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HEALTH MATTERS: Bone Davis brings global awareness to sickle cell disease

WAVE NEWSPAPERS — He made a name for himself as a keyboardist, playing rhythm and blues and jazz with a diverse group of music legends including B.B. King, Chick Corea, Les McCann, Con Funk Shun, Nancy Wilson, the Blasters, Poison, Wild Cherry and the Wu-Tang Clan, to name a few. Both of Davis’ parents had the trait. Davis was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at birth.

Published

8 years ago

November 17, 2018

Oakland Post

By Marie Y. Lemelle

Since the age of 8, Bone Davis has spent his entire life as a musical performer.

“I learned to play the bass, keyboards and drums,” he said.

He made a name for himself as a keyboardist, playing rhythm and blues and jazz with a diverse group of music legends including B.B. King, Chick Corea, Les McCann, Con Funk Shun, Nancy Wilson, the Blasters, Poison, Wild Cherry and the Wu-Tang Clan, to name a few.

A native of Texas, Davis has an interesting family history full of heroes and legendary musicians. His late father, George Bolin, was a member of the original Tuskegee Airmen.

Davis also grew up with a family that was involved in the Motown sound.

“My cousin Robert White was the guitarist for the Funk Brothers, who were the session musicians for most of the Motown recordings,” Davis said. “My favorite genres of music are R&B, jazz, hip hop and blues.”

Throughout his life, however, Davis has suffered from horrendous pain.

“For as long as I can remember, pain was part of my life,” he said. “The pain was from sickle cell disease and anemia.”

Both of Davis’ parents had the trait. Davis was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at birth.

“It runs in my family, including my grandson and other relatives [they] are affected by sickle cell,” he said.

WebMD explains that with sickle cell disease, red blood cells don’t have their normal shape. Instead of a round shape, the cells are shaped like the letter C, a crescent or a sickle. They can’t carry oxygen to the body as well as they should. Too little oxygen can lead to symptoms like pain, shortness of breath, tiredness and infections.

Symptoms and signs can include abdominal swelling, fever, pale skin or nail beds, swelling in the feet and hands, and yellow tint to the skin and whites of the eyes.

Sickle cell disease can affect many different parts of the body including the spleen, lungs and brain.

Source: St. Jude.

Davis teamed up with Educational Awareness through Entertainment Association to heighten awareness of sickle cell anemia.

“I realized that my voice needed to be heard, especially because my peers in the entertainment industry are dying from it, like Rapper Prodigy, just last year,” Davis said. “Sickle cell anemia has always been promoted as a minority disease. It’s not. The public needs to know symptoms and alternative pain management methods.”

Sickle cell disease affects approximately 100,000 Americans. While the majority of the population who have it are African Americans, it is common among people from Africa, Asia, Europe, India, the Caribbean, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

“Sickle cell disease can cause anemia, which means that you don’t have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to your body,” Davis said. “I realized that most people don’t understand how sickle cell affects your body because you can’t see it.”

About one in 13 African-American babies is born with the sickle cell trait. About one in every 365 black children is born with sickle cell disease.

[/media-credit] Sickle cell disease is common among people from Africa, India, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. The high prevalence of the defective gene in these regions may be due to the fact that carriers of a mutation in the beta-subunit of haemoglobin are more resistant to malaria.

Pain episodes or crisis can occur without warning when sickle cell blocks blood flow and decreases oxygen delivery.

“The pain is sharp, intense, stabbing or throbbing,” Davis said.

When abnormally shaped sickle cells are stuck in arteries that feed the brain, they can block blood flow and cause a stroke.

A crisis can result due to illness, temperature changes, stress, dehydration and high altitudes. Quite often, a person does not know what causes the crisis.

Research studies found that the only way to cure sickle cell disease is with a stem cell or bone marrow transplant. This procedure is most often done in children under 16 who have had sickle cell complications like pain and strokes. Stem cell transplants aren’t done as often in adults because the risks increase as a person gets older.

Pain can strike almost anywhere in the body and in more than one spot at a time. The pain often occurs in the lower back, legs, arms, abdomen and chest. Sickle cell disease can injure blood vessels in the eye. Kidneys are sensitive to the effects of red blood cell sickling and there are a number of ways in which the liver may be injured in sickle cell disease.

People with sickle cell disease may also have trouble coping with pain and fatigue, as well as with frequent medical visits and hospitalizations.

Davis uses his entertainment platform to speak out, educate the public about sickle cell disease.

“There is hope living with sickle cell anemia with better understanding,” he said.

Marie Y. Lemelle, MBA, a public relations consultant, is the owner of Platinum Star PR and can be reached on Twitter @PlatinumStar or Instagram @PlatinumStarPR. Send “Health Matters” related questions to healthmatters@wavepublication.com and look for her column in The Wave.

RESOURCES:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – www.cdc.gov

Bone Davis – www.bonedavis.com

El Portal Theatre – www.elportaltheatre.com

Mayo Clinic – www.mayoclinic.org

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes- www.nhlbi.nih.gov

WebMD – www.webmd.com

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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

1 day 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

2 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

2 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.