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Charles K. Njuguna Takes the Helm as CEO of The Center for Pursuit, Houston's Premier IDD Organization
The Center for Pursuit (The Center), a cornerstone organization dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), autism, and related conditions, proudly announces the appointment of Charles K. Njuguna as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 8th.
Alexandra del Moral Mealer Sworn Into METRO Board of Directors
Today Alexandra (Alex) del Moral Mealer was sworn in as the newest member of the METRO Board of Directors. The ceremony took place in the METRO Boardroom with Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey administering the oath. Alex was appointed to represent a group of 14 smaller cities that are within METRO's service area.
Disney+ Debuts First Trailer & Key Art for "Star Wars: The Scolyte"
Today, Disney+ debuted the first trailer and key art for Lucasfilm’s new, original series “Star Wars: The Acolyte.” The thrilling, live-action series launches on Tuesday, June 4, with the first two episodes, exclusively on Disney+.
Alley Theatre Unveils Exciting 2024-25 Season: Classic Works, World Premieres, and Unforgettable Thrills Await!
Get ready for a season of theatrical brilliance as the Tony Award®-winning Alley Theatre, under the guidance of Artistic Director Rob Melrose, announces its captivating lineup for the 2024-25 season. From timeless classics to exhilarating new works, Houston audiences are in for a treat with an array of productions designed to inspire, entertain, and enthrall.
Elevating Southwest Louisiana: Welcome Richert "Ricky" Self and Jay Kumar to Visit Lake Charles Board of Directors
Visit Lake Charles proudly welcomes two distinguished leaders, Richert "Ricky" Self and Jay Kumar, to its esteemed board of directors. Their recent appointments underscore Visit Lake Charles' commitment to strategic growth and community engagement in Southwest Louisiana.
Elevate Your Leadership with "Leadership MEQ": A Breakthrough eBook for Modern Leaders
Experience a paradigm shift in leadership with the release of "Leadership MEQ: Integrating Mindset, Emotional Intelligence, and Leadership Qualities," now available on Amazon. This groundbreaking eBook is poised to revolutionize the way leaders approach their roles in today's dynamic landscape.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner: Simply The Best Mayor for Houston
For the past eight years Sylvester Turner has been living a dream he has been chasing since 1991. Being the mayor of a city he has loved so deeply all his life and helping all citizens of this community has been his purpose. Like any incoming mayor, Turner made his promises and had his challenges. He has done his best to tack- le the issues through the red tape and all the obstacles. With his share of ups and downs Turner left his mark on Houston and made the city better for its residents.
Is There A Black Doctor in the House?
Where are all the Black doctors? They are hard to find. On average, about 5.7% of all the doctors in the US are Black according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Although enrollment of African Americans in medical school is on the rise, 5.7% is still low when considering that there are 66.1% of active physicians with a US Doctor of Medicine degree.Where are all the Black doctors? They are hard to find. On average, about 5.7% of all the doctors in the US are Black according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Although enrollment of African Americans in medical school is on the rise, 5.7% is still low when considering that there are 66.1% of active physicians with a US Doctor of Medicine degree. Looking back at the history of Blacks in medicine, it's easy to see why the numbers are so low. However, new data suggests that more black doctors are needed now than ever, and for some, it could mean the difference between life and death. On average, when put in a crowd of a diverse population with no identifying connections, a person will gravitate toward those of their own race. It's a natural behavior because people are more at ease with who or what they know. Generally, being of the same race is an easy commonality to draw towards. This same kind of thinking works in medicine as well. According to studies, Black Americans who have black doctors have more trust in them, practice preventative care, and ultimately live longer lives. "I think we as blacks relate more to people who look like us. Often, we have unspoken similar backgrounds that bring us to a common place of understanding when we have difficulties in our quests for higher education," said Dr. Creaque Charles, Pharm. D. at an accredited HBCU school of pharmacy. How to Improve Representation of African Americans in Medicine? The answer to that question lies in the problems that Blacks have with medicine. To understand the concerns, one must go way back in history to when enslaved men and women were forcibly brought over on ships to America. Those men and women were treated less than humans and stacked on top of each other like property. On that journey, they had to exist in deplorable conditions that were filled with human fecal matter, urine, and other forms of human waste. This resulted in them becoming gravely ill, and some died. None received medical care. The feeling continued when slave owners subjected their Black female slaves to forced sterilization to stop reproduction. Women were also exploited for their bodies to produce more strong slave labor. These women did not also receive any medical care. When the truth about an unethical experiment with Tuskegee men and Syphilis (dubbed the Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis) came to light in 1972, prejudices grew.vDuring the era of the Civil War, Blacks were "doomed to extinction" by the medical community of the time, which thought the mental, moral, and physical deterioration of Blacks would send them to an early grave. The distrust of the medical community continues to this day as some doctors of other races may have prior biological beliefs about Blacks that can result in doctors thinking Blacks have a high tolerance for pain, so they may undertreat them for pain. Incidents like the above led some Blacks to believe that they receive better treatment than their own because they know the point of view from which they are coming. They understand it. "When people look at me and they can see themselves in me, that commonality serves as the foundation for a bond of trust," said Dr. Robbyn Traylor, chief medical officer of an urgent medical care clinic, who knows that any doctor can be excellent no matter their race. "There is a level of comfort that is understood and that can remain unspoken when brown and Black patients are treated by brown and Black doctors." A CNN article dives further into the issue of why there is not a surge of Black doctors. Those reasons include factors like the race being excluded from medicine, systematic racism, institutional racism, not being exposed to STEM or STEM careers as a child, and a lack of Black doctors as mentors are among the top reasons. History supports this when looking at the first Black person to earn a medical degree. Dr. James McCune Smith had to go all the way to Scotland to receive his degree in 1837 from the University of Glasgow. Dr. Traylor was fortunate as a child to be heavily exposed to the life of a Black doctor as both of her parents worked in the medical field. She was often at their heels as a child while they worked at one of the best trauma centers in the Texas Medical Center. "I was lucky enough to grow up in a community of people who made me believe that I had the intellect and attitude for medicine." Diversity Matters Diversity Matters After Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington enacted bans on affirmative action, the diversity of the medical schools in those states dropped by a third. Before Black students were wholeheartedly welcomed at these schools in the 1800s and 1900s, they had a choice of seven medical schools, according to research by the Duke University Medical Center Library and Archives. Now only two remain: Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. Black students are more likely to attend black medical schools to seek out those who look like them and have proven that their dreams are achievable. Future Black doctors want to attend schools where they don’t have to feel as if they don’t belong. They want to go to schools where they are encouraged to do well, and those who are instructors and mentors truly believe that THEY can do well. Dr. Tamiya Sam, who is a registered pharmacist and holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, knows that whether it is medical, pharmacy, dental, or nurse practitioner school, having a Black mentor matters. "The face of pharmacy is increasingly non-Black. I believe if there were more hands on and dedicated Black pharmacists who truly mentored Black pharmacy students, it would have a higher impact on their completion because they would serve as someone who has been there and genuinely wants to help them succeed." Rosa Terrance, DNP, APRN, GNP-C, agrees with Dr. Sam. "Mentorship absolutely matters and is influential in producing more providers of color. At all times, I make sure of two things: 1) I have a mentor who looks like me, and 2) I am acting as a mentor to someone else. There is a degree of comfort and trust that is birthed out of just being present with someone of your likeness in an otherwise underrepresented space." The Next Generation of Doctors African Americans have a responsibility to expose our children to all the world can offer them. African Americans have a responsibility as a race to step up and be mentors for brown and black children in all fields, not just the medical field. To improve race relations, Blacks must educate our non-Black counterparts. A change must come, and it must start now with each of us.
Million Dollar Contract Increase COVID Vaccination Cancel By Harris County Court After Controversy
A contract to help increase COVID-19 vaccination has been canceled by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo over controversy brought on by Republican commissioners.
Prairie View A&M University Receives the Largest Donation in Its 144-Year History
Prairie View A&M University will be able to produce a lot more productive people thanks to a $50 million donation from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
The Life and Legacy of Earl Lewis Thomas
BOOM! Earl Lewis Thomas was a force that no one wanted to challenge on the football field. The NFL defensive man was one of six that encompass the Seattle Seahawks’ Legion of Boom that put the team in the history books for their six consecutive seasons. The NFL, family, and friends are mourning the powerful wide receiver as Thomas passed away in Houston at the age of 71 succumbing to COVID-19 virus.
Will Texas Shut Down Again?
Several businesses have signs that require a shirt and shoes for service. Other businesses with drive-thru windows require one to be in a vehicle for service. Schools required visitors to check in the front office before visiting other parts of the school.
Don’t Waste Your Right to Vote
American men have always had the right to vote. Even though some women were able to vote starting in 1869 in a few states, females didn’t officially get the right to vote across the U.S. until 1919 with the passage of the 19th amendment. African Americans, who were once thought of as property and not people, wouldn’t get certain rights until the passage of the 14th and 15th amendments.
Oscars Finally Getting It Right
Stand up and give the Oscars a round of applause. Kudos to the Oscars first off for one of if not the shortest show with no hosts. It was time out for all the not so funny, unnecessary bits and outfit changes that drugged out shows in the past.
Drug Safety: If the Date Is Late, It’s Not Safe
Coming into a new year we all get this sense to throw out the old and welcome in the new. We rumble through our closets tossing out anything we didn’t wear in the past year and/or those items we wondered why we purchased them in the first place.
High School Teen Earns Eagle Scout Rank in Boy Scouts
More than learning how to tie a square knot, start a fire by rubbing sticks together, or the strength of working as a team, boys in scouts learn how to grow from a boy to a man. Through the help and guidance of amazing scout leaders who serve as mentors, boys learn the essentials life that will last them far beyond their youthful years.
