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  • Politics Is Like Hiring A Hitman
    by Scott Woods inPolitical on2020-08-13

    For me, politics is like hiring a hitman. I have values and things I care about. I care enough about them to at least bother voting for 5 minutes every year for one issue or another. And because I care at least that much, I vote for people who align with the ability to realize the things I care about.

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  • Punching Above Our Weight
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-07-24

    I believe our vote is the punctuation of our voice. Without that resounding exclamation mark, I believe our voices are just incoherent noise.

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  • BLACK PROGRESS AMIDST SOCIAL CHAOS
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-06-16

    Recent events have raised the profile of historical injustice and inequities here in the USA. The entire world has taken note of the fact that BLACK LIVES MATTER.   We invite all of our friends to engage in actions that result in the greatest movement for change in our history. It is imperative that we take advantage of this opportunity to affect a positive change by ACTING IN OUR SELF-INTERESTS.

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  • Living in a Black No-Man's Land
    by Roger Madison Jr. inOur Community on2019-10-28

    There are many narratives that define the Black experience in America in this 2nd decade of the 21st century. Our striving over the centuries of our sojourn in this nation is a tapestry of every human experience -- oppression, enslavement, forced assimilation, dehumanization, exclusion, segregation, isolation, struggle, perseverance, achievement, excellence, celebration, mourning, despair, progress, setbacks, lynching, assassination, genocide, terror, self-hatred, low esteem, pride,...

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  • Fighting Racism
    by Scott Woods inOur Community on2018-10-25

    I had a boss who was racist. Not an outright bigot, of course; her toolbox was more subtle than most. We bumped heads a lot over inconsequential things. She frequently couldn’t keep my name out her mouth. Lot of gaslighting. You know…2018 style. I tried a lot of ways to combat or navigate her issues. None of them worked, and that’s saying a lot because I’m really good at fighting racism. But at the end of the day – every day – she was my boss, I had to deal with her, and that was that. Finally I...

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AFRICAN AMERICANS AND ORAL HEALTH

I am here to discuss oral health and it's importance to our community. Just think of your family members and how many of them go to the dentist and if so when was the last time they have been. This is the trend that has to stop. Let's start off by saying that a child should see a dentist as soon as they have a tooth. The dentist can check there gums and give you all of the proper information to nurture that childs mouth and ultimately their bodies since it is connected right? Once visits to the dentist begin they should continue every 6 months until you expire.

A long time ago there was a disconnect between the mouth and the body and this is no longer the case. The surgeon general has a report out on oral health connecting it with the health of your body. African Americans have the #1 rate of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many other illnesses. Have you ever stopped to think that this is because the oral health is not in check. Did you know that the plaque that builds up on your teeth is the same plaque that builds up in your heart walls? Remember you swallow everything that enters your mouth which in turn then enters the  body. It is documented that poor oral health leads to heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and severe infections. If this is not the cause of someones death it is definitley aiding towards it. Please let's break this trend among our people and start great habits by teaching our children and family members to attend the dentist regularly!

I know that the dentist can be expensive but  there are community health centers in your local area that can help and are affordable. One in Columbus, OH is called Columbus Neighborhood Health Center (CNHC). They see patients that have Caresource, Molina, Medicaid, and some private insurance. If you have no insurance they see patients on a sliding fee based upon household income. This income includes disability, social security, food stamp award letters, and etc...  They are located at 1180 East Main Street and the number is (614) 645-5541.There is no excuse let's bring down our numbers in these health issue categories and get some oral health help!!

Ebony Williams R.D.H. B.S