All results / Stories / Jo-Carolyn Goode
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.
Keeping Houston’s Future Bright
Houston is a great city because of the people that pour into daily to make it so. From the many residents that have chosen this as the place to raise their families to those who make and uphold our laws to those who put the city on the map for forward thinking, Houston’s people are our best kept secrets. Two people contributing greatly to keeping Houston’s future bright are Vera Bumpers and Carlecia D. Wright who enhance Houston’s safety and economic growth.
Benjamin Green Appointed Interim Chief Information Digital Officer and Head of Technology at Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University (TSU) welcomes Benjamin Green to its ranks as the Interim Chief Information Digital Officer (CIDO) and head of Technology, marking a pivotal moment in the institution's technological evolution. With a robust background spanning over 25 years, Green brings a formidable blend of expertise and innovation to TSU, poised to elevate the university's digital landscape and enhance the overall academic experience for students, faculty, and staff.
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.
What to Watch in 2021
Leave all the events of 2020 in 2020. Don’t look back. Just look forward and push toward to the future of 2021. This is the year where we all will transform in one way or another. Our world will also change with us. This is why we must keep our eyes on the ones leading change. Take a look at a few things and people to keep a lookout for in 2021.
MMCA Honors "Sheroes in Media" Championing Media Diversi
The Multicultural Media & Correspondents Association (MMCA) hosted its exclusive 2024 Sheroes in Media Awards reception on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at the National Press Club near the White House, with leaders in media, philanthropy and communications gathered to uplift extraordinary women who exemplify diverse media excellence.
Turning Fear Into Faith: Life After Breast Cancer
Fear and faith are not supposed to coexist. Faith is supposed to conquer all fears. When real life happens faith can waver. Faith can be questioned. Faith can even disappear. Just as easily as faith did all the things above, faith can also comfort. Faith can bring peace. Faith can come back. Shawntell L. McWilliams knows the fear and the faith journey. Six years ago she was forced to face fear and her faith was tested. In the end, her greatest fears were turned into her strongest faith.
Angela Bassett to be Recognized with Honorary Oscar
It's finally time for Angela Bassett to receive a well-deserved Oscar statuette of her own. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced on Monday that the two-time nominee will be honored with an honorary Oscar at the 2023 Governors Awards.
Lloyd Austin’s Historic Nomination Adds To President-Elect Joe Biden’s Diverse Cabinet
Keeping true to his word of creating a cabinet that is reflective of America, President-elect Joe Biden has named retired Army general Lloyd Austin as his nominee as the Secretary of Defense. Lloyd’s confirmation would break barriers as he would be the first Black Secretary of Defense.
Clifford Tatum Named New Harris County Elections Administrator
By a vote of 5-0, Harris County now has a new elections administrator, and his name is Clifford Tatum. Judge Lina Hidalgo made the announced on late Tuesday evening. The five-member bipartisan Harris County Elections Commission will make the official appointment of Tatum once he moves to Harris County and becomes a registered voter.
There Is More to Life Than Gymnastics
Simone Biles puts her mental health first
Four years ago, her name dominated headlines across the globe. News feeds on the television, radio, and all over the Internet boasted about her idiosyncratic skill level to complete stunts that no other gymnast could do while defying gravity in the process. The world stood in amazement at the young 4 foot 10 inch woman who appears tiny in stature with power beyond belief. She can take the most difficult routines and effortlessly execute them with flawless precision. As she garnered win after win, earning 5 Olympic gold medals and a myriad of world championship titles she became the greatest, most dominant, most decorated American gymnast of all time.
Moms Who Rock the Mic - Kandi Eastman
The life of DJ and a mother have a lot in common. Both have people that love to scream their name. Both always have places that require their attendance at a successful event. Their schedules would make anyone exhausted. Go is their middle name. Kandi Eastman, Supastar, and Rachelle Renee know this all too well. As some of Houston most well known DJs, they balance being a mother with that of being everyone’s favorite DJ. Allow me to reintroduce DJs who are moms that rock the mic.
What Would ‘King’ Do In A Global COVID-19 Pandemic?
“This is our country; this is our house,” one riot- er told a reporter while storming the US Capitol last week in support of President Donald Trump. its shingle covering.”
HBCUs Finding Avenues of Help with UNCF
Historically Black Colleges and Universities are in dire need of help. Their lifeline was promised to them this past February from the Trump administration when he paraded close to 100 HBCUs presidents to Washington, D.C. for that massive photo opp when he signed the new HBCU initiative. Announcing that the initiative would be a top priority for his administration, he moved it from the Department of Education to the White House with the new name Presidential Executive Order on The White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Meet the Class of 2017: Tomorrow’s Future Leaders of America
After twelve years, 108 months, 3,240 days, are the estimated number of days students attend school before reaching the pinnacle of their educational career, high school graduation. That pivotal time has come for the class of 2017. It’s time for them to turn their tassel and take the brave steps into the next chapter of their lives. Annually, Houston Style Magazine recognizes the Houston ISD’s African American and Hispanic valedictorians to salute them on their accomplishments. Congrats Class of 2017!Meet the Class of 2017: Tomorrow’s Future Leaders of America
Mayor Turner Calls for a Day of Prayer in Houston
In times of crisis, no one wants to be along. We find comfort in leaning on each other. A sense of peace and protection comes over our bodies when we feel we are not alone. As more questions than answers fill our head we can become stressed, unglued, and lose our focus.
Texas Southern Cheerleaders Make History As the First HBCU to Win the NCAA National NCA Cheer Competition Title in 75 Years
TS, TS, TS, TSU, U,U, U, I thought you knew! If you didn’t know, now you do. The Texas Southern University (TSU) cheerleaders have put Texas Southern University and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on the map as the first HBCU to win the 2023 NCAA collegiate National Cheer Association Championship title. In NCA’s 75-year history, no HBCU has ever won the national cheer competition.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions Across The Nation Total 600
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities has released an analysis of the 2022-23 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) enrollment data, which shows an increase in the number of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
Texas Southern University Professor Receives Inaugural ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship
Texas Southern University (TSU) proudly announces the prestigious recognition bestowed upon Trushna Parekh, Associate Professor of Geography, who has been honored with a 2024 ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). This esteemed fellowship, part of the ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship and Grant Program, offers flexible support tailored to the research, teaching, and service commitments unique to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In its inaugural year, the program will provide assistance to 20 HBCU faculty scholars, empowering them to pursue exceptional research projects in the humanities and interpretive social sciences.
Boyce Family Values
Nothing brings more excitement to people than the news of a couple having a baby. Between all the congratulations, gifts, and advice the couple stands in the middle of it all in complete fear with questions swirling in their head. Are they ready for a baby? Do they have everything they need? Will they do a good job? Their shoulders are heavy because molding and shaping the life of another human being is a huge responsibility.
