Dominic Nell knew he had to do something. He was shaken by the shooting death of Tamir Rice in 2014. Dominic Nell (left) and Juan Nance (right) stand in the aisle of a Dollar General in West Baltimore, where they are working to have every toy gun and replica firearm removed from shelves. (Photo by […]
Author Archives: Alexis Taylor
AFRO Staff Writer
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore Community Mourns the Loss of Musician, Teacher Derrick “OOH” Jones
Hundreds of members from every corner of the Baltimore community packed Nowchild Soundstage on Preston Street on June 4 to celebrate the life, work, and music of Derrick Jones, better known by his monikers “OOH” and “Yo Slick.” The man that so many knew as a mentor, father figure, teacher, brother, and friend, passed away […]
Posted inBaltimore News
DNA Helps Local Ladies Find Their Beginnings
As far as Kindle Cox was concerned, she was a Marylander through and through. Born and raised in Baltimore, Charm City was all she had ever known. With chocolate skin, brown eyes and hair that gave no inkling of a heritage labeled much more “Black,” Cox never thought of herself as anything other than African […]
Posted inHealth
Study: Women with Certain Gene Mutations Advised to Remove Ovaries by Age 35
A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology recommends that women with certain gene mutations take preventative steps to fight their increased risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. In keeping with the saying that “prevention is better than cure,” women with altered BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are now advised to remove the […]
Posted inHealth
CDC: Early Childhood Obesity Down, More Improvement Needed
The number of young obese children in the United States has gone down according to new data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the CDC data showed that obesity among children between the ages of two and five has […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore’s Muse 360 Open House and Family Day of Artful Infusion
Members of the Baltimore community looking to infuse art into their lives have less than two weeks before the Muse 360 Arts Family and Friends Day at the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center. The March 15 event will host a variety of events from an open jazz class beginning at 9:30 a.m. […]
Posted inHealth
Study: More than 20 Percent of Middle School Students Engaging in Sexting
More than 20 percent of middle school age children are engaging in sexting, the act of sending racy text messages with or without an explicit photo, according to new research. In a study published in the February edition of the medical journal Pediatrics, the publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics, doctors found that sexting […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Study: ACT, SAT Test Scores Irrelevant
Every year, thousands of teenagers nationwide take a standardized admissions test in the hopes that a high score will help them into the college or university of their choice. Students face stress, hours of studying, and sometimes hundreds of dollars spent in test preparation materials and classes, but some are left wondering: was it worth […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore Natural Hair Care Business Receives National Distribution Deal with Target
Customers who use the natural body and hair care line Oyin Handmade will see a familiar name on Target shelves next month. After a two-year process, the Baltimore-based company announced that it has been approved for national distribution through Target stores. “This is one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve ever had,” said Airic Jerrod, […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Minimum Wage is Going Up
Efforts to raise both the federal and state minimum wage continued this month. At the federal level, information from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported a change could have wide-reaching positive and negative effects. “The $10.10 option would have substantially larger effects on employment and income than the $9.00 option would – because more […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Smoke to Clear on Baltimore Playgrounds, Athletic Fields
Smokers puffing within Baltimore City limits have roughly six months left to enjoy their nicotine rush while on playgrounds, schoolyards, and city athletic fields. If Baltimore City council members have their way, with a bill banning the use of tobacco products in these venues, the air will clear. With the Councilman William H. Cole IV’s […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Facebook Introduces More than 50 New Gender Options for Users
Facebook users having a hard time identifying with the terms “male” or “female” now have more than categories 50 different ways to express their gender. This week, the social media giant unveiled a wide range of selections from “androgynous” and “bigender” to “intersex,” “transsexual male,” and “trans female.” “When you come to Facebook to connect […]
