Local News

Passion into Action – Unsung Essential Workers

     The organizers of the Concerned Citizens of the Unsung Essential Workers focus group are Hortencia Owens, Rosemary Closson, and June Robinson. As members of the focus group  continued to grow, the idea came out of a article written by Hortencia Owens asking the question – Where are the tributes, parades, handclapping, candle lighting, and songs for our environmental employees, i.e. housekeepers, cafeteria workers, and custodians? “We therefore wrote letters and made phone calls to Environmental Directors of area hospitals, re-commending that they recognize their workers in a special way, and we received positive responses for our efforts,” says Hortencia Owens. […]

Local News

Fort Lauderdale Kappas provide $32,000 in scholarships

     The men of the Fort Lauderdale Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated distributed $32, 000 in scholarships to the seniors of their Kappa League program. Kappa League is a program for the educational, occupational and social guidance of male students in grades 7th – 12th. The nucleus and primary focus of the Kappa League program revolves around the “Seven Phases” which are: Self-Identity/Purpose, Training, Competition, Social, Health Education, Economic Empowerment & Education and College & Career. 16 Seniors in the program received a $2,000 scholarship at the annual College Signing Day. […]

Health

As COVID-19 Phase 3 Vaccine Studies Begin, We Must Improve Minority Participation in Clinical Trials

      The minority community’s relationship with the medical and scientific world has not been built upon trust. This is particularly true with African Americans. Brutal and un-ethical historical practices in medicine subjected African American bodies to dissection and autopsy material without their consent. In addition, sterilizing Native American women without their consent, and the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment, led to a justifiable fear and lack of trust by people of color regarding clinical trial participation in the U.S. […]