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Here's how much Black Californians could individually receive in reparations payments

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

California’s reparations task force has voted to approve recommendations on how the state may compensate and apologize to Black residents for generations of harm caused by racism and discriminatory policies.The recommendations include financial payouts which, if approved by the State Assembly, could total hundreds of billions of dollars, experts say.The panel’s vote approved a detailed account of historical discrimination against Black Californians in areas such as voting, housing, education, disproportionate policing and incarceration, and others.CalMatters, a non-partisan, nonprofit news organization, has created a calculator to help residents estimate how much they could individually receive under the task force’s proposal.The tool, titled, “How much reparations are African American residents owed?” includes a breakdown of the itemized amounts for “Health Harms,” “Mass Incarceration & Over-policing,” Housing Discrimination” and “Devaluation of Businesses.” California task f...

The Power of Mentorship for Women

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

An exploration of the role of mentorship in helping women achieve their goals and reach their full potentialThe idea of mentorship is not a new one. We have mentors, whether intentionally or unintentionally, from the moment we are born. A mentor is an experienced person who guides someone else in the area of their learned experience. Our parents are often our first mentors, followed by immediate family, friends, school peers, etc. As we become older, we often have to seek a mentor and ask for guidance and teachings to help us navigate the world of work, business, and life as adults.For women, in particular, having a mentor can be an invaluable resource. It is an incredibly powerful tool for women who want to reach their goals and realize their full potential. Throughout history, mentors have played a vital role in helping women succeed in numerous fields—from business and academia to politics and the arts. By providing guidance, advice, and support, a mentor can help open doors, rem...

Top Beauty Educator; Bobbi Vargas Rises As A Public Speaker And Leader To Entrepreneurs

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

Celebrity make-up artist turned entrepreneurial coach, Bobbi Vargas has a stunning story of triumph over adversity. The self-made woman’s tale of spirited success following a troubled childhood is inspiring for all the right reasons.As a young girl living in Kuwait, she was born to a wealthy businessman and a stay-at-home mother. But In the ‘90s, her congenial life unexpectedly came to a halt.On chance, Bobbi, her mother, and her sisters were visiting relatives in the United States right before the start of the Persian Gulf war. When the war broke out during their stay, things took a sharp turn, and they found themselves in a sudden hostile milieu as immigrants in a foreign country.She describes the sudden shift from that of a vacation mindset to one of immigrant status overnight, “At a time when having an accent wasn’t cool and having dark features made you somewhat of an outcast, it was challenging coming to terms with the changes that life threw our way. The family that was happy...

Stephanie Gilbert, LMFT Takes Her Readers through the Major Reasons behind Internalized Stigma and How We Can Deal With It

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

Mental health stigma is a widespread issue that affects everyone, regardless of their background. This can include the negative attitudes and beliefs we hold towards ourselves, as well as the ones imposed on us by society and loved ones. Expert mental health therapist Stephanie Gilbert, LMFT takes us through the four major reasons why people face internalized stigma and how we can deal with it.Picture credits: Kate Haus, photographer from Los Angeles“Simply put, internalized stigma is stigma turned inward,” Stephanie explained. “It may show up as invalidating one’s own experience, minimizing symptoms, refusing the need for treatment, or expecting one’s recovery to go much quicker than could be expected.”Like external stigma, internalized or self-stigma can negatively impact a person’s quality of life and overall health. According to Stephanie, it can reduce your self-worth and make you feel less valuable than others.Discussing the root cause, Stephanie ...

A Sneak Peek into Shirley Wantland’s Journey From an Immigrant Child to the Co-founder of Recovery Consultants

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

There is a persistent stigma around mental health, addiction and recovery in society. Even though we have made progress in this area, there is still a long way to go. All over the world, many mental health practitioners and counselors are working religiously to reduce prejudice against mental illness and substance abuse. One such person is Shirley Wantland, the co-founder and principal of Recovery Consultants, aiming  to provide empathetic and non-judgmental treatments to such individuals and creating  a safe healing space for them.Belonging to a Vietnamese immigrant family in Oklahoma City, Shirley struggled to fit in during her childhood and adolescence. Her parents worked day and night to put food on the table for her and her brother. The Wantland’s financial burdens were to this  extent that they couldn’t afford to send the kids to school. However, Shirley’s father viewed hard work and education to thrive later in life.  So, he asked the Headmaster of the school where he w...

Meet The Woman Behind Qeblawi Cosmetics: Diana Qeblawi On Breaking Barriers And Making History In The Beauty & Fashion Industry

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

The beauty and cosmetics industry has experienced a boom in recent years with the rise of social media influencers and beauty vloggers. The pandemic has further fueled this trend, as more people turned to online shopping and experimenting with makeup and skincare products while stuck at home. This resulted in the market becoming saturated with numerous types of cosmetics and makeup products, making it more critical than ever for brands to stand out and differentiate themselves.One brand that has been making waves in the industry is Qeblawi Cosmetics. Focusing on inclusivity and quality, it offers a range of makeup products catering to different skin tones and types. Diana’s passion for the beauty and fashion industry and her business savvy have propelled Qeblawi Cosmetics to become one of the up-and-coming brands to watch out for. In a recent interview, Diana Qeblawi shared her journey of breaking barriers and making history in the beauty and fashion industry.Can you tell us a...

Double Blind Study Reveals Los Angeles-Based, EZC Pak’s, as an Effective Alternative to Antibiotics for Treating Upper Respiratory Infections

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

A groundbreaking double-blind study announced on May 3rd by Los Angeles-based EZC Pak has uncovered a promising alternative to antibiotics for treating upper respiratory infections (URIs). This NIH-registered clinical trial spanned nine months, enrolling 360 patients from across the United States. Findings reveal that participants who took EZC Pak’s immune support pack recovered 1.39 days faster (p=0.017), experienced a 17.43% reduction in symptom severity (p=0.029), and had 2.9 times greater patient satisfaction (p=0.012) compared to those taking a placebo.These results substantiate EZC Pak‘s immune support formula and five-day tapered system as an effective, evidence-based solution to antibiotic misuse in managing colds, flus, and other URIs. This is especially significant given the urgent global public health threat posed by antibiotic resistance, which the CDC estimates to be associated with 1.27 million deaths each year.The vast majority of URIs, approximately 80%, ...

Several Hurt in Semi-Truck Crash on Highway 101 [Salinas, CA]

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

Semi-Truck Overturned near John Street Left Lanes BlockedSALINAS, CA (May 9, 2023) – Saturday morning, a semi-truck crash on Highway 101 left several several people hurt and lanes blocked.The incident occurred on April 15th, at around 10:30 a.m., in the northbound lanes of the Highway near John Street.According to reports, a semi-truck overturned on the highway which resulted in minor injuries. At this time, the total number of injuries from the crash remains unclear.Furthermore, officials blocked the lanes on the highway and diverted traffic at Airport Boulevard.Meanwhile, crews reopened the lanes at around 6:00 p.m. Authorities have not yet stated what caused the semi-truck crash on Highway 101.Simply by driving defensively and following the conditions of the road, you can prevent a reckless driving accident. Do not engage in any non-driving activity which creates a potential distraction. Follow the speed limit and do not be pressured to keep up with the speed of other vehic...

SFO becomes first US airport to formally launch airplane wastewater testing for emerging COVID variants

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

San Francisco International Airport has launched a program with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to test wastewater from airplanes for traces of emerging coronavirus variants. Traces of the virus that causes Covid-19 can be detected in people’s feces when they are infected, even if they don’t have symptoms.The airport announced Tuesday that the CDC’s partner Concentric by Ginkgo, the biosecurity and public health unit of Boston-based synthetic biology company Ginkgo Bioworks, has installed an automatic device that will regularly collect wastewater samples from various international flights arriving at SFO. Those combined samples of wastewater then will be sent to laboratories for testing.“As we know from the COVID-19 pandemic, pathogens can spread quickly across the globe, impacting travel and trade,” Dr. Cindy Friedman, chief of the CDC’s Travelers’ Health Branch, said in a news release Tuesday. “Testing of airplane wastewater can provide early detection of new COV...

Mom who wrote kids’ book about death is charged with husband’s murder

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:48:01 GMT

A young Utah mother who wrote a children’s book about grief after her husband died last year has been accused of his murder.Kouri Darden Richins, 33, faces charges of aggravated murder and multiple drug offenses, say documents filed Monday by prosecutors in Summit County and unsealed after her arrest that day.Her husband, Eric Richins, was found dead at the family’s Francis home on March 4, 2022, at the age of 39. The autopsy found five times the lethal level of fentanyl in his system, the documents say.According to prosecutors, Kouri Richins had obtained strong painkillers from an acquaintance — initially hydrocodone and then fentanyl, after she requested “the Michael Jackson stuff,” the dealer reportedly told investigators.The Amazon listing of the children’s book Kouri Richins wrote. (Image from Amazon) Barely two weeks before his death, when he became sick after a Valentine’s Day dinner, Richins told a friend he thought his wife was...