The Decatur chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity will sponsor Protecting Our Women At All Costs, a health fair and discussion focused on combating domestic violence. Bodae Vogt joins me to discuss their efforts in DeKalb this weekend. The event will take place at Greenforest McCalep Christian Academy, 3250 Rainbow Dr., Decatur, GA., on Saturday, April 27th. Speakers will include Dekalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox, April Ross, executive director of Georgia Commission on Family Violence and Georgia State Rep. Omari Crawford. In addition to speakers and resource tables for assistance and counsel, the event will also feature self-defense expert Brandy Chris. The fair begins at 10 a.m. and concludes at 1 p.m.

During National Crime Victims Rights Week, local law enforcement jurisdictions work to raise awareness among survivors of the rights they have. Solicitor-General Keith Gammage reports that approximately every two days, someone in Georgia is murdered in an incident of domestic violence. Victim Advocates are available to help. In Fulton County call 404-612-6883 for assistance, court related questions or to speak with a victim advocate or to obtain family counseling. Solicitor Gammage and others from his office are my guests for this episode of Perspectives.

More than a third of Americans (35%) do not plan on discussing the transfer of wealth with their families, according to new research from Edward Jones. Despite this, nearly half of Americans (48%) plan to leave an inheritance. This is all part of the Great Wealth Transfer, when Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation will pass down an estimated $84.4 trillion in assets through 2045. Talking about inheritance can be uncomfortable and nearly impossible to separate emotions from financial decisions, but experts say it’s critical for family harmony. Olivia Ewing with Edward Jones is my guest to discuss why these conversations are critical now, more than ever.

Colorectal cancer has jumped from being the fourth leading cause of cancer death in men and women under 50 years old to first in men and second in women in less than two decades. The American Cancer Society recommends that people at average risk of colorectal cancer start regular screening at age 45. By increasing screening rates in people 45 to 49 years old, including awareness of convenient, noninvasive stool tests, we can help reverse this trend. Dr. Bruce Waldholtz of the American Cancer Society tell us that in Georgia, only 64% of people aged 45 and older are up to date on their colorectal screening. Among adults aged 45 to 50, 80% are not getting screened. ACS estimates 4,940 people in Georgia will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2024 and 1,660 will die from the disease. Screening can detect polyps and other problems before they become cancer and detect colorectal cancer early when it may be easier to treat. Early-stage colorectal cancer typically does not cause symptoms, which is why planning a screening schedule based on patient risk is so important.

No family prepares for cancer. The local nonprofit Cure Childhood Cancer does. Central to the group’s mission is supporting families devastated by a childhood cancer diagnosis. My guest today for Perspectives is Kristin Connor, Cure Childhood Cancer’s Chief Executive Officer. March is the Month of Giving for Jersey Mike's subs and 100-percent of all sales this week are going to charity. Cure Childhood Cancer will benefit this week by your having lunch, a snack or taking the team after practice to a Jersey Mike's Subs in Atlanta, Athens, Macon, and Columbus. Only 4% of every federal dollar spent goes to fight pediatric cancer. Connor says Wednesday is the day you can make a big impact. Last year the effort raised nearly $500,000 for the organization.

MEQ stands for Mindset, Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Qualities and is the foundation Dr. Sabine Charles uses to coach leaders and executives. Charles is an author, public speaker and professional certification exam tutor. Charles believes leadership is not just about vision; it's about creating a connection that inspires. She says with Leadership MEQ, her students develop the skills to lead not just with strategy, but also with heart. Charles puts her theories to the test via virtual leadership seminars and a hybrid course and gratitude and growth retreat this fall.

Their stories will stun you. In collaboration with the local Atlanta Morehouse School of Medicine, a national quantitative study was conducted to shed light on the prevalence and impact of pain inequity among Black communities. The study surveyed 2,000 Americans and revealed 93% of Black individuals feel the impact of pain on their day-to-day lives with 83% facing negative experiences when seeking help managing pain, and 3 out of 4 acknowledging bias in pain diagnosis and treatment. On today's show we talk with Inaayah. She's local. She's a dedicated pre-med student, and pain equity advocate. We also talk with Derek who shares his perspective as a black male migraine sufferer since childhood, shedding light on the challenges of having one's pain dismissed. Derek's experiences, including a concerning visit to the ER and witnessing his father's stroke, underscore the urgency of believing and validating individuals dealing with chronic pain.

EXCEPTIONAL: Being the Exception to the Rule outlines a journey of supporting everyone - from small business stakeholders and entrepreneurs to seasoned executives - to define their passion for success while cementing their purpose. Cassius Butts is an accomplished executive who has found success as a business strategist and trusted advisor. He has served or advised officials in four United States presidential administrations (Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden). He is now focused on helping to create blueprint solutions for C-suite executives, small businesses, and private/public sector entities. Cassius Butts believes your life plan is based on finding your passion, figuring out who you really are, wanting to know why you're here, and creating experiences that are driven by your very own purpose. For most people, that journey doesn't start until later in life or after a significant event. He shares that event and how it shaped his future on this episode of Perspectives.

Throughout the country, we’ve seen anti-voter legislation, political violence, and targeted misinformation. All of this is meant to create deliberate barriers to participating in our electoral process. The Leadership Conference wants to empower people, especially young people of color, to be the change they want to see in the system because we know that for our democracy to work for all of us, it must include us all. And Still I Vote (ASIV) is a campaign of The Leadership Conference Education Fund that recognizes when we wield our power at the ballot box, we can deliver for our communities. The goal of the ASIV campaign is to engage, educate, and increase civic participation so we can protect our freedoms and strengthen our democracy. One of the ways we are failing as a democracy is our criminal-legal system, which is plagued with inequities. The objective of Vision for Justice (V4J) is to provide specific information about how to improve the criminal-legal system, to help hold our elected leaders accountable, and to amplify the urgent need for a new paradigm for public safety. For there to be justice for all, changes such as passing sentencing reform, improving prison conditions, and helping formerly incarcerated people reintegrate into society must occur to create a system that acknowledges the humanity of all people.

Friday, March 15 will be a special evening at Atlanta Symphony Hall as Oleksandr Stoianov and his wife Kateryna Kukhar, founder and principal dancers of the Grand Kyiv Ballet will be performing Gisselle in Atlanta. Theirs is a harrowing and dramatic story as the couple is living in the US - in Seattle, WA because of the war in their homeland. A portion of proceeds from the event will be directed toward the renovation effort of the Kyiv State Choreographic College in Kyiv. The performance is one of the couple's 60 city national tour. They learned of the invasion at the worst possible time. He was in France. She was in Germany. The kids were in Kyiv. They have since been reunited and their daughter is adapting well to live in the USA. So is their son who wants to play soccer professionally. You'll fall in love with this couple and their family.