Daily Archives: February 11, 2022

Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the number one cause of death for Americans.

The National Center for Health Statistics data shows heart disease-related death rates have fallen in the last 20 years. But underlying factors and healthcare disparities mean the risk factors that can lead to cardiovascular disease, and the risk of deaths from it, are higher for people of color.

We asked Bipul Baibhav, MD, a cardiologist with Rochester Regional Health, about those risk factors and what can be done to help reduce some of the barriers to care experienced by people of color.

There are several factors that can put a person at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Currently 43 percent of all American adults have at least one of those risk factors.

Age is one of the biggest risk factors that cannot be controlled. The older a person is, the higher their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Elements more within an individuals control include:

Over the last three years, health care disparities have been recognized as a major contributor to the health of people of color. The disproportionate effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on this group of people highlight the need for racial justice and health equity.

In the past, research related to race, ethnicity, and heart health was focused on how an individuals biology was connected to their race. However, in more recent years, research is showing that social determinants, driven by race and ethnicity, have a larger impact on heart health than an individuals biology.

Some examples of social determinants include:

Patients who are of a lower socioeconomic status and a lower level of education often do not have access to healthcare and affordable health insurance, Dr. Baibhav said. Frequently, they live in underserved communities where grocery stores, safe places to exercise, and access to healthcare are limited or not available. Those tend to be more among communities of color.

As a result of the systemic inequities previously mentioned, people of color often experience more obstacles to receiving preventative high-quality health care.

Using high blood pressure as an example, Black Americans are more likely to develop high blood pressure as compared to white Americans. Research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows approximately 75 percent of Black Americans will develop high blood pressure by the age of 55, compared to 47 percent of white Americans. Cases of cardiovascular disease linked to high blood pressure or stroke are higher in Black Americans as compared to other ethnicities.

For patients seeking a doctor to talk about hypertension, having access to primary care providers is a challenge in some underserved communities; access to cardiovascular specialists is even more of a challenge. Some people may be dealing with a lack of transportation, so they are unable to get to an appointment.

Over the course of the pandemic, many providers expanded their use of telemedicine for patients to offer opportunities to receive healthcare without an in-person visit. Some people may struggle with newer technology or lack access to high-speed Internet. This can prevent the use of telemedicine for screenings which could help identify risk factors such as high blood pressure.

Paying for medical visits can also be a barrier, even with something as simple as checking on high blood pressure. The Affordable Care Act has helped some uninsured individuals obtain insurance through the New York State of Health insurance marketplace, but the cost of care can still be prohibitive for some individuals.

Education also plays a role in healthcare. Health care information can be hard to comprehend. Ensuring that information is clear and accessible helps patients understand how to follow through on recommendations and treatments for high blood pressure.

We want to make sure that patients who have high blood pressure get access to primary care physicians and cardiovascular specialists as needed, so that their blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors can be adequately treated, Dr. Baibhav said.

Breaking down the barriers that keep underserved communities from access to providers, high-speed Internet, affordable healthcare, and education will require significant changes. There are several ways to make progress in these areas that could improve heart health.

Making intentional efforts to partner with patients and community organizations to advance cardiovascular health is a good goal. Efforts such as the Barbershop Trial published in the New England Journal of Medicineare examples of providers working with patients and businesses in their own communities to improve the heart health outcomes through mutual trust.

At some Rochester Regional Primary Care offices, trained social workers or health coaches work to identify ways to help lessen the impact of some of these issues when it comes to heart patients. These individuals help find transportation, ensure culturally sensitive dietary changes for cardiovascular patients, and identity other ways of using social determinants of health to create a better patient experience and outcomes.

Given the amount of time and effort researchers have put into studying these disparities, Dr. Baibhav suggests it is time to move from observing to implementing change.

There is an abundance of research examining socioeconomic and ethnic disparities in healthcare, Dr. Baibhav said. It is time to take action and bridge this gap.

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Race, Class, and Heart Health | Health Hive - Health Hive

The Ann Arbor YMCA is a long-standing nonprofit serving its communities for over 160 years.

For many people, the "Y" is basketball courts and swimming pools. And while physical fitness is an important aspect of what we do, there's much more. Our three main areas of focus are youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. We provide services in these areas to all of Washtenaw County and Southern Livingston County. Our particular association also has a priority focus on diversity, equity and inclusion as well as global innovation. Weve grown and changed, and well continue to do so as the needs of our community change.

In more recent years, our team's worked to expand our wraparound services, increasing our focus on mental health, and our programming around youth development and social responsibility. These services are becoming more important because of the great financial needs we see in our community, and because of the trauma our youth have been experiencing over the last couple of years that's challenged their social and emotional development and their academic achievements.

When COVID-19 first arrived in Washtenaw County in March of 2020, our YMCA was one of the first sites to be exposed. Like many organizations, we closed our doors for what we thought would be a brief period of time. Yet, due to government regulations and safety precautions, our facility at 400 W Washington would not reopen again for six months.

We pivoted quickly to serve our community in innovative ways. During lockdown, we were able to offer group exercise classes to the entire community for free, thanks to funding we received from United Way and the Ann Arbor Community Foundation. It was important to us to help keep our communities as healthy as possible and to keep them connected with others.

We also worked to provide learning opportunities to children and teens at home. Teachers from our child development centers led virtual arts and crafts, STEM projects and reading activities. Our teens engaged in their action and advocacy programs, entrepreneurship classes and Youth Volunteer Corps online. Today, we continue to offer virtual programs for the comfort and safety of our members, even as we provide daily in-person engagement.

While our building was closed, we had the opportunity to collaborate on the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program. From May to October of 2020, we distributed free 25-pound boxes of produce to the community on a weekly basis at 15 different sites throughout Washtenaw County. There was such a need for fresh food that families often lined up long before distribution. Helping to supplement the great work others were doing was meaningful to me and my staff. It allowed us to meet and serve our community where they were at.

Since Fall of 2020, weve remained open. Our membership is not back to pre-COVID-19 numbers, but it's slowly building. We were extremely fortunate to have members who continued to pay their monthly dues while our building was closed. These donations, and others, helped us keep our staff employed, which was of great importance to our board of directors and leadership team. You have to be responsible to your staff first or how else can you say to the community that you're a socially responsible organization? How can you serve the community?

When it comes to social responsibility, making sure the Y is for all is a large focus for us. We know that in all communities there are people who are underrepresented, who are marginalized, and who aren't receiving the services necessary for them to thrive. Our organization works in collaboration with government, with other nonprofits and educational institutions to address the intergenerational poverty and the academic discrepancies that exist and to work toward changing systems that create unjust inequities.

This includes providing scholarship assistance for individuals facing economic struggles. We offer reduced rates on membership, childcare, summer camp registration, programming and services. We also create specific programming for individuals and communities who otherwise might not feel welcome, such as our Gender Embodiment Through Voice and Movement workshop and a range of LGBTQ+ offerings.

A social responsibility commitment compels us to make a stand on social justice issues. At the beginning of COVID-19, when there was a lot of hate messaging directed towards the Asian community, as if they were responsible, we put together marketing materials to combat this misinformation. Our social justice work has called us to protest together as staff at Black Lives Matter rallies and to offer public support and advocacy for our African American community.

As a leader of color, I believe that having persons of color in leadership roles is extremely important to allow for representation and cultural competencies. There are fabulous white allies doing great work in diversity, equity and inclusion, but it's important to have people of color in all roles in an organization, many who bring a more intentional focus on equity issues. Nationally, leadership in the YMCA movement still does not match the demographics of the communities we serve. It's important that we make concerted efforts to overcome this.

For myself, my team and everyone in our community, the last two years have been exhausting. Its a challenge to continue to serve when you have reduced staff members, and need to find those individualswho want to be in-person caring for the well-being of others. Its hard to keep up morale, and to be able to adequately reward staff for their perseverance, their loyalty and their passion towards service at a time when revenue is reduced.

These are challenges that many nonprofit leaders are facing, along with staying creative and able to turn on a dime to meet the needs of the community as they constantly shift and rules change. We look for opportunities to stay relevant, and to continue serving the community in ways that are motivated by their voice.

I'm encouraged that the YMCA often serves as a bridge builder. There's so much dissension in our communities amongst people. We hope the programs and services we offer, and our commitment to inclusion, can allow people of differing opinions and backgrounds to come together, to feel welcome, and to find commonality and compassion for each other.

Toni Kayumi serves as CEO of the Ann Arbor YMCA. This entry is part of ourNonprofit Journal Project, an initiative inviting nonprofit leaders across Metro Detroit to contribute their thoughts via journal entries on how COVID-19, a heightened awareness of racial injustice and inequality, issues of climate change and more are affecting their work--and how they are responding. This series is made possible with the generous support of our partners, the Michigan Nonprofit Association and Co.act Detroit.

Excerpt from:

Ann Arbor YMCA works to build healthy mind, body and spirit for allThe Nonprofit Journal Project - Concentrate

As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic enters a third calendar year, the Department of Health and Human Services is poised to make key decisions about future access to the pathogen. This moment in history may prove to be an important inflection point in the regulation of emergent pandemic pathogens and is an occasion for careful reconsideration of the decision-making process. While regulation plays an important role in securing against accidental or intentional release of biological threats, missteps resulting in overregulation could stymie scientific progress, leading to deficiencies in public health preparedness and security infrastructure in the long term.

Todays list of the most dangerous biological agents, which is key to regulating their possession, use, and transfer, first took form in 1996 as a list of select infectious agents proposedby the Working Group on Civilian Biodefense. Throughout its history, the list has served as a mechanism for bolstering the biosecurity of the United States by preventing unauthorized access, theft, loss, or release of dangerous pathogens and toxins. This is orchestrated by the Federal Select Agents Program (FSAP), which rigorously reviews individual and laboratory requests to possess and work with restricted agents. In addition, the regulations guide regular inspections of laboratory facilities and protocols, review of import and transfer requests, and penalties in the case of failure to meet standards (see box below). Over time, the type and number of agents included have changed, and todays list contains 67 pathogens and toxins. The addition of a new agent is relatively unusual; however, it is reasonable to assume that additions of the future are likely to be emergent diseases with significant risks to global health security.

At first blush, SARS-CoV-2 may seem to fall squarely into this category. If added to the select agents list, it would be the first novel pandemic pathogen added since its close relative SARS-CoV-1 was included in 2012. But the decision isnt as simple as it may appear. Not every dangerous pathogen that emerges makes the listfor example, another deadly coronavirus, Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV), was discovered in 2012 but has not been added. And pathogens including HIV and the bacterium causing tuberculosis, two diseases that represent a considerable proportion of the global infectious disease burden annually, have not made the cut, either.

Clearly, criteria beyond novelty, pandemic potential, and total fatalities factor into whether an agent is select. But these factors are not as clearly defined as one might think. Four general criteria were determined by the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, which considers the virulence or toxicity of an agent, its mode of transmission, and the availability of treatments. But from a critical analysis of agents on the list, its apparent that further, unwritten factors are routinely considered, which confuses an already obfuscated process. In 2010, the National Research Council more carefully describedthe actual criteria that appear to be used, based on the agents on the list currently, and this analysis expanded the considerations to include the ability to produce and disseminate the agent at scale, the publics perception of the microorganism or toxin, and previous reports of bioweapons research on the agent. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not clarified its official criteria in response.

There is a reason for this lack of transparency: it is the general stance of the US government that the exact deliberations behind an agents inclusion or exclusion is information that, if public, would pose a risk to national security. But obfuscation of how agents become select and a dearth of clear guidelines and metrics for evaluating the effectivenessof the attendant regulations has frustrated many in the scientific community. Some see the list as an obstacle to biosecurity advancements that ultimately leads to negative effects, such as the destruction of invaluable microbial collectionsand the shuttering of important research programs. These effects have stemmed from a variety of restrictions, most notably burdensome transport logistics, reporting rules, and the massive security and safety installation costs necessary to make a laboratory compliant for work with a select agent.

As a first step in addressing whether SARS-CoV-2 deserves select agent status, HHS has presented an interim rule in the Federal Register that seeks to add chimeras combining features of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 to the select agents list. This is in line with the stance of the government to carefully review and often limit dual-use research of concern, and in particular, gain of function research. However, in our estimation, such chimeric viruses are already regulated by the Code of Federal Regulations, which restricts access to HHS select agents and toxins . . . that have been genetically modified. This newly proposed regulation is therefore duplicative and unnecessary.

The natural next question is: Should SARS-CoV-2 be added to the select agents list? Such a decision seems premature, at best. It is worth noting that the additionof SARS-CoV-1 took nearly a decade, and was a contentiouschoice even then. At the very least, more time is warranted to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 meets the full range of criteria for selection, particularly in regard to whether it could be a desirable candidate for bioweapon development by nefarious actors. Further, the situation begs for the governments reconsideration of the criteria themselves, both stated and presumed. How dynamic do the criteria allow the security community to be in the face of emergent, novel pathogens, which may represent the clearest examples of the select agents of the future? What improvements can be made in the clarity and stringency of such criteria to enhance scientific progress on protective measures without risking national security? And to similar ends, should we establish clearer and more transparent guidelines for future addition and removal of listed agents?

Our position is that regulation of an emergent pathogen is not in the best interest of public health during an ongoing pandemic, and we argue against regulation of any material that may play a role in development and promulgation of necessary biological technologies for preparedness and mitigation efforts. To support this position, we have evaluated SARS-CoV-2 using the National Research Council criteria, and from this analysis, can come to some general conclusions, presented in the table below.

Virulence, pathogenicity, or toxicity of the organism; its potential to cause death or serious disease

Yes

Clearly met and is likely to remain a risk for a significant period of time

Availability of treatments such as vaccines or drugs to control the consequences of a release or epidemic

Partial

Will clearly present lower risk in the near future as a result of mass vaccination campaigns, concomitant protection from vaccination and natural infection, other emerging therapeutic approaches, and general public health precautions like isolation and quarantine

Transmissibility of the organism; its potential to cause an uncontrolled epidemic

Partial

Ease of preparing the organism in sufficient quantity and stability for use as a bioterrorism agent; for example, the ability to prepare large quantities of stable microbial spores

-

Relate more specifically to bioterrorism concerns that are difficult to assess currently. It is still too early to determine the possibility of preparing SARS-CoV-2 at scale, and while ease of dissemination would appear to be high due to natural transmission dynamics, considerations that exclude criteria 2 and 3 will similarly temper this as a risk factor

Ease of disseminating the organism in a bioterrorism event to cause mass casualties; for example, by aerosolization

-

Public perception of the organism; its potential to cause societal disruption by mass panic

Partial

Remains a risk factor, but this is likely to wane precipitously in the near term as infections become less severe and common

Known research and development efforts on the organism by national bioweapons programs

-

While some have claimed that SARS-CoV-2 originated in a laboratory, until data is presented to support these claims, we determine this risk to be inapplicable

SARS-CoV-2 appears to soundly fit only one of these seven criteria, and it is too early to determine whether ongoing biomedical research and public health efforts will successfully alleviate the concerns put forth in three others. While there is not a defined threshold for how many criteria an agent must meet to be selected, there are other pathogens that better fit these criteria which are noton the list. As an example, HIV meets criteria 1, 2 (partial), 3, and 7 more than 35 years after its discovery and has still not been designated a select agent. This illustrates that even these expanded criteria fail to encompass all of the factors that go into government decision-making, in large part because they are undisclosed.

Ultimately, the decision about whether SARS-CoV-2 is named a select agent has broad implications for the scientific and policy communities. Regulation in this manner would severely restrict access to clinical and field samples, and would result in a mass destruction and consolidation campaign the likes of which may rival the one ongoingfor polio, which, though not a select agent, is the subject of an $5.1B eradication effort that includes destroying most samples of the virus and restricting others to certain well-secured labs. Such a campaign for SARS-CoV-2 would have economic ramifications that, while perhaps not debilitating for individual laboratories, are clearly burdensome. But more importantly, these burdens would translate to unavoidable losses in research productivity, which may ultimately harm public health security both in the US and globally. In particular, the development of therapeutics and the acquisition of fundamental knowledge about coronavirus biology could be hobbled.

These concerns are echoes of the past; the scientific community has voiced them before, when SARS-CoV was under consideration for addition to the select agents list. As a biosecurity community, we must seriously consider whether the decision to make SARS-CoV a select agent was connected to, and partly responsible for, the worlds vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2. If we are honest with ourselves about the likelihood that it was, we should take pause at the prospect of similar, rippling regulatory ramifications this time around.

Read more here:

Opinion: Coronavirus and Regulating Access to High-Risk Pathogens - The Scientist

Whats distinctive about your parish? What is your parishs charism? St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church and its school, Holy Cross Academy (pre-K-8), are large and dynamic. With more than 18,000 parishioners, its a unique parish with a small-town feel. Located in the historic town of Fredericksburg, the community is vibrant and filled with many programs created to assist folks in the city and the surrounding counties of Stafford and Spotsylvania. The parishs charisms are service and prayer, which are powerfully witnessed by their collaborations with, and support of, the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, Thurman Brisben Homeless Shelter, Micah Ecumenical Ministries, Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services, Marys Shelter, Birthright of Fredericksburg and St. Vincent de Paul Society, to name a few. Increased adoration and confession hours and opportunities for more frequent reception of Holy Communion add zeal to an already active parish.

Is there a special way your parish encourages and supports faith formation? An intentional emphasis on cultivating and supporting marriages and families, as domestic churches, has begun to grow over the past several years with the creation of new ministries: Marriage Ministries in both English and Spanish; That Man is You (stressing the role of fatherhood/manhood); the Cana Family Group (small communities of families gathering to share the Gospel and encourage family life); and Special Blessings (specific support/activities for families with special needs children). The surge in family ministries has added to the more than 80 ministries that already exist and make St. Marys a place where everyones gifts are needed and welcomed.

Whats the one unique thing visitors to your parish should do or see while there? Our pastor, Father Jon P. Mosimann, has an impressive collection of more than 900 crucifixes from around the world. He began collecting interesting crucifixes from his travels. Over the years, parishioners caught on, gifting him crosses from their homelands and travels. They are displayed in our Courtyard Meeting Room and throughout the parish offices. One can easily spend hours gazing at Our Lord and appreciating the various cultural expressions that depict him.

With 11 Masses celebrated every weekend, and the churchs proximity to I-95, we have many visitors visiting the charming town of Fredericksburg. They often remark how friendly our greeters and parishioners are. We are proud of our southern hospitality.

Is there a standout or longtime staff member or volunteer youd like to tell us about? One of the gems at St. Mary, is Elaine Stanislawski. She has worked at the parish as the business manager for more than 27 years. Her wealth of information is extraordinary and her ability to juggle countless details with such accuracy is a gift to the parish family. Elaine has served under four pastors and worked with more than 28 priests and deacons. When asked how she has served so long and with such goodness, her response was simply, It is all by Gods grace. Elaine is married to Joe, her husband of more than 51 years, and has two sons, Adam and Jason, and four beautiful grandchildren. She is a fully professed member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites.

Parish Information

St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

1009 Stafford Ave.

Fredericksburg

540/373-6491

Website: stmaryfred.org

Mass Times: Daily M-F: 6:30 a.m., 9 a.m. M/W/F: noon

Saturday: 9 a.m., First Fridays 8 p.m.

Sunday Masses: Saturday Vigil, 5p.m.; Sunday 7 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 (Spanish), 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Holy Cross Academy, 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Confession

Wednesdays 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m., 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the church.

Saturdays 8-8:30 a.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Parish Life Center.

Pastor: Fr. John Mosimann

Parochial vicars: Fr. Sean Koehr, Fr. Michael Folmar, Fr. Scott Sina, Fr. Phillip Cozzi,

Deacons: Deacon Alberto Bernaola, Deacon Dick Delio

Parish was originally established in 1858 and moved to its current location in 1971.

Total parishioners: 18,000

Holy Cross Academy

250 Stafford Lakes Pkwy.

Stafford

540/286-1600

Website: holycrossweb.com

PreK-8th grade

Total Students: 480

Principal: Stephen Fry

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St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Fredericksburg - Arlington Catholic Herald

Dr. Judy Lubin of the Center for Urban and Racial Equality explains why it is important to be intentional about dismantling systemic racism in the coming battle to nominate the next Supreme Court justice.

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement in late January, after months of pressure from progressives. At 83, Breyer is the oldest member of the nations highest court and is one of three liberal justices remaining on the nine-member body. Now, Democrats, who retain the slimmest of majorities in the U.S. Senate, have a chance to replace Breyer with a younger liberal justice.

President Joe Biden, in keeping with his campaign promise to name a Black woman to the court, announced in January, The person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience, and integrity. And that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court.

Republicans and conservatives immediately protested the announcement, saying it was unfair.

Dr. Judy Lubin, the founder and president of the Center for Urban and Racial Equity and an adjunct professor for Howard Universitys Department of Sociology and Criminology, spoke with YES! Racial Justice Editor Sonali Kolhatkar about why such responses are hypocritical and why it is important for the president to be intentional about ending systemic racism on the court.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Sonali Kolhatkar: How significant is President Joe Bidens pronouncement that he would be nominating a very highly qualified Black woman to the Supreme Court?

Judy Lubin: Its very significant that Biden made this commitment to nominate a Black woman, not only on the campaign trail but also in reinforcing it recently.

First, almost the entire history of the Supreme Court, the nominees and the justices have primarily been White men. And out of the 115 justices that have been on the court, there has not been a single Black woman, and so its long past overdue for a Black woman to be nominated to the court.

Second, if we want to undo the legacy of systemic racism and patriarchy that says that women arent fit to lead, serve, and to make decisions at the Supreme Court, we have to be explicit and intentional about it. And so, Biden making a public commitment and being really explicit about nominating a Black woman is critically important.

Third, it is important for him to do so at a moment in time when were in this racial reckoning thats happening across this country, where institutions and leaders are having to look internally at the ways in which systemic racism has shaped the history of their institutions.

To Bidens credit, since hes been in office, hes been filling federal judge seatshalf of the seats at leastwith people of color, with Black folks, Latinos, Asians, and so on. Its very critical to build that pipeline for higher courts over time so that we have a diverse pool of judges to select from.

Kolhatkar: Christina Cauterucci, in Slate, wrote that Bidens vow to name a Black woman to the Supreme Court backfired, and that [a] campaign promise has needlessly tokenized future nominees. What do you make of this critique?

Lubin: I speak to a lot of organizational leaders, leaders within companies and government agencies, who say they want to diversify their leadership ranks. And then they go through an interview process, and while they may include some women, some people of color, at the end of the day, the same pattern is repeated, and White men end up being selected. And its not because women and people of color are not qualified. Its because people are used to making the same decisions over and over again, and theyre comfortable with maintaining the status quo. If we want to shift the status quo, we need to be very specific and intentional about how were going to do that.

Kolhatkar: Does it seem to you that the part of Bidens statement that conservatives are objecting to is not the woman part of it, but the Black woman part of it? Because Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump both clearly said that they would be nominating women to the Supreme Court, and we didnt hear conservatives get up in arms then.

Lubin: Absolutely, there is something very specific that is riling up conservatives in Bidens statement. It is because hes specifically talking about nominating a Black woman that conservatives are upset. Theyre using terms like tokenism and affirmative action, suggesting that shes going to be unqualified. No one has even been named yet, and youre already hearing the bias and the racism in the suggestions that the person thats going to be nominated is going to be unfit or unqualified.

This is all part of a larger narrative that the right has been pushing for the past few yearsand specifically just in the past year or twowith their attacks on critical race theory. It feeds into a narrative suggesting that White men are being oppressed by women, women of color, and people of color in particular. And so, the specific naming of a Black woman to be seated on the Supreme Court, for conservatives, adds fuel to the fire of this narrative. In their minds, White men are losing power and are being passed over as a result of people of color and women gaining access to institutions that have not represented them and that have systemically excluded them for far too long. They feel a loss of power threatening their livelihood and their ability to survive.

Kolhatkar: Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said it was offensive and insultingthat Biden wants to nominate a Black woman. Republican Sen. Roger Wicker said it would be an affirmative action hire.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned against Biden picking a radical. What do you make of such words?

Lubin: Thats a lot of hypocrisy. Im offended that there hasnt been a Black woman on the Supreme Court after this length of time. When conservatives make nominations to the Supreme Court, they have a whole set of organizations and institutions that are solely focused on selecting judges that meet some particular criteria for them.

When Democrats say they are looking for candidatesin this case, a Black womanto not only bring representation thats long overdue, but to bring a diversity of perspectives and experiences shaped by race and gender as well as judicial experience, why is that offensive?

When people say that the intention to nominate a Black woman automatically means the nominee would be unqualified, that shows their biases. Racism is informing their perspective.

We need to be clear about what sort of narrative is being put out there to rile up the conservative base and that it is part of conservative strategy across the country, attacking critical race theory, attacking the teaching of history.

History should be making people uncomfortable! The only way we make change in this country is to confront the uncomfortable and inconvenient truths and legacies of racism and patriarchy.

We have an opportunity with the selection of this Supreme Court nominee to say that we are moving in a different direction. For us, at the Center for Urban and Racial Equity, the way we undo systemic racism is to remake our institutions, to rebuild them to center equity. And the only way we get to that is to be intentional and explicit in saying that we are going to put people in positions of power who have historically not been in positions of power. Because we dont get away from where we are now with such gross inequity and injustice if we maintain the status quo.

Democrats cant be afraid of Republicans and conservatives, particularly once the nominee is named. The time is long past for there to be a Black woman on the Supreme Court, and there is a pool of highly qualified Black women to fill the seat.

Kolhatkar: Once Biden names his nominee, are you worried about the process of confirming a justice given that Democrats have such a slim majority in the Senate and given that weve seen Democratic senators like Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona siding with the Republicans on critical issues this past year? We should also recall how Mitch McConnell in 2016 prevented then-President Barack Obama from choosing a Supreme Court justice.

Lubin: The reality is, given the slim [Democratic] majority in the Senate, Biden is largely dependent on how Sinema and Manchin vote, particularly when were looking at furthering racial equity and justice. Those two seem to be standing in the way of voting rights and getting rid of the filibuster.

We also need to worry about who gets actually nominated. Is Biden going to choose a nominee who he thinks is going to win the support of Sinema, Manchin, and Republicans? Will it be someone who does not have values informed by democratic principles like racial equity? Because if so, that is a concern. If the moderate wing of the party takes over, then we wont get the candidate we want or need. In other words, we wont get a nominee that is committed to racial and economic justice.

Instead, we want someone who has made judicial decisions and has an ideological philosophy based on advancing equity, moving this country forward, breaking down barriers, and undoing systemic inequities, like protecting voting rights, protecting the sovereignty of Native Americans and tribal communities, LGBTQ people, immigrants rights, and more.

Right now, there are many cases before the court that are a result of the unfortunate success of conservatives in dismantling the gains of the past 4050 years.

Kolhatkar: Even if Justice Breyer ends up being replaced by someone more diverse and progressive than he is, it would still leave the nations highest court with conservatives in the majority, right?

Lubin: Right, were talking about holding the line and working with those judges who are already there. Were not shifting the balance of power. Thats why we need to have a broader strategy around how we build the country that we want. We need to strategically think about which judges are appointed, not just to the Supreme Court but to the other federal courts. And we also need to think about the states where Republicans control the legislatures that are the battlegrounds for racial equity and justice. Unfortunately, were playing defense most of the time, because conservatives are ahead of the game in so many areas, from local to state politics.

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Read more here:

Unpacking the Uproar Over the First Black Woman Supreme Court Nominee - YES! Magazine

Kids at play (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)

Prior to the pandemic, countless New York families struggled to put food on the table, pay rent, and access the child care or behavioral health care they desperately needed.

Unacceptably, poverty often resulted in families getting involved in the child welfare system and disproportionately impacted children and families of color. Today, the pandemic has only heightened these needs and exacerbated the risk of child welfare involvement.

Were at an inflection point. Now more than ever, we need to take action to support New York families.

A recent survey of child welfare prevention service providers draws attention to the challenges facing New Yorks families and service providers. The survey from the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies (COFCCA) and Citizens Committee for Children of New York (CCC) found that the pandemic has dramatically increased families need for cash aid, food, child care, mental health services, internet access, and many other supports.

The survey also found that preventive service providers are running into dire challenges with insufficient funding and staff turnover that limits their capacity to meet families needs. A significant share of survey respondents reported that their agency does not have the funding necessary to provide appropriate internet and transportation options to enable communication and contact with families. Additionally, close to half of providers reported challenges with retaining and recruiting personnel, such as licensed clinicians, to staff prevention programs.

Through the state budget process, the governor and New York lawmakers have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine our child welfare system. While the heightened needs of families have not dissipated, the statute underwriting the financing of the entire child welfare system including protective services, prevention, independent living, foster care, adoption and kinship guardianship is about to sunset.

Governor Kathy Hochuls recently-released Fiscal Year 2023 Executive Budget fails to go far enough to address increased child and family needs.

We must ensure that the state budget adopted by April 1 heavily invests in supports that can strengthen families and communities to ensure child safety and family stability. We can achieve this by reauthorizing and reforming the child welfare financing statute, investing in primary prevention, and committing to universal child care.

We also must leverage the budget process in a manner that ensures we make strides in addressing the root causes that bring countless children and families into the child welfare system in the first place and to prevent the life-altering trauma that comes with it.

First, we need intentional investments in primary prevention so counties can address and prevent trauma and hardship and ensure access to services that help children and families thrive. We must support community-driven whole child and whole family approaches to primary prevention, with neighborhood investments that improve wellbeing and avert child welfare involvement all together.

Second, we have an opportunity to create a universal child care system available in all communities that focuses on supporting the social, emotional, and developmental needs of young children and provides parents with resources critical to accepting and maintaining employment or pursuing educational opportunities.

Lastly, we have an opportunity to reauthorize and strengthen the child welfare financing statute by securing full funding and restoration of the state and local 65/35 match for prevention; by pulling funding for Kinship Guardianship out of the Foster Care Block Grant and ensuring KinGap subsidies mirror adoption subsidies; and by raising the value of the child welfare housing subsidy to promote family reunification and independent living.

Furthermore, the budget must adequately invest in a stable, well-trained workforce, by increasing base salaries for staff and providing regular cost of living adjustments.

The pandemic has laid bare the fragility of our lives and has dramatically heightened the needs of children and families who were already struggling; many of whom were known to the child welfare system or at risk for child welfare involvement. As budgets are statements of what we value, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that the states adopted budget invests in children and families and ensures they have access to the wide range of services needed to support their safety, well-being, and strengths.

***State Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi represents parts of Queens and chairs the Assemblys Children and Families Committee. On Twitter @AndrewHevesi.

***Have an op-ed idea or submission for Gotham Gazette? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Seizing This Opportunity to Reimagine New York's Child Welfare System - Gotham Gazette

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Melissa Hellmann joined the Center for Public Integrity in August 2021 as a reporter covering racial, gender and economic equality. She was formerly a reporter with the Seattle Times, where she covered marginalized communities, and artificial intelligence including bias in facial recognition systems and the changing landscape of labor. She previously worked for Seattle Weekly, the Associated Press, YES! Magazine, TIME Asia and SF Weekly.

Her investigations have taken her to the homes of migrant families on the outskirts of Beijing to write about child trafficking; Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank to report on global surveillance; and a Tacoma, Washington, detention center where detainees alleged their medical needs were ignored. She was recently the president of the Seattle Association of Black Journalists, which she helped restart after several years of dormancy. She has a bachelors degree in anthropology and religious studies from the University of Pittsburgh and a masters degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.

We asked about her career and work at Public Integrity so far:

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What made you want to become a journalist? What keeps you inspired in this field?

As a child, I was a voracious reader with an overactive mind. I always dreamed of becoming an author and illustrator. But in high school and college, I became enamored with studying other cultures and imagined becoming an anthropology professor.

I fell into journalism while I was teaching English as a second language in Shanghai, China, in 2011. I kept a blog on the side about my experiences as an expatriate, and a friend who read it suggested that I apply to an associate editor position at the now defunct digital publication, Shanghai Expat. It quickly became the most exhilarating gig Id ever held. For two years, I freelanced as a music and culture reporter for local and international publications, edited stories and helped launch a magazine. When I decided to return to the United States to pursue a masters in journalism my mom said, Duh! Ive known you were going to be an author since you were 7.

Ive stayed in the field for the same reasons I entered it: to feel deeply connected with my surroundings, delve into the nuances of a situation, meet people I never would otherwise and to make sense of human experiences. As my career has progressed, Ive grown inspired to highlight the voices of underrepresented communities and hold power to account.

What does reporting on race, gender and economic equality look like? Tell the average person what day-to-day life in this beat looks like.

When Im working on a newsletter, I look for reporting holes on stories that I find particularly interesting and think about other angles to explore. Once Ive conceived a couple of ideas, Ill pitch them to my editor, then Ill reach out to sources for several days, read academic studies or other coverage on the topic and then write the story over a day or two. Then my editor and I will go back and forth on edits for a couple of days before its published.

Im on the second draft of a longform story Ive been working on for the past three months, and with that piece, I spent a few days researching and writing a pitch to the editors. Once it was approved, I delved into previous coverage on the topic, tracked down and interviewed sources, looked for data, created an outline and then started writing. Some days look like me driving to a small town in Montana to interview a source at a coffee shop, other days look like me pouring over a 70-page study and having dozens of tabs open in my browser.

Why do you think race, gender and economic equality deserves its own beat?

Race, gender and money undergird all aspects of our society, from policing to jobs and family structure. For instance, Black people are overrepresented in the prison system, the gender pay gap has persisted, and Native Americans are disproportionately impacted by climate change.

I think that all reporters should cover their topics in recognition of these nuances, but historically, news has been written from a lens that reflects the majority culture. This has done a disservice to underrepresented people whose stories have not been told, or have been told inaccurately. Journalism helps inform the public about injustices and holds power accountable. But when a large swath of the population is ignored, policies are passed that dont take into account their experiences, and issues that affect their community arent solved.

To me, my beat is an intentional step toward looking at the entirety of a situation, and ensuring that Public Integritys coverage reflects our increasingly diverse nation.

Power is a consistent theme in reporting on inequality: some people have more of it, and others want a slice of it. To solve some of the most pressing problems in our society, we must create a more equal balance of power.

Our inequality reporting helps inform policymakers and the general public about issues that deserve greater attention.

Our journalism is advertisement- and paywall-free. Why should the person reading this support Public Integrity?

To keep food on the table and the lights on for dozens of astute reporters! Filing records requests and suing institutions costs money, and we can only deliver our groundbreaking reporting with the help of our readers.

Public Integrity doesnt have paywalls and doesnt accept advertising so that our investigative reporting can have the widest possible impact on addressing inequality in the U.S. Our work is possible thanks to support from people like you.

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An investigative reporter's job: "Look at the entirety of a situation" - Center for Public Integrity

Jumping rope. Its not just for kids anymore.

In fact, if the 40+ Double Dutch Clubs phenomenal growth is any indication, the former staple of childhood games might now belong to adults.

Local members of the club were featured performers at the Homewood-Flossmoor communitys first Juneteenth celebration in 2021, putting on a vigorous display of rope jumping skill.

In spite of the hot sun, they took turns leaping into the middle of twin spinning ropes moving in opposite directions, found the rhythm and jumped in. They jumped fast. They kept jumping.It was a workout and it was the groups third appearance of the day.

As the name implied, all the women jumping were 40 years old or older. The oldest that day, Phyllis Pelt, was 75.

When they jump, the years seem to disappear.

The beginningThe 40+ Double Dutch Club began five years ago with a meetup at the Homewood-Flossmoor High School parking lot. Today, its an international movement.

The founder, Pamela Pelt-Robinson, believes Gods hand guided the journey from a dozen women meeting to jump rope in a parking lot to an organization with more than 17,000 members in three countries on two continents that continues to grow.

In this case, Gods hand took shape as emotional pain, some inert kids focused on their phones, an offhand remark and a supportive friend.

Robinson said she was going through a very difficult time in her life. Her children were grown. Her marriage had ended. She described herself as at a crossroad, unsure which way to turn.

On Memorial Day in 2016 she went to a barbecue at a friends home. Thats where the idea was born that would eventually become the double dutch club.

The weather was fine, but the kids were all focused on their phones, just sitting. The adults noted how different things were when they were young.

We were just talking about how back in the day we wouldve been outside playing, enjoying the sunshine and boys wouldve been playing basketball. Girls wouldve been jumping double dutch, she said. And one of the ladies said, If we had a double dutch rope right now, we could really show those kids to show these kids.

As it happened, Robinson had ropes in her car. The game was on.

During the 30 minutes that we jumped, um, it took my mind off of everything that I was going through, she said.

She had so much fun that later she consulted with her friend and co-founder Catrina Dyer-Taylor and suggested they try a double dutch meetup. They decided to put out the call to see if anyone else was interested.

Robinson thought it might be play therapy, a way to get through the hard times she was experiencing.

And, at least at the very least, itll give me something to smile about, she said.

The first meetup was held in the parking lot of Homewood-Flossmoor High School, and the Facebook call out attracted a small group of women who also had fond memories of playing double dutch as girls.

What is double dutch?The game of jumping ropes or vines may have started, variously, in Egypt, Phoenicia or China. Most sources online indicate the game was brought to the Americas in the 1600s by Dutch settlers, thus the name the game is known by here.

It grew in popularity during the mid-20th century, especially in urban African American communities.

Phyllis Pelt, Robinsons mother, said she taught her kids the game, which she remembered playing as a child. in the past, the game was most popular in relatively poor neighborhoods where few recreational opportunities were available for kids.

And in places where people often couldnt afford clothes dryers, anybody could get a clothes line, she said. In the inner city its a cheap way to entertaining yourself and its exercise. We werent thinking of it as exercise. we were just thinking of it as playing outside.

Histories commonly note that a Harlem police officer was impressed by the skillful footwork and energy of kids playing double dutch and in 1973 developed rules for a competitive game.

The childhood bubbleCompetition is not the point for the members of the 40+ Double Dutch Club.

Leslie James, one of the original members and an ambassador for the club, said after the Juneteenth performance that the purpose is to temporarily leave adulting behind.

In addition to double dutch, the group does hula hooping, African hopscotch, original hopscotch and Chinese jump rope, she said.

This is an escape for us. No men, no kids, no dogs, she said. Its more than just jumping. Its more about friendship, sisterhood.

Thats among the reasons for the age limit on membership. Robinson said women 40 and older are more likely to have fond memories of the game, and that shared feeling is one of the ties that form the sisterhood.

Its more than just childhood jumping, though. Women who didnt jump as kids are still welcome and members are glad to teach them the ropes, literally. Being at similar stages of life is also important because it provides common experiences and needs that women can share, she said.

Anita Hines said she joined the County Club Hills subclub in 2017 when she learned about it from a coworker.

I have been jumping since I was a kid. Thats what we did for fun, she said. I was 54 years old and wanted the exercise and cameraderie that came with being in the club. I loved it. We would hula hoop, play Chinese jump rope, as we call it and other childhood games. Being in the club removed the stress from a days work. I even ran into an old coworker from the 80s.

Robinson said thats a common story. Women in the clubs age range tend to spend a lot of time tending and worrying about husbands, kids, grandkids and parents. A lot of people need them, and they need a break occasionally.

Fun for fitnessWhen jumping as kids, exercise was incidental.

We were exercising every day and didnt even know it, Robinson said. We thought we were just having fun.

Now, the fitness is more intentional. Of course, the women recognize that the games might conjure up feelings of nostalgia, but they are playing with older bodies. They take that into account.

We start off with 10 minutes of stretching, James said. We dont want anyone to hurt themselves. One of our mottos is listen to your body.

The club is very accessible, too. Local member Stephanie Roberts said there are no fees or dues. The only requirement is that all members buy a club T-shirt with the club logo and their age displayed.

Turning pointThe early group who gathered in 2016 soon became a club, and the club continued to grow over the next couple of years.

Robinson said in addition to H-F High, the club was meeting regularly at Trinity United Church of Christ on 95th Street in Chicago. The club got noticed by ABC TV, and members were invited to appear on Windy City Live in 2019.

The media attention changed the clubs fortunes, and quickly.

We went from about 50 local Chicagoland women to over a thousand women across the nation in less than a week, Robinson said.

She and Dyer-Taylor had to quickly adapt to the rapid growth. They wanted to make sure the experience would be consistent for everyone so it would have the kind of value they found in it. They started thinking of it as a real organization rather than an informal diversion.

As people in other places expressed interest, they were invited to form subclubs. The local leaders have regular calls with captains of subclubs, initially to help them learn how to run meetups and to convey the vision of the club.

Theres a format to every meetup. Want them to get the same things that they saw on the videos, that same feeling of being a kid again. We want everybody to be able to experience that.

The formula seems to be working. The club continues to grow and now includes about 18,000 members in 100 cities across the country. There are subclubs in Canada and Israel, and new ones forming in Germany and Ghana.

There are more than 31,000 members of the clubs Facebook group.

As that growth indicates, the childhood games the club plays are filling a need for more than just exercise.

Robinson said shes heard from numerous women about how healing and life-restoring the club has been for them.

Theres so many women who say this movement has saved my life, Robinson said.

She told about one woman whose husband died unexpectedly late in 2018 and was struggling to cope with the loss. She saw jumpers on the Windy City Live program and decided to join.

She said it just showed her that theres still joy to be had, and once she joined the double dutch club that gave her a whole new lease on life, Robinson said. And people think all were doing is jumping double dutch.

ResilienceThe club members have not let the pandemic stop them. Rather than pausing the meetups, they adapted. Sometimes they would meet virtually. Sometimes they would bundle up and jump outside, even in winter.

Pelt, who is a retired public nurse, said when they did indoor meetups, they observed strict pandemic safety protocols, including temperature checks, masking, social distancing and vaccine checks.

Robinson said with the Omicron surge this winter, she was exploring the possibility of administering rapid result tests at meetups to ensure the safety of everyone.

Capturing the magicAfter more than five years of enriching so many lives, Robinsons family decided it was time to chronicle the adventure in film and book form.

Robinsons son, Jalen, is an H-F graduate and now a film student at Arizona State University. He is working on a documentary about the club.

The club is accepting donations to help support film production.

Pelt is collecting testimonials from women in the club and hopes to publish them as a book.

Both the book and film will help spread the word about the magic of play. Robinson also hopes that even though younger women are not allowed in the club, they will get a positive message from learning about it.

We also want to set a good example for the younger women so that they can see getting older isnt something to be afraid of, she said. This can be a good thing.

Photos by Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle (EC) and provided (P).

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Double dutch and the power of play - The Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle