk organizations really Have our BaCks? Al Sharpton said, “For the first time in American history, we will watch a Black family leave the White House and we do not want to see the concerns of Blacks leave with them.”

So that’s where our concerns have been hibernating for the past seven years; and all this time I thought Sharpton and the POTUS were taking care of them.

While Black people are bogged down in shallow and meaningless political discourse, our vaunted Black organizations continue to be M.I.A. except for their time in front of the cameras with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. They say they cannot endorse candidates, but we all know that’s a sham.

In an article written by Freddie Allen of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, Marc Morial said the nine Black organizations that met with the candidates wanted to “provide to every candidate who is running for president of the United States, be they Republican or Democrat, the opportunity to hear from us on issues of civil rights, social justice, and economic justice in America, today.” Any real demands made on our behalf?

And, I suppose to give comfort to Clinton and Sanders, Morial said the nine historic civil rights organizations represent tens of millions of Americans and that all of their organizations were “multicultural and multiethnic.” Multi-cultural and multi-ethnic? That’s strange; I thought they were Black or at least “colored.”

Speaking of colored, let’s look at one of these “Black” multicultural/ethnic organizations.

In case you missed the cryptic message at the beginning of this article, “Nonstop Aiding and Abetting in Corrupt Practices,” think about the NAACP. You may know it as the group whose answer to the Ferguson issue was to walk 130 miles to the Missouri Governor’s office, followed up by a 1,000 mile stroll from Selma to the steps of the U.S. Capitol in search of justice.

Guess they didn’t find it when

12 | URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE 2016

they got there.

This is the group that practices outright hypocrisy by railing against voter suppression and voter ID laws, while accepting and even promoting those corrupt practices within their own ranks. More specifically, this is the group that has wreaked havoc in Ohio by conducting four elections for State President, two of which were legitimately won

by Jocelyn Travis over Sybil McNabb, and two of which were do-overs by the national office via its henchman, Gill Ford, to keep their chosen candidate, McNabb, in office.

In the first corrupt election over which the national office presided, children were allowed to vote for McNabb— yes, children! In the second corrupt election, which just took place on March 12, 2016, again under national supervision, the same corrupt practice used in Cincinnati was used by Gill Ford in Columbus. He suspended Travis three days prior to the election, just as he did the Cincinnati president, whom he suspended the day before the election in an obvious effort to have his chosen candidate run unopposed.

The NAACP’s “Nonstop Aiding and Abetting in Corrupt Practices” is shameful, especially in light of holding themselves up as the national

champion for fairness in the voting process. Even more shameful is the fact that only a relative few members, among those who have actually seen these shenanigans take place, are willing to stand up against the NAACP’s corruption.

The good news is that a group of members throughout Ohio have followed the lead of the Crittenden County (Arkansas) and Cincinnati branches by seeking and winning a Temporary Restraining Order against the NAACP’s continued interference in local elections.

The results of the March 12th election are being held in abeyance by a Columbus, Ohio judge, who will conduct a hearing on April 7, 2016.

You can be sure that all evidence of corruption, voter suppression, and electionrigging will be brought forth at that time.

Aside from the obvious hypocrisy displayed by the national leadership of the NAACP, not only in this case but in several other branches across the country, their corrupt practices also point to a larger problem. So-called Black organizations like the NAACP, despite their implied social contract with Black folks, can be swayed, bought, rented, or leased with nothing expected in return except a

few dollars under the table, a political photo-op, or a nice hotel suite. The NAACP needs to stop abusing its members’ rights before purporting to speak on our behalf.

As for nine Black organizations suggesting they are the repository of Black power, here’s a question: If they have power, why after nearly eight years of a Black President are we, as cited in Morial’s State of Black America Report, worse off now and in “crisis”? As the heads of those organizations now intercede on our behalf, by meeting with presidential candidates, what would make us believe Blacks will get anything specific from the next administration?

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 13

PERSPECTIVE News logs

News....................

4 Money Blunders That Could Leave You Poorer Provided by: DaVett Jones

McDonald’s USA Rallies Communities to Nominate Exceptional Teens for Third Annual Community Choice Youth Award PRNewswire/ -- Young people are positively impacting their communities every day.

McDonald’s USA recognizes some of these exceptional youth through its annual 365Black Community Choice Youth Award, returning for the third consecutive year.

Starting today, consumers can visit www.365Black. com to nominate a teen who is making a difference within their community. One male and one female recipient will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship and will be honored alongside celebrities, philanthropists and influencers at the 13th annual McDonald’s 365Black Awards, taking place in New Orleans during the 22nd annual ESSENCE Festival® presented

by Coca-Cola®.

The McDonald’s 365Black Community Choice Youth Award honors teens 13-18 who

make a difference within their communities through vision, compassion and diligence that result in significant local, national or global impact.

Nominators must complete an entry form, answer three questions about the nominee, and submit a three-minute video highlighting his or her contribution to the community.

All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. CDT on May 31, 2016. „So many young leaders are making positive change in their communities. We at McDonald’s are proud to bring our neighbors together in recognizing these excellent young people through the Community Choice Youth Awards,” said William Rhodes, McDonald’s U.S. marketing director. „We mean it when we say we are ‚Deeply Rooted in Your Community’ and we hope this recognition and appreciation of their work encourages our

honorees to continue aiming high.”

Last year’s winners were Tori Turner and Aaron Johnson, 17 and 14 years old respectively.

Turner is a philanthropist, motivational speaker, author and actress. She has raised over $16,000 through her nonprofit Tori Turner’s D.R.E.A.M. Big Foundation. Johnson is the author of two books, owner of a production company and volunteer speaker for the Trayvon Martin Foundation.

The Community Choice Youth Award is part of McDonald’s 365Black Awards, which salutes outstanding individuals who are committed to making positive contributions that strengthen the African-American community.

This year’s partner is the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), a leading advocate for Historically Black Colleges & Universities, which will distribute

Viacom’s BET Networks Acquires Soul Train NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks, a division of Viacom (Nasdaq:VIAB, VIA), today announced it has acquired Soul Train from InterMedia Partners and The Yucaipa Companies.

The acquisition, which brings together two quintessential African American brands, represents an investment in an iconic franchise that uniquely lends itself to providing fans with a wide range of experiences across multiple platforms, beyond the television programs that audiences have enjoyed for decades. The transaction serves to further

strengthen BET’s investment in content and underlines the network’s leadership in musicrelated content.

Owning Soul Train’s intellectual property will allow BET to further build on the success of the Soul Train Awards, which BET re-launched in 2009, and strengthens the network’s commitment to original content.

The assets acquired include one of the largest libraries of African American, music-oriented content in the world, including over 1,100 television episodes and 40 television specials.

14 | URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE 2016

CLARK ATLANTA

“BET Networks is honored to have acquired a brand with such a rich history and unique content that is forever relevant to all segments of our audience,” commented Richard Gay, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Operations at BET Networks. “With a Broadway play and a concert tour as examples of opportunities in the works, we look forward to finding engaging and smart ways to grow the brand while preserving its heritage and legacy in music, dance and fashion.”

How are your money habits?

Are you getting ahead financially, or does it feel like you are running in place?

It may come down to behavior.

Some financial behaviors promote wealth creation, while others lead to frustration.

Certainly other factors come into play when determining a household’s financial situation, but behavior and attitudes toward money rank pretty high on the list.

How many households are focusing on the fundamentals?

Late in 2014, the Denverbased National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) surveyed 2,000 adults from the 10 largest U.S. metro areas and found that 64% wanted to make at least one financial resolution for 2016.

All well and good, but the respondents didn’t feel so good about their financial situations. About one-third of them said the quality of their financial life was „worse than they expected it to be.” In fact, 48% told NEFE they were living paycheck-to-paycheck and 63% reported facing a sudden and major expense last year.

Money Blunder #1: Spend every dollar that comes through your hands. Maybe we should ban the phrase „disposable income.” Too many households are disposing of money that they could save or invest. Or, they are spending money that they don’t actually have (through credit cards).

You have to have creature comforts, and you can’t live on pocket change. Even so, you can vow to put aside a certain

number of dollars per month to spend on something really important: YOU. That 24-hour sale where everything is 50% off? It probably isn’t a „once in a lifetime” event; for all you know, it may happen again next weekend. It is nothing special compared to your future.

Money Blunder #2: Pay others before you pay yourself. Our economy is consumer-driven and service-oriented. Every day brings us chances to take on additional consumer debt.

That works against wealth.

How many bills do you pay a month, and how much money is left when you are done?

Less debt equals more money to pay yourself with - money that you can save or invest on behalf of your future and your dreams and priorities.

Money Blunder #3: Don’t save anything. Paying yourself first also means building an emergency fund and a strong cash position. With the middle class making very little economic progress in this generation (at least based on wages versus inflation), this may seem hard to accomplish.

It may very well be, but it will be even harder to face an unexpected financial burden with minimal cash on hand.

The U.S. personal savings rate has averaged about 5% recently. Not great, but better than the low of 2.6% measured in 2007. Saving 5% of your disposable income may seem like a challenge, but the challenge is relative: the personal savings rate in China is 50%.2 Money Blunder #4: Invest impulsively. Buying what’s hot, chasing the return, investing in what you don’t fully understand - these are all variations of the same bad habit, which is investing emotionally and trying to time the market. The impulse is to „make money,” with too little attention paid to diversification, risk tolerance and other critical factors along the way. Money may be made, but it may not be retained.

DaVett Jones may be reached at 865-325-2631 or davett@ p3financialgroup.com. www.p3financialgroup.com