OUR Children Need us to listen!

OUR Children are under many new pressures in this age. While all of us (adults) may have had similar experiences, many times we refuse to share, due to thoughts, they will see us as "less than perfect." While they may look grown, they aren't. They often want to ask for help in navigating their lives, but don't. The old adage "I wish I knew then, what I know now" is so true. Now (as adults) we know. Help Children better understand. Listen carefully as they share their experience and feelings. They may need prompting to discuss some things. Best to learn from loving adult parents- than the sometimes less than loving world. Talk more openly, be for real (not perfect), and don't freak out -when they tell you something about their experiences. (Your over- reaction may cause them to not share again). The attached survey from Essence shares what OUR Children are thinking. Save OUR Children----Check it out... 

http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/underpressure/PDF/under-pressure.pdf

Letter to the Community from the Founder of Asia's Foundation- her Mom

My beloved Asia came into this world on June 30, 1983. As we approach her would be 28th Birthday, and learning that mother’s love never dies, I look back over these past seven years. I’ve experienced both personal and spiritual growth and development, out of necessity. Most importantly I’ve seen growth of the Asia Adams Save OUR Children Foundation and OUR impact on the more than 5000 youth served since we began in April 2005. Over the last three decades a combination of professional experience gained in Health, Public Health, Child Behavioral Health, and Child Welfare, combined with personal life experience and observations have been the breeding grounds for the work we’ve been providing. An examination of the data, literature, and contributing risk and community factors has influenced my understanding of the insidiousness and pervasiveness of Teen Dating Violence (TDV).  While in the general population there have been an increasing number of teens who are victims of TDV, when factors of poverty and race enter, rates increase substantially in African American communities (as much as 4 times the general population). In 2009, 17.3% of Philadelphia public high school students were victims of dating violence, compared to 9.6% in Pennsylvania (statewide) and 9.8% nationally.[1] 

Through these years I’ve observed a severe lack of evidence-based curriculum to effectively address the needs of urban Philadelphia teens in low income African American communities.  Programs based on rural white teens in Iowa, is not effective for urban Philadelphians. While teens are more vulnerable, the result of their youthful innocence combined with greater risk factors of poverty, residence in high crime communities we must effectively address this emerging teen public health problem. We recognized a need for added research to develop a quality evidence-based program that works. In October 2010 Asia’s Foundation submitted a research abstract and poster to the Philadelphia Collaborative Violence Prevention Center (PCVC) a collaboration of Philadelphia’s most noted institutions including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel School of Public Health to name a few.. Our submission was awarded a research partnership with the Center for Health Equity at the University of Pennsylvania. In July 2011, under Penn’s guidance we will begin researching factors of economics in Teen Dating Violence (TDV). Currently little data exists. This portion of the Love Speak for ME TDV project, known as Money-Power-Respect in TDV will take place over the next year until June 2012. As part of this project we’ve assembled a talented and dynamic Youth Leadership Team consisting of eight (8) college students, the first of its kind to focus on TDV. Asia’s Foundation also had an essential role as a member of the State Wide Teen Dating Violence Team, in response to a Center for Disease (CDC) grant awarded the Commonwealth Health Department. We collaborated with Women against Abuse, Women in Transition, Women Organized against Rape, among others to finalize a plan for Philadelphia teens, now submitted to the CDC. With University of Pennsylvania, Asia’s Foundation provided focus group training to State team members and organized one of the largest teen focus group in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Crucial feedback was obtained to begin implementation of effective evidence based prevention programming and information. We fully realize culturally sensitive programming is needed. At Asia’s Foundation we’ve committed our existence to identifying and resolving these needs. When looking into the eyes of a teen and they light up with increased understanding, I say as others have said, “Asia would be proud of OUR work. As Asia stated in one of her most creative poems “In the end it will not be the voice of my enemy-but those who love me, they will speak for me.” I can honestly say we love OUR future generations of children and teens, and will always speak and work towards preserving their health.

The Soft Drink Industry increases funding to Council by 800% over years 06-07

Soft-drink industry has given heavily in Council races
June 05, 2011|By Jeff Shields, Inquirer Staff Writer (reprinted)

Nearly burned in 2010 with the nation's steepest tax on their product, the beverage industry has turned its attention to City Council to make sure it doesn't happen again.
The soft-drink industry gave a total of $95,300 to Council candidates in 2010-11, a nearly 800 percent increase from 2006-07, when the industry contributed just $10,600 to Council.
The 17 Council members will now decide the fate of Mayor Nutter's effort to revive the tax, which died in Council during budget negotiations last year.Nutter says the tax would raise $80 million toward closing a gap of more than $600 million faced by the Philadelphia School District. On Friday, he stuck to the idea even after the district announced that it could save full-day kindergarten - the chief concern raised by the mayor and Council.

Well before Nutter returned to the soda tax, the industry was laying the political groundwork for another showdown.Leading the way were Harold and Lynne Honickman and their children, owners of Pepsi and Canada Dry bottling operations in New Jersey that provide nearly 20 percent of the city's soft drinks.
The Honickmans, prolific Rittenhouse Square philanthropists whose interests include the arts, gun control, and homelessness, contributed $63,300 in 2010-11 after giving just $500 to Council races in 2006-07. Their adult children, Shirley Honickman Hahn and Marjorie Honickman, and son-in-law Richard Hahn joined in the giving.
Other contributors the last two years were the state industry's new political action committee, Liberty Bell Beverage PAC, funded mostly by PepsiCo Inc. The PAC contributed $18,000 to 14 candidates.

Coca-Cola PACs and one Coke executive gave a total of $14,000 in 2010-11, showing no contributions in 2007 Council races.The Liberty Bell Beverage PAC was formed in response to the debate last year over Nutter's push for a 2-cents-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks to close a gap in the city budget."The fact is, Mayor Nutter put a target on the back of this industry and dragged them into the political process," said Larry Ceisler, spokesman for a coalition of bottling companies, local businesses, and union members who oppose the soda tax.The industry has been joined by Local 830 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, whose members drive the trucks that deliver the drinks. The union's contributions to Council went from $2,950 in the 2007 election to $9,000 this year.

Afro-American History at Harvard

See what our children can accomplish with faith, encouragement, with a focus on education-We can accomplish what we will

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/02/a-window-into-african-american-history/?sms_ss=gmail&at_xt=4dbb48667b37549a%2C0

Summertime

“Summertime” will be here in a few weeks. Wanted to share some real-yet often forgotten music with young folk to share how timeless music can sound. Part of our heritage, we shouldn’t forget.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIDOEsQL7IA&feature=related

Chef Mark Anthony-New Cooking Show

Being Healthy requires eating healthy-With Americas extremely high obesity rate-for the first tine in years-in response longevity is reversing -Check out Chef Anthonys vegetarian cooking show-his recipes are delicious

www.3abn.org 

www.chefmarkanthony.com

New YouTube: VeganChefMarkAnthony

Youth for Human Rights

Youth for Human Rights, an international group, recently held an educational forum for youth to discuss youth violence. No matter where in the world one lives, youth violence has evolved into a major public health problem. The forum discussed how youth violence is a human rights violation. Check out their newsletter and see what they're doing to educate youth about violence internationally. We are not alone. Youth for Human Rights is doing lots of work to educate about their human rights.

Love Speak for ME

The name Love Speak for ME dating violence education project comes from a poem written by Asia is mindful of words from MLK.

Asia's words at age 17 were   "In the end it will not be the voice of my enemy - but those who love me, they will speak for me"