Reflecting on a tragic moment of civil rights history and feelings of yesterday

Leave a comment September 16, 2023 Larrell Wilkinson

Larrell L. Wilkinson | Wilkinson Wellness Lab

Photo of window at the 16th Street Baptist Church and memorial plaque honoring the memory of the four young girls killed by the KKK bombing of the the church on September 15, 1963.

I knew yesterday was going to hit me hard. During the early weeks of September in Birmingham, AL, the annual commemorations begin. This year marks 60 years since the tragic death of four little girls and the injuries of several others, during the turbulent days of the Civil Rights movement. The City of Birmingham honored the victims of the bombing of the 16^th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963, during the week of remembrance.

Working in the Birmingham area, I often drive past the historic markers of the Civil Rights movement. I can see the A.G. Gaston Motel, the 16^th Street Baptist Church, Kelly Ingram Park, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and drive to Montgomery, AL to the Equal Justice Initiative & National Memorial, Dexter Ave. Church, the Rosa Parks Museum, and sacred sites of the movement. This year, 60 years after that fateful day of losing Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, & Cynthia Wesley, I know that America has made progress towards racial conciliation. I see it daily at my job, during worship occasions at my church, in visiting my children’s school, walking my neighborhood and patronizing businesses in my community. Still, exercising faith for a future that overcomes the actions of hatred manifested by individuals and groups that want to further efforts to separate us in the U.S., by race, by class, by the faith we practice, by any means that furthers their hate filled mission, that faith must be strong and resilient.

The actions of 60 years ago may seem like history to some but are very relevant to communities of people who have additional concerns when we go for a jog, shop at our community stores, or worship in our churches. Our families trade text messages to remind each other to “be safe”, “travel in groups”, “don’t travel at night”, “don’t get off the phone until you get home”, “don’t get gas at night”, “don’t stop at any stores tonight, we’ll order it later”, etc. Perhaps some if you are reading this, you might say, these sayings sound like useful tips. In contrast, others reading these words understand that these aren’t just tips, but necessary actions of life preservation for people feeling maliciously targeted due to their culture. For many, events that happened 60 years ago doesn’t feel like history, it feels like yesterday. Still, these groups of people press forward in hopes that their girls and boys will experience a society where the actions of a hateful few are no longer. Their hope is in a loving God, with the direction to love Him and to also love your neighbor as yourself (New International Version, Matt. 22: 34 – 40). It is in experiencing this form of solidarity that we can share in faith, hope, and love; love being the greatest of these (New International Version, Cor. 13:13).

Birthday challenge – donating 45 items for each year around the Sun

Leave a comment August 9, 2023 Larrell Wilkinson

By Larrell L. Wilkinson | Wilkinson Wellness Lab

This year, my birthday falls on the same day that my kids go back to school. So, like many parents, I am washing clothes, packing backpacks, tucking in my kids early tonight…earlier than they have gone to bed this summer, setting alarm clocks…oh, and folding those fresh clean clothes. Yeah, you know, organizing for the back to school chaos! The Wilkinson family is working to get back into the flow of how life will be for the next nine (9) months, all three kids in school. We are folding their clothes, I am folding my clothes, the kids are working off some of their nervous energy and Man, I have a lot of clothes to fold. Stop. Why do I have so many clothes to fold? It’s summer, I work from home many days. No, seriously, why do I have so many clothes that I am folding for myself and not my kids’ clothes.

As I am folding these clothes, a thought comes to mind, “I bet you could give away forty-five (45) items to the men’s shelter.” What? First, I don’t have that many items to give away. And second, what? But then I thought about it again. Maybe I do, maybe I should. The voice: “What about your T-shirt collection?” Yep, the fabled man’s t-shirt collection where each shirt can bring back so many memories. “What about socks…the socks you haven’t worn, the new warm socks still in the package after two years?” There is more. Not only is the voice speaking to me, but earlier today my eldest daughter had the idea to fill up her old school backpack (because she has a new one for the new school year) with food and drive to downtown Birmingham to give the backpack to a person experiencing food and/or housing insecurity. I also happen to be in the middle of the clothes month of the popular book “7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess” by Jen Hatmaker. So, maybe, this idea is kind of implanted in my mind, right?

Well, I am going to be obedient. I am going to aim for 45 items to give away and take them to the Jimmie Hale Mission in Birmingham, AL. I have donated collared shirts, polo style shirts, dress shoes, pants, coats, etc. there before and many of the guys I interacted with were really cool. To learn more about The Jimmie Hale Mission, please visit them on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/thejimmiehalemission/. If you feel up to giving, I encourage you to donate your gently used items to a shelter or other entities that can help others in the community. Of course, these organizations will accept a financial contribution as well. So, here’s my birthday wish…for each of us to spend a little time helping another person or group of persons in our own way…however compelled. Let us know how it goes in the comments section or hit us up on Facebook: @wilkinsonwellnesslab.

Checking on others – It could save a life!

Leave a comment August 6, 2023 abenko2016

By Terrie Johnson | UAB Community Health & Human Services Intern

When we go about our busy day by rushing to work, the store, meetings, church, and school, we never get the rest we need. Often, we overstretch the capabilities of our bodies to endure burnout. As such, we should ensure that we are okay as we go about our day and lead our lives. It is also relevant to take care of our physical and mental health. This stance is essential since it ensures that we are always to the best of our shape to handle daily activities. Moreover, as you go about your day, you should consider taking some of your time to check on your family and friends. This caring approach allows you to know how they are doing with life. You may ask; how are you doing? In some cases, you can make a phone call. This initiative can help them to relieve some stress in their life. In other words, simply talking to them about what is stressing them may restore their emotional and psychological well-being.

It is also important to listen to your loved ones or offer a suggestion to help them relieve their stress. Often, you could state recommendations they never thought about during their stressful moment. You may even offer to accompany them on a walk or go grab a coffee together. Thus, your initiative will work toward restoring their perspectives about challenges and desirably handling them. You can also be involved in helping individuals judge good from bad. In most cases, it may be hard for some people to differentiate situations. As such, helping a person judge emotion provides an impetus for self-correction. It also creates an impetus for recognizing harmful emotions so that they can be avoided (Health Shots, 2023). Other than this, the initiative can create leverage for improved understanding of interventions to emotional challenges. Thus, it is relevant to help others deal with issues that affect their health.

Reference

Health Shots. (2023). Your emotions always have something to say! That’s why listen to them very carefully. Healthshots.com. Retrieved from https://www.healthshots.com/mind/emotional-health/emotional-health-why-is-it-important-to-listen-to-your-emotions/

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What are the Stressors in Your Life and How Do You Relieve Them?

Leave a comment July 7, 2023 Jessica Feagin

By Terrie Johnson | UAB Community Health & Human Services Intern

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Everyone has something that contributes to the stressors in their life. My stressors include getting up early in the morning for work, which is often hard to execute. In most cases, I stay up late doing schoolwork. As such, it becomes hard waking up early to attend to other critical duties. Additionally, driving in heavy traffic on the way to work drains me emotionally. Often, my stress comes from there being many people driving fast and crazy on the interstate. This experience scares me since I never want to be involved in an accident and experience a catastrophic injury. School is also a stressful environment for me because I am taking four classes. This issue means I have many assignments that I must work on and submit on time. Sometimes, the workload is too much leading to the experience of burnout. The requirements by the professor that I deliver schoolwork on time also weigh me down with stress.

Despite experiencing the above stressors, I have numerous strategies that help me relieve them. For example, I sometimes ensure that I seek more sleep, especially during the weekends. According to Mayo Clinic (2023), this initiative is necessary since it allows the body and the brain to recharge. Thus, when I wake up the next day, I always feel stress-free and with energy. I also learned to plan my time so that I avoid traffic in some cases. This initiative has also been instrumental in scheduling my studies. Therefore, I rarely experience schoolwork overload on some weekdays. On the interstate, I try to be careful and assert that I can drive amidst crazy drivers. This self-confidence improves my ability to drive my car while experiencing less fear on the road. The above approaches continue to provide the impetus for reduced stress in my life. What stressors do you experience and how do you relieve them?

Reference

Mayo Clinic. (2023). Stress relievers: Tips to tame stress. Mayoclinic.org. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relievers/art-20047257

Do You Know the Impact of Social Media on Children?

Leave a comment July 7, 2023 Jessica Feagin

By Terrie Johnson | UAB Community Health & Human Services Intern

Social media has become an integral part of our lives, revolutionizing how we communicate. However, the time children spend on social media increases, which causes concerns among parents and educators. This article discusses the potential effects of social media on children’s mental and physical health, so it can help you evaluate your knowledge regarding this topic.

Many believe that excessive use of social media can cause mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress in children. Fortunately, people who think so are likely wrong since most studies found no link between using social media and developing depression or increasing symptoms (Hartanto et al., 2021). Using social media also does not contribute to the development of anxiety and psychological distress in children. However, when a child spends too much time on social media or shares excessive personal data, their parents should be concerned. Most studies are consistent in their conclusions regarding strong associations between addiction to social media and depression in adolescents (Keles et al., 2020). Although social media cannot cause mental health disorders, excessive use might indicate depression.

The negative impact of social media on children’s mental health might be exaggerated, but other concerns are more reasonable. They include risks associated with cybersecurity since children are more vulnerable to online predators and scams, which endangers their safety and privacy. Moreover, social media might expose excessive personal information, resulting in identity theft. Other concerns are associated with excessive online time because it can reduce children’s physical activity. Hence, parents and educators must promote a healthy lifestyle and responsible social media use to mitigate these risks.

Despite the concerns regarding the impact of social media on children’s mental health, using it cannot cause mental disorders or contribute to their development. However, parents should consider the time spent on social media and activities to ensure their child is not exposed to risks associated with addiction or lack of cybersecurity. By promoting responsible social media use among children, educators and parents can minimize these risks and help children benefit from the positive aspects of social media use.

References

Hartanto, A., Quek, F.Y.X., Tng, G.Y.X., & Yong, J.C. (2021). Does Social Media Use Increase Depressive Symptoms? A Reverse Causation Perspective. Frontiers Psychiatry, 12. Doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.641934/

Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020). A Systematic Review: the Influence of Social Media on Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress in Adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79-93. Doi: 10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851

Say No to Bullying!

Leave a comment July 6, 2023 Jessica Feagin

By Jessica Feagin | Intern and UAB Community Health and Human Services Student

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bullying is any unwanted aggressive behavior by another youth or group of children (CDC, 2022). Bullying may include social, psychological, educational, and/or physical harm on the targeted youth. Common types of bullying include physical (kicking, tripping, and hitting), verbal (teasing and name-calling), social (spreading rumors and being left out of a group), and damage to the victim’s property. Bullying can also occur via cell phones and online.

Physical injury, emotional stress, self-harm, and even death can result from bullying. Bullying increases the risk of anxiety, depression, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school. Youth who bully other youth are at risk for academic problems, substance abuse, and experiencing violence when they are older. Youth who bully others and are bullied themselves are at greater risk for behavioral and mental health problems. It has been reported that bullying is a discipline problem that occurs weekly or in some cases daily, in approximately 14% of public schools (CDC, 2022).

The American Psychological Association recommends several ways teachers, parents, and students can address bullying (APA, 2011). Teachers must remember that bullying typically occurs in the bathroom, playground, hallways, and school buses. If teachers notice bullying, they must immediately stop it and inform school administrators. Teachers should remind their students that bullying is not acceptable and there will be consequences for such behaviors. Parents of kids that are possibly bullied should observe their child for signs so they can take appropriate actions to rectify the situation. Some signs of bullying are decreased appetite, nightmares, anxiety, depression, ripped clothing, and hesitation about attending school. It is essential to let your child know that you will help them. As parents, you could also work with your child and teach them to ignore a bully and develop assertive strategies for coping with bullying. Students need to inform their parents or any trusted adult of any form of bullying.

Bullying can impact those being bullied, and it is critical to identify and prevent it to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our youth. Say No to Bullying!

References

Fast fact: Preventing bullying. (2022, April 14). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/bullyingresearch/fastfact.html

How parents, teachers, and kids can take action to prevent bullying. (2011, January 1). https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/bullying/prevent

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