Category: Family (PHAMILY)

City of Birmingham and Birmingham City Schools working to improve child reading ability

By phameuscampaign

By Angela Wilson | UAB Community Health & Human Services Intern

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

Page pals is a reading initiative created in a partnership between the City of Birmingham and Birmingham City Schools (BCS) with the purpose of improving student’s reading ability, specifically third graders. This initiative is in response to the Alabama Literacy Act, a law that when fully implemented, will prevent a third grade student who is not reading on grade level from moving up to the fourth grade, essentially being “held back” in third grade. Although parents and students will have the ability to go through a remediation process to improve student reading ability, the law is of great concern as only 56% of 3rd grade students in Birmingham City Schools are effectively achieving grade level reading as measured by the 2021 State of Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP).

The City of Birmingham is supporting BCS on-going efforts to improve student reading ability by asking members from the local community, non-profit groups, and corporations to volunteer some of their time to read with the BCS students. Reading to children improves their opportunity to hear others read outside of their normal classroom setting. These efforts have proven to be very beneficial to the students and may boost their interest and proficiency in reading.

Are you interested in volunteering? Page Pals volunteers go into one of the BCS elementary schools during the students’ library times, spending about thirty minutes of reading time with the students. Volunteers may choose from a list of schools, dates, and times that work best with their schedule. During their selected time, volunteers will read a book to the students that follows a curriculum created by BCS to help them build the background knowledge in science and social studies and to better prepare them for their standardized testing that occurs in April. Volunteers are encouraged to engage with the students by asking them questions periodically, reiterating comprehension and understanding about the book being read, and help grow their love for reading; thereby making a strong connection impact so that they perform better on their Alabama Comprehensive Assessment.

Our local children need our help to ensure their future remains bright, so let’s help to light their path to a brighter future. Sign up to become a Page Pal volunteer. It is easy and free! Simply visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/springpagepals#/ and select your school choice, date and time. Now you’re all set! If you ‘d like more information about the Page Pals program, you can follow this link at https://www.bhamyouthfirst.org/page-pals/.

Acknowledgement: PHAME-US.com would like to thank you to Mr. Marquise Hollingsworth for your time in support of this blogpost.

Posted in: #children, Birmingham, Education, Health, Literacy, Positive, Reading, social, Youth

Encouragement Family (PHAMILY) Hopeful Solidarity (Commonality, Humanity) Wholeness

Brittney Griner and Russian Prison Release

By trjohns3 on February 9, 2023February 11, 2023

By Terrie Johnson | UAB Community Health & Human Services Intern

The release of Brittney Griner from Russian imprisonment garnered a great deal of attention from around the nation. Brittney Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA athlete that was detained at a Russian airport in 2022. Russian officials accused Griner of being in possession of CBD cartridges which is illegal in the country. However, 10 months after being sentenced to nine years in prison, she is back on America soil thanks to a highly controversial prison swap. As such, her homecoming is both joy-filled and packed with the reality of possible lifelong mental health implications.

CNN Reporters Salahieh and Yan shared Griner was held in an imprisonment camp for women that provided beds insufficient for a small child. Standing six feet nine inches tall, this was one component of her captivity that prevented her from getting sleep. Additionally, the camp forced women to sew as a form of intensive labor. However, Griner was too tall to sit at the tables and her hands were too large for the sewing machines. As a last resort, she was assigned to carrying the fabric used to create various garments. Most notably, Griner was forced to cut her signature locs which nearly reached her waistline. This was considered necessary since Griner could not dry her hair in the frigid temperatures of Russia and constantly battled the flu and pneumonia from exposed, wet hair. Along with these inconveniences, there were numerous aspects of the experience that would cause Griner to need the professional help of a therapist to strengthen her mental state.

As such, it is highly recommended that Griner and her loved ones that have been a part of the journey receive psychological counseling to address any emergent issues. Acknowledging being imprisoned in another country, serving as a political pawn for world leaders, being deemed unworthy for a prisoner swap, and being separated from family; it is imperative that Griner gets the supports she may need. Griner and her family may need to unpack the difficulties of being detained in another country, serving in a penal colony, and dealing with the anxiety of release. This can be achieved in individual counseling, group counseling, and trauma therapy. All parties can also join online support groups, perform community service, and connect with or advocate for Americans still in captivity.

Have you been impacted by a traumatic event? Was your family also impacted? Be encouraged and seek support for yourself and your family. For resources in your community, use the FindTreatment.gov to find the closest treatment location.

References

Kudryavtsev, Kirill. (2022). How the WNBA could have saved Brittney Griner. BAZAAR. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a40837022/wnba-could-have-saved-brittney-griner-pay-discrepancy-russia/

Salahieh, N. & Yan, H. (2022). Brittney Griner is back in the US and dunking again after almost 10 months detained in Russia. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/12/us/brittney-griner-us-arrival-monday/index.html

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). (2023). Helping Patients Cope with a Traumatic Event. https://www.cdc.gov/masstrauma/factsheets/professionals/coping_professional.pdf

Posted in: Freedom, Mental Health, Physical Health, Safety

Advocacy Encouragement Family (PHAMILY) Positive

The Key to Effective Parenting: It Takes a Village

By LaTangellia Walker on December 12, 2022February 10, 2023

By Shon Mack | UAB Community Health & Human Services Intern

I’m sure there are parents out there (like me) who have concerns about being a good parent. We as parents put way too much pressure on ourselves when it comes to raising our kids. It’s tough enough carrying our babies for 9 months, introducing them to the world, and guiding them until they are old enough to spread their wings on their own.

Surprisingly, our primary concern is encouraging emotional development and making sure that we instill love, validation, protection, a sense of self-worth, and positivity into them. Let’s be honest, it’s kind of challenging to do so when we already have the weight of the world on our shoulders. It is also common for parents to lose sight of who they are as individuals. Constantly working to make ends meet, worrying about when our next bills are due, or even completely giving up on our dreams just to give our offspring the life we never had can negatively affect our mental health.

“It takes a village to raise children” is a popular expression that originates from an African proverb and conveys the message that it takes many people to provide safe, healthy environments for children, where children are given the security they need to develop and flourish (Reupert et al., 2022). This requires an environment where multiple people including siblings, extended family and friends, neighbors, teachers, etc. care for a child, and we as parents need all of the help we can get. We also need to realize that asking for help is okay. It doesn’t t make you weak, in fact, it exudes strength.

Despite many parenting hardships, sitting and watching our children grow into beautiful young adults is very rewarding. It is a major accomplishment and every parent deserves a huge pat on the back! We must keep loving and nurturing our kids and reminding ourselves that the village is the notion that caring for children is a shared responsibility amongst many (Reupert et al., 2022).

Reupert, A., Straussner, S. L., Weimand, B., & Maybery, D. (2022, February 11). It takes a village to raise a child: Understanding and expanding the concept of the “village”. Frontiers. Retrieved December 12, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.756066/full#:~:text=The%20phrase%20%E2%80%9Cit%20takes%20a%20village%20to%20raise,be%20able%20to%20realize%20their%20hopes%20and%20dreams.

Posted in: #children, #parents, #raise, #village

Advocacy For My Daughter For My Son Hopeful

This Little Light of Mine, I’m Going to Let it Shine: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2021

By Larrell Wilkinson on January 18, 2021

I can remember hot Sundays and weekdays sitting in the pews of hot Mississippi churches listening to my grandmothers sing:

“This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine, (Ohhh!)

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…”

If you have never heard a deep, southern gospel group of adults or even children sing this song, well, run to YouTube quickly and find some videos or download the music at Apple, Amazon, Google, etc. The song can be an uplift, whenever you need it most. I can still hear both of my grandmother’s voices in my inner ear, singing this song among the other church choir members. At one of my home churches in Mississippi, I can hear the choir singing under the direction of my aunt playing the piano and keying up the verses. I am telling you; the church was hot with the bright sun beams coming down on both of my family churches (in different parts of the State of Mississippi), but the song was “SANG” the same. I can still hear the passion in the voices of the choir, most of them older women: mothers, grandmothers, aunties, cousins, sisters, family…instructing us in the audience to let our light shine.

Most of the church was much older than me. My grandparents’ generation lived through World War II, Jim Crow Laws of the South, and the Civil Rights struggle and gains of the 20^th Century. They combatted the ugliness of racism: burned down African American owned stores, fire bombed churches, challenges to perform the guaranteed civic duty of voting, discrimination, and racial bias in the Armed Services while fighting for the United States of America, inability to get farm loans, etc. because of the color of their skin. But through it all, they “let their light shine.” By law, it was determined that they would live as second-class citizens in the South, segregated as “separate and unequal” and through it all they “let their light shine.”

It didn’t matter if you were an older adult, adult, teenager, or child…in the church, listeners were told:

“Everywhere I go

I’m gonna let it shine

Everywhere I go

I’m gonna let it shine

Everywhere I go

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”

And why? Why did (do) we have to shine the light? It is true that the Bible reads, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, NIV). But I tell you more practically, my grandmothers and the leaders of their generation were singing more practically. They were teaching and encouraging, saying to combat White Citizen’s Council policies, redlining, Jim Crow Laws, lynching, unlawful arrests, racial profiling, and other violations of African Americans (& People of Color) civil rights, we must let our light shine. They did GOOD when faced with EVIL, demonstrated LOVE when given HATE, and offered FORGIVENESS (not forgetfulness) when presented MEANNESS, OPPRESSION, and OFFENSE. The choir knew what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Let’s choose to love today and every day, loving our neighbor (others) as we do ourselves (Mark 12:31, NIV). Love to all of you and thank you for your leadership Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. May we continue to let our light shine!

Posted in: Faith, Health, Love, Racism, social

Beauty Family (PHAMILY) For My Daughter For My Son Profiles Wholeness Woman31

A Note of Love to My Wife Khalia: Thank You Sweetheart

By Larrell Wilkinson on January 16, 2021January 16, 2021

My dearest Khalia,

Thank you for your love.

Thank you for being patient with me. Sometimes my ways are not your ways and your ways are not mine, but you choose to love me through the tension.

Thank you for being kind to me. I realize there are times I am unpleasant to be around, but you choose to love me with your gentleness.

Thank you for being generous with me. I realize there are times between us that inspire resentment, but you choose to pursue goodwill in our relationship.

Thank you for diminishing my faults, remaining down-to-earth, and being civil and polite. I realize there are times I come off rude or high-and-mighty, but you choose to not be irritable with me and forgive my wrongs.

Thank you for being fair with me. I realize there are times where your sacrifice or compromise is not celebrated, but you choose to exercise truth in a respectful manner.

Thank you for not giving up on me, not losing faith in me, remaining hopeful with me, and enduring life’s circumstances with me! Thank you for being a loving wife to me!

Your Husband,

Larrell L. Wilkinson

Posted in: Love, Marriage, Thank You, Wife

Beauty Family (PHAMILY) For My Son

Reflecting on 2020: The @Home Haircut while in Quarantine

By Larrell Wilkinson on January 6, 2021October 12, 2022

No doubt, 2020 was a hard year! There were many tragic circumstances (I won’t list them in this lighthearted post) that transpired through the year. Life changed for many of us. As I type this reflection, it is hard for me to remain cheerful because the year was filled with many challenges for the nation, there were many struggles in local communities, and many hardships for individuals close to me (myself included). Still, in this posting, I will choose to reflect on a lighter side of life. So here it goes, among the many reflections I have about 2020, at least one of those is the Quarantine Haircut. Now, it may not be what you think…I don’t have a horror story. I am bald, so I am good! And, I know that we are to “not worry…about your body, what you will wear…is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25, NIV). So, we shouldn’t worry about haircuts? Right? Well, I do want my son to look good, but…$15 – $20 per haircut. I mean real talk; he is 3 years old. He doesn’t like to sit still and sometimes he cries when I cut his hair, especially when he was younger. Plus, that is low end $180 to high end $480 a year. We’re on a budget, so yes, I have and will continue to cut his hair (at least in the short term)!

The reason why I can appreciate 2020 is because so many other parents did the same thing. Many parents (& adults) got their haircut at home, imperfections or haircut fails and all! I won’t comment about the stress that the women in my family experienced. That is another post for another day…or never! For me, I didn’t feel that fatherly guilt knowing my son didn’t have the “tightest fade” or the coolest new design! Everybody did what they had to do, and the world kept on spinning! So, parents, are you going back to taking your son to the barbershop? Or, are you pocketing the haircut money and putting the money away in savings account, using the money to invest, or placing the money for your vacation fund?

At least for the time being, there will be no strong tape ups (fades) for my son [although I will start to practice] and sometimes his hair line is a little crooked (I know, but it grows out). But there is also, no 20 – 30-minute drive to the “shop” and then another 20 – 30 minutes back home; no appointments or wait times for the “chair” (the wait can be so long); and we continue to place the cost savings into other budget areas for the family. Plus, we still aren’t going much of anywhere…anyways! And although we aren’t supposed to worry about how we look so much , my son is still very handsome!

Posted in: 2020, At Home, Boy, Haircut, Quarantine

Family (PHAMILY) Hopeful Profiles

Fatherhood: Black Men are Challenging Negative “Daddy” Stereotypes

By Larrell Wilkinson on June 24, 2020June 24, 2020

Watching TV, the other morning, I came across an interview of leaders of “The Dad Gang.” According to their website, thedadgang.com, the mission of the Dad Gang initiative is partly to “shatter myths and celebrate black fatherhood everyday.” Started by Sean Williams in November 2016, The Dad Gang started as an Instagram page focused exclusively on reflecting positive images of active black dads. In learning more about this organization, I am reminded a little about what active dads do. Deuteronomy 11:19-21 (NLT) instructs leaders of their households (men) to “Teach them (decrees from God) to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.”

Active dads are leaders of their children. Active dads are ministers to their children. Active dads are protectors of their children. Active dads are providers to their children. Active dads are teachers to their children. Active dads have fun with their children. Active dads are involved with their children. Active dads train their children (in the way they should go) [Proverbs 22:6]. Active dads develop the character and talent of their children. Active dads serve their children. Active dads love their children. I appreciate the men of The Dad Gang Initiative and encourage US to work to promote a positive and healthier fatherhood for all to see and witness. Let’s do it, together!

Posted in: Black, Faith, Family, Men