Tell me something good!
A request by Chitown Kev
Tried to finish the book that I am reading for today’s review but...it was a bit too much, but you will get a book review in two weeks.
Damn near every news headline is a “bad” story and I am just...sick of it. I believe in staying informed on as much as possible but my brain is a little overwhelmed with bad news right now.
I’m not as pessimistic as I used to be but I am a realist who has learned to be a guarded optimist.
The best I can do today, though, is to celebrate two approaching distractions...the college football season begins this coming weekend. (Cannot wait to see BU at UM!)
I am also taking a fall course and I got cycled into a class that I really truly wanted to take.
Just for today, though, I need an infusion of some of the good things that are happening in this world.
Well, considering the title, there’s always Chaka, right?
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News round up by dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor
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Last week, President Donald Trump declared a public safety emergency in Washington, D.C., a move that, according to the D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973, allows the federal government to take over the city’s police department for 30 days without congressional approval. Anxiety level is high as many are worried that taking over the Chocolate City — where Black people make up nearly 43 percent of the population, according to Data USA — is just the first part of Trump’s plan to implement a police state in America.
But one local membership club just made a move to make sure the city’s residents have a safe place to go during these uncertain times. The Gathering Spot is a Black-owned private membership club with locations in Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Los Angeles, created to provide a space for executives, artists and entrepreneurs to connect and build community.
Although you normally have to pay to play, the club just launched a safe house initiative, which will provide complimentary access to its D.C. location (with a few less perks than full membership would get them).
Residents can complete an online form to request access. Once they are approved, they can use the space to “work, rest and connect” with others. The Gathering Spot’s CEO, Ryan Wilson, announced the plan in an August 12 Instagram post.
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Advocates are warning the Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump’s tax and spending law will disproportionately harm Black women and children who depend on the program, worsening already disparate health outcomes among Black Americans.
Although Black people represent about 14 percent of the U.S. population, they account for more than 20 percent of Medicaid enrollees, according to Pew Research Center — and almost 60 percent of all Black children are enrolled in Medicaid, according to a recent analysis from the NAACP and other advocacy organizations.
The looming cuts, advocates say, could limit resources in high poverty schools, exacerbate maternal mortality rates and leave Black families without critical care.
“States right now are having to make decisions on what services they’re going to cut ... and their allocation of funding toward this population,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP. “It is unconscionable that Congress would leave American children, which are the future of the country, without the supports that they need and the interventions that they need to contribute meaningfully to develop to their fullest potential.”
The impact on services to Black children in particular, she added, could have long-term negative effects throughout their entire lives.
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On a recent evening in Senegal ‘s capital of Dakar, an imam named Ibrahima Diane explained to a group of men why they should be more involved in household chores.
“The Prophet himself says a man who does not help support his wife and children is not a good Muslim,” the 53-year-old said, as he described bathing his baby and helping his wife with other duties.
Some of the 14 men chuckled, not quite sold. Others applauded.
Diane was taking part in a “school for husbands,” a United Nations-backed initiative where respected male community members learn about “positive masculinity” in health and social issues and promote them in their communities.
In Senegal, as in many other West African countries with large rural or conservative populations, men often have the final say in major household decisions, including ones related to health. Women may need their permission for life-changing decisions on accessing family planning or other reproductive health services, along with hospital deliveries or prenatal care.
Following his sessions at the school for husbands, Diane regularly holds sermons during Friday prayers where he discusses issues around gender and reproductive health, from gender-based violence to fighting stigma around HIV.
“Many women appreciate my sermons,” he said. “They say their husbands’ behavior changed since they attended them.” He said some men have told him the sermons inspired them to become more caring husbands and fathers.
Habib Diallo, a 60-year-old former army commando, said attending the sermons and discussions with the imam taught him about the risks of home births.
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Camels have long been the backbone of Somalia ‘s pastoralist culture, feeding families, transporting goods and standing tall in local folklore. But on the dusty outskirts of the capital, the camel now finds itself at the center of an agricultural revolution that could redefine Somali farming.
On a breezy Wednesday morning in mid-June, The Associated Press visited Beder Camel Farm — one of a new generation of camel dairies springing up around Mogadishu.
Dozens of camels sauntered around sandy paddocks while others nibbled on fresh fodder under the watchful eyes of herders. In a nearby shed, workers carefully milked the animals and collected the frothy yield in sanitized containers.
Demand for camel milk is growing, buoyed by a wave of local entrepreneurs who see untapped potential in a traditional resource.
Somalia is home to over 7 million camels — more than any other country on Earth — but only a fraction of that milk has ever reached urban grocery shelves, according to industry estimates.
At the heart of the shift toward a modern approach to camel milk production is Dr. Abdirisak Mire Hashi, a veterinarian and the farm’s manager. For Hashi, it’s not only about profit — it’s about preserving heritage while embracing progress.
“Somalis take pride in their heritage of raising camels. However, the way camels are raised has changed significantly over time,” Hashi told The Associated Press as he inspected a milking herd.
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WELCOME TO THE TUESDAY PORCH
IF YOU ARE NEW TO THE BLACK KOS COMMUNITY, GRAB A SEAT, SOME CYBER EATS, RELAX, AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
