Harry Belafonte's 1968 Takeover of "The Tonight Show"

In 1968, Harry Belafonte took over as guest host for Johnny Carson on "The ...

In 1968, Harry Belafonte took over as guest host for Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" for one week. For the first time ever, Belafonte brought the beauty and the brilliance of Black America into ...

Experts Give a Close Look at Russian Election Interference

Since 2016, a pernicious foreign power has had a hand on the levers of American ...

Since 2016, a pernicious foreign power has had a hand on the levers of American democracy. In that year's presidential election, the FBI and intelligence concluded that Russia helped enable Trump's ...

Jay Shetty: How to "Think Like a Monk"

Jay Shetty is a self-help coach and host of the health and wellness podcast "On ...

Jay Shetty is a self-help coach and host of the health and wellness podcast "On Purpose," drawing on his experience living and studying in an ashram in India. He wants you to think like a monk too, as ...

Here is the original post:
Jay Shetty: How to "Think Like a Monk" | Amanpour and Company - pbssocal.org

September 18, 2020 15:00 ET | Source: WebMetrix

Jackson, WY, Sept. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WebMetrix Groupinterviewedpodcast producers, based on their innovative approaches and great reputations across many platforms, who genuinely want to help.

Title: 21 Podcasts to Expand Your Mind in 2021

Did video really kill the radio star? Or did the radio star take a sabbatical to brush up on some R & D and rebrand as a podcast, making the ultimate comeback decades later? With statistics showing that since 2019, podcasts have continuously serenaded over55% of the US population (155 million +)weekly, my money is on the radio stars resiliency.

Despite its immense success in recent years, the one thing many podcast aficionados can agree on is that the podcast world is a quantity over quality environment meaning there is PLENTY of garbage in the sea - not fish. In fact, a recentupdateinformed that as of April 2020, there are over 1 million podcast shows, with over 30 million episodes worldwide. Weve taken the liberty of wading through the podcast sea, catching 21 big fish to expand your mind as we crawl through the rest of 2020 and embark into 2021 in a woke state.

1.The Tim Ferriss Show

Podcast Host: Tim Ferriss

With over 500M downloads and counting,The Tim Ferriss Showis often ranked as the #1 Business Podcast on all of Apple Podcasts, surpassing the other 500,000+ podcasts with similar content. As host, Tim Ferriss interviews many world-class performers from investment bankers to major league athletes, deconstructing their lives down to their favorite books and morning routines. Through his inquisitive interview style, Tim successfully brings listeners into the lives of the elite, providing his audience with insight and advice on how to live exceptionally.

Having hosted guests ranging from Jamie Foxx to Maria Sharapova, Tim is known to be a celebrity favorite due to the friendly atmosphere he promotes on his show. Interviewees get to have final approval over episodes prior to release, which encourages authentic content curated from open, raw, and honest discussions. His show reminds listeners that even the biggest names are still people who face everyday struggles, and he uses these conversations to inspire his audience on what everyday choices they too can make to achieve greatness.

2.The Ed Mylett Show

Podcast Host: Ed Mylett

Ed Mylett is the founder and host ofThe Ed Mylett Show, a podcast dedicated to showcasing the worlds greatest peak-performers across a wide range of industries. Through sharing the journeys, knowledge, and thought leadership of a diverse range of industry professionals ranging from Randy Jackson to Gary Vee, Ed uncovers inspirational stories and practical advice, encouraging listeners to learn from experts and become the best version of themselves.

Eds conversations with a multitude of leaders allow his audience a glimpse into the industries of business, health, collegiate and professional sports, politics, entrepreneurship, and entertainment through the eyes of experts. His wide variety of material is bound to motivate any listener, proving why the show is often ranked within Apple Podcasts top 5 shows on Entrepreneurship.

3.The School of Greatness

Podcast Host: Lewis Howes

For those looking to expand their knowledge on business and self-development, class is officially in session at Lewis HowesSchool of Greatness. Launched in 2013, the podcast is a regular on Apple Podcasts Top 50 list, receiving over 4 million downloads monthly. Lewis educates his vast audience on how to be great through interviewing world-class leaders in entrepreneurship, athletics, mindset, and relationships much more.

The cliche that those who cant do teach is one we would like to counter with Lewis as our example.School of Greatnessdoes the exact opposite, it provides a platform for those who can do - in fact, those who can do exceptionally well - to teach their lessons to the masses, reflecting on their own experiences to inspire others. Tony Robbins, Alanis Morissette, and Julianne Hough are amongst the educators within theSchool of Greatness, and the overwhelming success of the podcast proves the value that Lewis Howes' audience finds in the material he shares.

4.The Skinny Confidential: HIM & HER Show

Lauryn Evarts Bosstick & Michael Bosstick

TheSkinny Confidential HIM & HER Showis hosted by entrepreneurs & brand builders Lauryn Evarts Bosstick and husband Michael Bosstick. With over 79 million lifetime downloads, and 180-210K downloads per episode, the show is widely regarded as a hit amongst its 90% female audience. To date, Lauryn and Michael have garnered over 8000+ Five Star iTunes reviews hyping up the show's content, which includes interviews with celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, experts, and thought leaders.

The conversations shared on the podcast are a juicy mix of wellness tips, business advice, relationship insight, and much more material inspiring listeners to become the best version of themselves. Through airing 6 episodes a month, Lauryn and Michael focus on creating content that provides their audience with valuable takeaways leading to their best lives. Jessica Alba, Ed Mylett, Whitney Port, and Gary Vee are amongst the celebrity guests that have made appearances on the show, sharing their own take on the skinny - what Lauryn refers to insider information as. The cheeky podcast is a must-listen for embarking on the path of professional and personal development, sure to induce laughter along the journey.

5.The Model Health Show

Shawn Stevenson

As a world-renown author and expert nutritionist, Shawn Stevenson is the founder and host ofThe Model Health Show,a podcast responsible for sharing a fun, entertaining, and enlightening look at the health and fitness industry. Shawn educates his audience on a variety of topics including weight loss, chronic fatigue, heart disease, diet, sex, hormones, sleep problems, and health issues. No topic is off-limits on The Model Health Show, allowing audience members to be rewarded with rich and informative content achieving and maintaining optimal health.

The ease in which Shawn breaks down complex health and wellness issues makes the topics of the show easy to understand and overcome, and is the reason behind whyThe Model Health Showis rated as the #1 Health Podcast in the U.S. on Apple Podcasts. Through making health information digestible, Shawns podcast expands the mindsets of many when it comes to understanding mental and physical wellness.

6.Superhero Academy

Marc Angelo Coppola

Superhero Academyis a podcast hosted by Marc Angelo Coppola focussed on maximizing impact through encouraging listeners to share their unique gifts with the world, touching lives with the movements they inspire. Coppola appeals to social entrepreneurs, creatives, and influencers in a variety of industries, promoting them to become everyday superheroes through harnessing their potential. Listeners will become experts in Coppolas definition of ROI (Ripple of Impact), inspiring them to lead a purposeful life.

Coppola effortlessly discusses ways to improve productivity through optimizing talent with a variety of individuals who lend their own perspectives to the conversation. He draws on his personal entrepreneurial success as a Founding Member ofValhalla Coop Farm, Founder ofSuperhero Academy, storyteller, and philanthropreneur in providing advice to enable his audience to discover their passions and actually make a living from them.

7.The Deep Dive

Adam Roa

Adam Roais a globally recognized motivational speaker and poet who encourages opening the mind to new perspectives as the host ofThe Deep Dive,an enlightening podcast known for its authentic content cultivated by adhering to no rules. Roa invites his audience to become a fly on the wall for in-depth conversations between himself and influential guests as well as independent musings, sharing informed opinions on a variety of topics that most influencers shy away from. Listeners can further interact within theCREATE Community,an online wellness community promoting connectivity through virtual daily events, including the Deep Dive Live podcast that invites the audience to converse with guests featured on the show.

As an expert on the fundamentals of self-love, compassion, and mental well-being, Roa provokes these emotions within listeners by providing an engaging view of the world through his eyes, curated from examples and stories. He challenges traditional assumptions of success by sharing his own thoughts and interviewing individuals in promoting the concept that success is not merely WHAT you think, but HOW you think.

8.Everyday Wellness

Cynthia Thurlow

Cynthia Thurlows podcast,Everyday Wellness,gets real on nutrition and wellness, providing advice that goes against the grain of mainstream practices. The globally recognized expert on nutrition and intermittent fasting is not afraid to challenge popular opinions on health trends through the conversations she shares on her show. Thurlow regularly interviews wellness professionals who are doing amazing things for their patients through alternative approaches, offering real-world evidence to back her disruptive content. The podcast host ensures that she provides her audience with a fresh perspective acquired from a thinking outside of the box mentality.

Thurlow alleviates the pressure many feel when trying to navigate the convoluted world of nutrition that all too often consists of misinformation. She shares vetted podcast material that pulls on her 20+ years experience as both a nurse practitioner and a functional nutritionist. Her target audience is women, who are highly susceptible to nutritional changes and often battle with the impracticalities of mainstream wellness recommendations. Thurlows knowledge of intermittent fasting reached an audience of over 6 million viewers following hertalkon the TEDx stage, one of the highest viewed TED Talks of all time. She uses her podcast as a platform to further share this knowledge with fellow females who struggle to incorporate the practice of intermittent fasting into their lives, providing advice to make it attainable. Cynthia Thurlows determination to disrupt traditional nutrition norms will expand both the minds and the palettes of listeners.

9.Mindful Ways

Chad McMillan

As the founder and host ofMindful Ways,Chad McMillan shares his perspectives on creative and conscious living for a better life. Chad is an awoken venture capitalist, creative artist, and champion of conscious living with over 15 years of experience helping turn around start-ups and public companies from nearly every executive capacity. After years focused specifically in the capital markets, feeling burnt out but still called to a deeper purpose, Chad spent over 15 months working with a shaman, helping him further develop and explore his intuitive instincts. This led to a journey encouraging him to delve deep into many of his own perceived fears and limitations.

Today, Chad lends this conscious marriage of his abilities, experiences, and professional wisdom to aspiring creative artists and entrepreneurs looking to transform their own lives viaThe CM Brand, a conscious lifestyle portal showcasing new holistic tools and trends that can help power up their world. His podcast serves as a tool to deliver this information to his audience in an engaging manner, allowing listeners to expand their perspectives on who we are, and what is possible.

10.Okay Sis

Scout & Mady

Scout & Mady are the sibling duo that are providing a remedy for the Monday blues with their podcastOkay Sis.As hosts, the sisters provide comedic relief through their witty banter that raises current topics in society and culture, bringing on female guests to expand on their conversations and offer experience backed advice to audience members. Launched in 2018, the duo has aired a number of episodes covering a wide range of topics including self-help suggestions (categorized as Fix Me Up), and interviews with rad fellow females who share their entrepreneurial or life success stories.

The authentic tone of their content has attracted a vast following of females that are the ultimate hype up crew in the comment section of the girls' Apple Podcast listing. Scout and Mady openly discuss real and relevant topics, offering a platform for women to share and learn from the stories of other women. In a world comprised of people attempting to be something their not, Scout and Mady are authentically themselves and arent afraid to let a little loose on their show which is sure to encourage a smile and a laugh in listeners.

11.Real Chalk

Ryan Fischer

As the official podcast of Chalk Performance Training,Real Chalkis a podcast hosted by Ryan Fischer intent on sharing an honest and open look into the world of fitness.Real Chalkshares behind the scenes knowledge on entrepreneurship in the health and fitness scene and encouragement for audience members looking to build knowledge on nutrition and exercise through recommendations and opinions backed by experts. Business owners, gym members, garage ninjas, or 24-hour meatheads are amongst the listeners that Ryan shares his advice to, encouraging them to dial in training and programming to achieve maximum success.

Having previously trained with the US Olympic Skeleton and Bobsled Teams as well as qualified for CrossFit regionals 7 times, Ryan is no stranger to the world of health and fitness.Real Chalkis used by Ryan as a platform to share his knowledge, as well as interview fellow industry experts in inspiring his listeners to reach their full potential through implementing effective training programs. His celebrity status within the fitness scene has made him immensely popular as a podcast host, creatingReal Chalkinto a must-listen for those looking to up their gains.

12.Entrepreneur Gains

Sabby Choudhary

Host Sabby Choudhary interviewsY-Combinator(YC) alumni in his podcastEntrepreneur Gains,uncovering the raw startup stories that preceded their entrepreneurial successes. YC, one of the most recognized names in the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem, is an American seed money accelerator founded in 2005. To date, YC has been responsible for funding over 2000 startups includingAirbnb,Reddit,DoorDash, andTwitchto name a few, boasting a combined portfolio valuation exceeding $100 billion. Sabby fuels conversations addressing the mistakes made and lessons learned throughout the startup journeys of select YC alumni, sharing with his audience an honest view into the startup world.

Through diving into the topics of co-founder disputes, fundraising challenges, growth stages, and most importantly, attracting the support of YC, Sabby addresses the many barriers alumni members have had to overcome amongst their journey to success. As a YC alumnus himself, Sabby draws on his own experience founding multiple startups and navigating the world of VC funding when seeking insight from alumni members in developing valuable content for his audience. Startup Gains is a must-listen for entrepreneurs wanting to skip years of trial and error in the early stages of their venture based on expert recommendations from industry leaders.

13.How Are You Helping?

Sean Riley

How Are You Helping?This is the question host Sean Riley inquires about to guests on his powerful podcast, digging deep into the work that numerous impact leaders are doing in making the world a better place. Sean provides a platform for the drivers behind the work of non-profit organizations and charities, leaders of youth movements, and founders of socially good businesses to share the ways in which theyre helping the world, inspiring the shows audience to do the same.

As a conscious humanitarian and former non-profit and public service professional, Sean began his podcast as a way to uncover the stories, psychology, and deeper layers behind meaningful work. Through musing upon the topics of compassion and generosity with guests, Sean uncovers ways listeners can insightfully implement the appropriate tools and habits to make a positive global impact. His conversations c a variety of hard-hitting topics including How To Tackle Sex Trafficking and A Tipping Point For Ending Systemic Racism, inspiring his listeners to employ a conscious mind when navigating life.

14.Being

Patrick Cooke

OnBEING, podcast host Patrick Cooke explores what it means to be human in the modern world through the lens of creativity, consciousness, and personal development. Through authentic conversations with a wide array of guests including artists, intellectuals, scientists, visionaries, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders,BEINGventures to make collective sense of an increasingly complex world with the unifying goal of building a sustainable future for all. As humanity continues to march full steam toward extinction, we can no longer afford to ask what is best for me?, the question must now become what is best for me and the whole simultaneously?

Host Patrick Cooke is a transformational coach, sobriety mentor, podcaster, musician, songwriter, and surfer. His enthusiasm, positivity, and passion for life are dangerously infectious and he is known for his innate ability to connect deeply with other souls. In 2012 Patrick left his hometown of Toronto, Canada, and headed for the jungles and beaches of Costa Rica. This courageous leap accelerated his own personal awakening and initiated a journey of profound transformation. It also represented a heeding of the call to honor and embrace his lifes work - to awaken and ignite each soul to their intrinsic power as the creators of their own reality. Patrick brings his uniquely fresh perspective to the show, inspiring his audience to take full responsibility and engage in evolution as conscious agents rather than simply being passive victims of the system.

15.GreenPlanet BluePlanet

Julian Guderley

Julian Guderley is responsible for expanding the way we view and interact with the planet through the inspiring interviews he shares on his podcast,GreenPlanet BluePlanet. His engaging podcast episodes interview industry leaders in the planets regenerative movement, highlighting the most impactful drivers of environmental and social change today. With 220+ episodes and counting, Guderleys interviews call upon the expert opinions of the worlds top 500 social impact makers consisting of artists, teachers, authors, and philanthropreneurs who are committed to and showcase qualities of planetary leadership!

Through his ...quest to display what makes planet earth worth living on, Guderleys podcast motivates listeners to partake in the planets sustainable and regenerative movement, providing examples on how to best do so, and sharing theories as to why. As both a transformational Leadership-Coach and Breathwork Teacher, Guderley is a true global citizen. His interview series explores the multifaceted and systemic change needed for our society & culture to make the 2020s a truly regenerative decade of action, raising the topics of sustainability, regenerative economics, consciousness, spirituality, and symbiotic relationships. GreenPlanet BluePlanet is a must-listen for those looking to increase their environmental knowledge while bringing our shared ecological footprint into balance.

16.The Smart Woman Show

Tara Oldridge

In recent years,studieshave shown that women are making strides in the entrepreneurial realm, with female-founded businesses accounting for 42% of all American businesses in 2019 alone. Tara Oldridge is a female entrepreneur for female entrepreneurs, and is responsible for driving this number. As the host ofThe Smart Woman Show,Tara references her years of successful entrepreneurial experience in providing powerful advice to fellow female entrepreneurs about how to become more profitable and impactful. Through her 20-30 minute conversations with industry leaders and celebrity influencers, Tara pulls on key topics in sharing with her audience lessons on strategic decision-making tactics and leadership skills that will drive the bottom line professionally while changing lives personally through encouraging undiscovered potential.

Taras effervescent persona makes her podcast an irresistible listen, inspiring women to unlock the entrepreneurial ideas confined in their minds. Her radical honesty and words of encouragement provide actionable advice and direction that allow her followers to realize the confidence necessary to finally launch their businesses. As a mother of two, a wife, a woman of faith, and a passionate philanthropist, Tara is no stranger to the pressures many women feel when attempting to launch their careers yet find themselves limited on time. She leverages her experience in this department to speak to other women who are in the same boat, using her podcast as a platform to demonstrate techniques to overcome time constraints to achieve success.

17.Launch, Grow, and Scale Your Business

Sam Henderson

As the host of his podcast,LaunchGrow & Scale Your Business,Sam Henderson draws upon the expertise, experience, and education of a team of Guest Gurus who have done it all before. Listeners get the chance to learn about the success-proven tactics, strategies, tips, and tools industry experts have used to Launch, Grow, and Scale their businesses. The mastermind-style podcast reduces the overwhelming chaos often associated with launching a business by providing helpful advice on how to create a sustainable game plan. Henderson inspires his audience to cultivate the focus required to achieve success for their business, regardless of the industry.

Sam Henderson is familiar with the challenges associated with business leadership, having faced adversity in his own career, and he pulls on his lessons learned from overcoming these challenges throughout the podcast. Like all entrepreneurs, he knows hes made mistakes. But now, he sees these challenges as a gift and a chance to reassess and teach others how to avoid the pitfalls whilst successfully launching, growing, and scaling. As a multi-best selling author, long-time TV Host, media columnist, speaker, multi-award-winning business owner, and High-Performance Business Coach, Sam brings a wealth of knowledge to the topics of the show, having previously practiced the lessons he preaches. His honest conversations with fellow entrepreneurs and business leaders provide encouraging advice to audience members on how to best navigate obstacles amongst business development, provingLaunch, Grow, and Scale Your Businessto be a must-listen for any business owner looking to succeed.

18.Paper Planes Podcast

Telina Too

Telina Too is the cacao over coffee, mama to Machi, former educator turned lifestyle junkie and host of thePaper Planes Podcast.The very real and candid Australian that she is, draws on personal experiences and organically guides her guests straight into when sh*t hit the fan while working towards personal and business goals. Unlike other self-help shows, which focus heavily onthe success story,she intentionally challenges that by implementing herwork backwards approachfrom hitting rock bottom to one of the richest experiences in life.

Since founding The Co. & Teli, Telina made a promise to co-create a community of conscious role models, a space that is both collaborative and innovative. While her online coaching business is thriving, being stuck in social isolation during Covid-19 ignited her to start podcasting as a result of craving community & genuine connection with other people. Having just launched in May of 2020, her podcast is still in its infancy yet already chart-topping across several countries in self-help and improvement. ThePaper Planes Podcasthas been airing new content weekly and currently boasts over 20 episodes with everyday people, and sometimes famous people too. Telina says no story is off-limits, in-fact one of the most downloadable conversations was even considered taboo.

19.The Pals Podcast

George Booutsalis & Ricky Liorti

Passion projects are what makes work worthwhile, and for George Boutsalis and Ricky Liorti,The Pals Podcastwas a passion project that turned into a popular profession. The duo started their podcast as a way to talk with friends about their interests in health & wellness, travel & adventure, entrepreneurship, sports, and much more. The goal was to create one episode a week for a year, which theyre quickly on the way to surpassing having completed 42 episodes and counting in just seven months. The Pals continuously provide their audience with enjoyable conversations in every episode, covering a wide range of interesting topics sure to encourage first-time listeners to become full-time subscribers.

George and Ricky have created an outlet for interesting conversations to flow freely, attracting notable guests onto their podcast and garnering an even larger audience because of it. The duo is having fun while expanding their reach, and the growth of their show continues to scale week after week. Needles to say, the Pals wont be putting an end to this passion project anytime soon.

20.University of Adversity

Lance Essihos

Lance Essihos advocates for the benefits of adversity in his podcastUniversity of Adversity,encouraging his audience to view the onset of adversity not as an enemy attack, but rather a great ally. Through connecting with guests who share their stories about overcoming life's challenges, Lance draws attention to the importance of hitting rock bottom in order to achieve success. Every fall provides a learning lesson on how to get back up, and this lesson is something theUniversity of Adversityeducates its listeners on, ensuring the fall, though painful, will be worth it in the long run.

Broadcasted three times a week, each episode showcases a different individual who has thrived following a great demise. Lance Essihos inspires his audience through the carefully curated content he shares, offering a wealth of tips and advice on how to get back up after even the furthest of falls.

21.The Appliance Workshop

Chris & Andrey Czupiel

New immigrants entering the North American workforce are often met with the challenges of not knowing where to begin, how to make a business successful, and how to stand apart from others. This is something Chris Czupiel has experienced, and its what drives him and Andrey Czupiel to pull on their own knowledge in advising others on how to start their journey within the trades industry. With Andrey being the founder and director of the Appliance Technical Institute of Canada, and Chris operating as the president of Toronto Appliances Service and Appliance Technical Institute of Canada, the duo share a wealth of knowledge and experience for anything appliance related.

Together, theyve createdThe Appliance Workshop Podcast,which focuses on immigration, entrepreneurship within the appliance servicing industry, and advice on how to become a national appliance servicing trainer. They bring the appliance servicing community together in Canada like never before seen, from British Columbia to the Maritimes, and everything in between. The Czupiels provide listeners with a portal into the world of startups, sharing stories on what the experience is really like and what should be expected. Through their podcast, the duo teaches their listeners skills that are transferable to any business. From coast to coast, The Appliance Workshop Podcast shows its audience that potential has no borders.

Contact: Immy Tariq Webmetrix Group Immy@webmetrixgroup.com

Home

Continued here:
WebMetrix Group On The 21 Podcasts to Expand Your Mind in 2021 - GlobeNewswire

One medically retired veteran of the U.S. Army is helping recreate the brother and sisterhood people often find in the service through his YouTube channel that focuses on gamingand self-care.

After Christopher Boehm left the army, he learned from a friend the staggering statistic that 22 veterans die each day by suicide.

Being injured and having a past struggle with alcohol abuse, he connected with the pain of these veterans.

He decided then that he wanted to help others leaving the service smoothly transition to civilian life.

SHARE: Hundreds of Americans Become Foster Families to Ailing Senior Veterans, Opening Up Their Hearths and Homes

When he learned that the U.S. Army uses Twitch, a live streaming platform for gamers, for recruitment purposes, he knew he could do something similar to connect with veterans and prevent the social isolation and depression that exists in the veteran community.

Christopher set up his own YouTube channel, Bayonet X-Ray, where he plays video games live for 22 minutes at sunrise each morningrepresenting the 22 veterans that die by suicide each day.

While gaming, Boehm shares strategies for combating PTSD and depression, daily motivation, and tips on healthy eating and breathing. He also provides general camaraderie for isolated veterans.

My goal is to connect with veterans that cant access other services, explains Boehm. This YouTube channel is my way of helping my brothers and sisters, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially important to stay connected and break up the day to day monotony.

MORE: When Struggling Restaurant Tried to Sell Bourbon for $20K, Anonymous Veteran Buys It for Twice the Price

Boehm has a kind, peaceful voice, and his YouTube channel isnt just for veterans: Its for everyone. Check it out today.

MULTIPLY The Good And Share This Story On Social Media

View original post here:
This Veteran is Helping Fellow Vets Transition to Civilian Life Through Video Gaming - Good News Network

Even before 2020 began, many Americans of all ages had mental health conditions and alcohol or drug issues that werent getting the attention and care that they deserved.

Now, six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, three months into a major social justice movement, two months away from a national election and with school starting, hurricanes blowing, wildfires burning and the economy slumping, its a fair bet that many more people are struggling with mental health concerns.

Thats why Michigan Medicine assembled a panel of experts for a recent webinar to offer concrete steps that might help, and links to further resources for helping to manage overall well-being.

This recording has a wealth of tips, from breathing exercises to family activities to advice about the kinds of healthy lifestyle choices that can bolster mental health and keep alcohol use in check. The U-M Department of Psychiatry also offers a wide range of resources and helpful links in its COVID-19 Toolkit.

If youre feeling overly stressed, depressed, anxious or concerned about your alcohol use or someone close to you is showing such signs you dont have to start with a specialist. In fact, primary care providers such as family doctors, general internists, pediatricians and primary care nurse practitioners, are trained to handle many mental health symptoms, says Jill Schneiderhan, M.D., a U-M family medicine doctor and mental wellness specialist.

So just as you would start by contacting them for a new physical symptom, dont be afraid to contact them about changes to your mental health and substance use. That includes a persistent low mood, finding things less enjoyable, and anxious thoughts that intrude on your everyday life.

Several of the experts focused on the things you can do to improve your mental state, including more regular bed times and wake times, cutting out screen use in bed, keeping up social connections even if its via video chat or phone calls, eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, engaging in a hobby, spending time outside, and engaging with art and music.

Elizabeth Duval, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in the U-M Department of Psychiatry, offers some specific breathing exercises and mindfulness activities that anyone of any age can do, almost anywhere.

Box breathing: Breathe in for a few seconds, hold for a few seconds, breathe out for a few seconds, and hold for a few seconds before breathing in again.

Try the 54321 exercise: Sitting or standing wherever you are, take a moment to notice and name out loud or to yourself five things you can see right now, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.

When talking with someone, say what you are feeling inside. Just speaking it out loud can actually help defuse the feeling itself

If youre a parent, keep in mind that your children are noticing and reacting to the way youre handling these times, says Polly Gipson, Ph.D., a clinicalpsychologist who heads U-Ms Trauma and Grief Clinic. Thats especially true if your family has lost someone to COVID-19, or you belong to a group or live in an area thats being especially affected by current events.

But you can be a model to them by engaging in healthy mental wellbeing self-care and finding ways to focus on positive memories, things to be grateful for, family togetherness because of the lack of scheduled activities, and more. She recommends the CALM method: Communicate with the child to share information, find out what they know and validate their feelings; help them stay Active and creative; Learn how children in general, or your child in particular, show distress; and Model self-care by using positive strategies and sharing them with children.

Childrens future mental health depends in part on how theyre affected by adverse experiences now, both their own and those that their larger community is going through. If you notice troubling behavior in the children in your life, speaking up to get help can make a major difference.

Alcohol and cannabis sales have shot up during the past six months, and jokes about drinking or using marijuana-derived products to cope with these times are rampant on social media. This is typical during stressful times, says Mark Ilgen, Ph.D., the addiction psychologist who directs the U-M Addiction Treatment Services. But he warns that as time goes on, what was once a short-term coping mechanism could develop into a substance-use problem.

Fortunately, he says, support groups, twelve-step groups and addiction care specialists have pivoted to offer online help. And newer medications can help people who have developed a dependence on alcohol, opioids and more. If youre not sure you need this level of help, he notes that many people can cut back on their substance use on their own, by setting targets for themselves including limits on daily or weekly alcohol or cannabis intake. If you find you cant stay within these self-imposed limits, thats a time to seek help. Find more information on the U-M Addiction Treatment Services COVID-19 Addiction & Recovery Resources page.

Above all else, the experts note, if you or someone youre in contact with have been feeling hopeless or even suicidal, its crucial to get help. Dont shy away from discussing the topic, and get in touch with a primary care provider if its not an urgent situation. For urgent or life-threatening situations, contact the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 800-273-8255 or call 911.

Read the original:
Coping and Hoping: Mental Health Tips for Trying Times | University of Michigan - Michigan Medicine

In this week's Your Best Life, 6 News Anchor Leslie Draffin traveled to Salado to explore sound baths, a holistic approach to relaxation and healing.

TEMPLE, Texas September is National Self-Care Awareness Month and right now is the perfect time to take a little better care of yourself. In this week's Your Best Life, 6 News Anchor Leslie Draffin traveled to Salado to explore sound baths, a holistic approach to relaxation and healing.

"If you're suffering from anxiety, depression. If you work a lot, if you haven't worked in a while, it's basically good for everyone," said McKenzie Reeves, a massage therapist, reiki master and owner of Salado Creek Healing.

Reeves said sound baths are basically a meditation tool she as used during her other therapies for the last year.

"If you can help the body find its balance again it'll start to heal," she said.

A sound bath has nothing to do with water. Instead, you're bathed in sounds of different frequencies meant to put you in a deep, meditative state. Reeves uses various tools from crystal bowls to gongs and chimes. Each one tuned to different parts of the body.

According to Reeves, "These are in 432 hertz, which is the miracle tone or frequency. So, it just helps to allow total body wellness and allow your body the availability to heal itself by just giving it a break from real life."

The life-long singer also uses her voice to create healing frequencies of sound.

"I found out that I can sing with them. I can sing another note and it creates a harmonic either binaural beat or some sort of harmonic frequency there that is really powerful for the body, things just release. It's really amazing," she said.

Reeves said to understand why it works, think of your body as a flowing, vibrational system.

"Everything's vibrational, you know they teach you in science in school, that everything's just vibrating at a certain frequency. So, when you get out of frequency it creates a lot of pain and other disturbances like emotional disturbances in the body," she said.

Reeves said sound can help move those stuck feelings.

"So by playing through them and allowing the sound waves to flow through your biofield, which is the energy field around you, it washes away and helps tune the body back into wellness and frequency, happiness. If you think of how you hear somebody sing something that's super, super powerful and you get goosebumps like that affects you on a vibrational level! And so, listening to beautiful music is just healing. It has been since the dawn of all the time," she said.

Each sound bath lasts about an hour. Reeves plays and sings, taking participants on a journey into relaxation and sleep.

"You can release a lot of stuff, stuff that you didn't know you had, stuff that your family's been holding on to for a long time, or things that have been chronically bothering you for as long as you can remember. It allows you to feel weightless for just a moment, sometimes longer, helps get out of the heavy," she said.

Reeves sound baths are donation based so it's accessible for anyone to try. If you'd like to try one for yourself, you can find Reeves on Facebook.

See the rest here:
Sound baths | A holistic approach to relaxation and healing | Your Best Life - KCENTV.com

The patients seen by mobile integrated healthcare and community paramedic programs are among the most complex out there. While CP leaders have now devised a standardized framework for evaluating their needs, much remains subjective when individual medics sit down to rate individual patients.

Wednesdays EMS World Expo session on MIH-CP patient management challenges provided an opportunity for providers from different departments to collaborate on a pair of case studies and work jointly through that evaluation framework, known by the mnemonic CPS MERITS. The idea was to benefit from each others experiences and ideas.

CPS MERITS was developed by Dan Swayze, PhD, COO of the Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania, and Anne Jensen, EMT-P, special projects coordinator for San Diego Fire-Rescue. Jensen led Wednesdays session with Faith Applewhite, NRP, from the Santa Fe (N.M.) Fire Department. They were joined by community paramedic Shawn Percival, who works with Jensen in San Diegos Resource Access Program (RAP), and Santa Fe mobile health paramedic Ramos Tsosie, a colleague of Applewhites in Santa Fe Fires Mobile Integrated Health Office (MIHO).

Both departments use CPS MERITS, but to galvanize the exchange of ideas, they crossed services to work through the case studies, with Percival and Applewhite leading the first and Tsosie and Jensen the second.

The mnemonic, described in a 2019 EMS World article by its creators, helps providers understand the nature and severity of the patients condition, establish a baseline to measure change over time, and provide a road map for care planning. It stands for:

Each of these dimensions is measured as threatening (in need of immediate assistance), unsustainable (working but not for long), sustainable (not ideal but could work long-term, such as a person adapted to homelessness), or ideal. Once rated they can be prioritized for action, with threatening and unsustainable situations taking natural priority.

Percival described a mid-60s female living in a city neighboring San Diego who, during their 18-month collaboration, called 9-1-1 400500 times in her own town and another 80 in San Diego.

He judged her clinical and psychological situations threatening: She had dementia with severe behavioral and cognitive impairment, and often sought Tylenol for arthritis pain in her wrist. Shed overdosed on it previously and didnt understand the danger of taking too much. She was triggered by family, and while her dementia made any help difficult, her problems seemed mostly behavioral, Percival said.

Meals, records, and income werent a problem (ideal), but the other four domains were all unsustainable: Family (social) was tiring of her repeated 9-1-1 calls and false claims of abuse. She was housed (environment) but not always supervised and thus could go out for Tylenol. (Shed also leave the gas stove on, which, while caught each time by her husband, could raise the situation to threatening, Percival noted.) Her calling 9-1-1 for transportation couldnt be sustained, and taxi companies had begun refusing her service over repeated nonpayment. And while she could basically self-care (skills), the stove issue and persistent nonunderstanding of Tylenol overdose dangers left that unsustainable too.

Two threatenings, four unsustainablesa tough patient for sure. The proposed big-picture solution was conservatorship, and her daughter was willing to assume it. But a barrier popped up: Despite the dementia, she was deemed to have the capacity to consent. The countys patient advocate suggested a special conservatorship with dementia powers, so now Percivals team is working with the hospital social worker to navigate that application process.

A lesson here: Sometimes you need multiple plans. You never know where its going to lead you, said Percival. You think youve reached the end goal, then the goal posts have been moved on you.

This patients unsustainable dimensions also intertwine with the conservatorship, but it is rarely used, hard to get, and COVID has slowed court processes. The team is currently awaiting a decision.

Tsosie said his department has found the CPS MERITS framework useful but added an extra legal domain after missing some patient arrests.

The patient he described was a 41-year-old male, mostly homeless, who lived part-time with extended family in the pueblos outside Santa Fe but frequently traveled to town with his mother. In the 18 months theyd worked with him, hed overdosed on opiates 16 times they knew of and maybe more. Hed also been hit by motor vehicles several times and had TBI and a leg injury that caused chronic paina big driver of his substance use.

Obviously the ODs made his clinical situation threatening. Psych was too: The TBI caused problems with impulse control, Tsosie said, and it was hard to get this patient to appointments. Drugs and alcohol were easily available.

Meals and transportation were judged sustainable, but the income domain rose to threatening because the patient was focused on getting disability to the detriment of any other efforts at self-help.

All other dimensions were unsustainable: Family (social) was loyal, but he couldnt use at the pueblo so often didnt stay. In town (environment) he often slept on the streets. He wanted disability but was unable to collect the necessary paperwork (records). He had good social skills, but lack of impulse control often led to aggression. And while he had various court issues (legal), complying with such requirements wasnt usually a priority.

Three threatenings, five unsustainablesanother tough one. But while this patient clearly needs help, his repeat overdoses forced the team back to a much more basic posture: just trying to keep him alive. They gave naloxone to him and his family and took him repeatedly to a harm-reduction clinic in an effort to habitualize his use of it. His income domain was also difficult to address: Hed applied for disability and been denied twice, so they connected him with a representative to help, but he continues to miss appointments.

Beyond that the team has worked to stay in close touch with the patient, keep a feel for his baseline, and offer support and positive social interactions. Tsosie described those interactions as oxygen to those in such challenging circumstanceswithout them, he said, its hard for you to think and feel and navigate the world.

Efforts to help these patients are ongoing. You may face some equally as difficult. There arent right or wrong answers with CPS MERITS, and the point isnt that you should agree with all the ratings here. It can be subjective and vary with community resources. The lesson is theres value in sharing multiple perspectives and working through such assessments with additional sets of eyesthats something community medics often need.

John Erich is the senior editor of EMS World.

Original post:
You Be the CP: Case Studies of Complex MIH Patients - EMSWorld

c/o Ava Nederlander, Photo Editor

First Things First (FTF), the orientation program organized by the Resource Center for first-year, First-Generation Low-Income (FGLI) students, ran from Monday, July 20 to Friday, Aug. 28. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this years FTF program was conducted online, featuring a number of synchronous and asynchronous programs rather than previous years in-person, two-and-a-half-day program before New Student Orientation (NSO).

FTF specifically aims to help FGLI students adjust to campus life and equipthemwith the necessary resources, support systems, and academic services to succeed at the University. The program is also an opportunity for students to engage in conversations about their backgrounds and how to navigate a predominately white and wealthy institution.

This years six-week program divided each week into themes, each focusing on a specific facet of campus life: a welcome to Wesleyan, financial aid and independence, academic readiness and resources, connections and networking at Wesleyan, self-care and discovery, and onwards and upwards.

Students attended workshops and panels organized by Resource Center Director Demetrius Colvin and FTF intern CeCe Payne 21, interacting with each other and their FTF orientation interns.

According to Colvin, FTF acknowledges the inequalities faced by FGLI students and provides them with resources for success at the University.

If you come from a family that has thatexpectation, or has that experience, then not only are you passively getting a lot of that information just as youre growing up, but then you also have a direct source you can go to, as you are facing challenges and having questions, and first generation low income students really dont have that same resource, Colvin said. So thats partially why this program was created to help them get that social and cultural capital they need to successfully navigate the institution.

In addition to helping address some of the institutionalized challenges FGLI students face, FTF builds connections for students, creating a community built on shared experiences.

FTF for me is sort of like the first kind of community youre brought into, FTF Orientation Leader (OL) Mahey Gheis 22 said. As a first-generation, low-income student, it means finding people that can relate to you on that level which is kind of hard to parse out when youre at Wesleyan among a general population of college students, and its an opportunity really for connections that can be formed on the basis of those commonalities, which I think is really unique.

FTF Orientation Leader Ariana Baez 22 echoed Gheis words, describing her own experience as a participant and OL for FTF as both meaningful and welcoming.

FTF was the thing that made me feel secure in my position at Wes regardless of my identity and actually because of my identity, Baez said.It celebrated me and ensured me that I was here on my own merit, not as a statistic or filling a quota for Wes, but it really empowered me to take up space and find my own community.

It is unclear whether the changes made for this years program will carry over into future years. Nonetheless, Baez hopes that the positive feedback about the new format will be taken into consideration when planning for next year so that the program can continue to grow and support FGLI students in the best ways it can.

Every FTF student that I talked to this semester, I think, felt a lot more supported because it wasnt a three-day thing, although they didnt get the traditional social in-person interactions that I did, Baez said.

Despite this lack of in-person, Payne stillemphasized the overall success of this years FTF program.

There were a lot of moving parts that went into this, but it came together in a really conducive final product, Payne said. I think one of the big things we had to keep asking throughout was just about access and thinking about the fact that we were in the middle of a pandemic and there were a lot of things that were on peoples plates that they might not have had planned in March. It was just a lot of different things that we had to consider to make sure that everyone was able to capitalize in the way that we wanted them to. I think at the end of the day, we did a good job.

Oliver Cope can be reached at ocope@wesleyan.edu.

Hallie Sternberg can be reached at hsternberg@wesleyan.edu or on Twitter @halsternberg.

Follow this link:
First Things First Adapts to COVID-19 Regulations for Class of 2024 - Wesleyan Argus

After the SARS pandemic in 2003, a study was conducted on 129 quarantined people to find out the effects of the pandemic on their mental health. 28.9% of subjects were found to have PTSD, and 31.2% had symptoms of depression. And the longer the quarantine, the worse things got.

But chances are, you might not even remember the SARS pandemic; so imagine the mental and emotional toll of a pandemic with the historical proportions we are experiencing today with the coronavirus.

I have seen a pretty significant uptake in both depression and anxiety in the pandemic, says Laine DiStefano, a licensed therapist from North Texas.

Maybe you werent struggling with your mental health before the pandemic, but COVID-19 is hitting everyone's mental health in some major ways.

Wherever we were emotionally before the pandemic, the alarming uncertainty and rapid lifestyle changes it produced have negatively impacted us all, says Deborah Ann Davis, a certified personal trainer and award-winning self-help author.

People are really struggling with social isolation, says DiStefano. And naturally, when people get depressed, they tend to self-isolate, which makes them further depressed. And were all sort of thinking about mortality and death and loss and things like that at a higher rate.

So not only do we all have a pandemic to deal with, but we also have less access to the things that used to help us cope with stress, whether it be friends or family or fun activities outside of our homes.

The stress is cranked up really really high, and our access to coping strategies is cranked really low, adds Avery Hoenig, a clinical psychologist. People who normally dont struggle with depression are experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety as well.

You might have already experienced this tug-of-war between your mental and physical health during the quarantine. Hanging out with friends may ward off depression, but it puts us at a higher risk of infection. So how can we practice self-care while being wary of the dangers of the coronavirus?

The biggest thing is just for us to be kind to ourselves... This is hard. And its not hard because were doing it wrong, its hard because its really hard. " Avery Hoenig, clinical psychologist

What Ive recommended for my patients is to just try to balance risk and benefit, says Hoenig. Theres a risk to go to the grocery store, theres a benefit of getting groceries. So I think especially with social interaction there is a risk, but there is a risk with lack of social interaction, too. Stress reduces our immune system and makes it really hard for us to fight things off.

Hoenig lists ways that she likes to take care of her mental health in a safe way, like socially-distanced picnics, exploring new hiking trails around Dallas, and phoning a friend while walking around her neighborhood.

A risk of a large gathering in tight quarters is pretty high, and I dont know if the benefit would be much higher than a one-on-one kind of socially distanced outdoor picnic, says Hoenig. So try to make the decisions based on possible benefit, and kind of eliminating possible risk can be a good guide.

DiStefano recommends having a social isolation bubble.

If [you] have a group of friends who are also being super careful, who are doing all the right things, wearing masks, people [you] can isolate together with, I think its important that we have social connection and we dont let those go to the wayside either so if you can do that in a safe way, that goes a long way with mental health too.

Deborah Ann Davis wrote about self-care in her book How to Get Your Happy On. She says, If you feel lower than before, reach out to someone with more energy, and let it boost you. If your negative self-perceptions are more pronounced, seek out a professional counselor for help. Find library books for guidance. Write in a journal. Confide in a friend. Scream into a pillow.

There are many practical things you can do to take care of yourself during this time, but there are also ways of thinking that could help you stay strong.

People who have higher levels of depression tend to attribute negative things to permanent factors. So saying to yourself, 'This is never going to go away, things are never going to change, that is absolutely not helpful and it is destructive to your mental health, says DiStefano. So keeping the faith and believing that this is going to get better and that were all going to adjust and the situation will improve is imperative to your mental health.

Hoenig also emphasizes self-compassion during this time. The biggest thing is just for us to be kind to ourselves, she says. This is hard. And its not hard because were doing it wrong, its hard because its really hard. Trying to kind of have that compassion with ourselves and people around us can kind of go a long way.

Original post:
Dallas Therapists Share Their Pandemic Advice for Patients - Dallas Observer

When talking about any bank, its important to remember that current bank sector valuations are far below normal and sentiment is lousy, as investors worry about the impact of the confluence of tight spreads, weak loan demand, rising credit costs, and limited expense leverage. Given all that, it may well not be until late next year before banks start trading on recovery prospects.

Even so, I continue to believe that Citizens Financial (CFG) is just too cheap at a double-digit discount to book value, particularly in the context of upside potential from balance sheet optimization, better operating leverage, and growth in fee-generating businesses. With annualized total return potential in the double digits, I believe this is a name worth considering, and I dont see much risk to the dividend unless theres a significant deterioration in the economy beyond whats already expected.

Most banks commented after second quarter earnings that they believed the bulk of their reserve-building was done, and virtually, every bank Ive seen update their views since has maintained that view although always with the caveat of if things dont get worse from here So too with Citizens, where management presented at Barclays recent bank conference and confirmed a reduced need for future reserve builds. This is perhaps one of the benefits of the new CECL standard in that it leads to earlier reserving ahead of actual losses.

Deferrals are of limited value in predicting credit problems, but evolution here has been positive. Citizens had below-average deferrals exiting the second quarter (6% in the 10-Q), and those have since dropped further to around 4.5%, with commercial loan deferrals at only 1.8% of loan balances at the end of August.

Exposure in the loan book to industries at high risk from COVID-19 is still elevated, though, at around 17% exiting the second quarter (managements estimate is closer to 10%). On a positive note, the exposures are pretty diverse, with no real concentration across areas like oil/gas, hospitality, and so on. Whats more, even the exposed areas arent necessarily at high risk, as the companys exposure in oil/gas is in less price-sensitive segments, its exposure in food service is largely to fast-food/quick-service, and its exposure to retail is largely to gas stations and convenience stores.

Id also note that criticized loan balances are accelerating, with criticized C&I loans up 45% qoq between the second and first quarters, and criticized CRE loans up 37%. In both cases, CFGs criticized loan levels are above-average, though not enough to concern me too much. Citizens also looks a little under-reserved relative to the Feds Severely Adverse scenario compared to other banks, but Id also remind investors that Citizens is challenging the Feds numbers, given that it doesnt factor in certain risk-mitigating items like loss-sharing obligations.

The general theme shaping for the third quarter on the revenue side of things is pretty similar to the theme from the second quarter. Higher levels of deposits are leaving banks with excess liquidity that they cant profitably deploy, given weak loan demand and low rates on securities. Thats going to pressure net interest margins. At the same time, though, fee-generating businesses like capital markets and mortgage banking remain healthy, and that should provide a boost to CFGs non-interest income in the third quarter.

Looking out a bit, Citizens is going to have to continue working on its self-help initiatives to offset secular pressures from weak rates and weak loan demand. Citizens has shifted toward a much more asset-sensitive position over the last few quarters, giving it meaningful leverage to rate increases, but with the Fed recently saying it intends to maintain low rates into 2023, thats not going to help much.

Management continues to invest in its fee-generating businesses like wealth management and capital markets, and Citizens has a pretty diverse array of businesses under its umbrella. The company is also pushing hard on its TOP 6 program, with an increasing focus on fin-tech investments meant to streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve (or at least maintain) customer experiences.

Balance sheet optimization is also still in the mix, with the company looking to make better use of its excess cash, exit low-return commercial relationships, and optimize its funding. On that latter point, $3.5 billion of CDs reprice in the second half of the year its not a huge number relative to the deposit base ($140B-plus), but were very much in an every bit helps phase of the cycle.

I dont see much prospect for higher spreads over the next three to five years, and loan growth is likely to be muted over the next few years, though I see Citizens having some market share growth potential. Of course, one of the most commonly-used words in conjunction with models and estimates is surprise, so there would be upside if the U.S. economy recovers at a stronger/faster pace, particularly with Citizens enhanced rate sensitivity. As is, though, I do believe that cost reductions and fee income growth will help, and I believe Citizens can generate mid-single-digit pre-provision profit growth in 2022-24, and that should be an above-average level of growth for banks of similar size.

Long term, I see Citizens growing core earnings at a low single-digit long-term rate. That supports a fair value in the $30s, as does the companys likely ROTCE over the next two years.

There are legitimate (or at least fair) concerns about Citizens' ability to offset core spread earnings pressure with fee income, operating leverage (lower expenses), and better balance sheet management, but I think todays double-digit discount to tangible book is still too much. Yes, banks are very much out of favor now and likely to underwhelm on core earnings for a while, but for patient long-term investors willing to collect dividends ahead of the eventual recovery-driven re-rating, this is a name worth considering.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Read the original here:
Citizens Financial's Discount Is Shrinking, But It's Still Too Wide Relative To The Opportunity - Seeking Alpha

(WORDINBLACK.COM) On Sunday, Sept. 12, the NY Times Magazine called 2020 The Lost Year for students across America and their families dealing with remote learning and the social, psychological and cognitive challenges it presents.

But since COVID-19 pulled the plug on live, in-school learning last spring, two predominantly Black charter school systems in Sacramento have turned negatives into positives, chaos into community.

Theyve made it clear that without sustained parental involvement, the horse wont run, the plane wont fly. When it comes to remote learning, Fortune School of Education and St. Hope Public Schools are making sure no child, parent, guardian or grandparent is left behind. In addition to free meals, the school systems are providing free Chromebooks, wifi hotspots, low-cost Internet, headsets, tech support, teaching assistants and behavioral and psychological counselors. They are also providing well-trained teachers who have learned to be patient with themselves as well as their scholars and families.

For generations, African Americans often felt that the education deck was stacked against them inferior schools, higher rates of discipline and suspensions, fewer resources, teachers that seemed not to understand or believe in them.

Black students remain the lowest performing subgroup in California other than special needs students, said Dr. Margaret Fortune, founder and CEO of eight predominantly Black K-12 charter schools in Sacramento serving 1,904 students and another in San Bernardino serving 395. Were 65 percent African American and 26 percent Latino and mixed race most of them low income.

St. Hope Schools serves a similar population at PS7 elementary and middle schools and Sacramento Charter High School in Sacramentos Oak Park neighborhood: more than 1,000 predominantly African American students, the majority low-income, said Chief of Schools Kari Wehrly. Both Fortune and St. Hope helped their teachers, students and families adjust to on-line learning in a matter of weeks.

At first, we had our teachers filming their instruction every single day, posting the video, and students had all day to complete their lessons, Ms. Wehrly said.

Dr. Fortune, too, saw video learning as a way to showcase her best teachers and share their lessons system wide. But both charter systems have come to realize that teachers and students need to meet in cyberspace in real time.

Students were telling us they needed more structure, and families said they dont want to be home-school teachers, so now our classes run live from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, Ms. Wehrly said.

A good experience in school now is not a normal experience; learning from your kitchen table is not normal, said Dr. Fortune, whose schools require their scholars to sign in remotely by 7:45 a.m. in their school uniforms for a half day of live instruction four days a week the rest of the time is spent on self-paced learning that relies on on-line programs such as MobyMax and Reading Eggs.

Both charters report that thanks to the demands of distance learning, theres more parental engagement than ever.

Its not uncommon for us to have 100 parents on a Zoom call with the principal to teach them how to use the curriculum, Dr. Fortune said. We dont expect you to become an overnight tech expert.

When Fortune Schools announced it was time to pick up free Chromebooks, there were lines of cars around the corner these are low-income Black folks, Dr. Fortune said. We also provide three meals a day. For some of our students, school is their refuge from troubles at home and now they dont have that refuge. In addition to teachers in virtual classrooms, technicians, counselors and special ed teachers often drop in to keep an eye on students who may be in trouble, Dr. Fortune said.

For students whose parents work and cant be home to guide them, the Oak Park Community Center is open all day to receive kids from a variety of schools. The community center staff tell me the Fortune (School) kids are on time in their uniforms and dont need to be coached, Dr. Fortune said.

Some families rely on older siblings to keep everyone on task. St. Hope parent Elesia Morris, a home health nurse from Elk Grove, has left her 13-year-old daughter EMyiah, a 9th grader at St. Hopes Sacramento High School, in charge of her younger brothers at PS7, Emare, 11, and Eric 13.

Shes always been bossy, she said its been in my DNA since I was three, Ms. Morris said. At first they told her, Youre not our mom, but now theyre so used to her waking them up since my husband and I are at work, they go to her for help with everything.

Ms. Morris, whose two oldest sons graduated Sacramento High School and went on to Berkeley and UCLA, said her three younger kids were thrilled when they learned they no longer had to get up at 5 a.m., be out the door at 6:45 a.m. and into the car for a traffic-clogged 14-mile drive to school.

Since they dont have to go to school that early and dont have basketball practice, they dont have to go to bed that early, either, she said.

For grandparents who may not use the Internet, Its really about getting the kids and the teacher together, said Ms. Morris. I believe my kids are learning just as much. My 6th graders teacher called and said he was kind of struggling with Spanish, and we were able to log into office hours.

The same goes for attendance both charters quickly follow up with families whose scholars arent logged in to class.

The key to engagement is to keep school fun and interesting. We had over 600 people view our virtual yoga class some of our parents are more engaged now than they were in person, Dr. Fortune said.

Meanwhile, students have learned to be more self-reliant and self-disciplined than ever because they can monitor their progress working through their online curriculum. This is more like college, Ms. Wehrly said. Nothing replaces getting to see your students in person every day and pulling them aside if you need to, and students get bored at home and are craving to be back in person with their peers. It requires a level of resilience how do you persevere and create your own routine? What does self-care look like?

About the only time they see their teachers and classmates in person is at drive-through events to pick up meals, materials or homework packets. One kindergartener saw her teacher and wanted to give her a hug.

Until students can be in class together, the use of Facebook Live to communicate and celebrate is creating a positive dynamic which weve never had before, Dr. Fortune said. When we held our kindergarten, 5th and 8th grade graduation ceremonies, instead of 100 parents we had 11,000 people from all over the country, and even got a shout out from comedian Tracy Morgan. Its a level of celebrating the individual scholar that goes beyond the four walls of the multipurpose room, and our parents are communicating with parents from all over the country.

Weve gone beyond our initial goal of keeping our school community together in a healthy and joyful way and now are adding to our academic rigor, so kids dont fall into COVID-19 learning gaps.

By Stephen Magagnini | OBSERVER Correspondent

The OBSERVER has joined nine of the nations leading Black publishers to come together to reimagine the Black press in America. Our first official initiative is the launch of Word in Black, a news collaborative unlike anything we have seen in the industry. The mission could not be more important: Word in Black frames the narrative and fosters solutions for racial inequities in America. The group will publish stories on important issues such as voter suppression, inequities in education and healthcare, reimagining public safety and more. The following story is part of the collaborative. For more information, visit http://www.wordinblack.com

Read more here:
Learning In The Age of COVID: From Chaos Comes Opportunity to Build Community - Sacramento Observer