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Posts tagged as “COVID-19”

Serena Williams Donates Proceeds from Unstoppable Jewelry Collection to Relief Fund for Black-Owned Small Businesses

Serena Williams Donates Proceeds from Unstoppable Jewelry Collection to Relief Fund for Black-Owned Small Businesses

By goodblacknews on July 20, 2020

Tennis legend Serena Williams is the latest celebrity and entrepreneur to help Black business owners in need of relief during the COVID-19 crisis.

Williams announced via Instagram that until August 5 proceeds from her Unstoppable capsule jewelry collection will go to the Opportunity Fund’s Small Business Relief Fund, according to a Black Enterprise report.

Williams, who has won a career-defining 23 Grand Slam titles, started the business in late 2019 and has been wearing pieces from her brand during her tennis matches.

“I wore a circular necklace the last time I won all four Grand Slams in a row,” Williams told People about her collection. “I had won four in a row wearing that necklace. I was just really unstoppable.”

The collection includes a sterling silver bracelet and necklace, and also features a simple polished circle with a glittering round diamond that represents serenity and unity. Check out Serena’s Unstoppable offerings here.

Medical Student Malone Mukwende Creates Booklet to Teach Doctors How to Spot Symptoms of Illness on Dark Skin

Medical Student Malone Mukwende Creates Booklet to Teach Doctors How to Spot Symptoms of Illness on Dark Skin

By goodblacknews on July 12, 2020

Malone Mukwende, a second-year medical student at St. George’s, University of London, was motivated to create “Mind the Gap” after he noticed a lack of diversity in his learning materials.

So Mukwende created a handbook to teach physicians how physical symptoms appear on differing skin tones.

To quote from Atlanta Black Star:

“On arrival at medical school I noticed the lack of teaching in darker skin. We were often being taught to look for symptoms such as red rashes which I was aware would not appear as described in my own skin,” he told BME Medics. “When flagging this to tutors it was clear that they didn’t know of any other way to describe these conditions on patients of darker skin tones and I knew that I had to make a change to that.”

Mukwende’s school backed the project and he joined forces with Margot Turner, a lecturer in diversity and medical education and Peter Tamony, clinical lecturer in clinical skills to complete it. The team will use the booklet to host trainings for medical tutors this month.

“The booklet addresses many issues that have been further exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as families being asked if potential Covid patients are ‘pale’ or if their lips ‘turned blue,’” he said in a statement.

“These are not useful descriptors for a Black patient and, as a result, their care is compromised from the first point of contact,” Mukwende added. “It is essential we begin to educate others so they are aware of such differences and the power of the clinical language we currently use.”

Read more: https://atlantablackstar.com/2020/07/09/medical-student-creates-booklet-to-teach-doctors-how-to-catch-symptoms-of-illness-on-dark-skin-i-noticed-the-lack-of-teaching-in-darker-skin/

Birdman and Slim Williams of Cash Money Records Partner with New Orleans Mayor to Pay June Rents Amid Covid-19

Birdman and Slim Williams of Cash Money Records Partner with New Orleans Mayor to Pay June Rents Amid Covid-19

By goodblacknews on June 8, 2020

According to Black Enterprise, Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams of Cash Money Records partnered with New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell to cover rent for the month of June for New Orleans residents living in low-income housing.

The Williams brothers have donated over $225,000 to Forward Together New Orleans (FTNO), a nonprofit providing resources to the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the inception of Cash Money nearly 25 years ago, Birdman and Slim have given back to under-resourced communities in the area through The Johnny and Gladys Williams Foundation that is named after their parents. Over the years, the brothers and their team have provided residents with health screenings, thanksgiving meals, and other resources.

Read more: https://www.blackenterprise.com/cash-money-partners-with-the-mayor-is-new-orleans-to-pay-rent-for-residents-amid-covid-19/

Tedx Speaker Dena Crowder Offers 6-Minute Guide on Transforming Trauma (WATCH)

Tedx Speaker Dena Crowder Offers 6-Minute Guide on Transforming Trauma (WATCH)

By goodblacknews on May 30, 2020

Ahmaud Arbery.

Breonna Taylor.

George Floyd.

Three people we have recently witnessed dying violently, people who died solely because as African Americans, their lives are not valued in this country.

Tragically, this horror is not new. Arbery, Taylor and Floyd are now part of a sickeningly long chain of Black people in the United States to lose their lives to systemic racism, brutality and hate.

A recent article in USA Today titled “George Floyd Video Adds to Trauma: ‘When Is The Last Time You Saw a White Person Killed Online?'” addresses what those who have been experiencing it already know: African Americans are suffering greatly from constantly watching these acts of racial violence play out month after month year after year.

To quote:

“African Americans face harmful mental health effects every time high-profile incidents of racism and police brutality go viral, especially when little changes in the aftermath.”

Combined with a global pandemic, healthcare disparities and a financial crisis, African Americans are currently coping with exponential levels of trauma that will likely not dissipate any time soon.

So what can we do to protect ourselves as we bear these trying times, especially when community and family gatherings are so severely limited?

Last week, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Tedx speaker, performance coach and GBN’s “This Way Forward” contributor Dena Crowder offered a three-minute video as an aide for mental health and wellness.

Today, Dena offers a six-minute “Power Shot” with guiding words and an exercise to help release and transform trauma into energy to fuel us forward. Watch:

(Dena Crowder: DenaCrowder.com; IG: dena.crowder)

Dena Crowder (photo courtesy Dena Crowder)
Tedx Speaker Dena Crowder Offers 3-Minute Guide On Our Mental Health and Well-Being During the Pandemic (WATCH)

Tedx Speaker Dena Crowder Offers 3-Minute Guide On Our Mental Health and Well-Being During the Pandemic (WATCH)

By goodblacknews on May 22, 2020

May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S., and in the age of the coronavirus pandemic, many of us are finding our mental well-being challenged in unexpected, extraordinary ways.

Black and Brown Americans are hit hard by both – first by disproportionately suffering the physical and financial effects of the COVID-19 crisis, on top of being, according to Medical News Today, more likely to suffer higher rates of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) than White Americans.

According to studies by the American Psychological Association (APA), minorities experience a significant degree of marginalization and discrimination, which can stifle socioeconomic growth as well as access to healthcare, including formal mental health support.

So, in the spirit of aiding those who don’t have the opportunity, access to, or much time for mental healthcare, Tedx speaker, performance coach and GBN’s “This Way Forward” contributor Dena Crowder has put together a three-minute “Power Shot” with some guiding words and a quick breath exercise that can help you re-center in these overwhelming times:

Enjoy… and breathe!

(Dena Crowder: DenaCrowder.com; IG: dena.crowder)

Dena Crowder (photo courtesy Dena Crowder)

Good Black News Wishes You and Yours a Happy Mother’s Day in 2020

By goodblacknews on May 10, 2020

Good Black News joins in the honoring and remembrance of the women who gave us life, nurtured and raised us, and also offered us solace, counsel and wisdom.

Many of us can’t be with the mothers or mother figures in our lives today in person due to the global COVID-19 crisis, but we are with you in voice, online and always – in spirit!

To all the mothers out there – be they Aunties, Grandmothers, Cousins or Friends – thank you for all you do!

Happy Mother’s Day!

D-Nice to Host and DJ Virtual Prom for Class of 2020 on May 7

By goodblacknews on May 4, 2020
(image via Twitter)

Hip hop artist D-Nice has brought joy to hundreds of thousands of people by DJ’ing viral quarantine parties on Instagram Live since March. According to Revolt, D-Nice is now planning to do the same for high school seniors across the country who won’t be able to attend their physical prom this year due to COVID-19.

To quote Revolt:

D-Nice is teaming up with the social app Houseparty to throw a virtual prom for the Class of 2020. The House Party Prom will take place from 8 to 10 pm ET on May 7.

According to AJC, the teens can choose their musical theme, take prom photos and dance all from the safety of their own homes.

Before starting “Club Quarantine,” D-Nice started his career as a member of Boogie Down Productions alongside KRS-One, Lee Smith and the late Scott La Rock. He soon went solo and dropped albums such as To Tha Rescue and Call Me D-Nice.

Back in March, he came up with the idea to play music on Instagram Live for some friends and a few hundred people. As he continued to host the parties, he noticed that his numbers on Live began to grow tremendously. Everyone from Diddy to Michelle Obama made appearances at “Club Quarantine.”

Once the pandemic ends, he wants to be able to take his parties across the country. He has cities such as New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Atlanta in mind.

“Once we’re able to be able to be together again, I want to pick three cities to actually do a ‘Club Quarantine’ party live,” he told Rolling Stone last month. “Play that same vibe and celebrate with the same people we’ve been celebrating with virtually. Just to be able to see them face-to-face, play that music and feel that bass, that’s the ultimate goal that I have.”

To learn more, check out D-Nice on IG or Twitter.

Beyoncé ‘s BeyGOOD Foundation Pledges $6 Million to Mental Health Organizations Supporting Essential Workers During Covid-19 Crisis

By goodblacknews on April 26, 2020

Beyoncé has been lending her time to several Covid-19 relief efforts. She appeared on the Disney Family Singalong to support Feeding America and health-care workers, appeared in a fun hat on the Global Citizen broadcast and used her platform to speak about how African Americans are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Vulture, last week Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD initiative announced it is pledging $6 million to help fund organizations that tackle an often-overlooked element of the coronavirus pandemic: the mental-health toll on communities and essential workers.

In a statement, the organization announced that it is partnering with UCLA and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s #startsmall efforts to provide “to organizations providing mental wellness services.”

BeyGOOD also will also partner with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to provide local support in Houston, New York, New Orleans, and Detroit. The statement from BeyGOOD on Beyoncé’s website states:

“Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD recognizes the immense mental and personal health burdens being placed on essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In our major cities, African-Americans comprise a disproportionate number of workers in these indispensable occupations, and they will need mental health support and personal wellness care, including testing and medical services, food supplies and food deliveries, both during and after the crisis.”

Kanye West and Chick-Fil-A Partner to Distribute 300,000 Meals to Families in Need During Covid-19 Crisis

By goodblacknews on April 22, 2020

Kanye West and fast-food chicken restaurant Chick-Fil-A have partnered to distribute 300,000 meals through the Los Angeles Dream Center to those in need during the Coronavirus pandemic.

According to foxnews.com, over 300,000 meals have already been served through the Los Angeles Dream Center since mid-March.

“Every morning I wake up and stand in the parking lot with our dedicated staff, I am blown away that day after day, week after week, there is enough food to provide to folks that need it,” Matthew Barnett, Dream Center co-founder, said in a statement to Fox News.

The Dream Center’s doors open seven days a week, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., to provide food and other essential items.

Because of Kanye West’s support, Fox reported, Barnett said they were able to expand their drive-thru meals to delivering to vulnerable seniors who need to remain isolated in their homes.

Chick-Fil-A came under fire when it was revealed that they had been donating funds for years to anti-LGBTQ Christian organizations. Once they faced public backlash, Chick-Fil-A promised to discontinue their support of the groups, in a November 2019 statement about their new giving strategy. In 2020, Chick-Fil-A promised to focus on promoting youth education, combating youth homelessness, and fighting hunger.

Though West and Chick-Fil-A have been politically controversial in recent years, working to feed Americans grappling with the new reality of food shortages, lost jobs and quarantined living, seems like a positive step for both.

SNL Star Michael Che Pays Rent For His Grandmother’s Entire Building After She Passes From Covid-19

By goodblacknews on April 16, 2020
Michael Che (photo via commons.wikipedia.org)

“Saturday Night Live” star and writer Michael Che has turned his grief into action to help others.

After his grandmother died from the coronavirus this month, on Instagram Wednesday Che offered to pay rent for all the residents in the apartment complex where she lived.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_BRjZXpkMd/

Che’s grandmother Martha died April 5 after contracting COVID-19. “I’m obviously very hurt and angry that she had to go through all that pain alone,” Che wrote at the time. “But I’m also happy that she’s not in pain anymore.”

During “SNL’s” home edition last weekend, Che paid tribute by signing off “Weekend Update” as “Martha’s grandbaby.”