For Our Edification

In this first installment of the Write to Bear Alms segment, we take a look at the mental health benefits of giving. To do that, we're taking it back to her old "Write to Bear Alms" radio show, which aired on the Dallas-based Radio Azad.

Halima's guest was Leslie M. Brown, a mental health professional who is pursuing her Ph.D. in counseling. Leslie's mental health work includes stress reduction workshops for various groups and counseling military veterans. She explains the neuroscience behind the feelings of satisfaction that come from giving and how an attitude of gratitude relieves stress. Halima and Leslie also discuss the importance of leveraging giving to help youth develop their mental health.

Not only is Leslie a great friend, but she also serves on the board of the Purposeful Philanthropy Foundation.

The views expressed on “For Our Edification” do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit forouredification.substack.com

What's it like when a player makes a game-ending mistake? Of course, it's painful for us fans, but it's obviously way more painful for the players.

David Grubb, a columnist for Crescent City Sports, has a very good idea of the real identity and value of the player who had a tough game. In this throwback interview (from the old Eddie Francis Podcast Show), David talked about the identity and value of athletes beyond the arena on the heels of a mistake that ended my New Orleans Saints' 2018 playoff run. The tables turned for the Saints, however, when a mistake kept their season alive in the 2019 playoffs. Who Dat!

David talked about what it's like in the locker room for players after crushing defeats or big mistakes. He also talked a bit about student athletes and how athletes manage social issues. David not only provides great insight, but he mixes in a couple of great stories--like that time he almost got pulverized by former NFL linebacker Greg Lloyd in the locker room.

The views expressed on “For Our Edification” do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit forouredification.substack.com

As yet another new year rolls in, many of us are determined to be better versions of ourselves. A popular social media hashtag has been #NewYearNewMe, with folks determined to make 2019 a better year than 2018.

The response? HATERATION!

But not everybody is letting the haters have their way. Take this tweet, for instance:

I hate when people say saying #NewYearNewMe is lame. It's a time to set benchmark #goals and #resolutions. Maybe you don't need that fresh start but I know plenty of people who do. Let's make #2019 great.#LetsWork #Money #Family #Fitness #Health #Growth #MentalHealth #Love #Joy

— D. A. Daniels, Jr. (@DeryleDanielsJr) January 1, 2019

With so many eager to knock the "New Year, New Me" crowd off their pedestals, Halima and I talk about how the pushback just may affect those who are looking to reinvent themselves. Halima, who teaches sociology, offers thoughts about why she believes there have been such toxic responses to the "New Year, New Me" mantra. We also chat about people who present images of their "perfect" lives on social media and whether or not they're being real. Are they real???

Bonus! Halima reveals why she tapped out on "Game of Thrones".

Here's an interesting read that we referenced during the conversation:  "How Social Media Affects Our Self-Perception".

The views expressed on “For Our Edification” do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit forouredification.substack.com

Welcome to For Our Edification!

This podcast is about identity and value--who we are and how we influence those around us. For Our Edification's co-pilot, Dr. Halima Leak Francis, is the host of the Write to Bear Alms segment, which provides insights and information about how giving can build sustainable communities. Being the fundraising mastermind she is, Halima will also sprinkle some helpful fundraising tidbits along the way. Also, check out the Write to Bear Alms blog.

The views expressed on “For Our Edification” do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit forouredification.substack.com

If you're on a fitness journey, what's your motivation? Is it about feeling good or looking good? Personal trainer Micah "Bravo" Matthews sat down with me after one of our workouts to talk about going beyond the physical side of physical fitness. Bravo talks about his fitness journey, his passion for working with others plus being able to see inside of his clients.

Photo: VoyageDallas

WRITE TO BEAR ALMS

Halima has the very cool experience of having been in fundraising and philanthropy in several spaces. Whether it has been at a global university or a small historically Black college, the Muslim or Christian community, or among African Americans or South Asians, Halima has come to understand that there is importance in identity when it comes to giving.

By the way, Halima has launched her nonprofit dedicated to educating communities about the power of philanthropy--the Purposeful Philanthropy Foundation.

You may also want to listen to Halima's two-part Write to Bear Alms segment, The Impact of Philanthropic Identity.

Part 1, episode 33

Part 2, episode 34

Sometimes a great interview is right there in front of you. That was certainly the case with this episode's guest. T'Edra Jackson creates goals only to crush them. I met her when she was a college sophomore. Now the young professional, who recently completed her master's program at Pepperdine, is creating new goals to crush. There is no doubt she understands her value.

I thought it would be fun to hear about her journey from Baton Rouge to Dallas to Malibu, but I was more interested in how that path has informed who T'Edra is. Charming as ever, the young grasshopper gives an entertaining account of enrolling in a college she had never heard of, becoming one of its most valuable ambassadors, and building a resilient identity along the way.

Cool interviews and smart takes by Eddie Francis about the stuff that impacts our identity and value--who we are and how we contribute to those around us. Halima Leak Francis co-pilots and talks about the power of giving on the "Write to Bear Alms" segment.

Sara Taney Humphreys felt the urge to write...so she did. That led her to becoming an award-winning novelist who is known for her paranormal romance and urban fantasy series of books including the Amoveo Legend novels which have been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award. Not only that, she has enjoyed time as a speaker and professional actress whose television credits include "A&E Biography", "Guiding Light", "Another World", "As the World Turns", and "Rescue Me".

A very cool friend, Sara took the time to talk about how she finally got her ideas out of her head and onto paper. She gives great insights not only for budding writers but anyone who has that dream waiting to be unleashed.

WRITE TO BEAR ALMS

In part two of this Black Philanthropy Month edition of the podcast, Halima covers a lot of ground in only 29 minutes. She talks about how to establish a philanthropic identity, why you should educate yourself on a cause (instead of giving blindly), and even what happens when a donor feels their philanthropic identity has been betrayed. Just add li'l sum'n, sum'n, she even comments about giving and church.

Black Philanthropy Month 2016 Episodes

25 | Whose Donation Is It, Anyway? Part 1 (breaking down Michael Jordan's debated $1M donation)

26 | Whose Donation Is It, Anyway? Part 2