Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference 2020 Register for FREE!

 

REGISTRATION IS STILL OPEN

This year will be the first-ever all virtual Annual Legislative Conference. Registration is FREE and required to view session content.

REGISTER NOW

Register for this conference - Efamily member P.Evans gave this commentary on today's session

Feel free to register for FREE at any time for the Virtual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. ALC2020 (see below to register). This year the conference has expanded to a month-long event with more than 80 sessions scheduled from August 31, 2020 – October 2, 2020. ***YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS ANY OF THE SESSIONS WITHOUT REGISTERING SINCE YOU WILL BE GIVEN A PASSWORD.***

Today's PDS was about " What does the Black Community Need to know about vaccinations during COVID." These are scientifically-intensive sessions with prominent blacks in the medical profession - a real brain trust - typical of the ALC. You can receive Continuing Education Units for the PDS sessions. Today, they discussed how Blacks tend to fear participating in clinical trials - with good reason due to the Tuskegee study conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the US. The purpose of this study was to observe untreated syphilis; the African-American men with syphilis in the study were only told they were receiving free health care from the Federal government of the United States, but were never treated. Sad. However, today, we should be open to thinking about participating. We should also be open to receive vaccines, including the flu vaccine since getting a flu vaccine during 2020-2021 is more important than ever because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Flu vaccination is especially important for people of color with certain underlying medical conditions, like asthma, heart disease, and diabetes. People with these types of conditions are at higher risk of developing serious complications from flu. Many of these conditions also increase the risk for serious outcomes from COVID-19. I had no idea about these other benefits of the flu vaccine!

They also discussed the increase of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) after they have contracted coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the specific coronavirus that causes Coronavirus Disease discovered in 2019 (COVID-19 ).

Great sessions!

Monday, August 31, 2020

Opening Welcome Address 1:00 PM

 

Tonya Veasey, President and Chief Executive Officer, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.

Money, Wealth and Disparities: Agony to Action—Creating Inclusive Access 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Join in on a dynamic issues forum that brings together a stellar panel of experts to provide strategic insight and solutions to overcome the systemic and structural exclusion of Black people from economic opportunities in America. As we continue to seek social and racial justice in the wake of our nation’s most recent reckoning with the enduring vestiges of slavery, it is equally critical that we work to strengthen our communities financially, build wealth and leave a legacy for generations yet unborn. Q&A session to follow. Sponsored by McDonald's and Mastercard.

Moderator and Honorary Host: Rep. Joyce Beatty

Speakers: Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Professor, Georgetown University

Adrienne Trimble, President and CEO of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)

Marla Blow, Senior Vice President, North America, Social Impact, Mastercard

Andre Hill, Owner Operator—2nd generation, McDonald’s

 

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

PDS for EDUCATORS: When the Bell Rings: Rethinking Culturally

Responsive Pedagogy 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

The rush by school districts to meet the demand for professional development on culturally responsive pedagogy has resulted in a mixed bag of options. During this session, learn about the fallacies that are being baked into some programs. Experts will provide you with the core research-driven components that you should look for when embracing culturally responsive pedagogy and virtual tools to implement in a digital platform. Walk away empowered to make a real difference for our students who benefit from a pedagogy that embraces their cultural, linguistic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. Sponsored by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Delta Research and Educational Foundation. (DREF)

Moderator: Rosalind LaRocque, Ph.D., Associate Director, Educational Issues Department, American Federation of Teachers

Speaker: Raechel Broussard, M.R. Null Middle School in Sheldon ISD in Houston, Texas

 

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

PDS for NMA: What Does the Black Community Need to Know About Vaccinations During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

This session will discuss the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations for both adult and pediatric populations including those in development for COVID-19. This session will also explore how the accessibility and availability of vaccines can impact health disparities faced by underserved communities - most notably low-income communities, rural communities, and communities of color. Finally, this session will attempt to address some of the most common misconceptions and conspiracy theories associated with vaccines and COVID-19. Sponsored by the National Medical Association (NMA).

Moderator: Dr. Patricia Whitley-Williams, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Speakers: Dr. Oliver Brooks, Immediate Past President, National Medical Association

Dr. Sonja Hutchins, Morehouse School of Medicine

Dr. Leon McDougle, President, National Medical Association

Dr. Dial Hewlett, Jr., Westchester County Department of Health

Thursday, September 3, 2020

From the Mailbox to the Ballot Box: Exercising Your Right to Vote in the Age of COVID-19 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM

Since the Supreme Court’s Shelby County v Holder decision, states have enacted voter restrictions that disproportionately disenfranchise racial minorities and distort our democracy. This panel will explore modern-day barriers to the ballot box, especially in the age of COVID-19, and the legacy of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Sponsored by Hyundai.

Honorary Host: Rep. Terri Sewell

Speakers: Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP

Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director, National Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund

LaTosha Brown, Black Voters Matter Fund

 

Friday, September 4, 2020

EMERGING LEADERS: Mentor Matching Insights 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

The Emerging Leaders Series creates a corps of trained, young leaders with the skills, outlook, and contacts necessary to generate and sustain positive change in Washington, D.C. and around the nation. This session will connect our emerging leaders with professionals, expands their networks, and provide a platform to learn tools of the trade. In our main session, our panelists will speak on “Redefining What it Means to be a Young Professional in the COVID-19 Pandemic, Economic Recession, and Black Lives Matter Movement.” Participation in this session will yield helpful tips on how to navigate e-networking, preparation for making yourself marketable amid an economic recession, and how to remain authentic in any professional milieu. Sponsored by Apple.

Speakers: Chloe Barzey, Office Managing Director, Client Account Director, Accenture

Aisha Bowe, CBCF Board Member, STEMBoard

Chaka Burgess, Managing Partner, CBCF Board Member, Empire Consulting Group

Cherie Wilson, Director, Federal & Administration Affairs, General Motors Company Monica Howard Douglas, General Counsel, Coca-Cola North America

Monday, August 31, 2020
	1:00 PM - 2:00 PM	Opening Welcome Address Speaker: Tonya Veasey
	3:00 PM - 3:45 PM	Money, Wealth and Disparities: Agony to Action—Creating Inclusive Access Speakers: Joyce Beatty, Adrienne Trimble, Marla Blow, Michael Eric Dyson, Andre Hill
Tuesday, September 1, 2020
	6:00 PM - 7:15 PM	PDS for EDUCATORS: When the Bell Rings: Rethinking Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Speakers: Raechel Broussard, Rosalind LaRocque
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
	11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	PDS for NMA: What Does the Black Community Need to Know About Vaccinations During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Speakers: Patricia Whitley-Williams, Dial Hewlett, LaTosha Brown, Oliver Brooks, Sonja Hutchins, Leon McDougle
Thursday, September 3, 2020
	1:00 PM - 1:45 PM	From the Mailbox to the Ballot Box: Exercising Your Right to Vote in the Age of COVID-19 Speakers: Derrick Johnson, Roland Martin, LaTosha Brown, Terri Sewell, Kristen Clarke, Sherrilyn Ifill
Friday, September 4, 2020
	1:00 PM - 2:30 PM	EMERGING LEADERS - Mentor Matching Insights Speakers: Aisha Bowe, Chaka Burgess, Monica Howard Douglas, Chloe Barzey, Cherie Wilson

Tips for Applying to Graduate School, Letters of Recommendation and More!

 At this site - Rice U has information that can be utilized when applying to ANY graduate school - good advice ! Undergrads should read so they develop the relationships NOW for future letters of recommendation and more! This article also addresses other aspects of applying to grad school! 

https://graduate.rice.edu/news/current-news/grad-applications-101-getting-letters-rec

Grad Applications 101: Getting Letters of Rec

Who should you ask for a letter of recommendation? How do you ask?

Letters of recommendation are an integral part of many applications, and graduate school applications are no exception! Even though we all need to ask for letters of recommendation to apply to grad school, the process of getting letters can still feel awkward. Getting letters of recommendation can be an uncertain process, as well. Who should you ask for a letter of recommendation? How do you ask? What kind of information should you provide for letter writers? This article seeks to offer some insight on how you can get your letters of recommendation together for your grad applications.

Who should you ask?

Letters of recommendation should not come from just anybody who knows you well; you want your letters to come from people who can honestly speak to why you are a good fit for a graduate program. Asking a professor for a letter even though you’ve never really spoken with that professor is probably not a great idea no matter how high your grade was in their class. Much of the wisdom out there on letters of recommendation claims that a lukewarm letter is just as harmful to your application as a negative letter. You want undoubtedly positive letters, so ask people who you have built a good relationship with! If a potential writer is not comfortable with this favor, they will likely let you know. However, if you do not receive a direct no but do receive a lot of hesitation, that may be a sign that this person is not the best fit, either.

Most graduate program applications ask for three letters of recommendation. If you are currently enrolled in college, your letters of recommendation are likely going to come from three of your professors. More specifically, you ideally want to ask professors who are in or related to the field of your graduate program. If you are applying to a master’s program in engineering, then the professor of the art history class you took as an elective may not be the best letter writer for this occasion, regardless of how well they may know you. However, you do typically have three letters to acquire, and some of the professors who know you best may very well be from unrelated fields. If need be, it is okay to ask a professor from an unrelated field for a letter of recommendation if they are able to speak about skills you have that they believe make you a good fit for the field you wish to go into. If a professor does not feel comfortable writing a letter for you because their expertise does not align with the grad program of your interest, they will likely be honest and let you know. Ideally, though, you should get letters from professors whose own focuses align with your programs of interests to some degree.

If you are not currently enrolled in college, then past professors may not be the clear choice for your letter writers. For professionals who are currently applying to graduate school, your professional contacts, such as your boss or a mentor, are great candidates! A boss or mentor-figure can certainly speak to your work ethic, drive, and other skills and qualities that will color your potential for success. A colleague may also be a good fit for a letter writer. And, if you had a good relationship with a former professor, it does not hurt to reach out and ask for a letter of recommendation.

How should you ask?

Asking for a letter can feel awkward, but remember that everyone has been there! One of the most important aspects of asking for a letter is doing so in a timely manner. You should not ask anyone for a letter without giving them multiple weeks to be able to write it. Try to avoid asking for a letter at least a month out from the application deadline, and preferably well before that. The earlier, the better! When asking, you want to communicate your appreciation as well as your consideration for the person’s time. Writing a letter of recommendation can be a sizable task, and it calls for the letter writer to vouch for you personally. Make sure you show that you not only value the letter writer’s input but also their time and effort!

You want to ask formally and not off the cuff. Generally, arranging a meeting with a potential letter writer in order to speak to them about your plans for graduate school applications is a great time to ask. However, given COVID-19, meeting in person may not be feasible in 2020. If meeting over some form of video chat is an option, you could still reach out to your professor about wanting to meet with them virtually to discuss grad school applications and letters of recommendation. If email seems like your best option due to the circumstances of the current pandemic, though, then that’s okay, too! Northeastern University has published a great guide on asking for letters of recommendation from professors over email.

What information is important to provide?

If your letter writer is on board, the next important step is to send them information that will help them with writing a strong letter. The person may ask you to provide select materials, but, generally, here are some resources you should be ready to send to your letter writer as soon as possible:

• A list of the graduate programs you are applying to, including the due date of the application
• If the letter writer is a professor, include which of their classes you took and the grade you received in the classes
• Your most current resume/C.V.
• A copy of your transcript or a list of college courses you have taken and the grades you received, along with your overall GPA
• A short blurb about your goals for and after graduate school, such as whether or not you want to be heavily involved in research, go into industry, etc.

You may also want to include the personal statement you plan to submit. Ask your professor if they would like to read it. They may not be able to, but it can be a big help to them in drafting an appropriate letter. Ask if including it would be helpful, and, if so, send it along once you have it written.

A final important piece of information is how the letter writer can submit their letter. This will vary by school. Once you have learned how to submit application materials for each of your programs, inform your letter writer so that they do not have to go hunting for how to submit their letter. Often, you will enter their emails in a program’s application portal, and they will receive an email that allows them to submit the letter electronically. If any program still requires a physical copy of a letter, it is generally in good taste to provide your letter writers with an addressed and stamped envelope that they can use to physically send their letter. Outlining the submission process of each school for your letter writer is a helpful bit of organizational information to provide.

Thank your letter writers!

Writing a letter of recommendation is a big deal! Yes, we all need to ask for them at some point, but that does not diminish the fact that you’re asking someone important in your life to speak positively on your behalf—a big ask! After your application is submitted, send your letter writer a handwritten thank you card. A handwritten note usually goes much farther than an email as it is more personal and comes across as more thoughtful. A thank you email is sufficient as well, but a handwritten note is always a nice gesture. If you are looking for some thank you note guidance, here is a good start!

It is also nice to follow up with your letter writers. Let them know where you decide to attend graduate school, and don’t be afraid to send them an email every now and then during graduate school to say hello! They would probably love to hear from you.

Further Reading:

Grad School 101: Writing the personal statement

Grad School 101: Approaching the application process

Grad School 101: 4 easy ways to prep for your first year of grad school

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About the author: Originally from Massachusetts, Emily Elia is a second-year Ph.D. student in political science. She graduated from the University of Alabama in 2018 and currently studies comparative politics with a focus on Latin America.

HBCU Virtual College Fair!

 https://www.destinationhbcu.org/virtual-college-fair.html

• Request HBCU admissions materials
• Access college preparation resources
• Direct you to financial aid and scholarship links
• Opportunity to complete the Common Black College Application
• Watch webcasts of college tours, videos of admissions counselors, guest speakers and other leading professionals

Help Hurricane Louisiana Houston Restaurant Week (Houston Chronicle Article)

 Click this site for more news.. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HC_Flavor&utm_term=features&utm_content=briefing&sid=599cec2224c17c50392c65fa

What's cooking? Happy Wednesday, Houston! We dodged the storm, but our neighbors in East Texas and Louisiana were not so lucky. The Houston restaurant industry has jumped in to help, and you can, too.  Common Bond’s Operation Help Louisiana has some sweet ways we can all chip in. In other restaurant news, Houston Restaurant Weeks has been extended through September, adding three more weeks of support to the Houston Food Bank. And for those looking to support local craft brewers, the Houston Beer Run is happening again this week. We also have tasty guilt-free recipes and some slow cooker dishes perfect for this busy back-to-school season. So get out there — safely, please — and share the love and support with those who need it most. Cheers! Newsletter producer @DanyaPH

Welcome to the virtual Houston Museum of African American Culture

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Media contact:

Davinia Reed

713.526.1015

dreed@hmaac.org

HMAAC Announces Radical Digital Website Redesign

Have you ever wanted to visit your favorite museum any time you want, even in your pajamas? Or listen in on all kinds of elevated conversations about art and culture? Welcome to the virtual Houston Museum of African American Culture.

September 2, 2020 HMAAC is pleased to announce the groundbreaking redesign of its website, www.hmaac.org. The site now features a cleaner and more contemporary design, including a more engaging user experience and enhanced navigation to help our visitors easily find the information they need and want.  A vertical menu allows visitors to browse through exhibits, sit in on important and provocative conversations, and enjoy extensive use of video from the museum, around the web and from users, with a dynamic look and feel. 

Although in response to COVID-19 HMAAC initiated its wildly popular and inexpensive Sunset Cinema drive-in movies, the museum staff and board still felt the need to further expand visitor engagement, locally and also nationally.  The museum’s goal: to provide visitors from anywhere on the globe with a full museum experience online, and not simply an “Online Community” category. With the redesign, this goal is accomplished. 

According to CEO Emeritus John Guess, Jr. “We have reimagined our website to be a community host as well as a site of museum authority.”  Traditionally, anything presented at the museum was created or curated by HMAAC. “But what if,” Guess wondered, “we  literally invited our community into our world. This redesign means that every space and service HMAAC offers has the opportunity to create a meaningful and potentially interactive cultural experience.” 

The site reflects a pivotal point for HMAAC as it launches a new brand standard that replicates on the website the experience of discovery visitors are familiar with at the museum, with a design that allows users to Focus on What Matters Most to them whether that be music, performance, dance, film, the visual arts or poetry. According to Chief Operating Officer Davinia Reed, “We believe the new site will provide visitors with a unique user experience and quicker access to a myriad of content from the museum and from other visitors to the site.” Reed is especially pleased that the content includes expanded access to educational programs for visitors of all ages.

The new website will continue the museum’s history of innovation in reaching community that led to its becoming the most visited African American cultural asset in Houston; one that was trending toward 50,000 annual visitors before the Coronavirus severely curtained access to it.

“We have always been a museum in a building and in the community,” Board President Cindy Miles said, “and one that hosts conversations, especially difficult ones. This redesign will allow us to continue to do this and more.” 

“Because culture is defined in terms of connection, discovery and personal fulfillment, we believe this website shift reflects our and the national arts and culture sector’s current reality,” Guess added, “and that means www.hmaac.org is now ours AND YOURS!”

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ABOUT THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE

The mission of HMAAC is to collect, conserve, explore, interpret, and exhibit the material and intellectual culture of Africans and African Americans in Houston, the state of Texas, the southwest and the African Diaspora for current and future generations. In fulfilling its mission, HMAAC seeks to invite and engage visitors of every race and background and to inspire children of all ages through discovery-driven learning. HMAAC is to be a museum for all people. While our focus is the African American experience, our story informs and includes not only people of color, but people of all colors. As a result, the stories and exhibitions that HMAAC will bring to Texas are about the indisputable fact that while our experience is a unique one, it has been impacted by and has impacted numerous races, genders and ethnicities. The museum continues to be a space where a multicultural conversation on race geared toward a common future takes place.

Teaching Africa Day - Learn More About Africa Zoom Webinar

 

Teaching Africa Day

African Renaissance: Teaching the Next Generation
September 12, 2020
11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Zoom webinar
To register, click here; registrants will receive an email with instructions on how to access the webinar.

Learn more about Africa and her rich cultures. Join us live for the 6th annual Teaching Africa Day, which includes story hour, games, videos, live performances, cooking demonstrations, and hands-on craft activities.

Presented in collaboration with the Africa Memory Game, Genii Apps, and YehieEl Design

Will you help me and CoChair Michelle Obama ? Join My Squad! Links, Incorporated Tool for Voter Registration CRUCIAL TO SHARE!!

 62 days until the election (sooner for early voting!) - 100 million people did not vote in the last national election .. check with friends family coworkers Please share this link - as a newly minted Links Voter Registration Squad Captain my first charge is to ask you - ANYONE can go to this Links landing page and find out how and where to register to vote ! Please share this amazing tool! 

Click HERE or cut and paste into your browser - http://www.whenweallvote.org/linksinc/

Think of who you know that may have moved recently or just turned 18 -this tool helps you Update your Voter Registration - Each one can reach many! Will you share? Easy tool to use! Join Michelle Obama in this clarion call across America! 

And don’t forget the Census! That's leaving money on the table for YOUR community if you don't complete the CENSUS!!

If you would like to join my squad and assist me in reaching out to VOTERS (nonpartisan get out the vote effort) - let me know! 

Mayor Turner & The HER Task Force Announces Relief Drive to Assist Hurricane Laura Recovery - Partnering W/ Gallery Furniture, Kroger/A Rocket Moving & Storage & The Relief Gang

 Message from our Mayor

The HURRICANE LAURA RELIEF FUND will directly benefit residents recovering from the Hurricane.
The Mayor’s Health Equity Response (H.E.R) Task Force is working with Kroger President Joe Kelly, Gallery Furniture owner Jim McIngvale, A Rocket Moving - Storage and the Relief Gang to coordinate "Houston's Paying It Forward" Relief Response to victims of Hurricane Laura.

All donated items will be sent to our neighbors in Port Arthur, Orange, and Beaumont, Texas as well as Sulphur and Lake Charles, Louisiana. The supplies will be distributed to residents trying to recover after their homes and personal belongings were damaged or destroyed.

The relief effort will accept donations in person and online beginning Tuesday, September 1st through Thursday, September 10th.

View the donations flyer (.jpg)
Volunteer at the GRBCC for Hurricane Laura Relief (.html online form)
People may drop-off donations at the George R. Brown Convention Center and Gallery Furniture from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Kroger Stores will also have collection boxes at each of its locations.

Drop Off Locations:
George R. Brown Convention Center
Hall D off Chartres Street/Walker Street - Ground level
1001 Avenida de las Americas Drive
Houston, Texas 77010

Gallery Furniture
6006 North Freeway
Houston, Texas 77076

A-Rocket Moving & Storage
3401 Corder Street
Houston, TX, 77021

Kroger Store locations

Requested Supplies:

Diapers
Cleaning supplies (especially with bleach)
Personal hygiene items
Nonperishable food
Bottled water
Pet food and supplies
Generators
Fans
“After Hurricane Harvey displaced many of our family and friends in 2017, people from other cities and states helped Houston recover by donating their time, money and supplies," Mayor Sylvester Turner said. "Today, we are being called to action for our neighbors who were in the path of Hurricane Laura and are now experiencing great suffering and loss. We cannot sit idly by while they are in need."

How to Donate
Individuals and corporations may contribute to the HURRICANE LAURA RELIEF FUND via the DONATE button below, or by check made out to Houston Civic Events, Inc., 901 Bagby Street, 1st Floor, Houston, Texas 77002.

http://houstontx.gov/laura-fund.html
Point of Contact: Susan Christian, 832-393-0868, email: susan.christian@houstontx.gov

Volunteers and Donation opportunities are available. We also ask that you share this information on social media, FB, email, etc. various organizations, churches, family and friends, etc. You are also welcome to host your own collection drive and we will arrange to pickup.
Thank you to all in advance.


It’s all about the City!©

Janice Weaver
Director of Community Relations
Advisor, AARP Age Friendly/Livable Community Partners Mayor’s Office
Houston, Texas 77002
832.393.0849 (phone)
713.806.2007 (cell)
Janice.Weaver@houstontx.gov

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