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People of Louisiana – Business (June 2020)

 

TIA WHITTINGTON

Blogger

Owner & CEO
H Kyle Boutique

TIA WHITTINGTON Owner & CEO, H Kyle Boutique

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Tia Whittington is a blogger and the owner and CEO of H Kyle Boutique, a boutique that focuses on women’s apparel and custom items. Tia never thought that she’d see the day where she would be living her and her mother’s avid dream – owning a storefront. In Tia’s younger years, she and her mother, Martha, shared a passion for shopping. As an only child, all of Tia’s Saturdays were filled with ripping and running the streets of Baton Rouge for a day of shopping with Martha that always ended with dinner. Saturday shopping quickly grew to be their beloved tradition.

Tia and Martha always talked about opening a boutique of their own once Martha retired from her job as a Patient Accounts Representative at Ochsner Clinic. In the meantime, while she worked on making their dream become a reality, Tia became a certified early childhood teacher, teaching kindergarten students of East Baton Rouge, Iberville, and Ascension Parish School Systems respectfully. Unfortunately, Martha succumbed to her battle with cancer before seeing the dreams of a brick and mortar store come to fruition. After the loss of her mother, Tia put their vision on pause to continue teaching. But it was through teaching that Tia saw the start of her and her mother’s dream come to life. While Tia was still a teacher, she began to dabble in customization and made a sweatshirt for herself. One day Tia wore the sweatshirt to school, and several teachers wanted one just like hers. It is safe to say it was that moment H Kyle was born, and it is also safe to say Martha wanted their dream to continue through Tia.

H Kyle is the namesake of her daughter, Harper Kyle. It took Tia no thought to pass H Kyle Boutique to her daughter just as Martha passed down the dream to her. After teaching and operating H Kyle solely as an online boutique, Tia stepped out on faith and opened her first brick and mortar store in September of 2015. Tia has been in business for the last five years and has loved every moment of the rollercoaster that is being an entrepreneur. Interacting with her loving customers and forming new friendships every day is often the highlight of her day. Tia knows that her Martha is watching her from above proud to see that she made their dream come true.

H Kyle Boutique is located at 14601 Airline Hwy, Suite 106, in Gonzales, LA, and online at shophkyle.com.

You can also find Tia’s lifestyle blog at www.TiaWhittington.com

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Be in Full Voice, Exercise Agency, and Extend Grace

 

Be in Full Voice, Exercise Agency, and Extend Grace

Words from
Dr. Adren Wilson

Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor John Bel Edwards

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Be in Full Voice, Exercise Agency, and Extend Grace

I was asked by First Lady Donna Edwards to share my written reflections on the horrors of the last weeks and months as African Americans – Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and others – have senselessly been killed by those charged to protect them and the resulting protests across the country. As an African American man it is hard to fully express the emotions I am feeling all at once, which include anger, frustration, sadness, and despair, so I decided that the only way I could make sense of all of this for myself is to reflect on a couple of defining moments and influences in my life as a Black man.

I will forever be shaped by my journey that began in rural Louisiana, and forever shaped more by the color of my skin than any other influence in my life. Personally, having grown up in the 1980s in extreme poverty as a Black man in rural Louisiana with a single mother and four younger sisters, with no running water or indoor plumbing in the home, and going days and nights without food, I understand the importance of the American dream. The hope the American dream offers is that every person will be worthy of respect and live a life full of opportunity, peace, and prosperity, if they only just work a little harder, and educate themselves just a little more. However, it only took 30 seconds the first time I was called the “n-word” or when I was face down on pavement with officers standing above me with guns drawn for me to realize that, regardless of what I do to educate myself, for some I would always be a second class citizen living in their nation-state. In the face of that I remain forever grateful for my African-American mother, teachers and mentors of all races who dreamed for me until I could dream for myself!  Unfortunately, they would never be able to dream away the harsh realities of growing up as Black man in America.

The first time I saw the video of George Floyd’s life being suffocated from his body I thought about Marian Wright Edelman, my mentor and second mom, and so many other luminaries from the civil rights movement, some of whom are no longer with us, who taught me powerful lessons. All at once I was numb to an American horror narrative that replays itself over and over and over again. For those of you who don’t know Mrs. Edelman, she worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement, is a life-long children’s advocate who founded the Children’s Defense Fund, was the first African American woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar after graduating from Yale Law School, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000. Through my experiences with Mrs. Edelman, I had the opportunity to learn from the leaders of the civil rights movement and understand the power of collective action and the brutality of police officers and white mobs as people fought for the right to vote and for opportunity for their families. I remember sitting at the feet of these American luminaries and feeling humbled as they shared that they would sing civil rights songs to overcome the fear of the beatings they knew were right around the corner and hearing that they knew fear – that they were afraid – but understood that this was a calling to demand justice they had to answer. It was their moment.

Since the initial viewing of the video of the killing of George Floyd, America’s children – Black and White and Brown and Young and Old – have taken to the streets in ways our country hasn’t seen since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. I am struck by the following questions: What will we learn from this moment? What will change in our country as a result of this moment? How will my white sisters and brothers help bring about that change?  How will I as a Black man ever feel fully safe?

What is clear to me is that any reasonable path forward requires all of us to be in full voice, to exercise our God-given agency, and to extend Grace. These words of Marian Wright Edelman always speak to me in a special way: “If you don’t like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.” This is our time, our moment to take steps together to finally end America’s original sin: racism.

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Dr. Adren Wilson

Dr. Adren Wilson is a talented national leader committed to equity and justice. He currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor John Bel Edwards. Most recently, Dr. Wilson served as the national CEO of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps national service program that has advanced the leadership of more than 8,000 diverse young leaders in 25 cities since 1992. Under Dr. Wilson’s leadership, Public Allies has expanded its presence in the Gulf South and recently launched its newest program in New Orleans.

A native of rural Louisiana who himself grew up in extreme poverty, Dr. Wilson has held an escalating series of leadership positions as a national CEO, community leader, administrator, and reformer working to lift individuals, families, and communities out of poverty. Prior to joining Public Allies in 2014, he led workforce development and community college retention efforts as Gulf Coast Regional Director for Single Stop USA. Previously, he developed transformational leaders for public schools as Executive Director of New Leaders Greater New Orleans; worked to end persistent poverty in the South by leading the Equity and Inclusion Campaign; and trained thousands of young leaders to advocate for and serve the needs of vulnerable children and families as National Director of Youth and Student Leadership at The Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., and later in Louisiana. 

In this capacity, he led youth leadership development programs such as Freedom Schools, the Student Leadership Network for Children (SLNC) and Advanced Service and Advocacy Workshops. Under Dr. Wilson’s leadership, CDF trained thousands of college students representing LSU, Southern University, Harvard, Yale, Morehouse, Spelman and countless other institutions, at the former Alex Haley Farm in Clinton, TN.

His early career in education included serving as a middle school history teacher in Baton Rouge, LA and working in numerous capacities at Louisiana State University. Dr. Wilson served as Residence Life Coordinator, Admissions Officer, and University Advisor for a group of 4,500 students. Through his work at LSU, he received many honors, including University Advisor of the Year. In 1995, the institution established the “Adren Wilson Outstanding LSU Ambassador Award,” an undergraduate leadership honor that is bestowed annually on a top LSU Ambassador.

Wilson earned a Master in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and he has a doctorate in Public Policy from the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Southern University. He received Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Political Science from Louisiana State University.

 

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People of Louisiana – Schools (June 2020)

 

LACEY BLOCKER

6th/7th English Language Arts teacher

2020 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year Finalist
Maplewood Middle School, Calcasieu Parish

Lacey Blocker 6th/7th English Language Arts teacher

A Focus on Our Family
Written by Lacey Blocker

The last couple of months have been a struggle for many Louisiana families. For me personally, not teaching in my classroom everyday doing one of the things I know I was created to do has been a challenge. I miss my students. I miss my coworkers. I miss my church and family.

However, one important truth I learned early on during the quarantine was even though I was aware of the adversities that came along with a pandemic, my 5-year-old daughter was completely oblivious. Through her eyes, this was a time to experience adventures with mommy: eat meals together, cook together, read with each other, watch movies, and the list goes on and on! I quickly learned I had the power to make this a memorable time for her.

Maybe instead of this being a season of panic, I could help create a season of peace for her, shifting any of her fears to increasing her faith. When the world around her is unstable, I know it is my job to provide a strong foundation. It dawned on me, I wanted her to be able to look back in 10 years and think, “Those were some of my happiest childhood memories.” Because of this new reality, I strived to adjust my thinking and shift my perspective.  

While the school year has officially ended, giving additional love and attention to our families becomes even more crucial. Our families need us now more than ever!  Their mental and physical well-being depends on how we invest in them. This is a time to pour into our children, spouses, and possibly extended loved ones.

I recently came across a story about the importance of family. In his book “In the Eye of the Storm” Max Lucado recounts the following details:

“Clovis Chappel, a minister from a century back, used to tell the story of two paddleboats. They left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail’s pace of the other. Words were exchanged. Challenges were made. And the race began. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South. One boat began falling behind. Not enough fuel. There had been plenty of fuel for the trip, but not enough for a race. As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship’s cargo and tossed it into the ovens. When the sailors saw the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race but burned their cargo. God has entrusted cargo to us, too: children, spouses, friends. Our job is to do our part in seeing that this cargo reaches its greatest potential.”

This story reminded me of two very important lessons relating to our families. The first lesson is sometimes the jobs of life can take precedent over the family it was meant to support. While our jobs are important and vital to our survival, our family is indeed precious cargo. Time with our family is irreplaceable. The summer provides great opportunities to spend with family. Here are a few ideas that can help you engage your children or teens during this time.

  • Go for a walk or hike with your family

  • Ride bikes

  • Play outside

  • Cook a healthy meal together

  • Play a board game

  • Family movie night

  • Teach your children a life lesson appropriate to their age – such as folding clothes, making their bed, checking air in the car tires, balancing a check book, sewing, or making a craft

  • Go on a picnic

  • Read a book or story

  • Keep a journal

  • Write letters to elders in your local nursing home

While the summer months may not be exactly what we are accustomed to, there are still many creative ways we can have fun with our family. I recently started a bingo game of activities with my daughter to help engage in some of the activities listed above. Check out the Summer Bucket List I created to help engage your children or teens.

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Another lesson I learned from Max Lucado’s illustration reveals that as parents we shouldn’t burn the cargo to win the race. The cargo, our family, is the reason for the journey in the first place. Our children and family should be the priority not the sacrifice to other tasks. One of my beliefs as an educator is that our students are not distractions from more important work, they are the MOST important work! This rings true for our own children as well.

As a parent I am learning that children are only young for a short season. I am working diligently to make the most of this very important season in my own daughter’s life. Any person can be her teacher. I’m the only one who can be her mom! I hope the lessons I have learned during quarantine will help you as you continue making the most of this time with your own family throughout the summer months. It would be a shame if we go through this entire epidemic and don’t learn anything through it and life resumes exactly the same way it was before the quarantine. Knowing what I know now, I’m sure it won’t be. I’ll be happier, and I believe my family will be better off for it. I know yours can be as well.

 

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People of Louisiana – Military (June 2020)

 

DR. TIM JOHNSON

Director
Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery
Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Tim Johnson Director, Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery

The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs operates five veterans’ cemeteries located across the state offering a final resting place of honor for Louisiana’s veterans, their spouses and their dependent children. The cemeteries are tranquil featuring beautiful grounds and a covered shelter for committal services.

Many of LDVA’s 840 employees are veterans, or have a veteran in their family. The son of an Air Force veteran, Dr. Tim Johnson is the director of the Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Rayville. His father’s service greatly influenced his deep appreciation of veterans, and he considers it an honor and a privilege to serve veterans and their families in his capacity. Under his direction, the cemetery received the National Operational Excellence Award in October of 2019, one of the highest honors from the National Cemetery Administration.

Aside from his role as director, Dr. Johnson serves as a chaplain to those who have no minister to assist them at the cemetery. He received his doctorate from Andersonville Theological Seminary and has been in the pastoral ministry for more than 44 years.

On March 17, in keeping with the National Cemetery Administration, Louisiana Office of Public Health and CDC guidelines, burial honors at all five state-run veterans’ cemeteries were temporarily suspended due to COVID-19. During this time, burials were conducted with services to be scheduled at a later date. Cemetery offices were also closed, yet all directors including Dr. Johnson continued to serve veterans’ families. He manned the office’s phone remotely working to assist families during one of the most challenging times of their lives.

Effective June 9, committal services resumed and offices reopened at all veterans’ cemeteries. For more information about LDVA’s five state-run veterans’ cemeteries, visit https://www.vetaffairs.la.gov/benefit/veterans-cemeteries/

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Front, L-R: Don Gilley, David Singley, Chris Colvin, Cemetery Superintendent Randy Joiner and Cemetery Director Dr. Tim Johnson Back, L-R: National Cemetery Administration Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Randy Reeves and LDVA Secretary COL Joey Strickland
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People of Louisiana – Community (June 2020)

 

COMMUNITY

Brooke It Forward
FOUNDATION

 

Brooke It Forward Foundation

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The Brooke It Forward Foundation celebrates the birthdays of children served by Louisiana’s Children Advocacy Centers (CACs). With the blessing of a young girl in Kentucky who put together the first “Birthday Boxes,” Brooke It Forward assembles the essentials for a birthday party in a shoebox-sized container. The boxes containing cake mix, icing, plates, candles, and so much more are gifted to each child near the time of their birthday.

A birthday celebration is about more than just a birthday. Counselors at the CACs incorporate the Birthday Boxes into the healing process by providing families with a positive, child-focused activity (baking and decorating a cake) that celebrates not only the child’s birthday but more importantly each child’s uniqueness and dignity.

On June 12, 2019, the family of Brooke Posey delivered twenty boxes to CAC – Hope House in Covington, Louisiana in honor of what would have been Brooke’s 20th birthday. Quickly realizing that twenty boxes would not suffice for Hope House and that there are thousands of children being served by the State’s other CACs, Brooke It Forward was launched. The foundation established a goal to share the “Birthday Box” Program with all Louisiana’s CACs desiring the program within five years.

In keeping with the goal and in celebration of its “first birthday,” Brooke It Forward teamed up with the Louisiana Alliance of Children’s Advocacy Centers (LACAC) to plan a community-wide launch for the children of Plaquemines Community CARE Center, the CAC serving Plaquemines parish. Though the pandemic caused by Covid-19 has forced a slight change in plans, Brooke It Forward remains determined. The “Birthday Box” Program for Plaquemines Community CARE Center will be celebrated through Facebook Live beginning at Noon on Friday June 12, 2020. A “Best Birthdays of 2020 Photo Contest” is being held in conjunction with the online event.  The contest is open for anyone to share a photo depicting how birthdays have been celebrated in 2020.

For more details about the Brooke It Forward Foundation and/or the “Best Birthdays of 2020 Photo Contest” go to www.BrookeItForward.org

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Women’s Health – June 2020

 

Women’s Health

WOMEN'S HEALTH BLOG June 2020

Empowering Women
For Wellness

Written by Kimiyo Harris Williams, MD

Reclined in my deep crimson chair, feet up on its matching tufted leather ottoman, on this relaxing late Sunday afternoon, I reflect on the current state-of-our nation and the world. I breathe, watching the raindrops fall from the grayish-white sky, seeing full branches on the trees wave and the blooming lavender petals of my Agapanthus blow in the rhythm of the wind, and think of life’s rhythms. Inhaling the sweet aroma of fresh spring air and wet grass through my window, slightly ajar, I ponder, “What a difference four months has made?”

At this moment in time, the “simple” things mean so much. It is a time to reflect and consider the experiences and relationships that impact our lives. As we focus our attention on women, I reflect on a woman of great importance in my life. It was late-March of this year, in the midst of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I was practicing self-care, enjoying a few minutes of live Instagram music, when I received a call. My friend’s words are unforgettable: “I am at the hospital. I am having trouble breathing, and I have fever.” I remember her weak voice so vividly. The music stopped instantly.

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Unfortunately, too many of us can tell a similar story. Each and every one of our lives have been impacted by COVID-19, both directly and indirectly. There were times when I didn’t want to answer the phone or view social media, for fear of learning that another family member, friend, or acquaintance had been diagnosed. However, thankfully, even though the reports of positive diagnoses were growing, the calls reporting recovery increased.

The consistent pattern that remains, though, is the disproportionate rate of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 among people of color, who historically have higher rates of the underlying conditions that lead to COVID-19-related deaths. As of the writing of this blog post, according to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDC), there have been over 43,000 cases of Coronavirus, over 2,800 deaths, and over 33,000 presumed recoveries in Louisiana. Deaths related to COVID-19 are distributed among the races as follows: 53.9% Blacks; 43.48% Whites; 0.78% Asians; and 1.56% Other/Unknown. 46% of these deaths were of women; 54% were of men.

According to the CDC, the limited data we have suggests that “chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, cardiac disease with complications, diabetes, or immunocompromising conditions” are the highest underlying co-morbid diseases for those who suffer the greatest impacts from infection by COVID-19. Older people who suffer from these preexisting conditions are at a significantly greater risk for poor outcomes among those diagnosed with the novel Coronavirus.

Among a great number of people who do not have these preexisting conditions, the virus generally causes mild infection, and many are asymptomatic. Recent data also suggest that women have better outcomes as opposed to men.

The fight against COVID-19 was an exhausting battle for my friend, who already struggled with a chronic heart condition. It took all that she had to combat the virus, which kept her in the hospital for 17 days and took away her ability to walk independently. As her symptoms rapidly progressed at home, it was a mutual friend who encouraged her to seek immediate medical attention. While she was in the hospital, I spoke to her almost every day and tried my best to empower her in her fight against COVID-19. I kept the conversations positive and encouraged her to eat and stay hydrated and to reach out to her minister for spiritual support. I spoke to her physicians, as her advocate, helping her to understand her medical plan and make decisions regarding treatment, which empowered me to help her as well as others in my life fighting COVID-19. We all have to step in and be our sister’s keepers during this pandemic.

As the novel Coronavirus curve flattens in Louisiana and we begin to re-open, we must continue to follow the CDC’s guidelines for “Opening Up America Again” and Louisiana’s guidelines to OpenSafely, as well as those of our local governments and public health departments. When considering returning to work, if you have questions, contact your healthcare provider or check out The New England Journal of Medicine article “Is It Safe For Me to Return to Work?” Clinicians consider patients’ occupational risk of contracting the novel Coronavirus and any underlying chronic disease when advising their patients as we return to work. To learn more about risk factors, you may also visit the CDC page “People Who Are At Higher Risk.”

It is important for us to keep in mind that medical experts predict a second wave of COVID-19. It is vital for women to become more intentional about our health. We have to act now to improve our health to combat the potential poor outcomes from COVID-19. I suggest a few simple changes that can have a great impact on improving our health:

1. Drink more water.
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
3. Eat less processed foods.
4. Exercise 30-45 minutes a day.
5. Consume less sugar/sweets.
6. Get enough sleep.
7. Visit your doctor for regular checkups and keep follow up appointments.
8. Reduce Stress. Check out Mayo Clinic’s “Healthy Lifestyle: Stress Management” for ideas.

Before implementing any of these recommendations, consult with your healthcare provider.

Remember to take small steps at a time. Celebrate your victories. Do not get discouraged because every day is a new day!

As the sky transitions into a charcoal gray color, my window-view of the green trees and purple flowers fades into the night’s shadow. As I listen to the melody of the insects’ song and a cool breeze blows through the window, I feel a sense of calm and confidence that we will overcome, just as my friend did. We have the strength to win. Start now by loving yourself enough to walk in wellness.

Self-Love is Healthy Living!!! I am My Sister’s Keeper!!!

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Kimiyo Harris Williams, MD

Kimiyo Harris Williams, M.D. is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a native of New Orleans, LA. Educating her patients and encouraging healthy habits has been the foundational framework of her practice of medicine. She strongly supports health advocacy and empowers her patients and their parents to be intentional regarding their health and wellness. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology/Pre-Medicine from Xavier University of LA.  

Upon completion of her studies at Xavier University, she embarked upon a career in research in the department of Pulmonary Critical Care at Louisiana State University School of Medicine. Her desire to transition her career to clinical medicine led her to pursue a Doctorate of Medicine degree. She received her Doctorate of Medicine degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans and completed her pediatric residency training at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans and LSU Health Sciences Center Pediatric Residency Program.  

 

Dr. Williams’ career includes both academic and clinical medicine over the past 20 years. She has served as a faculty member at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital’s Family Practice Residency Program in Georgia as an Assistant Professor in the Department Of Family Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine. Thereafter, she was in private pediatric practice for over 15 years. She has been recently appointed as a Public Health Equity Ambassador by the Louisiana Department of Health.

Additionally, Dr. Williams is a Louisiana Center for Health Equity (LCHE)Board Member , affiliated with the Delta Research and Educational Foundation Research Matters Program under the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program and the CEO of K.H. Williams Enterprises, INC. She was the inaugural author of the Women’s Health Section in First Lady, Donna Edwards’ Louisiana First Foundation’s (LFF) monthly blog.

Additionally, she has been a featured author of several additional articles in multiple LFF Blog publications. Dr. Williams was honored to present the Keynote Address at the Louisiana Women’s Day and Retreat at the Louisiana State Capitol in the Governor’s Press Conference Room in May of 2018. In May 2020, Dr. Williams served as a guest speaker and panelist for National Women’s Health Week “More Power: Women at the Polls and in Policy” Women’s Day Webinar hosted by LCHE.  

As an entrepreneur and co-owner of a private pediatric practice for over 12 years and CEO of K.H. Williams Enterprises, Inc., Dr. Williams has  an opportunity to exercise leadership, organization, financial fortitude and vision. K. H. Williams Enterprises, Inc. was created out of a desire to provide mentorship, education, medical services and consultation. Personally, Dr. Williams cherishes being a wife, mother of two sons, bonus mother of three and grandmother of three. She truly has a fulfilling life. Taking time to embrace and cultivate relationships both personally and professionally are very important. Moreover, she is dedicated to continuing to serve the community.    

Her personal mission is “Embracing Professionalism and Community with Compassion.”

 

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Louisiana Fosters – Website Launch

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Louisiana Fosters

New Website Launch!

 

New Website Launch!

In the past few months the Louisiana Fosters section of the First Lady’s Blog has focused of how to help the foster care community during these unprecedented times. When emergencies happen, we push through and become resilient to protect and take care of our families. However, for children in the foster care system the plague of instability and uncertainty is an everyday challenge. When the added stress of a pandemic is inflicted on this already vulnerable population it is even more crucial for our communities to rise up and provide a safety net for these kiddos in need and distress. It is not lost on us the tremendous needs for a community hub to provide up to date and accurate information on organizations that are available and on standby waiting to offer a hand to our kiddos.

Our team along with DCFS have been working to release our new Louisiana Fosters Web site that will better meet the needs of the foster care community. We are pleased to announce that our website is now live and ready to meet the needs of our partners and our foster care community. Easier access to resources and partners on an easy to read clickable map of Louisiana is the outreach tool we have been looking forward to for our Foster care community. This tool will allow anyone needing services in the Foster care arena to access, locate and utilize state-wide resources that are in place to support them in their time of need.

Everyone can do something. This motto is deeply threaded into the hearts of our team at Louisiana Fosters. At the top of the new site you will see a tab that says “I AM A” this tab is there to identify community members who want to help but may not know what they can do or how they can help. From donating a gift card, to becoming a foster family, your role makes a difference in the lives of foster care children every day. Nothing you do is insignificant. The phrase “every little bit helps” may seem cliché, but has never been truer for this population. Did you know that one $50.00 gift card could provide a device for these kids to have access to much needed tele-health and tele-mental health they so desperately need?

There are many things to overlook while we strive to travel less and stay home more, but taking care of these kiddos isn’t one of them. Drawing from my deep faith and love for Jesus I have to believe what the bible tells us:

 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27

 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? James 2: 15-16

 Learn to do what is good.
Pursue justice.
Correct the oppressor
Defend the rights of the fatherless.
Plead the widow’s cause.

Isaiah 1:17

This is the true heart of LA Fosters – to help and love the children in the foster care system. We hope the launch of this site will help this race we are running. We hope you find a way to give to this community in your own and unique way. Take a look at the site and let us know what you think! Stay healthy Louisiana!

Sincerely,
Katie McElveen
Director
Louisiana Fosters

Visit the Louisiana Fosters Website

 

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Anti-Human Trafficking – Covenant House: Reflections from Jim

ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Covenant House

Reflections from Jim
 
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WORTHY

Jim Kelly – Executive Director and Founder of Covenant House New Orleans

During the Covid19 Crisis, Jim Kelly has been writing “Reflections from Jim”. Below is an excerpt from one of his writings. You can see more of his reflections here:
https://www.covenanthousenola.org/category/reflections-from-jim/ 

WORTHY

Many of us were blessed to grow up in loving families. Perfect, of course not. No family is. But the good far, far outweighed any negatives.

Sadly, that is not the world that our Covenant House youth have known. Instead, too many have repeatedly been told they are worthless—that they will never amount to anything.

Sheri, a former resident who now leads our human trafficking team, experienced years of child abuse, sexual assault, domestic and street violence:

“As a child, I never felt worthy of anything. I hid from my father—and the constant beatings. At school, I worried that people would find out what was happening to me at home, and I’d get in trouble. Then I ended up in the child welfare system… bouncing from one group home to another, from one facility to another. On the first Saturday of each month, we would gather in the cafeteria for potential foster care parents to ‘interview’ us… ask us questions… look us up and down. One or two kids would be chosen. For the rest of us? Rejection. Was I not smart enough? Was I not pretty enough? What was wrong with me? I had plenty of self-doubt—and absolutely no self-worth. Eventually, I ended up at Covenant House. Miss Archie, Miss Melba and Mr. Steve helped me to heal. They helped launch me on a new path.

 It was the first time in my life I was truly proud of myself.

No matter how much counseling you receive; the scars are permanent.

I came back to work at Covenant House, believing I could reach these young women. I could truly relate to all they had been through. I am very proud at how successful I have been—and how successful our team has been.”

Despite her many accomplishments in fighting human trafficking, Sheri still has those days when she fills up with self-doubt—not believing in her own goodness and beauty.

Not believing in her worth.

The COVID-19 pandemic can be triggering for many of us: bringing up traumatic memories of child abuse, bullying, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, mental illness, and, of course, Katrina.

Yesterday’s Washington Post reported on a new mental health study. Louisiana ranked only behind Mississippi in our rate of clinical anxiety and depression in the midst of the Coronavirus.

What better time for each of us to reach out to our parents, our siblings, our children, our close friends and tell them how much we love them—and how proud we are of them.

“You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you…” Isaiah 43:4

Every day, or almost every day, I tell Sheri that I love her and that I am proud of her.

 

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Blog – June 2020

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JUNE 2020
Volume 2, Edition 8

June
2020

Volume 2, Edition 8
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A Word from the
First Lady of Louisiana

This month’s blog has not been as easy to write as I thought it would be.  I’ve been afraid of not saying the right thing or that my words would be criticized through the eyes of other people’s hurt and prejudices. And then there was the fear of offending people on both sides of the political spectrum. But this is not political, my friends.  

I start by saying there’s no way that I can justly put myself in the same shoes as my African-American brothers and sisters. Nor can I put myself in the same shoes as my Jewish brothers and sisters who have been through so much themselves. Even my Cajun and Italian brothers and sisters who also had to pave their way throughout history.

However, at this time, the focus is on our African-American brothers and sisters. I recently read the post below.

This post made me stop. It reminded me how hurtful words and actions could be to others. This is more than just about words, it’s also about actions. It’s about moving forward together arm in arm. Acknowledging that our Black brothers and sisters should have the same opportunities and be treated in the same way and manner as we all want to be treated.  Some might ask, “Well, what’s holding African-Americans back, how are they not able to move forward?” If we’re honest with ourselves, there are many obstacles still in the way, and one of those is prejudice.

Years ago, I attended a Bible study and heard someone say, “I’m prejudiced, and that is one thing I’m NOT going to be able to change about myself.” That statement was made after reading words from the Bible that specifically referred to what God says about prejudice and injustice. I have thought about that statement often.

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, and plead the widow’s cause.” (Isaiah 1:17 )

Is it really okay to ignore some of God’s words and directions and only choose the ones we like? No, it is not. I am called to change and be a better person and neighbor.  So, I choose today and every day to align myself with God’s word. I am not perfect, I also have to filter my thoughts, words, and adjust my mindset at times.  I pray to be a better person each day. It’s time, my friends, time to love your neighbor as yourself. It’s time to reach across the aisle, across the street, and across town.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? “(Micah 6:8)

I was talking with one of my White friends the other day.  She shared a story of her boys when they were young. Her boys loved to play outside with Nerf guns running throughout the neighborhood. This was a game they played often. On this particular day, the boys had a few friends over. One of the young boys was African-American. They decided to go outside and play their favorite game, Nerf wars. Within a short period of time, the police showed up because of a call from someone in the neighborhood. This neighbor made the call because of the young black boy running around with a gun, a Nerf gun, like the other boys. It was quite a task for my friend to explain what happened to this child’s mother, her African-American friend. So why did this happen? Plain and simple, it was prejudice.

Racial prejudice is wrong, and we all have to try to do our best to change it. But it will never change unless we first learn what real love is and that love recognizes that every person is worthy because he or she is created in the image of God. As a Christian, I am taught to follow Christ. In the New Testament, Jesus preached love. In the gospel of John, he said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34)

(Philippians 2:3) Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves

Jesus crossed racial, political, and gender boundaries to love equally, individually, and without prejudice. We often see in the Bible where Jesus stands up for the people who could not stand up for themselves, standing with people whom others would not stand near or speaking up for those that could not speak for themselves. Jesus teaches us that sometimes you have to sit and listen to others in order to understand them and know their hearts and from where they come. Through listening to others, we learn more about them and can support their feelings and understand their actions in a better way. He talked about the love of God, and He lived the love of God. Jesus’ life showed us love and love in action. That’s why actions often speak louder than words.

So let’s pause for a few minutes and listen to those on the receiving end of racial injustice. We shouldn’t reject their stories because they don’t match our own experiences, or dismiss their words because we don’t understand what they’re going through.   We shouldn’t respond with, “I have a right to my own opinion.” While it’s true that we have our own opinions, we should test those opinions with God’s word, with what is moral and just. Ask yourself if it is an opinion that is based on love, or if it’s about selfishness or not wanting to change and have things your own way. 

We cringed at the video of George Floyd that has been seen across the world.   But racial injustice doesn’t always look like a man dying. Everyone should be able to agree that the action of the officer charged with his death was wrong, disgusting, and immoral. But chipping away at the very soul and rights of another human being day after day, year after year, decade after decade is also wrong, disgusting and immoral.  Do we disregard the fact that African American mothers have to tell their sons to act differently than their White friends because there’s a high likelihood that one group will be seen as a threat while the other will not, regardless of their character or behavior?

All of us must think about our lives, thoughts, prejudices, and the change we need to make individually.

God bless you, my friends! Together we can, and we will change the direction, arm in arm, as one.

Dear Lord, 
Let our conversations be gracious and attractive so that we will have the right response for everyone. 
Teach us your ways that we may live life and treat others like you have asked us to do. Amen.
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Be in Full Voice, Exercise Agency, and Extend Grace

Words from Dr. Adren Wilson,
Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor John Bel Edwards
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I was asked by First Lady Donna Edwards to share my written reflections on the horrors of the last weeks and months as African Americans – Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and others – have senselessly been killed by those charged to protect them and the resulting protests across the country. As an African American man it is hard to fully express the emotions I am feeling all at once, which include anger, frustration, sadness, and despair, so I decided that the only way I could make sense of all of this for myself is to reflect on a couple of defining moments and influences in my life as a Black man.

I will forever be shaped by my journey that began in rural Louisiana, and forever shaped more by the color of my skin than any other influence in my life. Personally, having grown up in the 1980s in extreme poverty as a Black man in rural Louisiana with a single mother and four younger sisters, with no running water or indoor plumbing in the home, and going days and nights without food, I understand the importance of the American dream. The hope the American dream offers is that every person will be worthy of respect and live a life full of opportunity, peace, and prosperity, if they only just work a little harder, and educate themselves just a little more. However, it only took 30 seconds the first time I was called the “n-word” or when I was face down on pavement with officers standing above me with guns drawn for me to realize that, regardless of what I do to educate myself, for some I would always be a second class citizen living in their nation-state. In the face of that I remain forever grateful for my African-American mother, teachers and mentors of all races who dreamed for me until I could dream for myself!  Unfortunately, they would never be able to dream away the harsh realities of growing up as Black man in America.

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LOUISIANA FIRST FOUNDATION

Yes Mam, No Mam, Thank you Mam = Teach MAM!

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Blog – June 2020
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GOVERNOR'S MANSION

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PRESERVATION FOUNDATION

Preservation and upkeep of the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion is done primarily by donor support and fundraising. The historic and beautiful building and grounds reflects our great state and all of its unique history and beauty. Please consider supporting this endeavor through purchasing from our online store, joining our Circle of Friends, or sending a donation.

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Women’s Health Blog
June 2020

Empowering Women for Wellness
by Kimiyo Harris Williams, MD

Reclined in my deep crimson chair, feet up on its matching tufted leather ottoman, on this relaxing late Sunday afternoon, I reflect on the current state-of-our nation and the world. I breathe, watching the raindrops fall from the grayish-white sky, seeing full branches on the trees wave and the blooming lavender petals of my Agapanthus blow in the rhythm of the wind, and think of life’s rhythms. Inhaling the sweet aroma of fresh spring air and wet grass through my window, slightly ajar, I ponder, “What a difference four months has made?”

At this moment in time, the “simple” things mean so much. It is a time to reflect and consider the experiences and relationships that impact our lives. As we focus our attention on women, I reflect on a woman of great importance in my life. It was late-March of this year, in the midst of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I was practicing self-care, enjoying a few minutes of live Instagram music, when I received a call. My friend’s words are unforgettable: “I am at the hospital. I am having trouble breathing, and I have fever.” I remember her weak voice so vividly. The music stopped instantly.

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PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA Making a Difference

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COMMUNITY

Brooke It Forward Foundation

The Brooke It Forward Foundation celebrates the birthdays of children served by Louisiana’s Children Advocacy Centers (CACs). With the blessing of a young girl in Kentucky who put together the first “Birthday Boxes,” Brooke It Forward assembles the essentials for a birthday party in a shoebox-sized container. The boxes containing cake mix, icing, plates, candles, and so much more are gifted to each child near the time of their birthday.

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SCHOOLS

Lacey Blocker
6th/7th English Language Arts Teacher
2020 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year Finalist

The last couple of months have been a struggle for many Louisiana families. For me personally, not teaching in my classroom everyday doing one of the things I know I was created to do has been a challenge. I miss my students. I miss my coworkers. I miss my church and family.

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MILITARY

Dr. Tim Johnson
Director
Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery
Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs

The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs operates five veterans’ cemeteries located across the state offering a final resting place of honor for Louisiana’s veterans, their spouses and their dependent children. The cemeteries are tranquil featuring beautiful grounds and a covered shelter for committal services.

 

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BUSINESS

Tia Whittington
Blogger, Owner & CEO
H Kyle Boutique

Tia Whittington is a blogger and the owner and CEO of H Kyle Boutique, a boutique that focuses on women’s apparel and custom items. Tia never thought that she’d see the day where she would be living her and her mother’s avid dream – owning a storefront. In Tia’s younger years, she and her mother, Martha, shared a passion for shopping. As an only child, all of Tia’s Saturdays were filled with ripping and running the streets of Baton Rouge for a day of shopping with Martha that always ended with dinner. Saturday shopping quickly grew to be their beloved tradition.

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RECIPE OF THE MONTH

New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp

Recipe by Chef Natasha Butler

This New Orleans Style Shrimp BBQ is served hot with a splash of lemon and French Bread for dipping. Enjoy!

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Something To Discern

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The First dogs are enjoying
summer at the pool.

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Delery Rice,
Our Editor

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Delery has lived there all of her life except during undergraduate school and a brief stint in Seattle, WA. She is a mother to four boys, ranging in ages from 21 to 16, and they are the heart and soul of her life.

After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications, she went on to receive a Masters in Non-Profit Management from Louisiana State University. Her volunteer work has mostly evolved from issues that have affected her personally. Actively engaged in disability rights advocacy, Delery has testified numerous times in the Louisiana Legislature regarding issues that affect persons with developmental disabilities. She served as the chair of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council, worked for seven years directing regional advocacy efforts and is a graduate of Louisiana’s Partners In Policymaking.

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Teach MAM – Pilot Program

Teach MAM

 

Teach MAM: An Exciting Partnership to Strengthen Arts Education Across Louisiana

Teach MAM Pilot Program

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We are excited to announce the roll out of the Teach MAM Pilot has begun! This initiative intends to support music, arts and movement in K-12 public schools across Louisiana! The Louisiana First Foundation has partnered with the New Orleans Arts Education Alliance on the Teach MAM (Music, Arts and Movement) Certification Program, an innovative new program to help schools measure and increase access to these enrichment areas. Five Louisiana School Districts were invited to participate in the pilot.

In order to participate, we asked the districts to identify 2-3 schools in their district to invite to complete the Pilot Survey. The schools chosen were diverse in their offerings; for example:

  • A high-, middle- and low-performing school.
  • A school that offers high-quality programming in music, arts and movement, and a school that offers little to no programming in these subject areas.
  • Administrators invited should be a Principal, Assistant Principal, Operations/Data Manager, or other Administrator who has access to school data and programming information.

The survey will be followed up with an invitation to Administrators for an Introductory Teach MAM Webinar. We intend to further the program to include all public schools in Louisiana!

 

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