Yesterday, I had the distinct honor of attending a White House briefing on behalf of Black and Married with Kids, to discuss the Affordable Care Act and the significance it has specifically to the African American community. I didn’t realize how much I was missing or just didn’t know altogether about the ACA. And if many of you are like me, you’re missing out on a lot of facts … [Read more...]
Headline
Chicago Youth Killed One Week After Participating in the Presidential Inauguration Events
A little over a week ago many of us sat on our living room couches with our eyes fixated on the television as the Inauguration took place. Others, while in Washington D.C., stood outside bundled up watching it happen in person. Of the thousands of people who were there that Monday morning Hadiya Pendleton was one of them. She had gone to perform at the “inaugural events with … [Read more...]
Saying Goodbye Again: Gun Violence Kills Chicago Woman’s Fourth Child
Imagine living your worst nightmare over and over. As parents no image is more horrific than that of your child, once full of life, now lifeless before you. If the world worked the way it was “supposed to” a parent would never out live their child. Children would grow up to become adults and then they would grow old. Sadly things don’t always turn out the way they are supposed … [Read more...]
Father Regains Custody of Child Allegedly Adopted Without His Knowledge
Early December BMWK did some coverage on the story of a drill sergeant’s wife giving their baby up for adoption following her premature delivery. The father, Terry Achane, who was stationed in another state for work, was said to have abandoned his wife and daughter according to the adoptive family. Almost two years later, the child Teleah is approximately 22 months old. She … [Read more...]
Despite the Obesity Epidemic Among Black Children NAACP Is Against the NYC Ban on Sugary Drinks
If you are drinking a soda at the moment you may want to put it down and read this carefully. Data supports the fact that our children are obese at a higher rate than their peers. They are consuming sugary drinks at alarming rates placing them at risk not just for obesity but for diabetes as well. Despite knowing this information both the NAACP and the Hispanic Federation are … [Read more...]
Chicago Reaches 500th Homicide in 2012; They Need Our Prayers
It chills my spirit just to type that headline. Unfortunately, it is a grim reality that all of us Chicagoans have had to come to terms with. It’s almost as though we are numb to the violence. Whenever I turn on the news, I immediately speculate on how many people were shot the night before. I never ponder whether or not there was a shooting, but simply how many innocent lives … [Read more...]
Why You Must See Middle of Nowhere Opening Weekend
Ava DuVernay, won the the Best Director Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for Middle of Nowhere, a film that chronicles a young woman, caught between two worlds and two men in the search for herself. Ruby, the main character, is a bright young medical student that sacrifices her dreams when her husband becomes incarcerated. "It's a real challenge to find African … [Read more...]
What Lengths Would You Go to To Give Your Kids an Advantage Over Other Kids?
Once upon a time if you wanted your kids to get ahead in school, then you started them early (like at 4 years old) or you hoped that they could skip a grade. But yesterday, I learned about a growing trend called Redshirting, where parents are holding their kids back from starting kindergarten until they are 6 years old. Many are doing this in order to give their kids an … [Read more...]
48 Hours
by Harriet Hairston There is no rhyme or reason to this article. I just wanted to express how much I learned over the weekend, and what a life changing time I had. On Saturday, my husband and I completed a business deal that gave us a little residual income that allowed us to get out of town for the rest of the weekend. It was truly a blessing. Once we … [Read more...]
Keep Your Sex Life Out Of Your Facebook Status
by Aja Dorsey Jackson I have more than a couple Facebook friends who consistently post what I believe to be extremely inappropriate status updates about their relationships. Sometimes they are publicly cursing out their partner on their wall, other times they are sending a very public/private message to him or her about what they just did in bed, or what they want to do … [Read more...]
TONIGHT: DC FREE Screening of Happily Ever After Black Marriage Documentary
DC Week is here!!!! This Thursday come out and experience the documentary everyone has been talking about. The Amazon.com bestselling film Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage at the Historic Avalon Theatre in NW DC. Doors open at 7:30 show starts at 8:00 early arrival is suggested since this is a FREE event. To see pictures from our Baltimore screening two … [Read more...]