January 26, 2023
By Rodd A. Amos
Contributing Writer
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science was founded in the aftermath of the Watts uprising in 1965 to help rectify the inequities in the healthcare system in south Los Angeles. The Historically Black Graduate Institute (HBGI) is one of the nation’s four Black medical schools, and California’s only historically Black university.
In 2006, CDU launched the Master of Public Health in Urban Health Disparities Program to improve community wellbeing through education, health promotion and disease prevention that focuses on the social determinants of health, social justices and inequity.
Dr. Sondos Islam, chair of the Department of Urban Public Health, discussed the impact on CDU’s public health graduate students.
“Our PH programs focus on health promotion and disease prevention by addressing the social determinants of health. Our students gain the knowledge and skills to prevent or try to reduce health issues impacting urban medically underserved communities (MUC) before they get sick, that is, before they need a doctor or a nurse,” said Islam.
“We have been successful in placing our public health graduates in organizations that serve the health needs. From 2016 through 2021, within 12 months of degree completion, 79 percent of our graduates were employed, 63 percent of whom were employed in organizations that serve the health needs of urban communities. The rest of our MPH graduates were pursuing further higher education including medical, nursing, and doctoral degrees.”
Dr. Bita Amani, chair of MPH Recruitment and Admissions, echoed the success of the program.
“We’ve created a place where different workers and disciplines can come together and talk about upstream factors that are limiting our abilities to grow and thrive. I would attribute the success of our program to content and curriculum, the diversities of occupations, and the fact that we are part of the rich tradition of historically black colleges and universities,” said Amani.
Dr. Islam, who has a preventive medicine academic portfolio focused on health behavior research of ethnically diverse communities, discussed the racial demographics of the program.
“Since we launched our [MPH] in 2006, 95 percent of our students are from underserved minority groups, and the majority are African American females.
However, we are gradually becoming more successful at enrolling more Hispanic students and more males,” he noted.
Dr. Amani, a socio-political epidemiologist who structures her public health research and instruction around larger questions of freedom and justice, shared the factors and extracurriculars that lead up to acceptance into the CDU MPH program.
“This is an answer that has changed. The program from the beginning was focused on disparities, inequity and justice, namely racism. So when I looked over the applications, I was looking for someone who had a track record of that kind of commitment and wanted to learn more about [the program].
Racism is a public health issue, so now we have to get a little more sophisticated with how we evaluate applications.
But we’re still looking to see in what communities you have volunteered, the diversities of the roles you’ve held, and with what organizations have you shown commitment to,” stated Amani.
Islam was awarded two Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grants: Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students (SDS), and Public Health Scholarship Program (PHSP), both of which provide scholarship awards to MPH and BSPH students from disadvantaged backgrounds that cover at least 60 percent of the PH program annual tuition, plus funds for education supplies.
Jennifer Alvarez (CDU MPH alumna), and program manager of CDU HRSA PHSP illustrates the factors that lead up to a scholarship offer.
“It’s part of our mission to give students from disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to not only get their education, but also to think about coming back to our community to find their place. Grade Point Average (GPA) and a holistic application are considered, but we're really looking at students who are invested in coming back to serving our community,” Alvarez said.
The CDU MPH will hold a virtual Open House on Monday, January 30. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3HnEbpW, or for more information, visit https://bit.ly/3JpfBqr
January 19, 2023
By Betti Halsell
Assistant Managing Editor
Sizzling food comes rushing from the kitchen, onto the contemporary-style dining hall—guests softly dancing to classic 90’s R&B music as the waitress greets them with a warm welcome to Lo-Lo’s in Las Vegas, Nevada. A must-try soul food spot nestled in at 325 Hughes Center Drive.
The very first restaurant emerged in Arizona. In 2022, Larry “Lo-Lo” White opened up shop with a 10-year Chicken and Waffle recipe and instantly gained traction in the collective community.
With tenacity and a relentless spirit White found himself greeting guests, cooking the food, and walking the local area in a chicken suit—handing out flyers.
The word grew and made it to the ears of the elite, grabbing the attention of Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Muhammad Ali, and others, transforming Phoenix, Arizona into an unlikely destination for true soul cuisine.
Lo-Lo’s is now stationed in Texas and Nevada, and the Las Vegas location does not disappoint.
There were addictive flavors, warm staff members, and all the classic songs from ’90s hip-hop and R&B were playing.
Each of the five senses will be activated.
The Chicken and Waffles come highly recommended at Lo-Lo’s. White created that recipe along with his full menu in the back of his grandmothers’ kitchen; authentically improved with generational knowledge about home-style cuisine.
They offer “All-day breakfast, Hood Classics, The Eats, Desserts, and Dranks.” Appetizers include Fried Green Tomatoes, Catfish Beignets, and Fried Okra. Prices ranging from $11- $60.
Las Vegas has a diverse community, considering the practice of working for a Black-owned company, Lo-Lo Security Officer, Isaiah Halsell stated, “I feel comfortable being myself,” he continued,
“It’s very warm— management often greets you with a hug--family vibes. LA lot of dancing and events.
Mrs. D is very professional, and her work ethic and experience in the service industry show. Personally, as an athlete and college student, I appreciate the fact she has always worked with my unpredictable schedule.”
Learn more about Lo-Los by visiting https://loloschickenandwaffles.com/.
January 19, 2023
By Margrira
Contributing Writer
There’s something beautiful about discovering a company that’s founded on a passion and dedication to creating beautiful and functional works of art. Enter DMC Original Art, an art and home decor business that bridges the gap between function and art.
The brainchild of Danielle M. Chéry, a self-trained artist and published author, her journey began because she was intrigued by nature’s free form and creates art to reflect its wild, flowing beauty. A child with a self-exclaimed “wanderlust,” her spirit has led her to travel widely and abstract memories she treasures from exploring are embedded in her artwork.
Her path in discovering her talent didn’t start in art school (she, didn’t attend) but blossomed, instead, while working for an arts-based nonprofit organization.
Chéry’s curious mind helped her develop a fluid epoxy art technique that presents an evocative exploration of Earth’s color palette through mixed media.
A student of mediation, Chéry is dedicated to the practice and considers her artwork a moving meditation that is inspiring and accessible.
Chéry’s home decor items include one-of-a-kind sets of coasters, serving trays, tables, mirrors, wall art and more.
All pieces are made from wood and ceramics, with use of acrylic paints, molding paste, resin and glass stones.
Signature styles of DMC Original Art feature gold accents and materials that offer a third-dimensional sense of texture, which symbolizes bringing the art to life, and to light.
She shares her process on social media and refurbishes older furniture as well as producing a constant flow of new creations.
DMC Original Art is proudly listed in the Buy From a Black Woman online business directory and was honored with the 2021 Home Goods Business Of the Year Award.
Danielle is a self-trained artist. She began painting as a hobby in 2012.
Her artwork consisted of paintings on canvas that friends and family would collect.
She then went on to experiment with various mediums over the years, by adding molding paste to paintings with the intention of giving dimension to each art creation.
Creating art that people can touch intrigued her so much that she continued to evolve by expanding her work into a collection of art that people would be able to use. Functional home decor. Designing coasters was the start of it.
During the beginning months of the pandemic, she began to take notice of basic wooden items that could be painted. Serving trays became the next functional creation, with a multipurpose of being used to enjoy a meal in bed or as a mobile working station. She officially started her business in 2021, with coasters (which she refers to as "co-stars") becoming her top seller.
The biggest challenges Danielle faces with her business is effectively marketing her products to draw traffic to her business website.
Her most popular designs include earth tone colors that resemble the Caribbean sea.
Many people love the coasters, serving trays and tables that have ocean-like colors, including blue, aqua, teal, and gold.
To learn more, visit https://www.dmcoriginalart.com/.
January 05, 2023
LAWT News Service
Gdavis Productions and Films, LLC and the Alzheimer’s Association bring a free production of “Unforgettable” to Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 5 p.m., at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre.
The dynamic and emotional stage play showcases the effects of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. The production also sheds light on the importance of early detection, recognizing the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s and the importance of underrepresented communities’ participation in clinical trials.
“There is a lack of culturally appropriate and tailored programming that resonates with disproportionately affected and underserved audiences as it relates to Alzheimer’s and other dementia care and support,” said Carl V. Hill, Ph.D., M.P.H., chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at the Alzheimer's Association.
“This community theater gives us the opportunity to deliver important disease-related information to the Los Angeles community in a fun and entertaining way. We want audiences to come away with a better understanding of Alzheimer’s and other dementia and of the resources and support that are available from the Alzheimer’s Association to help families who are affected.”
Currently, there are more than 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, including more than 690,000 in California. Older Black Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease as White Americans. Black Americans are also less likely to receive a timely diagnosis, with many receiving a diagnosis much later in the disease, when their medical needs are greater, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
“Unforgettable” features a stellar cast of characters including Dartez Wright and Kenneth Pierce from the series “Daddy’s Boys,” American Idol finalist Scott Savol, LeJuene Thompson from Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers, and Yessie Rodriguez from the drama series “My Family.”
The Unforgettable theme song was written by songwriter and vocalist Blanche McAllister, one of the lead singers from the Grammy award-winning group Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers.
“Response to the play has been overwhelming,” said Garret Davis, “Unforgettable” creator and award-winning playwright and filmmaker.
“The play illustrates what families affected by Alzheimer’s go through and encourages action. Being proactive in addressing Alzheimer’s and other dementia is especially important in Black/Latino communities who are at greater risk for the disease. I’m grateful that our message is resonating with audiences that have been vastly underserved for far too long,” he noted.
Gdavis Productions has been touring the country and raising awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving in communities of color for more than 13 years with the critically acclaimed stage plays “Forget Me Not” and “Mama’s Girls.” Over the last decade, “Forget Me Not” has toured over 27 cities in 10 states in an attempt to close the health disparities gap in underserved and disproportionately affected communities.
Alzheimer’s Association staff will be on hand before and after the play to provide information on local support and education services and to answer audience questions.
For more information about “Unforgettable” and to reserve a free ticket for the performance, visit unforgettableplay.com.