Hospice care offers comfort, dignity and emotional support at the end of life, but it remains underused in Black communities due to misconceptions, limited access and historical distrust of the healthcare system. Advocates say education, community outreach and culturally sensitive care are key to helping families better understand hospice and use its services earlier.
Category: NEWS
Posted inBaltimore News
United Way of Central Maryland, Wellpoint Maryland celebrate Read Across America Month with Baltimore scholars
United Way of Central Maryland and Wellpoint Maryland recently partnered for a Read Across America Month event with scholars from Curtis Bay Elementary and Bay-Brook Elementary/Middle Schools in Baltimore City. More than 900 titles were donated, allowing students to choose which books they wanted to take home.
Posted inAfro Briefs
UN panel says racist hate speech by US leaders has led to human rights violations
A U.N.-backed panel says racist rhetoric by U.S. leaders and strict immigration enforcement have contributed to serious human rights violations, urging the U.S. to review its policies and halt enforcement near schools, hospitals, and churches.
Posted inOPINION
The silent crisis in our community — why amyloidosis awareness matters now
Each year in March amyloidosis is recognized with an awareness month. Jonathan L. Dotson serves as executive director of Friendship That Gives, a health advocacy organization. This week, he urges the Black community to learn more about the condition, which is caused by abnormal protein deposits that damage vital organs.
Posted inNational News
Nearly 1 in 3 missing children in the US are Black, driving Pennsylvania and other states to propose ‘Ebony Alerts’ to ensure equal protection and public safety
With nearly one-third of missing children in the United States being Black, some states are proposing “Ebony Alert” systems to address disparities in how missing cases receive public attention and law enforcement response compared with the existing AMBER Alert program.
Posted inWord In Black
Another win for Lacks heirs in fight over her cells
The family of Henrietta Lacks has reached an undisclosed settlement with pharmaceutical company Novartis, marking another legal victory in their effort to hold companies accountable for profiting from her cells without consent. Lacks’ “immortal” HeLa cells, taken during cancer treatment in 1951, became foundational to major scientific breakthroughs while her family remained unaware for decades and received no compensation.
Posted inNational News
US faces elevated terrorism threats against backdrop of Iran war and cuts at FBI, Justice Department
A series of recent attacks in New York, Michigan and Virginia has heightened concerns about terrorism threats in the United States amid the war with Iran and the loss of experienced national security officials at the FBI and Justice Department, raising questions about the country’s ability to prevent potential attacks.
Posted inBaltimore Community
Bilal Abdullah’s family files civil lawsuit against Baltimore officers
Joy Alston, mother of Bilal “BJ” Abdullah, has filed a civil lawsuit against three Baltimore police officers over her son’s fatal shooting, alleging excessive force, wrongful death, battery and constitutional violations. The family, still seeking answers more than a year later, also criticized the Maryland Attorney General’s decision not to file criminal charges as attorneys move into the discovery phase for evidence such as texts and surveillance footage.
Posted inNational News
Jamal Bryant ends Target fast: ‘We got 3 of 4’
Black faith leaders have ended a yearlong boycott and “Target fast” after saying the retailer met three of four demands related to investment in Black businesses and diversity commitments. Led by Rev. Jamal Bryant, organizers said the campaign sparked a national conversation about corporate accountability while pledging to continue monitoring the company’s actions.
Posted inNational News
ROTC students at Old Dominion subdued and killed the shooter who killed 1 person, wounded 2
ROTC students at Old Dominion University subdued and killed a gunman who opened fire in a classroom March 12, killing one person and wounding two others. Authorities identified the shooter as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Army National Guard member previously convicted of attempting to aid the Islamic State, and are investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.
Posted inU.S. Government
TSA workers go without pay as partial government shutdown stretches into March
TSA employees are missing paychecks as the partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown stretches into March, forcing workers to juggle bills, childcare, and transportation while still reporting to work. Airports across the country are feeling the strain, with long lines and wait times at major hubs like Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, and New York.
Posted inNational News
Alabama governor commutes death sentence of man whose accomplice fired fatal shot
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Mar. 10 commuted the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton, the 75-year-old inmate who was set to be executed this week even though he was not in the building when the victim was killed during a 1991 robbery.