Posted on May 2, 2022May 4, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

5 Diverse Summer Reading Programs To Help Your Child Stay On Target This Summer And Excel In The Fall

You may or may not have heard of Summer Slide. It’s not a theme park or roller coaster ride for kids. The summer slide is a decline in reading ability and other academic skills that can occur over the summer months when school isn’t in session.
If you have a child on an IEP or 504 plan or needs help staying on task, this is for you. Truthfully, the summer slide can happen to any child, especially with parents returning to work and children reacclimating to a traditional school environment. We are all swamped and pulled in different directions. However, in the last two years, I have realized that we can’t be so overtaxed that we ignore what’s happening with our child’s education, especially Black and brown children.

Unfortunately, minority children, and young girls often experience two things: they aren’t encouraged when they excel too quickly or don’t get the proper attention when they need help. Our son responds the best when my husband and I teach him. The rigors of parent teaching can be challenging to maintain alongside other duties. Thankfully this year, we are incorporating that village mentality to assist with our children’s education. One of those ways is with reading. Reading has two forms; you can read for information and read to analyze and teach yourself. This homeschool mom has a fantastic system for incorporating games and practices for teaching kids how to blend letter sounds.

It’s never too early to teach kids to blend or to reteach children the basics of blending letter sounds. Reading is also about stimulating intellectual curiosity and inspiring lifelong learners. Books provide the gateway to worlds and cultures beyond our doorstep; we can never go wrong with inspiring our kids to read. Here are 5 summer reading programs that will help keep your child engaged with a love of reading and help to combat the effects of summer slide.

Your Local Library

Our local library in Montgomery County, MD has a multitude of diverse reading programs for children throughout the year. The Mongtomery County Public Library offers a Summer Reading Challenge every year. You can find libraries with reading programs in your local area.

The Little Free Library

This summer we are building a Little Free Library at our house for our daughter’s birthday. The library will be used by all of the neighborhood kids and will be dedicated in loving memory of our daughter Calais, who passed away from a pediatric brain tumor. It’s a wonderful way to honor her memory and to remind us the wonderful comfort reading brought our family during those long days and nights at the hospital. The LFL has a program called Reading Rockets. The site is a filled with information to help children succeed. From graphic organizers, to reading interventions, book suggestions and a literacy blog. One of my favorite things is the adventure literacy pack that features The Lorax. There is a study guide and so much more. It’s a wonderful resource. You can be sure to find what you need here.

The Little Feminist Book Club

If you are commited to raising compassionate intersectional feminist children that are anti-racist, body-positive, trans & gender-fluid inclusive, and denouce ableism & classism as well — this book club is for you. I love that it and it’s needed for us all. This book club educates parents and kids through books on tough topics and how to navigate those difficult conversations that move us toward the equity we all are working hard for. You can learn about what they offer here.

Chuck E Cheese Summer Reading Program

Who doesn’t love Chuck E. Cheese. It’s even better that they offer a fun summer reading program that offers kids play points, certificates of achievement, stickers, and other incentives to engage young readers. You can learn about the Summer Reading Program here.

Scholastic Book Blog

The Scholastic blog offers more than just a reading challenge. They offer ways for you to create your own reading challenge and boost your child’s literacy. There are countless things to download, print, view and practice. Learn more here on the Scholastic on the website.

I will post more exciting reading programs over the summer. I hope that you find this helpful to getting started with one hour a day with your child’s reading.

Posted on April 28, 2022April 28, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

ICYMI A Few Ways Companies Can Serve The Community And Their Workers While Implementing A Few Practices

This Earth Month was a great one for me. I finally was able to extend my network and work with people in my community to help implement tools and create processes for change. Typically, I focus on education. But this year, I plan to empower others in their decision-making. This year’s Earth Day theme was “Invest in Our Planet” which called for businesses to implement more sustainable practices. While things like switching to LED light bulbs, adding recyclable paper products to the workspace, and offering remote work are excellent starting points, here are some additional ways companies can still thrive while investing in our planet.

Go Paperless

This is a personal mission of mine. Anytime I see piles of paper and large file cabinets anywhere — I itch. Looking at rows of paper is not only unpleasant, but it gives me IRS vibes, and it’s also lifeless. I mean, it’s a bunch of dead trees. You can’t hug them. They give no life. If you don’t believe me, hug your parking ticket. On a serious note, my biggest goal is to go paperless. To assist me in my quest, I’ve begun to rely heavily on digital note-taking apps like Notability and Goodnotes to organize my thoughts and share information. Coupled with a cloud storage system or an external hard drive, it’s much better than paper. Although we do incur a level of e-waste when you use electronics, I’m still for going paperless when you consider space and the labor involved with managing paper.

Make Hybrid Work More Than An Option

More than 35 North American companies and about 20 global companies are testing out a four-day workweek in a pilot program spearheaded by 4 Day Week Global. 4 Day Week Global is a not-for-profit community established by New Zealanders Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart to create a better quality of life by urging companies to allow for a shortened week. In doing so, companies can offer their employees a greater work-life balance and address some of the causes leading to the Great Resignation. To me, this is a no-brainer. Fewer employees on-site means there is less need for large office spaces, which means lower costs overall. We live in a digitally advanced society, and the pandemic proved that we can work from our computers.

Some people want to come into their office to work, which should be an option. Owl Labs conducted a study of remote work in September of 2021. They surveyed over 2,000 workers and reported 84% of them reported they would be happier working remotely. The internet allows for extended reach — why be limited to a traditional desk if you don’t have to. Employees burn a lot of time grabbing coffee, chatting by the water cooler, and surfing the internet. It’s doubtful these things will change but will shift while employees work at home. But, companies won’t have to pay the lease on buildings, and commuters don’t have to clog up the roads and pollute the air. It makes fiscal sense to keep overhead low and make remote work and hybrid work permanent options, leaving employees to stay focused on work and manage life’s responsibilities without burnout.

Plant Some Trees In An Underserved Community

Companies can really make a difference by funding tree planting. There seems to be a bit of bureaucracy and over complication when it comes to planting trees, but it doesn’t have to be. Yesterday, I bought a grape tree from Ace Hardware and planted it in my yard. It took all of twenty minutes. In a month or so, hopefully I can pick the grapes and make some jam. As you see, no big deal.

Trees produce negative emissions and help mitigate climate risk. Yes, there is a cost associated and decisions to be made regarding the quality of the trees and the how many to plant. But, if you consider the fact that many low-income neighborhoods lack trees, adequate green spaces, or heavily forested areas that provide residents greater opportunities to interact with the natural world, planting a few trees seems like the right thing to do. At 5 dollars a tree plus site preparation this is a good way for companies to walk their talk. The next major step after planting the trees is caring for them. Companies should focus energy there — thinking for the long haul — and watch their green investments grow.

Here are a few organizations already dedicated to this effort:

Onetreeplanted: https://onetreeplanted.org,
Tree Foundation: https://treefoundation.org,
River Smart Homes Shade Trees (DC)https://doee.dc.gov/service/riversmart-homes-shade-tree-planting

Posted on April 28, 2022April 28, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

Is Your Writing Productivity Lagging? Organize Your Thoughts Fast With These Simple Tricks

Writing Tips To Improve Your Productivity

Anyone that has written anything for someone else has found themselves circling the intersections of the dreaded deadline meets the complex subject on numerous occasions. I know I have. I like to go deep into topics and have long conversations with my subjects. These introspective pow wow sessions are good for my soul, making new acquaintances, but not necessarily good for managing time. Especially if reporting and researching are big parts of your writing model. I have discovered what works for me when inspiration is not knocking at my door, and I also use it with my kids.

For example, I was trying to help my son, who has challenges with his executive functioning, write an essay for class. He’s an 11-year-old boy, and he’s fidgety. Truthfully, he’d rather watch Sonic the Hedgehog or play video games than write a narrative essay. He is a phenomenal storyteller, but inspiration never really hits him at the keyboard, and that’s ok. I know he will get there. We all do. I’ve found that relaying clear steps and asking him to write descriptive sentences within a time limit work best.

The key here is to set a time limit and stick to it.

If you fail at first, that’s fine. You can add and subtract time here and there. However, for the most part, time needs to work with you. Not against you.

If you agree or have your own tips, drop them in the comments and let me know.

Posted on April 26, 2022April 26, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

I Can Attest To The Fact That Brain Tumors Suck, Which Is Why I Go Hard For The Environment

More children die from brain tumors than any other cancer; those who survive must navigate a lifetime of side effects. The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (www.curethekids.org/stay-connected) is the largest patient advocacy funder of pediatric brain tumor research and leading champion for families and survivors, providing patients, caregivers, and siblings with information, financial assistance, and a community of support from the moment symptoms start, through diagnosis, treatment, and beyond.

If you logged onto this site a few years back, you will notice that it has gone through several iterations. Initially this website began as a way to bring awareness to pediatric brain tumors and to share how I used art as therapy for my grief journey. I still do. In 2015, my 3-year old daughter named Calais, was diagnosed with a rare tumor called ATRT. At the time she was a perfectly healthy and an extremely active child–cancer was something we never saw coming.

How we got off our path

When I took my highly active 3-year-old to a pediatrician’s visit, they wanted her weight to be slightly higher, and to have more protein because she was only drinking soy milk. I was told to add a protein drink like Pediasure if she isn’t drinking milk to make sure she was getting her protein and nutrients. Big mistake, it’s all sugar, and it’s the beast that fueled my fire for years after.

My upbringing did not prepare me to deal with medicine as a parent. My husband often looked to me, and I didn’t always trust my gut–until it was too late. I can’t say sugar causes cancer, but cancer cells feed off sugar. According to Cancer.gov, roughly 1.9 million people will be diagnosed with Cancer in the United States. Education is something we all can benefit from. When you have a belief in something you need a community to keep you on the straight and narrow and to see you through. It’s important to educate yourself on your bloodline as well as your nutrition. One size doesn’t fit all in this area.

Although Calais was technically my second child and 17 months younger than her older brother, I often felt like I was still new and inexperienced as a mom. Especially living in Washington, DC, with a California mindset. As progressive as the city was supposed to be, I often felt talked down to as a Black mother. I shouldn’t have to defend myself or my parenting or be interrogated about things that have nothing to do with the situation. These factors made it hard to parent in general, coupled with the crippling and irrational sense of guilt I felt at being limited in my capacity to help my kids. Surprisingly enough, I lost all of those insecurities during our daughter’s cancer fight. I was empowered and present during her life and death situation. The doctors learned to respect me and often sought after my opinion, which must have been coming from the other side. To give you insight to the situation, I was using medical terminology that was correct. All that is gone now, however, in hindsight I realize I was helping my children more than I understood. My daughter said I was a good mother as her final words.

1.9 million people will be diagnosed with Cancer in the United States. Education is something we all can benefit from.

Going through approximately a decade of challenges made me question alot of things. I always thought to myself, God wouldn’t double down on us, would he? Yes, He would, and it showed me that people deal with even more while having little to no resources.

My biggest regret has been having a level of knowledge that was ahead of its time and not always using it for myself. I was good for imparting it to others and not always able to apply it to myself when challenged by institutionalized mindsets. When you grow up around family members trained in the traditional medical system, you may receive a lot of pushback on ideas, treatments, and remedies that have no “scientific basis.” Today, many unproven folk practices are being recognized and investigated as treatments needed to cure illnesses. This is excellent news. Still, they all need funding in order to bring them to the masses and to allow for proper testing.

Get In Community

For me, a helpful group was Mocha Moms Inc. As a mother of color, you won’t find a better group of nationally organized, locally informed, and compassionate women who value family and children more.

During my daughter’s battle with ATRT, I went into overdrive making remedies and sending research papers to the oncologists to help her. Miracles were happening, and it was amazing. Our cancer journey took us from Washington, DC, to Philadelphia, and finally to San Francisco on a quest to discover a life-saving treatment. It was a constant emotional roller-coaster filled with countless heartbreaks and many triumphs. Eventually, she did leave us, but not without showing us a better way to live.

Sunflower (Helianthis annuus), Portfield Road by Maigheach-gheal is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

Brighter Days Ahead

When a parent loses a child, it can be hard to recover. I am grateful to God that I did, even though it took a minute. Thankfully, we have been given a second chance with our daughter Monarch. She is the only child I carried full term. I did pregnancy my way and remained primarily stress free. She is my veggie, yoga baby, whom I spent lots of time forest bathing and grounding with while pregnant. I even had her at advanced maternal age–so never stop believing.

Before my daughter’s death, I lived a high-stress life full of people pleasing. That is not the case today. We raise our children differently than we used to. Even as Black children, I want them to be free-thinking, have a close relationship with the environment, and radiate with love. Never underestimate the effects of stress on you, and how it transfers to your children. These things matter. They used to call me a hippie and a flower child. Now, Black hippies are everywhere, and I am committed to a life of sustainability to the best of my ability while educating others as well. Just maybe, you can will be inspired to become more concsious and live a better life, starting today.

Posted on April 18, 2022April 20, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

5 Things To Consider Before Getting Your Residential Solar Panels, It’s Simpler Than You Think

By now, many of us have read, or heard about, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) damning report on the state of the environment. On April 4, 2022- UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ made a public appeal to environmental leaders and the global community at-large, to hold leaders accountable for our climate issue. In his brief video, Guterres called for the swift implementation of renewable energy, in order to mitigate the rapidly accruing damages of greenhouse gas emissions, that stem from energy production.

The report came out a week after we installed our own residential solar panels. This is a huge win for our family as we push towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Over the past few years, I have come into an awareness that my desired minimalist, handcrafted lifestyle not only had a name, but a whole community — sustainable living — -and it’s very diverse in terms of ideas.

I often find that there are many people that have heard concepts surrounding renewable energy, zero waste living, and living off-grid but it seems out of reach or overly complex. However, it doesn’t have to be. One of the main ideologies of sustainable living involves everyone doing their part and giving space for our world will begin to recover organically.

What is renewable energy?

Renewable energy comes from natural sources like sunlight, wind, rain, plants, waves, and geothermal heat from the Earth’s core.

It’s good for the environment, good for you and cost-effective over time.

The Biden-Harris administration has set a goal of creating a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035. While some still feel that this is an ambitious goal, everyday citizens can make the decision to get the balls of change rolling, and solar energy is a great start.

Residential solar energy is a way to reduce skyrocketing big energy costs and can quickly advance your sustainable goals and help improve our environment. Homeguide.com, residential panels can run from $10,000-$27,000 after the tax incentive. For many people, especially from low-income and marginalized communities solar panels will be a challenge for them to obtain. Even for middle class families, the expense can be too high. Thankfully, non-profits like Solstice Initiatives ,and the Black woman-owned WeSolar, are providing equity with community solar energy — no rooftop needed.

If you do have a roof and you are excited to get started, here are 5 things to consider:

The Tax Credit. Time is ticking on the residential solar federal tax credit. The federal tax credit expires in 2024, unless Congress renews it. Currently, there is a 26% tax credit for homeowners. That decreases to 22% by 2023. According to Energy.gov, here’s how the costs are calculated:
For example, if your solar PV system was installed before December 31, 2022, cost $18,000, and your utility gave you a one-time rebate of $1,000 for installing the system, your tax credit would be calculated as follows:
0.26 *($18,000 — $1,000) = $4,420

If you are a homeowner and those savings matter to you, it’s time to get focused on making it happen.

Choosing the right company. Choose a company that doesn’t overcharge you upfront and essentially take away what you would be getting back in rebates. It’s always good to do your research and price compare. I would recommend no less than 3–6 months in order to do a deep dive into prices on the install, monitoring, and rebates. You can start here or if you are handy, go DIY.

Size matters. Bigger panels equals bigger savings. Which means more cost for you. You can expect to recoup the total cost 15–20 years down the line. But you will see the benefits in savings long before that. Also keep in mind, this is a season of legacy building. What you set up today is what you are leaving your family to improve upon and pass down for generations.

Understand your needs. Are you looking to cut costs on electricity or also have a battery back up? Tesla’s Powerall is an example of the battery backup system that gives you that near total independence you crave, but you will also need to buy their panels. You can’t purchase the Powerall as a standalone item.

Know the laws of your state because they vary. Solar panels may simply be a start for you. Maybe you want to DIY-it and go totally off-grid in the city. I would advise you to take a look at Primal Survivor. They’ve created an interactive map documenting off-grid laws in almost every state. Which is something to consider and also helpful in learning to manage your expectations with your solar setup.

I also hope that my fully transparent, lifelong pursuit of a sustainable life, will help ground some of the big ideas surrounding the environment and you can see where you fit inside the fight. This way of living ensures a good quality of life for all. In doing so, true change will emerge one family at a time.

Be sure to send me a message, or clap this story, if you found it helpful.

Posted on April 14, 2022April 14, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

Why the Solution for Food Justice in the Black Community Means Reacquainting Itself with Its Village

Activists in Washington D.C.’s Ward 7 are raising the bar, and awareness, on the city’s ongoing food insecurity issue.

By Chiara Atoyebi

When I was a small child living in Detroit, my mother would drop me off at my grandmother’s house before heading out to her night shift at Henry Ford Hospital. At the time, my grandmother still worked with her hands. She was skilled at decorating, growing vegetables, and cooking up savory meals overflowing with flavor and aromatic spices.

Grandma would have a nightly ritual of frying fish, served on a slice of white bread with a dash of Louisiana hot sauce to all the family. Stevie Wonder or Luther Vandross would blare from the radio speakers as she passed out the silverware. She would smile, content with the look on our happy faces, as she backed her way into the kitchen through wooden beads humming to herself.

I remember gathering around the kitchen table with my aunts and cousins, smiling and eating. My grandmother would give the table a once over before sending someone next door to “borrow” some sugar.

“Tell Peaches’ momma I’ll pay her back.”

She never did, but it was never a problem with the neighbors. There was always sugar and whatever else was needed. When somebody’s food went low, someone in the neighborhood always stepped in. We were all family. The community was our village. It made me feel safe and secure when I was away from my mother.

Yet when the food really ran out, it was gone. All the way gone. During that time the smiles, and the laughter, left with it. Only to be replaced with frustration and agitation.

External factors such as emotional stress, low living wages, poor living conditions, and a lack of access to quality and nutritious food present a persistent barrier to wellness.

According to a 2008 NIH study, emotional stress is a significant factor that contributes to the six leading illnesses that can cause death. Heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide make up most medical complaints.

Yet when the food really ran out, it was gone. All the way gone. During that time the smiles, and the laughter, left with it. Only to be replaced with frustration and agitation.

These issues often go unmitigated, leaving African Americans more than any other group, in various stages of declining health. As a country, we are reckoning with long-standing systemic practices rooted in our foundation that are inherently racist. One of the greatest disparities we face in our nation is within our food system.

Food apartheid, Food Swamps, and Food Deserts are implications of those practices.

In February of 2021, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released a food policy report charting the number of food insecure populations in the District of Columbia before and after the pandemic’s height. Food insecurity is up by 16% from 10.6% pre-COVID. The report outlined funds that will aid in the stabilization of food workers, and support food security, in the coming year.

Hopefully, this much-needed initiative will find a way into the District’s ward 8, which currently has one grocery store per 85,160 residents, vs. DC’s Ward 3, which boasts an egregious 1 grocery store for every 9, 336 residents. Ward 3 is home to the wealthiest and the whitest residents of the district, while Ward 7 is comprised mainly of Black and Brown families.

Mary Blackford is the founder of Market7, a premier marketplace of Black-Owned businesses, and a longtime Ward 7 resident. While visiting Ghana, Blackford witnessed autonomy within its communities and marketplaces. During her visit, she became deeply inspired by those spaces and set out to recreate what she saw upon returning stateside.

“We have a serious food apartheid issue,” says Blackford in an interview with Washingtonian Magazine.

“Food desert kind of sounds like it’s a natural occurrence. Food apartheid speaks to this really intentional act of discriminatory practices and even laws against communities of color, specifically Black communities.”

Regaining autonomy through community-based practices is deeply rooted in African American and African Diasporic traditions. Not only is the installation of Black-owned businesses in the community an integral part of restoring the village, but a return to the soil is as well.

The District’s nonprofit “Dreaming Out Loud” is the organization behind The Farm at Kelly Miller in ward 7. According to their website, “Dreaming Out Loud” aims to use the food system as a powerful tool of resistance, resilience, and advocacy for structural change.

In their 2021 Food Policy report, DC Food Policy outlined three strategies toward a path for creating a more secure food system. A large part of this initiative is to invest in community markets like Market 7. They promote grants for farmers of color and educate people on the link between nutrition and wellness.

Back in Detroit, my family worked with the land. Even though it was small, and in our backyard, it was ours. The women of my family were peaceful as they pulled tomatoes off the vine in the backyard. They cut cucumbers and snapped peas too. Whatever was leftover they would often share. Admittedly, I took those small aspects of community for granted, thinking they would always be there. Yet over time, they faded away.

The All-Nite Images from NY, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

I’m still hopeful, and I always have been. I still believe in the village mentality and extended family communing together through food. When we were like this, we had fewer hungry people. In the mid-eighties, I’d already left my family behind in Detroit. My mother joined the military, and we were off to Kansas, then Berlin, and–we never looked back. By that time, I was watching the rise of hip-hop from overseas and the fall of the Berlin Wall on our home front.

Never would I forget the times around the table with my family. The laughter as well as the heartache. Nor did I forget the losses that occurred when we stopped working with our hands, when we lost the men of our village, and the dignity in our food choices.

Thankfully today’s activists are focused–they will not be moved in the pursuit of equality. Through raised awareness and community effort, the residents of Ward 7 are putting down roots and establishing traditions. A much-needed guiding light on the road to food justice.

For a comprehensive look at food insecurity in the Washington, D.C. are visit: www.anacostia.si.edu and their “Food for the People: Eating and Activism in Greater Washington”–to learn more.

Posted on April 13, 2022April 13, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

It’s Officially April, Time To Revisit Those New Year’s Resolutions. How Are Yours Stacking Up?

Clip Art by Vector Toons, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Today is Wednesday, and as a mom who also works from home with her kids and a toddler learning to potty train—the days often roll into the night. The busyness of life alone is enough to swallow a person up whole. But, I’ve mastered a technique to share so that it doesn’t. Can you relate? This month, I felt it was essential to check in with myself and revisit the informal resolutions I made at the start of the year to see how I’m measuring up. If I’m being honest, I am doing well. Especially after identifying my vices and replacing them with my virtues in order to stay committed to my resolutions. Here is how you can too, even if you have a lot going on.

We’re all familiar with the annual ritual of starting the new year with a fresh set of resolutions. For as long as I can remember, exercise has always been my number one. In January, it’s like a grand opening on the workout front. Swarms of people cramming the elliptical machines, boxing each other out in the weight room, and for positions in the mirror. After about 90 days, folks typically see some results, stop going, the excitement wears down, and we forget the work we put in to get us where we want to be. This year was different. I wanted to create better habits, manage my self-care, and see if an overall improved quality of life would make a difference. I believe it has.

As long as we are intentional with our self-discovery and endeavor to understand our unique pitfalls, we can set our minds in a high place and easily crush every goal we set.

Making resolutions, and vowing to see them through, is a great way to reset and is an opportunity to do so with like-minded people. However, according to a poll conducted by CBS News only 29% of Americans made resolutions going into 2022. This statistic isn’t too much of a shock. Life is unpredictable, and it seems the best way to work it is one day at a time.

The pandemic showed us that what we need is more personal happiness, a greater sense of community, a better work-life balance, and work that is meaningful. When we can aptly identify what those things are for us, like negotiating a higher salary, losing twenty pounds, and spending more time with family. In doing so we develop patience and become more attuned to what comes naturally. (See the great resignation).

In order to see progress, it’s time to get focused on what makes you happy and ground yourself in that mission—and the opportunities will follow. Let’s examine a few strategies for success so that you don’t fall off the wagon for the remainder of the year. For me, this is achieved by knowing my vices and replacing them with some virtues.

But first, what exactly is a resolution? I like to be pragmatic with my intentions so it’s best to know exactly what the word means. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines resolution as an act of determining. You must ask yourself what have you resolved to do and what are some deterrents? Below are some common ways we keep ourselves from achieving our goals.

What is your why?

A visualization coach may advise you to figure out your WHY?

When I hear that, I quickly jot down things like, “I want to be healthy. I want to run around with my kids. I want to look like a whole snack when I show up at my husband’s office.” I’m also here to tell you that if you repeatedly falter, perhaps your isn’t as strong as you think, and you may need to keep digging. World heavyweight champion Mike Tyson says that “Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but nonetheless doing it like you love it.” Who better to speak to discipline that a prize fighter.

Finding your “why” is a tricky thing, and that is where discipline kicks in. Discipline goes hand in hand with commitment. If you can lay hold to these two things, you will begin to slowly separate yourself from the pack.

“Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but
nonetheless doing it like you love it.”
— Mike Tyson

By examining your own psychology, you can end some of your self-sabotaging ways. You must be an expert in you.com. By understanding how our seemingly harmless vices can disrupt our commitments, we can slowly incorporate more virtuous behaviors and bring your life into balance.

Here is a list of virtues and vices:

If your April isn’t going quite as planned; no worries, it’s never too late to hop

back into the saddle. Now that you understand the vices vs. virtues model for commitment, I hope you feel encouraged in your discipline. I would love to hear what you have going on in the comments.

Posted on April 12, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

The March of Dimes Just Released An Enhanced Training To Address Disparities in Healthcare, Just In Time For Black Maternal Health Week

Things are looking up for mothers and babies in the fight to reduce chronic discrimination in healthcare, specifically in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Today the March of Dimes released its enhanced implicit bias training to address disparities in healthcare. The newly configured “Awareness to Action: Dismantling Bias in Maternal and Infant Healthcare™” available virtually as a 1.5-hour e-learning module or as a 3-4 hour in-person class. This module is released just in time for Black Maternal Health Week, which is recognized every year from April 11-17.

According to the March of Dimes, “the U.S. remains among the most dangerous developed nations for women to give birth.” The latest 2021 March of Dimes Report Card shows Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native women and their babies, consistently have worse health outcomes than their white peers. Additionally, there are a few intersecting factors that contribute to these outcomes, such aas a variation in quality healthcare, structural racism, and implicit bias, to name a few. The good news is that these issues are being mitigated by raising more awareness and implementing equitable systems. The key to making substantive long lasting changes are rooted in policy, institutions, and by working in tandem with the communities they serve.

Photo by TUBARONES PHOTOGRAPHY on Pexels.com

What exactly is implicit bias? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines implicit bias as a bias or prejudice that is present but not consciously held or recognized. We all have them, and they are typically created by our culture, rooted in our upbringing, and informed by the larger society. The danger is when healthcare professionals, knowingly or unknowingly,are affected by them and treat patients from a place of prejudice. Studies show that the outcomes of implicit bias can prove deadly. Ironically, these biases traverse across all races, gender, and socioeconomic status, while administering the harshest blow to women of color, which signifies a necessary and much-needed change at the structural level.

The “Awareness to Action: Dismantling Bias in Maternal and Infant Healthcare™ aims to define implicit bias, describe structural racism, apply strategies, and commit to a culture of equity.

I am among many African American women who have felt unheard, dismissed, and not taken seriously when relaying concerns to my physician during my pregnancy, and I had outstanding health insurance. Yet, I believe that not being heard attributed to my symptoms of depression during my first pregnancy and extended my postpartum symptoms long after.

Thankfully, advocates like Black Mamas Matter Alliance are working hard to deepen the conservation around Black maternal health and work towards parity in treatment for women of color. Pregnancy is a time of excitement, and Black women can be made to feel as if motherhood is a burden. Disparities in healthcare stops now, and it will take all of us becoming more informed and knowing how to take action.

For information on how you can get involved, get help, or raise awareness, you can visit:

“Awareness to Action: Dismantling Bias in Maternal and Infant Healthcare™” visit: marchofdimes.org/implicitbiastraining.

CDC Black Maternal Health Week information: https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/maternal-mortality/index.html

Doulas of Capitol Hill https://www.doulasofcapitolhill.com/blog1/2020/08/28/resource-guide-for-black-moms-in-the-dmv

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

Let’s Celebrate Our Earth All Month

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Chiara (Fudge) Atoyebi — Leave a comment

Monday Musings: Febraury 14, 2022

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

This morning while I was journaling, I began working on a piece about networking and managing core belief while excelling in capitalism. If that’s possible. There are some harsh realities surrounding capitalisms #stayingpower. I delve into those deeper on Medium. Ideas about #democracy, making things equitable, and doing the work of our own hands. Since money is always an issue to some degree, we can consider how who we are as people is the most transferable skill we have to offer in today’s economy. Today is about #money, #networking and what you plan to do with your fantastic gifts when you discover them. In January, Fast Company ran an article referencing the 4.5 million people that have already left the workforce during the #greatresignation. I predict there will be more. Look, nothing screams, “take that chance now” more than surviving and existing in an ongoing pandemic. You get paid just enough to hold your head up but not enough to make real moves. The weight of that type of cognitive dissonance and ablation of self is draining. Might as well, get into it yuh? What do you have to lose?

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

The good news is you can do whatever you want. You just have to decide what’s important to you. There is no shame in leaving or staying. This is about what makes your heart sing. It’s also not uncommon to not know what you want. This world is so distracting but it becomes less so when you have found your–thing. When you have been lost, you can become found again. There is hope. One of the best ways to rediscover what you want or remember, is through engaging your relationships and networking with them. If you cringe at networking, I feel you. It has a bad reputation. The word feels formal and opportunistic. Essentially, it’s really just being yourself and having a conversation. Hopefully, a good one, and not an interrogation. If you aren’t the best conversationalist, make sure you read the top stories of the paper.

Voila! You just networked. Get your mind right and get on out there. You got this. That is the mystery of networking. Some of the best “networking” happens with casual conversation. Conversations are a form of intimacy that offers connection, and connections lead to the #opportunity. Those opportunities aligned with your skill set/personality is a way to consider how you should navigate the job market. What will make you the happiest? Whether you decide to jump into a new venture, stay and build upon an existing infrastructure, or spread your skills with a variety of corparations as a consultant — it’s all good. The work style should not increase, or decrease based on your decision. You should be always managing with excellence. The brand is you. The more you know yourself the better able you are able to articulate what you bring to the table. So, with all of your amazing gifts, what will you do? #LinkedIn is the place for it. An open audition in front of casting directors. Take advantage of it. #people #networking

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