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Yes, Spreading Kindness Could Make You Healthier

SACRAMENTO OBSERVER — Doing a kind gesture for another person can protect the mind and body, but simply witnessing the act is enough to activate the production of oxytocin. Known as the “love hormone,” oxytocin is responsible for lowering blood pressure and boosting self-esteem.
The post Yes, Spreading Kindness Could Make You Healthier first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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2 years ago

October 5, 2022

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By Alexa Spencer | Word In Black | Sacramento Observer

(WIB) – The early years of the pandemic triggered an increase in anxiety and depression worldwide and rates of drug overdose also rose significantly. But at a time when mental illness and disease affect so many, spreading love through random acts of kindness may help change how we think and feel.

Pastors Reggie and London Royal of Chicagoland-based Lifeline Church say chaos isn’t new, and now is the perfect time to “peek through…with the love of God.”

That’s why they’re challenging people to perform random acts of kindness as part of National Love People Day.

“Today is the day that we need [love] the most with what’s been going on in our country, in our nation, our world,” says London, who serves at the church alongside her husband.

Lifeline started the national holiday five years ago, but the church has been pouring out love onto their local Chicago community for nearly a decade.

They’ve gifted single mothers and members of their congregation with new cars and home makeovers, paid off members’ rent and utilities, and they’ve surprised people outside of the church too.

“We’ll just show up at a gas station and giveaway gas for a couple hours. We go into laundromats and spend some time just paying for washers and dryers,” says Reggie.

Random acts of kindness such as these have the power to change a person’s life for the better — to even rescue someone from a crisis or restore hope — but they also have a positive impact on the person who’s giving.

What Are the Health Benefits of Spreading Kindness?

Regardless of how a good deed is done, it could yield big health benefits to the giver — like less stress and more energy.

According to Dr. Christine Carter, executive director at the University of California at Berkley’s Greater Good Science Center, volunteering can lead to a longer life.

In the center’s magazine, she wrote “people 55 and older who volunteer for two or more organizations have an impressive 44% lower likelihood of dying early. And that’s after sifting out every other contributing factor, including physical health, exercise, gender, habits like smoking, marital status, and many more.”

Additionally, Carter says caring for others supports total well-being.

“Giving help to others protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease,” she wrote.

Research shows that acts of kindness, like paying for a stranger’s meal or coffee, also aids against mental illness.

Performing the act increases the production of serotonin, a chemical in the body that causes relaxation and is often used in antidepressants.

According to research conducted by the University of British Columbia, sharing kindness can be therapeutic to people living with anxiety disorders too.

Doing a kind gesture for another person can protect the mind and body, but simply witnessing the act is enough to activate the production of oxytocin. Known as the “love hormone,” oxytocin is responsible for lowering blood pressure and boosting self-esteem.

How to Get Involved in the Kindness Movement

A simple way to spread kindness is by starting with neighbors, friends, and family. The National Love People Day campaign encourages participants to host a dinner or game night with loved ones.

The team also suggests showing kindness to first responders — firefighters, police officers, and medical professionals in your community.

In the week leading up to the official Sept. 30 day of service, the Royals and their church members surprised a local police station with donuts. London says the officers “didn’t expect that” and were taken aback by the gesture.

“People don’t expect to receive compassion or receive consideration or receive love,” she says. “But that’s why we’re doing it.”

Other ways to show kindness include visiting a senior citizen or helping them with an errand, volunteering with an organization, or supporting a cause.

Outside of the National Love People Day, the Royals care for adopted children and write letters to men who are incarcerated.

In a time where people are often “canceled” or rejected because of their choices, Reggie says “on a human level, we all want to be loved. We all want to be embraced and accepted. We all want a second chance when we mess up.”

To the world, London says “love everybody.”

“Sometimes we figure there are prerequisites to loving somebody. You have to be this, or you have to have done this or not do this. If you’re human, you deserve love.”

The post Yes, Spreading Kindness Could Make You Healthier appeared first on The Sacramento Observer.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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