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Howard University: The Mecca and Its Role in Shaping the African Diaspora in the DMV
There is a place in Northwest Washington, D.C. — 256 acres in the Shaw neighborhood, sitting on a hill above Georgia Avenue — that its community does not call a campus. They call it the Yard. And they do not call the university a school. They call it the Mecca. The name carries weight deliberately. A mecca is a place that draws pilgrims — people who travel toward it because it represents something essential, something they cannot find anywhere else. For over 157 years, Howard University has functioned exactly that way: as a gathering point for Black intellectual life, a training ground for Black leadership, a laboratory for the ideas and movements that shaped American history, and a home for people of African descent from across the world who came here to learn, to grow, and to belong. For the African Diaspora community in the DMV — whether you attended Howard, sent your children there, live in its shadow, or simply benefit from the generations of leaders it produced — the Mecca is not just a university. It is a landmark, a legacy, and a living force in the community around it. This is the full story of what Howard is, what it has built, and why it matters more right now than it ever has. Founded in Crisis, Built for Excellence — Howard’s Origin Story Howard University was established by Congress on March 2, 1867 — just two years after the end of the Civil War. The country was in the middle of Reconstruction, the formerly enslaved were navigating freedom without the education, capital, or institutional support that freedom required, and the question of what America owed its Black citizens was being asked and largely evaded at every level of government. The institution was named after General Oliver Otis Howard — the head of the Freedmen’s Bureau, who worked with Congress to charter the university and later served as its president from 1869 to 1874. The original concept was modest: a theological seminary to train Black ministers. Within weeks, the vision expanded to something far more ambitious — a full university open to all, with the principal purpose of educating African Americans who had been systematically denied access to higher education for their entire lives. The first five students to enroll were, remarkably, daughters of white faculty members. But the university’s mission was never in question: Howard was built for Black education, Black leadership, and Black excellence — at a moment when those ideas were considered radical by the American mainstream. Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, who became Howard’s president in 1926, transformed it into the modern research university it is today — building its professional schools, expanding its faculty, and establishing the institutional seriousness that would attract some of the greatest Black minds in American history to its campus as students, professors, and scholars. The Numbers That Tell the Full Story of Howard’s Impact Before going further into the human stories, it is worth sitting with some numbers — because the scale of Howard’s contribution to Black America and the African Diaspora is genuinely staggering. Howard has educated more than half of the Black doctors, dentists, and pharmacists in America — a statistic that reflects what Howard’s College of Medicine and College of Dentistry have meant to Black health access for over a century. The College of Medicine was the first and oldest at any HBCU According to a recent White House report, HBCUs produce 40 percent of Black engineers, 50 percent of Black teachers, 70 percent of Black doctors and dentists, and 80 percent of Black judges — and Howard, as the nation’s flagship HBCU, drives a significant portion of those numbers Howard produces more STEM PhDs than any other institution — a fact that directly challenges every stereotype about Black students and STEM fields In February 2025, Howard became the first HBCU to achieve the Research One (R1) Carnegie Classification — the highest designation for doctoral research activity in the country, putting it in the company of institutions like MIT, Stanford, and Johns Hopkins. It is the only HBCU with this designation In November 2025, MacKenzie Scott donated an $80 million gift to Howard — one of the largest in its history. Scott has now donated $132 million to Howard in recent years, recognizing the institution’s extraordinary return on investment for the Black community Howard’s alumni network spans over 130,000 leaders worldwide across every industry and every continent Howard’s traditional MBA program is the only HBCU program ranked among Fortune’s 2025 Best MBA Programs Howard’s law school graduated Charlotte E. Ray in 1872 — the first Black woman lawyer in the United States. It ranks among the top 20 public service law schools in the country These are not legacy statistics from an institution resting on historical achievements. They are current, active, and growing — reflecting a university that is producing at the highest level right now. The Alumni Who Changed the World — Howard’s Human Legacy The measure of any university is ultimately its people — and Howard’s alumni roster is, by any measure, one of the most extraordinary collections of achievers produced by any single institution in American history. Thurgood Marshall studied at Howard’s School of Law, where he trained under the great Charles Hamilton Houston — himself a Howard law graduate and the architect of the legal strategy that would eventually dismantle school segregation. Marshall went on to argue Brown v. Board of Education before the Supreme Court, winning the decision that declared segregation unconstitutional, before becoming the first African American Supreme Court Justice in 1967. The legal framework of modern American civil rights runs directly through Howard’s law school hallways. Kamala Harris — the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American Vice President of the United States — is a Howard alumna, having graduated in 1986 with a degree in political science and economics. She returned to Howard’s campus during the 2024 election season, standing in front of Frederick Douglass Memorial
How to Dress Confidently on Any Budget: Style Tips for Black Professionals and Families
There is a version of this conversation that goes: “You have to spend money to look like you have money.” And then there is the version that is actually true: you have to make intentional decisions to look like you have taste. Those are not the same thing — and understanding the difference is the entire foundation of dressing well on any budget. Black professionals and families in the DMV navigate a specific set of style pressures. There is the professional environment where first impressions carry real weight and presentation affects how you are perceived and treated. There is the cultural dimension — the expectation, in many Black communities, that you show up looking sharp because that is part of what it means to carry yourself with dignity and pride. And there is the financial reality that quality clothing is expensive, that budgets are real, and that the fashion industry has historically been designed around neither your body type nor your cultural aesthetic. This guide is practical, specific, and built on one core truth: looking confident and well-dressed is far more about what you do with what you have than about how much you spend. Here is how. The First Rule: Confidence Is the Most Expensive-Looking Thing You Can Wear Before we talk about clothes, let us talk about something that costs nothing and changes everything: the way you carry yourself in what you wear. An outfit that fits well and is worn with confidence will always look better than an expensive outfit worn apologetically. This is not motivational speak — it is observable and documented. Looking professional has more to do with confidence and fit than with the price of the clothing. If you wear a budget-friendly outfit with the same confidence you would bring to a thousand-dollar look, it makes a huge difference. Dressing well depends more on fit, coordination, and garment care than on price. Strategic styling makes a significant difference regardless of what was spent. For Black professionals specifically, this matters in an additional dimension. You are often entering spaces where your right to be there is subject to more scrutiny than it is for your peers. The way you dress is one of the tools available to you for managing that dynamic — not by shrinking yourself or erasing your identity, but by walking in so clearly comfortable and confident in your presentation that the scrutiny has nowhere to land. Wear what makes you feel like yourself. Wear it well. Wear it with your head up. That combination is worth more than any designer label. The Capsule Wardrobe: The Smartest Thing You Can Build on a Budget A capsule wardrobe is a small, thoughtfully curated collection of versatile, timeless clothing pieces that mix and match easily to create a wide range of outfits from a limited number of garments. Most well-balanced capsule wardrobes contain around 25 to 40 core items — enough variety to dress for every day of the month without repeating the exact same look. The genius of the capsule wardrobe is that it reframes the whole question. Instead of asking “how do I buy more?” it asks “what do I actually need?” And the answer, for most people, is far fewer items than they currently own — but better chosen, better fitting, and more versatile. The professional capsule wardrobe — core items to build around: One or two well-fitting blazers in neutral colors — black, navy, charcoal, or camel. A blazer is the single most transformative item in any professional wardrobe. It elevates jeans to business casual, takes a simple dress to a meeting, and communicates authority without saying a word. Buy the best fitting blazer you can find within your budget and have it tailored if necessary Two pairs of tailored trousers or structured bottoms in complementary neutrals — black and navy are the foundation. Wide-leg trousers are particularly flattering on a wide range of body types and look polished at virtually every price point Three to four versatile tops — a crisp white button-down, a silk or satin blouse in a neutral, a fitted shell top, and one piece with personality. These form the canvas on which everything else is built One or two professional dresses — a wrap dress is perhaps the most universally flattering professional option available and works for nearly every body type. A sheath dress or midi dress in a solid color is equally versatile Classic, comfortable footwear — quality shoes elevate an entire outfit. Invest slightly more here than anywhere else, because shoes are what people notice and because comfortable, well-made shoes last years. Black pumps or loafers, and one pair of clean, minimalist sneakers for more casual professional environments A structured bag — a polished handbag or structured tote in black, tan, or a jewel tone pulls everything together and communicates professionalism immediately A quality outer layer — a trench coat or tailored wool coat that works over everything else in the capsule The key to capsule wardrobe success is a cohesive color palette. Stick to two or three neutral base colors — black, navy, grey, or camel — and one or two accent colors that you love and that work with everything else. When every item works with every other item, you get exponentially more outfits from fewer pieces. Fit Is Everything — and Tailoring Costs Less Than You Think The single highest-return investment in dressing well is not buying more expensive clothes — it is making sure the clothes you already own fit your body properly. An ill-fitting designer suit looks worse than a well-tailored budget suit. Every time. For Black professionals, fit carries an additional layer of significance. The fashion industry has historically designed for a narrow range of body types — and Black bodies, in all their diversity, have often been poorly served by standard sizing. Knowing your measurements, understanding how clothes should fit on your specific body, and being willing to alter pieces that are close but not
Why Play Matters: The Power of Family Game Nights, Sports, and Active Time Together
Ask any adult to name their best childhood memories and almost none of them will mention a school assignment or a structured activity that ran exactly according to plan. They will mention the summer afternoons that stretched into evenings. The board game that turned into an argument that turned into laughter. The backyard game that got so competitive the whole family was sweating. The moment a parent got down on the floor and really played — not supervised from the couch, but actually played. Play is not what families do after everything important is finished. Play is important. It is one of the most research-supported tools for child development, family bonding, stress reduction, emotional regulation, and physical health available to any family — and unlike most health interventions, it costs almost nothing and everyone actually wants to do it. This blog is a case for making play a deliberate, protected, non-negotiable part of your family’s life — with specific ideas for how to do it, and the science to explain why it matters so much. What the Research Actually Says About Play and Family Life The science on play is not ambiguous. Decades of research across developmental psychology, pediatrics, and family studies consistently show that play — both with parents and with peers — is foundational to healthy child development in ways that structured academic activity simply cannot replicate. Research shows that children who regularly participate in family activities exhibit better emotional regulation and social competence. Shared experiences like game nights and storytelling sessions help children learn to navigate their emotions and understand the perspectives of others. Structured family games and gratitude rituals help children expand their emotional vocabulary and practice regulation strategies — with games like emotion charades teaching children to identify and label feelings, which research links to improved self-control and reduced behavioral outbursts. Studies also show that parental playfulness correlates with coparenting support and parenting warmth — meaning families who play together tend to communicate better across all interactions. When parents approach game nights with genuine enthusiasm rather than obligation, children pick up on that authenticity and respond with higher engagement. These findings shift play from optional entertainment to essential family infrastructure. The outdoor component is equally compelling. Research indicates that children who engage in outdoor activities often show enhanced performance in science and mathematics, improved attention spans, and stronger cognitive functioning. Outdoor play also builds strength, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness while reducing obesity rates — and increased time spent outdoors has been linked to a reduced risk of nearsightedness in children. Exposure to sunlight during outdoor play facilitates Vitamin D production essential for bone health and immune function. The time children spend playing outdoors is currently at an all-time low — and the research makes the cost of that decline very clear. The antidote is not complicated. It is a family that decides together that play is worth protecting. The Family Game Night: More Than Just Fun Family game night has become something of a cultural cliché — but the reason it keeps showing up in conversations about healthy family life is that it genuinely works. When a family sits down together around a game, several things happen simultaneously that are very difficult to replicate in any other context. Phones go away. Eye contact happens. Conversation that does not follow a script emerges. Children and adults interact as near-equals — subject to the same rules, the same stakes, the same moments of triumph and frustration. A teenager who barely speaks at dinner will trash-talk during Uno. A child who struggles at school will discover they are brilliant at Catan strategy. A parent who works sixty hours a week will laugh until they cry over a round of Taboo. Games worth having in your family rotation: For young children (ages 4-8) — Uno, Candy Land, Snakes and Ladders, Go Fish, Memory/Concentration, Jenga, Zingo, and cooperative games like Hoot Owl Hoot — which teach sharing and working toward a common goal without a winner-takes-all outcome For older children and mixed ages (8-14) — Sorry, Scrabble Junior, Sequence, Battleship, Apples to Apples, Clue, Ticket to Ride (Junior), and Codenames — games that build vocabulary, strategy, spatial reasoning, and deductive thinking For teenagers and adults — Catan, Taboo, Pictionary, Spades, Dominoes — a staple in many Black households that teaches probability and strategy through genuine competition — Bid Whist, and cooperative games like Pandemic African and Caribbean family game traditions — Oware (an ancient West African strategy game played with seeds or marbles), Ludi (Caribbean equivalent of Parcheesi), and traditional storytelling games are beautiful ways to connect game nights to cultural heritage. Teaching children these games connects play to identity and history simultaneously Research comparing game formats reveals that cooperative games increase sharing behavior in young children more than competitive games — so keeping a healthy mix of both in your rotation gives children practice with both collaboration and healthy competition. Sports and Active Play: Building More Than Fitness Sports and active play build physical fitness — but for Black children and families, they build something that goes beyond the physical. They build confidence. They build the understanding that your body is capable and powerful. They build belonging within team and community structures. And for children navigating the specific psychological pressures of growing up Black in America, athletic competence and physical confidence are genuine protective factors. The DMV’s Black community has produced extraordinary athletes across every sport — from the football stars who came through Prince George’s County programs to the tennis players shaped by the tradition that produced Venus and Serena Williams, to the track athletes who have consistently represented the United States and African nations on the world stage. That tradition of athletic excellence in the Black community is worth passing down — not just as aspiration but as active participation. Ways to make sports and active play a regular family practice: Shoot hoops together — basketball is the most accessible sport in the DMV. Virtually every
5 Everyday Habits That Are Quietly Harming Your Family’s Health — and What to Do Instead
Most of the things damaging your family’s health right now are not dramatic. They are not a single bad decision or a dangerous moment. They are the quiet, daily, entirely ordinary habits that nobody talks about because nobody thinks of them as habits at all — they are just life. The way dinner always seems to happen in front of a screen. The fact that nobody in the house is sleeping enough. The stress that gets described as “just busy” and never actually addressed. The weekend that goes by without anyone walking outside for thirty minutes. For Black families in the DMV — navigating the specific health pressures that come with higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stress-related illness — these quiet habits carry an outsized cost. Not because Black families are making worse choices than anyone else, but because the underlying health vulnerabilities are often greater, which means the margin for these everyday erosions is smaller. The good news: none of these habits require a gym membership, a special diet, or a complete lifestyle overhaul to address. They require awareness and a few deliberate shifts. Here are five of the most common ones — and exactly what to do instead. Habit 1: Not Sleeping Enough — and Pretending That Is Fine In many families — particularly high-achieving, hard-working families — chronic sleep deprivation has been quietly normalized and even celebrated. “I only need five hours.” “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” “There is too much to do.” These statements are treated as badges of hustle rather than what they actually are: descriptions of a health emergency unfolding in slow motion. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Children and teenagers need more — eight to ten hours for teens, nine to twelve for school-age children. When families consistently fall short of these targets, the consequences accumulate: elevated blood pressure, impaired immune function, weight gain driven by hunger hormones that sleep deprivation disrupts, reduced cognitive performance, mood dysregulation, and significantly increased long-term risk of heart disease and diabetes. Research specifically examining African-born Black adults found that poor sleep quality was significantly linked to daily life stress — and that the relationship runs in both directions. Stress disrupts sleep. Poor sleep amplifies stress. For Black families already navigating elevated stress from systemic inequities, racial discrimination, and economic pressure, this cycle is particularly dangerous. What to do instead: Set a household bedtime — for children and adults. Consistency in sleep timing is as important as duration Remove all screens from bedrooms — the blue light from phones, tablets, and televisions suppresses melatonin and delays sleep onset. Phones charge in the kitchen, not on the nightstand Create a wind-down routine — thirty minutes of quiet activity before bed (reading, stretching, a warm shower) signals the nervous system that sleep is approaching Treat sleep as non-negotiable — not a luxury to be earned after everything else is done, but a foundational health requirement that makes everything else possible A well-rested family makes better decisions, handles stress more effectively, and has meaningfully better long-term health outcomes. Sleep is not the opposite of productivity — it is the foundation of it. Habit 2: Too Much Screen Time — For Everyone in the House In 2024, Americans averaged 143 minutes per day on social media alone — before accounting for television, streaming, work-related screen use, and casual phone scrolling. Children’s device usage doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic and has never returned to pre-pandemic levels. The average school-age child now spends more time looking at screens than doing almost any other single activity. The health consequences of chronic excessive screen time are well documented: poor sleep from blue light exposure, increased rates of anxiety and depression particularly in teenagers, reduced physical activity, obesity risk, neck and back pain from poor posture, eye strain, and perhaps most significantly — the erosion of the face-to-face family connection time that is one of the strongest protective factors against adolescent mental health struggles. The issue is not screens themselves — it is unmanaged, passive, habitual consumption that crowds out sleep, movement, connection, and presence. Not all screen use is equal: a teenager doing homework, video-calling a grandparent, or learning a skill is using a screen very differently than a child mindlessly consuming short-form content for three hours. What to do instead: Establish screen-free zones and times as household norms — mealtimes and bedrooms are the highest-impact places to start Replace passive scrolling with intentional use — watching a family movie together is fundamentally different from everyone sitting in the same room staring at separate devices Model the behavior you want — if you are on your phone constantly, your children will be too. Parental behavior is the most powerful predictor of children’s screen habits Create tech-free family rituals — a Sunday morning walk, a weekly board game, meals without phones — these become the connective tissue of family life that screens cannot replace Use screen time as a reward rather than a default — when children earn screen time through activity, homework, and chores, it regains its value instead of becoming wallpaper Habit 3: Eating for Convenience Instead of Nourishment Busy families eat conveniently. That is completely understandable — when both parents are working, children have activities, and everyone arrives home exhausted, a drive-through or a processed meal feels like the only realistic option. The problem is not the occasional convenience meal. It is when convenience becomes the primary nutritional strategy across weeks and months. Ultra-processed foods — fast food, packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and most frozen ready meals — are engineered to override the body’s natural satiety signals. They are high in sodium, refined sugar, and unhealthy fats, and low in fiber, vitamins, and the micronutrients that support immune function, cognitive performance, and cardiovascular health. For Black families already at higher statistical risk for hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, consistent high consumption of ultra-processed food is directly fueling those risks. It is also worth
The Best Outdoor Activities for Black Families in the DMV This Summer
Here is something the DMV does not get nearly enough credit for: it is one of the best outdoor recreation regions in the entire eastern United States. Within thirty to sixty minutes of downtown Washington, D.C., you can hike through a gorge with views that look like they belong in a national park brochure, kayak on a Potomac tributary, walk through one of the largest urban forests in the country, or let your children loose in a park that will exhaust them in all the right ways. For Black families in the DMV, outdoor recreation is more than leisure — it is health. It is the antidote to screen time and sedentary routines. It is the space where children build physical confidence, where families reconnect away from the pressures of daily life, and where the stressed nervous system finally gets a chance to exhale. Research consistently shows that time in nature reduces cortisol levels, improves mood, boosts immune function, and supports better sleep. And almost none of it requires a gym membership. Here is your complete guide to the best outdoor experiences the DMV has to offer this summer — from free parks and trails to cultural festivals, water activities, and the events that make summer in this region genuinely unforgettable. The Great Outdoor Spaces: Parks and Nature Every DMV Family Should Know Rock Creek Park — Washington, D.C. Rock Creek Park is the DMV’s ultimate outdoor haven — a 4.4-square-mile expanse running through the heart of Washington, D.C. with 32 miles of trails for hiking, paved roads closed to cars on weekends for walking and cycling, a nature center, picnic areas, riding stables, tennis courts, the historic Boulder Bridge, and Peirce Mill. On weekends, Beach Drive closes to vehicles from Broad Branch Road to Military Road, creating a car-free corridor beloved by cyclists, joggers, and families with strollers. It is entirely free, entirely accessible, and sits within reach of virtually every neighborhood in the District. Great Falls Park — Maryland and Virginia Great Falls Park straddles the Potomac River across both Maryland and Virginia — and its views are among the most spectacular in the entire region. The Potomac River thunders through Mather Gorge in a series of powerful cascades that are genuinely awe-inspiring, accessible from multiple overlooks via wooden footbridges. The park offers hiking trails at various difficulty levels, ranger-led programs, remnants of 18th-century C&O Canal locks on the Maryland side, and the kind of scenery that reminds you why people live in this region. Admission is small per vehicle — bring cash. Watkins Regional Park — Prince George’s County, Maryland Watkins Regional Park in Upper Marlboro is the crown jewel of Prince George’s County’s park system and one of the most family-friendly outdoor spaces in the entire DMV. Old Maryland Farm lets children interact with bunnies, chickens, peacocks, ducks, llamas, cows, ponies, and sheep. A Wizard of Oz-themed playground will run children happily for hours. Seasonal additions include an antique carousel, a miniature train, mini golf, and a campground. Watkins also hosts the annual Juneteenth celebration for Prince George’s County — free family activities, cultural performances, and community gathering in one of the most significant parks in a majority-Black county. Huntley Meadows Park — Alexandria, Virginia Huntley Meadows is one of Northern Virginia’s most beloved nature escapes — 1,425 acres of woods and wetlands in Alexandria with paved, dirt, and boardwalk trails that take visitors through remarkable biodiversity. Turtles of all sizes, frogs, great blue herons, cardinals, beavers, and dozens of other bird species can be spotted on a single morning walk. The boardwalk trail over the wetlands is particularly magical with young children — it feels like exploring a secret world. Free admission, easy parking, and no crowds on weekday mornings. Anacostia Riverwalk Trail — Washington, D.C. The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail is a continuous 20-mile trail running along both sides of the Anacostia River through the Capitol Riverfront and Anacostia neighborhoods — some of D.C.’s most historically Black communities. Ten to twelve feet wide and largely flat, it is ideal for cycling, jogging, strolling with strollers, or a casual family walk. The trail’s passage through revitalized waterfront areas makes it both a recreation trail and a window into the ongoing transformation of communities that have long been overlooked by city investment. Free and open year-round. Water Activities: Cool Off and Get on the Water Summer in the DMV is hot — and the region’s rivers, lakes, and waterways provide some of the best cooling-off opportunities anywhere on the East Coast. Kayaking and canoeing on the Potomac — Several outfitters offer kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals along the Potomac River — including at Fletcher’s Boathouse in D.C. (just below the C&O Canal) and at several locations along the river in Maryland and Virginia. The stretch from Georgetown to Roosevelt Island is particularly beautiful and accessible for beginners and families Splash pads across the DMV — Free splash pads are scattered throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia — a perfect zero-cost option for families with young children on hot days. Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and multiple D.C. neighborhoods all have free spray parks. Check your local parks and recreation website for the closest one Swimming at public pools — C. Department of Parks and Recreation operates multiple outdoor pools across the city, many free or low-cost for residents. Maryland and Virginia counties also operate summer pool programs. Many offer swim lessons specifically for Black children — addressing the historically documented gap in swimming access and proficiency in the Black community Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens — Washington, D.C. — One of D.C.’s most hidden gems — a National Park Service site in Northeast D.C. that is home to the country’s only national park dedicated to the cultivation of water plants. In summer, lotus and water lily blooms are extraordinary. The adjacent marshlands support abundant wildlife including beavers, turtles, blue herons, and migratory birds. Free admission, and remarkably uncrowded National Harbor waterfront — Oxon Hill, Maryland — National
Traveling While Black in 2025: How to Find Welcoming Destinations and Travel Smart
Black people have always traveled. Even during the darkest periods of American history — through Jim Crow, through sundown towns, through the era when thousands of American communities would literally expel Black people who had not left by sunset — Black families found ways to see the world. They traveled carefully, strategically, and armed with knowledge shared through community networks. They built their own resorts, their own hotels, their own destinations. They refused to let fear or hostility define the boundaries of their lives. Victor Hugo Green understood this when he published the first Negro Motorist Green Book in 1936 — a guide that listed safe hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and businesses that welcomed Black travelers during the Jim Crow era. Green described his mission as giving the Negro traveler information that would keep them from running into difficulties and embarrassments, and make their trip more enjoyable. The Green Book ran until 1966 and became a lifeline for Black American travel. It is 2025. Legal segregation is over. And yet the conversation about traveling while Black is more relevant than it has been in a generation. The dismantling of DEI initiatives, shifting political winds, and documented discrimination in travel and hospitality have prompted a new generation of Black travelers to ask the same questions Victor Hugo Green was answering nearly a century ago: Where is it safe? Where am I welcome? How do I travel smart? This guide answers those questions — practically, honestly, and with the conviction that Black people deserve to experience the full richness of this world without having to manage fear as a piece of their luggage. The Modern Green Book: Tools That Help Black Travelers Navigate Today The spirit of the original Green Book has been reborn in digital form — and today’s Black travelers have access to tools that Victor Hugo Green could not have imagined. Green Book Global (greenbookglobal.com) — The most direct digital descendant of the original Green Book. Founded by Lawrence Phillips — a Georgia Tech graduate who traveled 30-plus countries across all seven continents and documented his experience as a Black traveler globally — Green Book Global allows users to read and write destination reviews specifically from a Black traveler’s perspective. Each city has a crowd-sourced ‘Traveling While Black’ safety score, a road trip planner that identifies Black-friendly cities in the USA, and a database of Black-owned accommodations and businesses. Available as a mobile app and website Travel Noire (travelnoire.com) — One of the most influential Black travel platforms in the world. Features destination guides, travel deals, community stories, and cultural immersion experiences specifically curated for Black travelers. Their community-driven content has inspired a generation of Black travelers to explore destinations they never considered ABC Travel Greenbook (abctravelgreenbook.com) — Part of the ABC Travel Network multimedia platform, this modern Green Book helps Black travelers find community across the globe — going beyond what standard search engines surface to connect travelers to Black-owned businesses and welcoming spaces internationally Ebony Travelers (ebonytravelers.com) — A travel blog and community resource specifically focused on safe and inclusive travel for Black and Brown travelers, with destination-specific safety insights, tips for navigating microaggressions, and recommendations for welcoming hotels and experiences Black travel creator communities on social media — Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have produced a rich ecosystem of Black travel creators who share unfiltered, real-time accounts of their experiences around the world. Searching specific destinations combined with ‘Black travel’ or ‘traveling while Black’ will surface community reviews and insights that no traditional travel guide provides Most Welcoming International Destinations for Black Travelers The world is large and most of it is genuinely welcoming to Black travelers. Here are some of the destinations that Black travelers consistently rate as exceptional experiences — places where you are not a novelty, where the culture is rich and celebratory, and where your presence is met with warmth rather than suspicion. Ghana — The Year of Return and Beyond — Ghana’s ‘Year of Return’ in 2019 — marking 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in America — invited the African Diaspora back to the continent and sparked a wave of Black American and Caribbean travel that has not stopped. Cape Coast Castle, Elmina Castle, Accra’s vibrant nightlife and street food scene, the Ghanaian people’s legendary warmth — Ghana has become one of the top destinations for African Diaspora travelers seeking connection to ancestry, culture, and belonging. Many visitors describe it as a deeply healing experience Portugal — Particularly Lisbon and Porto — Portugal consistently appears at the top of Black travel recommendation lists. Lisbon and Porto are diverse, cosmopolitan, historically connected to Africa through Portugal’s colonial past, and home to significant African Diaspora communities. The cities are walkable, affordable compared to western European peers, food-obsessed, and genuinely warm to visitors of all backgrounds. Black travelers report positive experiences across the country Colombia — Cartagena and the Afro-Colombian Coast — Colombia’s Caribbean coast, particularly Cartagena and the surrounding Afro-Colombian communities, is one of the richest African Diaspora travel experiences in the western hemisphere. The African roots of Colombia’s coastal culture are visible in everything — the music (Cumbia, Champeta, Vallenato), the food, the architecture, the festivals. The city of Palenque, just outside Cartagena, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the first free town established by escaped enslaved Africans in the Americas Tanzania — Safari and Zanzibar — Tanzania offers two extraordinary and distinct travel experiences: wildlife safaris in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, and the spice island of Zanzibar with its Arab, African, and Indian cultural blend, stunning beaches, and Old Stone Town. Black travelers consistently report feeling welcomed and celebrated in Tanzania Brazil — Salvador da Bahia — Salvador is the most African city in the Americas — the capital of Bahia, where African cultural traditions survived slavery more intact than almost anywhere else in the western hemisphere. Candomblé religious ceremonies, capoeira, orixá traditions, Afro-Brazilian cuisine — Bahia is where the African Diaspora can trace its cultural
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Educational inequality in minority communities is identified by a lack of educational resources such as school funding, highly experienced and qualified teachers, tutors, textbooks, technologies, and well-equipped libraries.
In the long-lasting effect of educational inequality, minority students, will not be prepared for leadership and entrepreneurial roles in high-poverty, low-achieving schools. As a result of educational inequality, minority communities experience lower academic successes leading to suppressed social and economic growth.
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Leadership
Schools sue social media companies over youth mental health crisis
School districts across the US are filing lawsuits against social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, holding them accountable for contributing to the nation’s youth mental health crisis. The legal actions argue that these platforms, through the use of advanced technology, have created addictive environments that harm young people. Lawsuits have cited data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, showing an increase in depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts among high school students, correlating with the rising popularity of social media. School districts seek changes in social media practices, damages to fund prevention and treatment, and declaration of their conduct as a public nuisance. The lawsuits highlight the impact of excessive social media use on mental health emergencies, cyberbullying incidents, and threats in schools. Social media companies emphasize their commitment to teen safety and cite measures such as age restrictions, parental controls, and mental health resources. Experts acknowledge the complexity of the issue and the need for responsible action from social media companies but debate the effectiveness of school-based lawsuits in bringing about significant change. Report : The Washington Post
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If so, our Ready, Set, GROW! Procurement Connections Workshop is for you. Join us in-person for a look at how our small, minority, women,and veteran procurement programs work, details about new funding for Maryland’s State Small Business Credit Initiative Program, and strategies for mining public data to help with your business development efforts. Watch More
ፋፍሳን እንተዋወቅ
FAFSA grants pay school tuitions and you don’t have to pay them back.Scholarships are awarded based on academic, athletics or extracurricular club activity achievements. You pay back FAFSA loans in longer period of time compared to conventional loans.FAFSA loans have lower interest rates. Work study programs enable you to study while working. Akukulu Family Website https://akukulufamily.com Email info@akukulufamily.com, admin@akukulufamily.com, ceo@akukulufamily.com SHOW LESS
Spotlighted Content
Business
The knowledge of business concepts and money management are areas that minority communities should work on to reduce the racial wealth gap. Based on the recent data, minority communities own fewer businesses compared to white ethnic. Hence, the meanings and benefits of owning a business should be the educational goals in minority communities.
The governmental and non-governmental organizations provide business resources that provide knowledge-based training, create networking opportunities, and teach financing.
As a networking platform owned by a black woman, Akukulu Family strives to increase business concept awareness via information dissemination on
Investment
Resources
Education and Training
Networking
Finance-Grant and Loan
Entrepreneurship
Generational Wealth
Giving Back to Minority Community
Foundation for a Successful Business ለተሳካ ንግድ ጠንካራ መሠረት
Introducing a Systems Perspective for Your Organization አንድን ድርጅት መስርቶ ወደ ስኬት ለማምጣት እቅድ ፡ ቅንጅት እና ጊዜ ይፈልጋል።የባልድሪጅ የተሳካ ንግድ ዘዴ ተሞክሮ የተሳካ እና የንግድ ድርጅቶች የሚያድጉበት ነው።በተጨማሪም ለአዲስ እና ለነባር ድርጅቶች የሚሰራ ነው።ማስፈንጠሪያዎቹን በመጫን የተለያዩ ጠቃሚ መረጃዎችን ማግኘት ትችላላችሁ። Leading an organization is complex and often chaotic. Managing that complexity well requires a plan, tools, and time. Foundations for a Successful Business introduces the basic elements of a time-tested framework from which businesses grow and thrive. For decades, the Criteria for Performance Excellence® (part of the regularly revised Baldrige Excellence Framework®: Proven Leadership and Management Practices for High Performance) have served as a blueprint for successfully managing and sustaining organizations. Whether your organization is new, is growing, or has existed for many years, it faces daily and longer-term challenges. It also has strengths that have served you well so far. Foundations for a Successful Business helps you identify and leverage your strengths and prepare to face your challenges. As a result, you will be better able to position your organization to succeed—to accomplish your mission and achieve your vision—with a sense of greater clarity and with alignment among your leaders, employees, customers, and key partners. https://www.nist.gov/baldrige/self-assessing/improvement-tools/foundations-successful-business
SHOP for Small Business ሻፕ ለአነስተኛ የንግድ ተቋማት
ሻፕ ለአነስተኛ የንግድ ተቋማት የጤና እንክብካቤ ክፍያ እንዲያደርጉ የሚያግዝ ፕሮግራም ነው።ትርፋማ ለሆኑ እና ላልሆኑ ድርጅቶች የሚሰጥ ነው።ሻፕ ለቀጣሪዎች አመቺ እና በአቅማቸው መክፈል የሚችሉት ነው።መስፈርቱን ያሟሉ ድርጅቶች ለታክስ ድጎማ ያገኙበታል። The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) is for businesses and non-profit organizations that want to provide health and/or dental insurance to their employees. Offering coverage through the SHOP is affordable, flexible, and convenient. However, it is not the only coverage option for your business. Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) are a type of account-based health plan that employers can use to reimburse employees for their medical care expenses, including individual health insurance coverage, like a plan from the Individual Marketplace. Employers can decide what they contribute with no annual maximum. If you’re deciding between group coverage or an HRA, you can use our decision guide to find out which option fits the needs of your small business and employees. This guide will give you an overview of key things to know about group coverage and HRAs, including eligibility requirements, coverage options, and costs. Tax season is underway, and if your small business was enrolled in Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) coverage in 2022 or previous years, you may need some tax-related information about your health insurance. For each year employees have SHOP coverage, they’ll receive a Tax Form 1095-B that reports the type of coverage they had, dependents covered by their insurance policy, and the period of coverage. This form is generated by insurance companies that offer SHOP coverage. If you need the form, or have questions about it: Employers should contact the health insurance company they enrolled with. Your 1095-B will also include your business’ unique Marketplace identifier number. Employees should contact their employer or the health insurance company they enrolled with if they have not received their 1095-B. Note: The SHOP does not generate or distribute Tax Form 1095-B to consumers enrolled in SHOP coverage. Employers should keep a record of all tax documents and SHOP payment information for each year of their SHOP coverage. To read additional guidance on Tax Form 1095-B, visit IRS.gov. https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/choose-and-enroll/shop-marketplace-overview/?utm_campaign=hcgov_shop&utm_content=enroll2022&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
QSEHRA Health Reimbursement ኪሴራ የጤና ወጪ ድጎማ ለአነስተኛ የንግድ ተቋማት
አነስተኛ የንግድ ተቋማት ለሙሉ ሰዓት ሰራተኞቻቸው የጤና ኢንሹራንስ ማቅረብ ካልቻሉ ኪሴራን በመስጠት ሰራተኞቻቸውን መርዳት ይችላሉ።ቀጣሪዎች ሰራተኞቻቸው በጤና ኢንሹራንሶቻቸው በኩል ላወጡት ወጪ ግብር የማይከፈልበት ተመላሽ ገንዘብ ይሰጡዋቸዋል።ለኪሴራ መስፈርቱን የሚያሟሉ ቀጣሪዎች የሰራተኛ ቁጥራቸው ከሃምሳ በታች የሆነ እና በሻፕ ስር የጤና ኢንሹራንስ የማያቀርቡ መሆን አለባቸው። Small employers who don’t offer group health coverage to their employees can help employees pay for medical expenses through a Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA). A QSEHRA allows small employers to provide non-taxed reimbursement of certain medical care expenses, like health insurance premiums and coinsurance, to employees who maintain minimum essential coverage (MEC), like a plan from the Individual Marketplace. To get non-taxed reimbursements from a QSEHRA, an employee (and any covered spouse and dependents) must be enrolled in MEC. To provide a QSEHRA to its employees, a small employer generally must: Have fewer than 50 full-time employees. Provide the arrangement on the same terms to all eligible employees (reimbursement amounts may only vary based on age and the number of individuals covered). Not offer a group health plan, such as Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) coverage, or a flexible spending account. For more information on QSEHRAs, see these resources: Article: Qualified Small Employer HRAs (QSEHRAs) Article: Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) for small employers Notice: Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2017-47 Have questions? Contact your insurance company or a SHOP-registered agent or broker for help with SHOP coverage. For additional assistance, contact the SHOP Call Center at 1-800-706-7893 (TTY: 1-888-201-6445). To learn more about Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), visit this webpage. Talk to a licensed tax professional, benefits specialist, or a registered agent or broker to find out more about whether an HRA or traditional group coverage is right for your business.
Business Registrations/ንግድዎን ያስመዝግቡ
A. State Business Registration (Not Free)/በሚኖሩበት ግዛት ንግድዎን ያስመዝግቡ ክፍያ አለው Example-for the state of Maryland follow these steps State of Maryland https://egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress 2-a Create an Account https://egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress 2-b Register your Business through articles of organization Get your SDAT number from Maryland Gov starting with a letter D, F, W, L, T, Z (Please note this is not your EIN number from IRS) 3-b Apply for Maryland Tax and Insurance Accounts You only need to apply for the first Tax option (Sales and Use Tax License) 4-c Apply for General Licensing and Permitting Registrations (Not sure of the options for pricing) https://onestop.md.gov/ You will issue your licenses and permits here. B. Apply for EIN from IRS (Not Free)/በ IRS ያስመዝግቡ ክፍያ አለው https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online IRS Customer Service Number 1-800-829-1040 C. Apply for SAM UEID Number & CAGE CODE (Free)/ከመንግስት ጋር ንግድ ለመስራት ክፍያ የለውም https://sam.gov/content/home SAM-FSD-Federal Service Desk 1-866-606-8220 DLA-Defense Logistics Agency 1-877-352-2255 D. US Patent & Trademark Office/የአሜሪካ የፈጠራ ባለቤትነት እና የንግድ ምልክት ፈቃድ ቢሮ https://www.uspto.gov/ Customer Service Number 1-800-786-9199
የንግድ ስራ መጀመር ይፈልጋሉ?
የንግድ ስራን ለመጀመር ፈልገው ከየት እንደሚጀምሩ ተቸግረው ይሆናል።እኔ ካሳለፍኩት ጥቂት የንግድ ልምድ ሳካፍል የመነሻ ሃሳቡን በአራት ከፍዬ አስቀምጬዋለሁ፡ #የንግድ ስራ #ምን ልጀምር #እንዴት ልጀምር #ዝግጅት ድህረ ግጻችንን ይጎብኙ https://akukulufamily.com ፓድካስታችንንም ያድምጡ
Recent Maryland State Funding Opportunities / የቅርብ ጊዜ የሜሪላንድ ግዛት የገንዘብ ድጋፍ እድሎች
በአሜሪካ መንግስት የሜሪላንድ ግዛት የፋይናንስ ቢሮ በሜሪላንድ ለሚኖሩ ዜጋ ላልሆኑ ቋሚ ነዋሪዎች የፌደራል መንግስት እና ሌሎች የገንዘብ እርዳትዎችን እንደሚሰጥ አስታወቀ።የገንዘብ እርዳውን ለመቀበል ዋናው መስፈርት የግሪን ካርድ ወይም የቋሚ ነዋሪነት ሰርቲፊኬት ባለቤት መሆን ነው። የገንዘብ ድጋፉ በአብዛኛውን የሚሰጠው ለትናንሽ የንግድ ተቋማት ፡ ለኮሌጅ ትምህርት ፡ ለመኖሪያ ቤት ድጋፍ ፡ ለጦር ተመላሾች/ለቬትራንስ ፡ እና ለህዝባዊ ልማት ስራ ነው። The U.S. government and Maryland’s office of finance has put in $11,805.00 million dollars in federal grants and $9,405.00 million dollars in other types of government financial aid for permanent residents who live in the state of Maryland. As long as you have a valid citizenship card (green card) or a permanent resident certificate, you may be eligible to apply and receive Maryland government grants. Government funding in Maryland is distributed to different economic sectors, with the majority of the budget in business, education (pell & college grants), housing, veteran, and personal grants. • Maryland Small Business Grants: Starting and running a business in Maryland can be a risky task. More than 29,105 small businesses or even large corporations file for bankruptcy every single year. To reduce the risks, you have to look into as many funding sources as possible. Here is more information on Maryland Small Business Grants • Maryland Education Grants: Education plays an important role in Maryland. The federal government in Maryland invest over $12,758,707,718.00 dollars every year in elementary and secondary institutions alone. Education grants are available for students or even teachers in Maryland to complete and enhance their level of education. Here is more information on Maryland Education Grants. • Maryland Housing Grants: At an average market value of $329,400.00 per housing property, there are more than 2,370,000 real estate properties in the state of Maryland. With an average annual household income of $70,545.00, only 70.60% of the people actually paid off their mortgages. A good portion of the residents in Maryland cannot afford to pay off their mortgages. department of finance has set aside financial assistance in the form of housing grants to the people in need, especially if you work at home. Here is more information on Maryland Housing Grants. • Maryland Veteran Grants: Residents of Maryland who have enrolled or who are current serving the military, naval, and air foce are able to claim and receive government funding in the form of veteran grants. Here’s more information on Maryland Veteran Grants. • Maryland Personal Grants: The local state government in Maryland does not offer financial support to its residents for personal needs such as getting out of debt, financing a vehicle…etc. However, Maryland residents are eligible to apply for personal grants to receive financial assistance to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation to the ecomony of Maryland. Here’s more information on Maryland Personal Grants • Picture • Maryland Small Business Grant (20), Maryland Housing Grant (21), Maryland Veteran Grant (22), Maryland Personal Grant (23), Maryland Education Grant (24)
Spotlighted Content
Recreation
Recreaction brings families together; however, families need to dedicate time to it. Sport and Leisure make room for families to share ideas and moments. These special moments encourage family communication and understanding.
Recreation habits can be passed down to kids which in turn encourage quality and healthy life.
Thus, the overall benefits of recreation include active and healthy lifestyles.
Akukulu Family will provide information
-Sport
-Leisure