Hope & Wellness 's Podcast

The proposed 2018 federal budget will affect families across the country that receives assistance to purchase food. In some states like Louisiana, over 20% of the state resident rely on SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, to purchase food. These residents also support the economy of small and large grocery stores that accept SNAP benefits. On this Memorial Day weekend, we discuss the history of this day of service and sacrifice. For many this is the weekend to break open the grill, we discuss food safety and tips to keep friends and family food safe.

Graduation ceremonies are a time of celebration for the graduate and their families In 2017, they have also been a time for civil protests. After the celebration, career counseling and mentors are critical to helping new hires successfully navigate challenging workplace environments, personalities, and politics. Our co-host, Mr. Antoine Brooks, MBA, shares his experiences on becoming a systems engineer and then a project director in a major defense corporation in Bethesda, Md. And we discuss possible changes to the Affordable Care Act, a program that provides health insurance for over 30 million Americans.

Early detection of major depression in adolescents remains a challenge. Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble created the AAKOMA Project, African-American Knowledge Optimized for Mindfully-Healthy Adolescents, to help African-American , Black and racially diverse youth and families successfully recognize the signs and symptoms of depression and access mental health care. Partnering with community members and faith-based institutions, Dr. Breland-Noble and members of the AAKOMA Project works to effectively educate, encourage and enlighten communities in North Carolina, Washington, D.C, Virginia, and Maryland that, on average, are reluctant to seek out professional mental health care services. Dr. Breland-Noble joins us to discuss depression, coping skills and the early findings from the AAKKOMA Project.

Mass incarceration disproportionately affects LGBTQ, low income, and urban communities. This has resulted in an explosion of women incarcerated and unable to gain their release due to the predatory practices of the money bail system. In honor of mothers, women, and caregivers, organizations around the country are working to release women from jail by Mother's Day, May 14, 2017. Mary Hooks, co-director of the Southerners of the New Ground and the founder of the Mama's Bail Out Day campaign, joins us later in the show to discuss how national and local organizations are working to free women from modern-day bondage.

Finding the right mental health therapist can be a daunting task. Quinn Gee,M.S., a mental health therapist and the owner of Magnolia Mental Health in Washington, D.C., joins us to offer some tips on finding the right therapist for your unique needs. Magnolia Mental Health provides services to most adults but specializes in the care of transgender persons. We talk about the special needs of the transgender community and the importance of therapy for therapists.

The recent, and now withdrawn, Pepsi commercial, brings attention to another fact of unsavory soda marketing practices: increasing healthcare disparities in underserved neighborhoods. African American and Hispanic youth are disproportionately targeted by soft drink companies with ads promoting nutritionally poor, sugar-filled drinks conveniently located in neighborhood corner stores. One 12 oz drink contains more than the recommended daily amount of added sugar for adults per the American Heart Association recommendations. We discuss the recent commercial and the disparate marketing budgets of soft drink companies versus public health organizations.

The Statue of Liberty is a world renowned landmark welcoming visitors from around the world to the US. In 2017, however, changes in immigration laws and new deportation priorities now place millions of people in the US in a state of uncertainty. Immigration attorney Sara Bazzi discusses the current immigration climate and the challenges facing undocumented immigrants seeking asylum in 2017.

Each year in the DC area, vulnerable children and adults are reported missing. The reasons for this phenomena vary and are complex. Recent local and national media attention highlighted the fact that each day, missing person reports are filed with the Metropolitan Police Department. Mayor Muriel Bowser has outlined an agenda to address this problem and councilmember Trayon White convened a community forum to discuss solutions to this disturbing trend. We discuss local groups and individuals that have updated the community before the national spotlight, some of the possible causes and solutions that each of us can implement.

At the age of 15, Yasmine Arrington founded ScholarChips, an organization that provides scholarships for college-bound students with a current or formerly incarcerated parent. The organization has awarded over $100,000 to local students in the suburban DC area while also offering support services. Ms. Arrington currently serves on the Commission on Re-Entry and Returning Citizen Affairs in Washington, DC while also serving as the MIss DC Plus America . We discuss the promising future of ScholarChips and local millenial leader, Yasmine Arrington

The kidneys are two detoxification powerhouses in the human body. March is National Kidney Month and a great time to understand how your kidneys work in sickness and health. Dr. Rodrick Stevenson, a general, and transplant surgeon. shares his expertise on kidney disease, kidney failure, and kidney organ transplantation in the US. African Americans, in particular, are at increased risk of developing kidney disease which, in most cases, asymptomatic in the beginning stages. As more and more kidney dialysis centers dot the landscape in inner city communities, we discuss preventive methods to keep your kidneys and other healthy and free of disease.