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Houston Style Magazine Honors Mothers Who Serve the Community - Angelee Moody Rhyne
You can adopt a child, a pet, and even a highway. Angelee Moody Rhyne decided to adopt a park. One day she had a meeting with someone at the Marian Park to discuss plans for a Back-to- School. In her mind the park would be an ideal location since at one point she frequented the park regularly. However, that was many years ago. She had no idea the state that she would find the park in today. She was just applauded at how the park had gone down.
LaTavia is Using the Low Points to Live a High Life
Issues that would break most have just made two-time Grammy Award winning artist, actress, mother, writer and businesswoman LaTavia Roberson stronger. It has made her grateful for her struggle and even prouder of the path she is on now.
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.
Local Girl Stars in TUTS' Seussical
Tap into a child’s imagination and there is no wonder what they might conjure. An oversized one-eyed yellow monster with feet for hands, people with orange Mohawks, blue faces, and green fangs instead of teeth or maybe a dog that meows instead of barks while his tail gets longer. That’s the beauty of a child.
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.
First Ladies Acting First Class
Upon their husbands answering the call to minister, preachers’ wives stood alongside their husband in a supportive role. Even when their husbands would further follow the path as a shepherd of God by heading a church, wives remained supportive in their new role as First Lady.
Mayor Turner And 8 Texans Mayors Demand Mask Requirements From Gov. Abbott
Over the past few days Houston has set records and not the good kind. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city has been on a rise. The Memorial Day weekend and numerous protests have blamed in the spike. Social distancing and wearing masks has proven to be the most efficient way of combating the coronavirus. Governor Greg Abbott confirmed he supports such precautions in a press conference held earlier this week.
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.
Revolutionizing Medical Education: Ibn Sina Foundation and Sam Houston State University Partner for Clinical Training at OakBend Medical Center
Collaboration Marks a New Era in Healthcare Advancement for Fort Bend County
In a monumental stride towards enhancing medical education and healthcare accessibility, the Ibn Sina Foundation, in conjunction with Sam Houston State University - College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM), proudly announces the establishment of the Ibn Sina Clinical Training Region at OakBend Medical Center in Fort Bend County. This groundbreaking collaboration promises to elevate medical standards and community health initiatives in the region to unprecedented heights.
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.
Celebrate the Richness of Hispanic Heritage
America would not be the country it is today without the contributions of Hispanic Americans. Every year from September 15 to October 15 we remember the achievements of Hispanic Americans and how they have made America the country that it is. The influential touches of their rich culture can be seen all over Houston and around the world. A greater grasp of the culture can be gained when visiting the Institute of Hispanic Culture of Houston (IHCH). Houston Style got a chance to speak with the president and chairman of the board Mayte Sera Weitzman to learn more about the culture and the institute.
Sisterhood & Service: AKAs Takeover Houston
Either directly or indirectly a lady of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated has had an effect on your life. Maybe she ensured your child could afford college by awarding them a scholarship. Or she helped to plant a garden in your community to answer the need of food deserts in the area. Perhaps you saw a group of them building a house for a deserving family. One might have encouraged you to join a letter-writing campaign to exercise your political voice for policy changes.
Getting to the Heart of the Matter: A Look at African Americans Battle with Heart Disease
She felt like she has lost all control is how a then 47-year-old Wanda Walton described her bout with heart disease. With her family in tow, Walton was driving when all of a sudden her left side went numb and she swerved the car off the road. When it happened the second time, her daughter knew something was terribly wrong. Walton’s then husband knew too and he sprung into action taking the wheel of the vehicle and made a beeline straight to the hospital while Walton screamed in pain.
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.
Tragedy to Triumph: The Hilarious Journey of Ms. Pat
Prepare to be amazed by Patricia "Ms. Pat" Williams, a woman who's turned her heartbreaking past into a sidesplitting comedy career. From teenage motherhood and selling drugs to finding love and adopting her niece's children, Ms. Pat has faced it all with laughter as her saving grace.
New Study Indicates COVID-19 Rates 4x Higher Than Reported in Houston
COVID-19 cases seem to be four times higher than reported according to a new study from the Houston Health Department. Through a partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and Rice University, volunteers’ blood from Houston area households was subject to random viral testing for COVID-19 antibodies.
Above the Water: How Black Businesses Swim in 2018
Simply being business is hard enough. Compound that with being Black-owned and a disaster like Hurricane Harvey and the definition of sinking or swimming takes on an entirely new meaning. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, many entrepreneurs had the difficult teeter-totter task of balancing the rebuild of their home life and business life. As a result, many businesses closed, especially those that were Black-owned. However, there were some that were able to float instead of sink. Courtney Johnson-Rose, current Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce (GHBCC) Board Chair, spoke with Houston Style Magazine to give insight on how those Black-owned businesses that survived stayed above the water in 2018 in celebration of Black History Month.
Sylvester Turner: Balancing Fatherhood and Politics
Lifting her high into the heavens as if he is trying to allow God to kiss her himself I watch a father bond with his baby girl. Holding her ever so careful, he gently cradles her in his arms with a strong hold, as he dares not let her slip. Pride pours out of every point on his body as he holds the most beautiful thing he has ever laid his eyes on and thinks, “How blessed am I.”
President Joe Biden Takes Executive Action On Day One – With The Stroke Of His Pen
Every president has their own agenda with their pressing issues in rank order. Each one comes to the office ready to get to work immediately but they do take time to enjoy the spoils of their inauguration participating in parades, attending countless balls, and taking in every unbelievable moment as it sinks in that they are the leader of the free world. However, Joe Biden didn’t have that luxury. He had the misfortune to have to fix everything that Donald Trump destroyed immediately while also executing his own agenda to make America better. Never before has a president come into office with so many problems and so much pressure to do what is right in government and what is right by the citizens of the country. Good thing is this is something Biden knew when he declared his candidacy and its something that he has prepared for taking executive action on his first day in office.
Inner City Nutcracker Keeps Fine Arts Alive for Houston’s Kids
Having a vision for something that has never been done takes more than imagination. It takes passion and a can’t stop attitude. Imagination is needed so that even though no one that looks like you is doing the desire profession you can still see you, not someone that looks like you, but the actual you, not just doing it, but killing it like no other person regardless of sex or ethnicity. A passion that burns so deep and fierce that eating, sleeping, and breathing it is the bare minimum of what you do to succeed.
