JOURNAL
The Impact of Summer on Low-Wage Workers
Often, when America reflects on childhood summers, nostalgic images of a full day of swimming, the smell of a tent or cabin at camp, or the hours children spend playing in the neighborhood, savoring the feeling of doing nothing, even when nothing feels like something. Unfortunately, what’s often lost in the nostalgia is how those moments are only available to a select segment of America as more and more families are supported by one or two adults who work 40+ hours a week. 2 out of 3 children live in households with parents in the workforce. For families with children who are too young to stay home alone and care for themselves, childcare is hard to find and often unaffordable. This requires parents to make difficult decisions on using income to purchase necessities, such as food, clothing, and shelter, to find childcare that keeps children safe (Novoa, 2018).
The Center for American Progress analyzed data and estimates that the average family will spend approximately 20% of their income or more than $3,000 on summer programs for two children each summer. Furthermore, if the typical summer lasts between 10-12 weeks each year, these costs represent a significant share of their budget. Additionally, parents often cannot utilize paid time off to care for their children during this time, as 40 percent of all Americans lack paid vacation time. Furthermore, grandparents are often not an option either, as many in the Boomer generation are still working. This often places children in low-quality childcare options or no childcare at all during the summer, which impacts families long-term (Novoa, 2018).
What is Monkeypox and How Does it Spread?
A sporadic disease called monkeypox, a much less severe cousin of smallpox is spreading worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, more than 250 cases have been reported in 16 countries. Experts say it is spread by close and prolonged contact with an infected individual.
In the United States, the first case of monkeypox in 2022 was diagnosed in a patient hospitalized in Massachusetts who had recently traveled to Canada in private transportation. In 2021, two people traveling from Nigeria to the US were diagnosed with the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC said that cases in other parts of the world than Africa are typically linked to international travel or imported animals infected with pox.
Several cases of monkeypox reported in the UK have been among people who had no known travel or contact with others, but there is no cause for alarm, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said Thursday on CNN's "New Day."
"At this time, we don't want people to worry," Murthy said. "These numbers are still small; we want (people) to be aware of (the) symptoms, and if they have any concerns to reach out to their doctor."
Honoring Beverly Tayor via Community Living Campaign
Beverly Taylor was my friend. I am so fortunate to be able to know her and spend time with her during my practicum at the Community Living Campaign. Ms. Taylor was a strong leader in the San Francisco Community. I will never forget her resilience and kindness. I miss you so much, Ms. Beverly! See the video below.
What happens to all that leftover hotel soap? Fourteen years ago, one man asked that very question.
One man, a pickle bucket, and a potato peeler
The thought first struck Shawn Seipler in 2008 while staying at a hotel in Minneapolis.
Seipler was a road dog. A technology executive, he spent 150 days per year in hotels on business trips. And one night, after a few room service cocktails, he wondered what became of unused hotel room soap.
So, he called the front desk and asked.
Environmental Racism - A Wake-up Call - A take on Last Week Tonight with john Oliver
The latest Last Week Tonight episode began with John Oliver; after this initial segment, the episode moved on to its main topic: Environmental Racism.
It's a well-known fact that everyone suffers from pollution, there’s no avoiding it. However, Oliver is raising awareness of the fact that some people are more affected than others. Enter Environmental Racism, a kind of racism that we don’t often think about, but it is very much a reality that plagues countries like the US. As the British-American comedian explains, this systemic racism issue is pretty overt. In one example, 4 million tons of toxic waste were removed from a white residential area and dumped in a largely black residential area. However, these injustices are not always visible: sometimes the pollution provoked is undetectable to the naked eye, thus making it even more difficult to be fought against.
As this episode makes crystal clear, neighborhoods where minorities live are targeted over white neighborhoods. This environmental issue is far from a mere annoyance, it is actively harming people’s health, being a driving factor for diseases like asthma, heart conditions, and other ailments that can lead to death. Even within the same city, there can be startling disparities in the living conditions of different ethnic groups.
Racist zoning policies are motivated by the twisted belief that black and minority neighborhoods offer the “least resistance” to these abuses of power. This is a problem that has existed for decades, and even now there are few policies to protect people affected by these environmental hazards. Even environmental movements have left certain communities out of consideration, failing to provide the necessary support.
Is the Pandemic Really Over?
Coachella is back with an anticipated crowd size of up to 750,000 throughout the festival. And concertgoers are mask less for the most part, social distancing is not on anyone's mind and audience crowds sing their favorite songs together. It's hard to believe that only two years ago, public health officials were urging church congregations to limit singing activities to help stop the spread of COVID-19. For many, the return to Coachella is the first sign that COVID-19 restrictions are either gone or non-existent for the first time in over two years. And, as we all breathe a deep sigh of relief and enjoy each other's company, lurking in the back of many minds is a simple question. Is the pandemic really over? And who decides that it's over?
Are fruit-flavored sparkling waters bad for you? Via Kaiser Permanente
People can’t seem to get enough of sparkling water these days. In fact, it exploded into a $29 billion global industry in 2020.1 With no calories or sweeteners, bubbly drinks like LaCroix, Bubly, and Hint may seem like healthy no-brainers.2 But are these sparkling waters actually good for you?
Surprising ways you may be getting sun-damaged skin via Kaiser Permanente
Make coffee. Eat breakfast. Brush your teeth. Take a shower.
This typical morning routine is missing an important step: Put on sunscreen.
Why should you wear it every day? Because sun-damaged skin may be sneaking up on you.
You know you and your family should wear sunscreen before spending a long afternoon outdoors, but sun damage is cumulative — short periods of unprotected sun exposure add up over time, eventually leading to visible damage to your skin and a higher risk of skin cancer.
A Message from Okologie's CEO on Anti-Asian Racism
Okologie is steadfast in its commitment against racism and discrimination in all its forms, and we will continue to firmly speak out and strongly condemn intolerance, discrimination, and violence. We stand firmly against all racially and ethnically motivated acts of intimidation and violence. Sadly, over the past year, we have witnessed an increase in hate speech and violence. This includes attacks against members of the Asian community largely fueled by COVID-19 pandemic rhetoric and xenophobia.
Contributing factors for low COVID-19 vaccination rates in vulnerable populations
As we celebrate the one-year milestone of the COVID-19 crisis, a gift to all of us has been developing and implementing the COVID-19 vaccine from manufacturers Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson. While a segment of Americans throughout the country are scheduling appointments and rolling up their sleeves, vaccine hesitancy prevents a portion of the population from receiving their vaccines.
The American Journal of Preventive medicine defines vaccines hesitancy as concerns about the decision to vaccinate oneself or one's children due to a broad range of contributing factors such as their compulsory nature, their coincidental temporal relationship to adverse health outcomes, and a lack of trust in the corporation and public health (Daniel Salmon, 2015). Vaccine hesitancy was a concern for public health experts even before the COVID-19 pandemic, as it primarily impacted the influenza vaccination rates in elderly and minority populations. A report from the AARP Public Policy Institute shared that nearly half of adults aged 50 and older are vaccine-hesitant. Another 11 percent of this population never get vaccines, and that the relationship with previous vaccination behaviors is an indicator of what people can expect with the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC's 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System showed that 53 percent of adults ages 50 and older received a flu shot in the previous year. Still, there were notable differences in the population. For example, Black (47 percent) and Hispanic (43 percent) older adults receive flu vaccines at rates below their White (55 percent) counterparts (McSpadden, 2021).