All results / Stories

Tease photo

Is winter holiday travel canceled? Not quite

For the past several years, Hong Kong-based fashion designer Marie France Van Damme has spent the week between Christmas and New Year's in Malaysia -- island hopping on a boat with her husband, three sons and their girlfriends.

Tease photo

5 things for May 7: White House, Hawaii volcano, Russia protests

Check out the world's longest sea-crossing bridge (it's 34 miles!), which opens this summer in China. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.

Tease photo

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) Announces the 2017 EDA Award Winners

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 AWFJ EDA Awards. This year, AWFJ presents EDA Awards in 25 categories, divided into three sections: the standard ‘Best Of’ section, the Female Focus awards and the irreverent EDA Special Mention awards—including Actress Most in Need of a New Agent and the AWFJ Hall of Shame Award.

Tease photo

Pursuit Brings New Adventures with Sky Lagoon Iceland and FlyOver Iceland Experiences

Although Iceland may look like a lonely island in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, do not let the size fool you. In fact, the only small thing about the island may be the population of humans at approximately 350,000. Known as a hyperactive Country the island is comprised of a diverse landscape with mighty rivers, majestic glaciers, mountains, and of course active volcanoes. Located on the mid-Atlantic ridge of two shifting continent plates separating Europe from America, Iceland brings a unique, one-of-a-kind experience to its visitors naturally, but there’s always a way to bring some flare into the mix and that is what The Pursuit Collection has done!

Tease photo

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.

Tease photo

St. Louis Protest Police Accused of Controversial 'kettling' Tactics

Demonstrators have taken to the streets of St. Louis to protest the recent not-guilty verdict in the case of a former police officer accused in a fatal shooting.

Why the Trump impeachment trial is crucial

How does a country recover from four years of virulent acrimony? The urgent need to heal America's divisions, to "end this uncivil war," stood at the center of President Joe Biden's stirring inaugural speech. He implored Americans to "open our souls instead of hardening our hearts."

Tease photo

For the first time, girls were eligible to be Eagle Scouts -- and nearly 1,000 earned the elite rank

Valerie Johnston knew she wanted to be a Boy Scout since she was 6. That's when she started attending meetings with her brother. When she turned 8, she got special permission to get an official uniform, and she joined the co-ed group Venturing at 14.

Tease photo

Robert Earl Keen's World Tour of Texas Incudes Texas Uprising in Houston on August 20

The road is ending soon. Legendary Texas songwriter and entertainer Robert Earl Keen will wrap up 41 years on the road with the final leg of his final tour in his home state of Texas from August 4 - September 4.

TSU faculty, staff and students celebrate Juneteenth

Members of the Texas Southern University community are honoring Juneteenth at a variety of events – both on- and off-campus, as well as virtually, over the next two weeks.

Tease photo

Empowering Innovation: PVAMU debuts Blackstone LaunchPad to support next generation of entrepreneurs, professionals

On Feb. 12, Prairie View A&M University hosted a groundbreaking event to inaugurate the Blackstone LaunchPad on campus, marking a significant milestone in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among students and faculty. The event was the culmination of a $10 million commitment across Texas dedicated to entrepreneur success and economic mobility.

Tease photo

Daymond John and Miller Lite Bring Tap the Future Live Pitch Tour to Houston

Look out, the shark is in town! Entrepreneur Daymond John of ABC’s Shark Tank and Miller Lite brought their Tap the Future Live Pitch Tour to Houston for the fifth year. Tap the Future is an annual business competition that awards one lucky winner $100,000 to fund their next business venture.

Tease photo

Kelly Clarkson May Not Be Welcome in Nashville If Its Hockey Team Doesn't Win

Kelly Clarkson may be one of the most popular artists in the country, but she could be persona non grata in Nashville if its hockey team doesn't win.

Tease photo

DC Councilman Denounces Arrest Of Black Teens Selling Water

D.C. councilmember Charles Allen said he doesn’t understand why the officers didn't take actions that were “less severe than handcuffing.”

Tease photo

African-American Billionaire Robert Smith Offers Full Scholarships for Education of Chibok Girls Who Escaped Boko Haram

American billionaire Robert Smith has offered to sponsor the education of 24 girls from the Chibok community, including the 21 girls who escaped from Boko Haram captivity in October this year.

Tease photo

Tesla, On A Hot Streak, Passes Ford In Investor Value

Change reflects a growing belief that electric motors and autonomous driving are the wave of the future for cars

Tease photo

Satellite images of Beirut explosion show massive crater at port

Satellite images, obtained by CNN from Planet Labs Inc., show a massive crater at the site of Tuesday's explosion in Beirut's port.

Tease photo

Trump says Xi told him Kim meeting went 'very well'

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said on Twitter he received a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding this week's covert visit by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to Beijing.

Tease photo

Scrabble adds 300 words, including one we've all been waiting for: OK

Scrabble players might find themselves twerking their way to victory soon, as hundreds of new words have been added to the game.

Tease photo

Holy cow! Giant steer 'Knickers' stands head and shoulders over herd

This is one farm animal you wouldn't want any beef with. "Knickers," an enormous Holstein-Friesian, is making headlines after his owner declared him -- unofficially -- Australia's biggest steer.