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Artist Erika Mixon: The Art of Healing

BIRMINGHAM TIMES — By day, Erika Mixon of Fairfield, Ala., trains physicians and sometimes hospital staff on how to use electronic medical record software for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). By night, she is an artist.

Published

7 years ago

September 9, 2019

Oakland Post

Artist Erika Mixon (Photo by: birminghamtimes.com)

By Ameera Steward

By day, Erika Mixon of Fairfield, Ala., trains physicians and sometimes hospital staff on how to use electronic medical record software for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). By night, she is an artist.

“My day life is drastically different from art,” said Mixon, 37. “I think there are layers to every person: part of me is fascinated and in love with the human body, science, anatomy, medicine—that’s the avenue I took with my education. Art was more just a hobby.”

Mixon has been a functional analyst with UAB Medicine in the Health Systems Information Services (HSIS) department since 2016, but art allows her to breathe.

“I feel like I’m having a therapy session every time I do another piece,” she said. … “It continuously allows me to grow, to challenge myself.”

Her two occupations complement one another in other ways, too. She volunteers with an organization called Art and Medicine, and this week she traveled to Arusha, Tanzania, where she will teach students in an orphanage for which a new clinic has been opened.

By Faith

Art also helped Mixon when her father began dealing with serious health issues in 2013.

“I was traveling for quite some time, then my father got sick and I chose to quit my job,” she said. “I like to plan things out, but at the time I just actually went off of faith.”

Mixon had been traveling across the U.S. and back to Fairfield to take care of her dad, who had coronary artery disease that led to a kidney infection; she was an only child and his primary caretaker. After prayer and a promotion, she left her job.

“Something said, ‘You have to go home,’” she said. “It actually turned out that I only had two or three weeks left with him.”

After her father passed away in 2013, Mixon said she found some paintings she had done when she was younger and felt encouraged.

“When I found them, I was like, ‘Maybe I can do that again. It kind of helped me boost myself,” she said. “It was just real therapeutic. I fell back in love with the brush after 15 years of not painting.”

Click to view slideshow.

Artistic Healing

Mixon said she wasn’t prepared for her father’s death, and she went to therapy after her mother told her, “I don’t know what it’s going to take for you, but you’re not doing good.”

Mixon said, “I didn’t realize how disconnected I was in the process [of caring for my father]. … I was trying to do what I needed to do to get him to his doctor’s appointments. … I don’t think my heart was connected to ‘I think he’s about to go.’ I was going through the motions of just waking up doing what I had to do, but I was totally disconnected from people emotionally.”

Painting enabled Mixon to say, “‘I don’t have to think about why I’m sad today,’” she said. “Eventually, the painting began to speak to me.”

Another painting she found in her mother’s home was the product of a spiritual fast she did in 2009, at which time Mixon saw a vision.

“During a prayer, I felt like God was saying, ‘Paint this vision,’” she said. “I was reluctant because I was like, ‘I don’t even know how to start.’ … I started anyway.”

“Faith, Hope, and Love”

In 2014, the painting from Mixon’s vision was part of a three-piece work she named “Faith, Hope, and Love.” One image was from a self point of view, about going through life. The second piece was a linear view of life, with its ups and downs. The third piece was from a higher perspective. For Mixon, finishing the painting was “God just saying, ‘I’m about to push you back into something you didn’t think you were going to do or need,’” she said.

Mixon has found that art can be healing.

“I didn’t realize until later that the same … painting was healing me,” she said. “Whether it’s singing, whether it’s someone who dances, whether your art is speaking, [I believe] we all have a divine, creative spirit that is necessary for someone else. There’s something we’re supposed to be sharing with other people to [help them] get whatever they need at whatever point they are in their life.”

As for a process, Mixon doesn’t try to develop particular images; they just come to her.

“When I say stuff hits me, [I mean] I’ll grab whatever is close,” she said. “[For instance], I’ll get a napkin and sketch out [an image]. Very plainly, just an outline because I need to do it at that time, so I won’t forget it. I’ll maybe post it on my wall until I ask myself, … ‘How can I flesh that out? How can I make it make sense?’”

Another key component of Mixon’s artistic process is her support system, which includes her mother, her family, and three of her friends: Jasmin Taylor, Josselyn Thompson, and Debra Butler.

“These three ladies have been a solid rock for me,” said Mixon, adding that she and her friends call themselves “The Quad.”

Becoming Present

Around the age of eight or nine, Mixon remembers “doodling [and] drawing.” At the time, she just enjoyed painting: “There was no connection. There was no purpose behind it.”

Mixon graduated from Fairfield High School in 2000 and enrolled in Talladega College. In 2005, she completed her studies at UAB, earning a degree in radiological sciences. She traveled as a catherization technologist until 2011, and she now serves as an implementation specialist and functional analyst.

When it comes to her art, Mixon is now more conscious and intentional.

“At this point my biggest struggle is selling art because I’m not doing it for the money,” she said. “I truly want someone to have a piece because … they’re connected to it for whatever reason. I want [each piece] to be with its rightful owner.”

Her paintings are very personal: “I pray over my pieces,” Mixon said.

“I sing, I speak to them. People might say that’s crazy, [but] people talk to plants. I’m really putting my heart and soul on this canvas. It’s the way I express [myself], talk to other people, connect with people soul to soul.”

After her father’s passing, Mixon has become more connected to her art and, as a result, has developed more ideas and visions.

“Before that, I was the type of person that [thought], ‘I’m here, but I’m probably thinking about [something else].’ [Now] I’ve become more present and more aware of how important that is,” she said, adding that she wasn’t a present type of person because of her lifestyle at the time.

“I was always focused on the task at hand,” she said.

Inspiration

Mixon wants to leave a legacy and have an impact.

“Art gives me that,” she said. “It makes me feel like, ‘I’m going to leave, but I’ll still be here. There’ll be someone else who will be impacted or encouraged in some way, [and it] will spark them to do the same thing.’ The goal is to keep it going. The goal is to think about other people as much as you think about yourself.”

She has many different inspirations.

“I’m still finding my way. … It just depends on what hits me,” she said. “I will say, however, that what you will find cohesive in my work is … black culture. I really believe representation matters, seeing us in a positive way or even reflecting our own issues within our culture. … I usually try to convey some sort of message.

“Art is subjective, [so people will get] whatever, however from it. I can have [an idea of] what I was trying to interpret or convey, but I usually am quiet about that. I just like to hear another person’s perspective because then it opens me up to something I may not even have thought about. I love that part.”

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

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Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled

BLACKPRESS USA NEWSWIRE — “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”
The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

Oakland Post

By National Women’s Law Center

The National Women’s Law Center released its annual State Child Care Assistance Policies report, finding that the number of children placed on waiting lists for federally funded child care assistance nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025 — and that number has only continued to grow.

The report serves as a key resource for state lawmakers, advocates, and policymakers by tracking state child care assistance policies and identifying where states are strengthening support for families and early educators — or falling behind.

“This deeply troubling increase in the number of children on child care waiting lists is the result of a failure to invest in this crucial sector,” said Karen Schulman, senior director of state child care policy and author of the report. “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”

Key findings in the report related to waiting lists for child care assistance include:

• 17 states had waiting lists or a freeze on intake for child care assistance in February 2025, up from 13 states in February 2024.

• Approximately 106,700 children nationwide were added to waiting lists between February 2024 and February 2025, bringing the total to 225,500 children in February 2025 — a 90 percent increase compared to February 2024.

• The numbers climbed even further between February 2025 and summer/fall 2025, with more than 175,000 additional children added to state waiting lists in just a few months — a 78 percent increase.

• At least seven states newly began placing families on waiting lists or freezing intake, while at least 10 additional states saw their waiting lists grow, after February 2025.

The report also includes state-by-state data on key child care assistance policies, including income eligibility limits, parent copayments, provider payment rates, and eligibility policies for parents searching for work.

Click the link to learn more: Warning Signs: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2025.

The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy

ROLLING OUT — Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport.
The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

The seven-time major champion read frustration, not a real goodbye, in the world No. 1’s words

By David Kesiena | Rolling Out

When the world’s top-ranked player said she wanted to walk away from the sport, Venus Williams chose empathy over alarm.

Aryna Sabalenka’s blunt remark after her French Open quarterfinal collapse rattled plenty of fans, but Williams heard something different in it. The seven-time Grand Slam champion treated the comment as the raw reaction of a hurting athlete rather than a serious signal about her future.

The collapse that triggered the comment

Sabalenka looked headed for a routine win over Diana Shnaider. She took the opening set 6-3 and built a commanding lead in the second, climbing to 4-1 and later serving for the match at 5-4 while sitting just two points from victory.

Then everything unraveled. Shnaider stormed back to steal the second set 7-5 and bageled the world No. 1 in the third, with Sabalenka dropping 12 of the final 13 games in gusty conditions that reached around 26 mph. The 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 result sent Shnaider into her first Grand Slam semifinal and extended Sabalenka’s long wait for a maiden Roland Garros title.

In the aftermath, Sabalenka did not soften her feelings. She told reporters she had no thoughts and no emotions left and felt like quitting on the spot. She described being stuck in a deep, dark mental hole during the match, unable to find her way back.

What Venus Williams said about Sabalenka

Williams reacted with understanding. She admitted the moment made her sad and said she had been swept up in Sabalenka’s emotions, feeling a surge of empathy for her. She praised the Belarusian for laying everything bare on court, where every feeling shows.

Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport. Rather than scold her, Williams offered a gentle observation about the rhythm of professional tennis. She suggested players might benefit from a little more time to gather themselves before stepping in front of the cameras, a quiet acknowledgment that athletes are routinely asked to dissect painful defeats before the sting has faded.

Sabalenka walks it back

The story did not end on that bleak note. Within days, Sabalenka signaled she was not actually quitting, framing the press-conference outburst as heat-of-the-moment honesty rather than a plan. At the time of the loss she had also left the door open, saying she would see how she felt in a few days and hoped to get back on track mentally. The walk-back lined up with how Williams had read the situation from the start.

It is not the first time a Paris quarterfinal has pushed Sabalenka to her limit. In 2024 she exited at the same stage and skipped her press conference entirely because of illness, with the tour later releasing her quotes on her behalf. The pattern underscores how heavily this particular tournament has weighed on her despite deep runs in recent years.

For now, attention shifts to the grass. Wimbledon offers Sabalenka a quick chance to reset, and a strong showing there would turn this French Open meltdown into a footnote rather than a turning point.

Originally published by Rolling Out — https://rollingout.com.

The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue

THE CAROLINIAN — Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.
The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

By Judaea Ingram | Special to The Carolinian

RALEIGH, N.C. – Music filled the air as families danced through the crowd, children gathered around activity stations, and community members explored wellness resources from local organizations. Black-owned businesses lined the streets while people stopped for chair massages, conversations, and moments of connection inside the wellness suite.

At the center of the event stood a simple but powerful reminder:

“You Matter.”

For Darkness RISING, those words represent far more than a slogan. They reflect the organization’s mission to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community while creating spaces centered on healing, honesty, and hope.

Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.

The organization hosts a variety of programs and events throughout the year, including block parties, wellness workshops, mixers, kickoff events, community classes, and Darkness RISING: Live — a free annual arts and wellness festival now celebrating its ninth year.

The festival combines entertainment with healing-centered resources, featuring live music, dancing, singing, food trucks, Black vendors, children’s activities, mental health resources, wellness spaces, and opportunities for open conversations about mental health.

While the events may feel celebratory on the surface, organizers say the deeper purpose is creating safe spaces where people can feel comfortable discussing mental health without fear of judgment.

Darkness RISING also provides free nationwide resources, including a Black Mental Health Resource Packet, a Black Mental Health Provider Database, and its “Find Me a Therapist” initiative, which helps connect individuals with culturally competent care.

The organization’s work is rooted in addressing longstanding inequities that continue impacting mental health access within Black communities.

Historically, segregation, redlining, racial discrimination, incarceration, poverty, and unequal healthcare access have contributed to higher rates of behavioral health challenges while simultaneously limiting access to proper treatment and support. Darkness RISING approaches those issues through what organizers describe as a transformative justice lens, focusing on healing rather than punishment and creating equitable wellness opportunities for marginalized communities.

Its REBUILD program specifically supports justice-involved and formerly incarcerated people of color through free therapy and wellness support, while the REBUILD Youth program focuses on young people impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs.

For Rudolph, therapy became life-changing after decades of incarceration and years of rejection after returning home.

“Came home in 2015, started my own computer company, investing in real estate, did the normal thing and got some jobs here and there and was met with rejection after rejection and people telling me I am not a good person,” Rudolph shared. “Even had a rejection in church.”

He said one of the hardest battles became overcoming the mental barriers created during incarceration.

“I got in touch with a couple of friends, and they explained to me how I had to get over the mental hurdles and get rid of the way my prison mindset was in order to survive and become successful,” he said.

Rudolph later moved to North Carolina hoping for a fresh start, but the struggle continued.

“Things were looking bad,” he said. “Could not get a job. The struggle was real.”

Eventually, therapy and support through organizations like Darkness RISING helped begin his healing process. He said working alongside other justice-involved men through therapy gave him the ability to rebuild mentally while finding community with people who understood his experiences.

Stories like Rudolph’s reflect the foundation behind Darkness RISING’s mission: ensuring people feel seen, supported, and worthy of healing regardless of their background or circumstances.

Community members who attend the organization’s events often describe them as emotionally transformative.

Some participants say Darkness RISING encouraged them to seek therapy for the first time, while others say the organization gave them a safe space to openly discuss struggles they previously kept hidden.

“I have been encouraged by the beautiful, generous, brave and open individuals who come together and use their talents to create art, share personal experiences and provide hope to those who may be struggling with mental health,” one participant shared.

By combining art, wellness, education, and community outreach, Darkness RISING continues changing how mental health conversations happen within the Black community.

Not through silence.

But through healing, honesty, connection, and joy.

Originally published by The Carolinian — https://caro.news.

The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.