By Julie Appleby, Word in Black It’s fall again, meaning shorter days, cooler temperatures, and open enrollment for Affordable Care Act marketplace insurance — sign-ups begin this week for coverage that starts Jan. 1, 2023. Even though much of the coverage stays the same from year to year, there are a few upcoming changes that […]
Author Archives: Word in Black
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It takes money to end the HIV epidemic among Black women
By Alexa Spencer, Word in Black Data show the HIV epidemic affects Black women at strikingly high rates, but Black women working in public health still struggle to access funds for prevention and treatment. Closing that HIV funding gap is one of the goals of ViiV Healthcare — a pharmaceutical company that creates medicines and […]
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This Is Where Black Americans Live Longest
by Alexa Spencer It turns out Wakanda — a place full of Black wealth, health, and longevity — isn’t just a place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It turns out a place that enables Black folks to thrive actually does exist in real life. That’s the finding of a team of researchers who’ve partnered to tell a much […]
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#Faithworks: Meet the Faith-Based Group Mobilizing Black Muslims to Vote
Black people make up 20% of the overall Muslim population in the United States — and organizations like North Carolina’s Muslim Women For are inspiring them to create change. by Nadira Jamerson, Word In Black This is the first story of a series that spotlights the influence of religion in the Black community and the […]
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High schoolers launch civil rights tour app
By Word in Black Two Washington, D.C.-area high school students have created an interactive app that highlights the history of civil rights in the District. Lily and Eliza Dorton, co-founders of the DC Civil Rights Tour app, have an instrument providing an easy way for residents and tourists to learn more about the civil rights […]
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Books by Black authors to add to your 2022 reading list
By Word In Black Malcolm X once said that “I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity” — and at Word In Black, we agree. With book bans sweeping the nation, we’re reminded of how our ancestors fought and died for the right to read. Nowadays, due to inequities in […]
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The power of music in fighting Alzheimer’s symptoms
By Word In Black It’s no question that at some point in your life, you’ve had a song melody stuck in your head. Maybe you were at a family gathering, and The Wiz was on the TV. Or perhaps you were cleaning out your car and found an old cassette tape. Studies show that music […]
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Advocating for LGBTQ+ elders
By Tandy Lau, Word In Black The first time Ty Martin stepped into the newly built Whole Foods on 125th and Malcolm X Boulevard, he thought he was in Chelsea on account of the grand assortment of young, gay White men present. Harlem certainly looks different from his childhood days. Martin, 74, grew up in […]
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The ‘silent killer’ behind strokes in the Black community
By Alexa Spencer, Word In Black As a medical doctor of over 30 years who focuses on African-American health, Dr. Gregory Hall doesn’t mess around when it comes to managing high blood pressure. The Cleveland, Ohio-based physician and professor say the condition — also known as hypertension — is the main reason people experience strokes. […]
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Black America and the American Dream
By Janis Ware, Word In Black Growing up in the segregated South, the family was my world. And that extension of my family included neighbors, teachers, administrators, and preachers. These individuals were my influencers. They guided our paths and directed the way for us to be the best individuals we could be. They loved us […]
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Mayor Muriel Bowser unveils $10M plan to increase Black homeownership
By Jamila Bey, Word In Black Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a $10 million Black Homeownership Fund this year as part of the District’s 2023 budget that seeks to tackle long standing racial disparities. With the goal to increase Black homeownership and helping longtime residents to be able to stay in their home, Bowser has created […]
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Black DMV homeowners ban together to build equity
By Aja Beckham, Word In Black Ownership Matters, a collective of Black homeowners, established a tradition to gather for an annual photoshoot on June 18 in front of Fredrick Douglass’s historic home in Southeast. “About 150 folks came together in front of Fredrick Douglass’ house take a big group photo,” said Gregory Jackson, founder […]