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Young Americans turn to social media, memes and humor in the wake of COVID-19

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TSD’s All Over Town columnist Brianna A. Smith

Coronavirus. It’s all over the news. It’s trending on your social media. It’s on your TV. It’s dominating the push alerts on your phone.

The year is less than three months old but we have every reason to believe that COVID-19 will be one of the most significant events of the decade.

A global infectious disease can be every bit as transformative for the future as a global war or economic depression.

With trending words like quarantine, outbreak and isolation, it’s important to educate yourself about the virus and how it could impact you.

While each generation has its unique set of worries and generational characteristics, millennials have their own concerns and circumstances that impact how they are dealing with this outbreak.

Many are spending more time on social media to stay connected. I know I am.

Over past two weeks, I’ve seen so many people on obligatory “staycation,” using Tik Tok (an app used to create a short dance, lip-sync, comedy and talent videos) to entertain themselves.

I’ve seen so many cute, goofy videos of families holed up together and hanging out, of kids teaching their parents dance challenges, friends creating new dances, DIY craft and cooking projects and, of course, coronavirus comedy sketches.

Brooklyn-based DJ iMarkkeyz, who specializes in chopping up viral clips, took Cardi B’s 46-second rant about COVID-19 and created “Coronavirus,” a track that spread instantly. (Photo: Instagram)

Cardi B’s “Coronavirus Rant Remix” video and basketball superstar LeBron James family’s Tik Tok, have to be two of my favorites right now.

When coping with a problem that seems inevitable, fatalistic humor, memes and social media are second hand nature to my generation.

We don’t have the ability to control whatever is going on, but we can put text on a gif and say something about the situation that’s happening to make it humorous.

Krystal Love, a colleague of mine, admits that tweeting isn’t exactly a constructive way of dealing with problems, but she does it anyway.

“I am, of course, aware that tweeting does not necessarily actually do anything to change whatever is going on,” she said. “Tweeting does, however, make me feel better, I admit, and that is something even if it’s a very small thing. I am able to vent as well as find someone that maybe can re- late, and that builds a sense of community, especially during this ‘lockdown.’”

And, with Twitter being my go-to social media app, I definitely can agree with her. Twitter’s strength is real-time, it has become increasingly popular with policymakers, politicians and the general public.

Twitter remains our best indicator of the wider pulse of the world and what’s happening within it and you can always find something humorous and relatable.

Although Tik Tok, Twitter, and Face- book are all fun stops, the party really is on Instagram.

We’re all physically distanced from our favorite people and avoiding our favorite public places. However, on Saturday “Club Quarantine” was the place to be. Well known DJ and photographer, DJ D-Nice invited his Instagram followers to join him for a virtual dance party.

As a firm believer that music and dance help heal and unify, I was stunned when I entered into the club and guests such as Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Usher, Diddy and Oprah were all there.

Even Democratic presidential candidates former vice president Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders joined in on the fun, which at one point reached up to 100,000 live viewers.

He shouted out his special guests—even joking that perhaps guest Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, might “buy out the bar” for all of the guests.

As he played dance tunes, followers commented on what a nice break the jam session was, as we’re all social distancing.

As the pandemic grows increasingly dire around the globe and millions are confined to their homes, music fans, such as myself, look to these live stream concerts for a distraction.

Anthony Hamilton, Miguel, and even local artists such as, Karen Brown, to name a few, used their social media accounts to share their gifts and sprinkle some hope into the world.

Increased online connections will be critical for millions of Americans as we all retreat into our homes for an indefinite period.

‘Guarding your heart and mind’ — Coronavirus and mental health

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“When people are in emotional pain, depression and anxiety take hold,” said Dr. William Young of The Healing Center. “And it has nothing to do with class or race. (Photo via hopkinsmedicine.org)

For nearly four decades, Dr. William Young has been repeating the same mantra: “Black people must stop saying that ‘we don’t commit suicide,’ and talk about mental health issues in our community.”

This week, a call from Long Island, N.Y., gave him tragic justification for repeatedly touting that message.

Dr. William Young and Pastor Dianne Young of The Healing Center. (Courtesy photo)

A beloved minister in New York state last week had taken his life, and it is believed that coronavirus was the underlying cause.

“We host the nationally recognized ‘Suicide and the Black Church’ Conference right here in Memphis,” he said. “Mental health professionals, family members of suicide victims, and others from all over the country convene to share their stories, their attempts, and their knowledge. This minister, I am told, was immersed in counseling others about COVID-19. Somehow, he entered into their suffering and was unable to pull himself out. What a tragedy.”

As founding bishop of The Healing Center and director of The Emotional Fitness Centers of Tennessee, Young has lectured and preached to thousands over the years that undiagnosed depression is the cause of most suicides.

“When people are in emotional pain, depression and anxiety take hold,” Young said. “And it has nothing to do with class or race.

“But the number of African-American men, especially between the ages of 16-25, completing suicide has been on a steady rise since 1995. Add to that the shutting down of life as we know it because of coronavirus, and we’ve got a recipe for disaster.”

HealthyPlace.com calls suicide “a hidden crisis for young black men.”

“Suicide is a taboo subject among many cultures, but the denial of mental health disorders runs rampant among African Americans,” according to an article on anxiety and depression on HealthyPlace.com by Samantha Gluck, a Houston-based journalist, specializing in healthcare trends, mental health, health and fitness.

“For so long, we could not talk about our feelings of depression and hopelessness, and there is still a stigma,” said Young. “When I came back from Viet Nam, I had some issues.

“I was very angry, and I suffered from depression. I began dealing with my own stuff when I was training to become a psych chaplain at the state mental hospital in Bolivar, Tennessee. It was there that my own healing really began.”

Young said coronavirus is a huge risk factor for depression because of “what it has taken from people.”

The pro basketball season is over, people are out of work, bills are piling up, and there seems to be no end in sight, Young said. Concerts and other events involving popular artists have all been canceled. Coronavirus is a “game-changer for most of us,” he said.

“Our teenagers and young people are at higher risk because disappointment can soon turn into depression,” Young said. “Our schools superintendent, said he was getting so many calls from students asking, ‘What about prom?’ and ‘What about graduation?’

“These events are important in the lives of children. They are highlights of a senior year. Their sense of accomplishment has been jeopardized because of this virus.”

Now that people have been directed to shelter in place, isolation and feelings of loneliness may trigger feelings of depression, Young said.

Shelby County Schools Superintendent Joris Ray said during a recent coronavirus update from the Health Department that “our children need to be encouraged” during this time.

“I am asking everyone to come together and embrace our children. They are fearful, and they need to be reassured. They are going to get through this, but it is going to take all of us working together to let them know that this, too, will pass…they are calling about prom and graduation…let’s keep our children first and foremost,” Ray said.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) said: “COVID-19 is causing widespread fear and anxiety throughout the United States. The impact is going to be more pronounced for those with existing mental health disorders, especially anxiety and depression…”

Young said there are signs that parents may observe in a person who may be experiencing depression and anxiety during this time of uncertainty.

“Be watchful of everyone, but especially children and teens. If their eating and sleeping habits change, they complain of stomach aches or other body aches, and if they seem to have lost interest in hobbies, such as playing games, talking with friends on the phone or on social media, those are all red flags,” Young said.

According to National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, these are helpful tips:

  • Be direct. Talk openly and matter-of-factly about suicide.
  • Be willing to listen. Allow expressions of feelings. Accept the feelings.
  • Be non-judgmental. Don’t debate whether suicide is right or wrong, or whether feelings are good or bad. Don’t lecture on the value of life.
  • Get involved. Become available. Show interest and support.
  • Don’t dare him or her to do it.
  • Don’t act shocked. This will put distance between you.
  • Don’t be sworn to secrecy. Seek support.
  • Offer hope that alternatives are available but do not offer glib reassurance.
  • Take action. Remove means, like weapons or pills.
  • Get help from people or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has a hotline: (800) 273-8255.

Locally, The Emotional Fitness Centers of Tennessee has counselors available at: 901-370-4673, or go to: memphishealingcenter.com.

Washington agrees on unrivaled $2 trillion virus rescue bill

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The package is intended as a weekslong or monthslong patch for an economy spiraling into recession or worse and a nation facing a grim toll from an infection that’s killed nearly 20,000 people worldwide.

By Andrew Taylor and Lisa Mascaro — 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and Senate leaders announced agreement Wednesday on an unparalleled, $2 trillion emergency bill to rush aid to businesses, workers and a health care system slammed by the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s the largest economic rescue bill in history. The package is intended as a weekslong or monthslong patch for an economy spiraling into recession or worse and a nation facing a grim toll from an infection that’s killed nearly 20,000 people worldwide.

Underscoring the effort’s sheer magnitude, the bill finances a response with a price tag that’s half the size of the entire $4 trillion annual federal budget.

“A fight has arrived on our shores,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “We did not seek it, we did not want it, but now we’re going to win it.”

“Big help, quick help, is on the way,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

They said passage of the legislation was expected in the Republican-led Senate by the end of the day. After a banner day on Tuesday as the package took shape, the stock market rallied even more on Wednesday.

That would leave final congressional approval up to the Democratic-controlled House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the bipartisan agreement “takes us a long way down the road in meeting the needs of the American people” but she stopped short of fully endorsing it.

“House Democrats will now review the final provisions and legislative text of the agreement to determine a course of action,” she said.

House members are scattered around the country and the timetable for votes in that chamber is unclear.

House Democratic and Republican leaders have hoped to clear the measure for President Donald Trump’s signature by a voice vote without having to call lawmakers back to Washington. But that may prove challenging, as the bill is sure to be opposed by some conservatives upset at its cost and scope. Ardent liberals were restless as well.

White House aide Eric Ueland announced the agreement in a Capitol hallway Wednesday, shortly after midnight, capping days of often intense haggling and mounting pressure. The wording of some final pieces of the agreement need to be completed.

The sprawling, 500-page-plus measure is the third coronavirus response bill produced by Congress and by far the largest. It builds on efforts focused on vaccines and emergency response, sick and family medical leave for workers, and food aid.

It would give direct payments to most Americans, expand unemployment benefits and provide a $367 billion program for small businesses to keep making payroll while workers are forced to stay home.

One of the last issues to close concerned $500 billion for guaranteed, subsidized loans to larger industries, including a fight over how generous to be with the airlines. Hospitals would get significant help as well.

McConnell, a key negotiator, said the package will “rush new resources onto the front lines of our nation’s health care fight. And it will inject trillions of dollars of cash into the economy as fast as possible to help Americans workers, families, small businesses and industries make it through this disruption and emerge on the other side ready to soar.”

Five days of arduous talks produced the bill, creating tensions among Congress’ top leaders, who each took care to tend to party politics as they maneuvered and battled over crafting the legislation. But failure was never an option, which permitted both sides to mark big wins.

“That Washington drama does not matter any more,” McConnell said. “The Senate is going to stand together, act together, and pass this historic relief package today.”

The bill would provide one-time direct payments to Americans of $1,200 per adult making up to $75,000 a year, and $2,400 to a married couple making up to $150,000, with $500 payments per child

A huge cash infusion for hospitals expecting a flood of COVID-19 patients grew during the talks at Schumer’s insistence. Republicans pressed for tens of billions of dollars for additional relief to be delivered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal disaster agency.

Democrats said the package would help replace the salaries of furloughed workers for four months, rather than the three months first proposed. Furloughed workers would get whatever amount a state usually provides for unemployment, plus a $600 per week add-on, with gig workers like Uber drivers covered for the first time.

Schumer said businesses controlled by members of Congress and top administration officials — including Trump and his immediate family members — would be ineligible for the bill’s business assistance.

The New York Democrat immediately sent out a roster of negotiating wins for transit systems, hospital, and cash-hungry state governments that were cemented after Democrats blocked the measure in votes held Sunday and Monday to maneuver for such gains.

Pelosi was a force behind $400 million in grants to states to expand voting by mail and other steps that Democrats billed as making voting safer but Republican critics said was political opportunism. The package also contains $15.5 billion more for a surge in demand for food stamps.

Republicans won inclusion of an “employee retention” tax credit that’s estimated to provide $50 billion to companies that retain employees on payroll and cover 50% of workers’ paychecks. Companies would also be able to defer payment of the 6.2% Social Security payroll tax.

A companion appropriations package ballooned as well, growing from a $46 billion White House proposal to more than $300 billion, which dwarfs earlier disasters — including Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy combined.

To provide transparency, the package is expected to create a new inspector general and oversight board for the corporate dollars, much as was done during the 2008 bank rescue, officials said.

Europe is enacting its own economic recovery packages, with huge amounts of credit guarantees, government spending and other support.

Germany alone, Europe’s biggest economy, has agreed to commit over 1 trillion euros ($1.1 trillion) in fiscal stimulus and support — roughly 30 percent of that nation’s entire annual output.

France, Spain and Italy have launched similar programs. The European Union has suspended limits it imposes on member countries’ borrowing and deficits, freeing them to spend more.

Some of Europe’s fiscal stimulus kicks in automatically without any new legislation due to social welfare safety nets that are more extensive than in the U.S.

At the White House on Tuesday, even as the public health crisis deepened, President Donald Trump expressed eagerness to nudge many people back to work in the coming weeks and held out a prospect, based more on hope than science, that the country could be returning to normal in less than a month.

Medical professionals say social distancing needs to be stepped up, not relaxed, to slow the spread of infections.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.

In the United States, more than 55,000 people have been sickened and more than 800 have died.

(Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor, Zeke Miller, Mary Clare Jalonick, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Alan Fram and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report.)

 

Declining numbers, coronavirus crisis fuel closure of Holy Names

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A neighborhood fixture at 697 Keel Ave, Holy Names' parishioners were proud of the church's 70-year history and desired to see a revival. (Courtesy photo)

Several years of declining membership and waning numbers of new congregants forced the Catholic Diocese of Memphis to consider a complete closure of Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Catholic Church, just north of Downtown Memphis.

The threat of a full-blown, coronavirus outbreak in Shelby County hastened the date of closure.

“Membership at Holy Names has continued a steady decline,” said Rick Ouellette, director of communications. “Of course, we hate to see any of our churches having to close.

“Holy Names was special. It was diverse. Although it was situated in an African-American community, the Sisters of Charity attended mass there.”

Since congregations throughout the city are moving to online and streaming worship services because of the COVID-19 outbreak in Shelby County, it seemed an appropriate time to close the church.

“And actually, Holy Names was not completely closed,” Ouellette said. “It was actually merged with St. Mary’s Catholic Church downtown. However, some congregates are choosing to go to Little Flower Catholic Church, also located near Downtown Memphis.”

After “a thorough evaluation and prayerful consideration,” Presiding Bishop David P. Talley of the Memphis Diocese felt it was time to finally close the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Catholic Church, according to Ouellette.

“It was still a very difficult decision, although based primarily on the declining number of parishioners in attending mass,” said Bishop Talley. “The parish of Holy Names experienced a dramatic reduction in registered parishioners, and most parishioners who live in the territory choose to worship elsewhere.”

The parishioners who have continued to worship at the Holy Names Church for years have been faithful to their parish, because it was their church, said Ouellette. Those who stayed were proud of the church’s 70-year history, and they desired to see a revival and the congregation return to its former glory.

However, a decline of the neighborhood, where the church stood at 697 Keel Ave. in North Memphis, has suffered over the past three decades with school closings, the decline also of homeowners in the community, and the loss of neighborhood businesses. Deserted buildings and blight have also plagued surrounding neighborhoods.

Parishioners remained faithful to the church they loved, and they are to be commended for that, Bishop Talley said. But it was evident that with fewer and fewer parishioners attending mass there, the time to close was near.

The final Sunday Mass at Holy Names was celebrated on March 8, with a gathering in the fellowship hall following the Mass. All sacramental records from the Holy Names Church will now be preserved at St. Mary Catholic Church in Downtown Memphis.

“It was a bittersweet end,” said Ouelette. “All sacred furnishings from Holy Names were carefully and lovingly removed from the church.

 

Coping with COVID-19: Dr. James Hildreth, a reliable source

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Dr. James Hildreth

Dr. James Hildreth, president/CEO of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, explores multiple facets of the COVID-19 public health emergency in an exclusive conversation with TSDMemphis.com

CBC says it’s holding steady to protect most vulnerable

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While Congress is working on the terms for an emergency stimulus bill to respond to the economic fallout of the coronavirus, Congressional Black Caucus members said Monday they won’t advocate for its approval if the most vulnerable citizens aren’t protected.

In an effort to safeguard the rights of the working poor, the group of African-American leaders composed a list of nine priorities to be included in the stimulus package. The list was sent to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, last week.

“Yes, we have to battle this virus, but we also have to protect our communities,” Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), who also serves as the CBC’S chairperson, said during a call led by the organization’s leaders, Monday.

“What the Republicans presented does not protect most people in our communities.”

After days of intense negotiations, the U.S. Senate failed for the second time to advance the $1.8 trillion economic stimulus package in a procedural vote, Monday.

The hefty package is slated to be one of the most expensive in American history, with talks of it growing beyond $2 trillion. Republicans, who needed 60 votes to move forward on the bill, weren’t able to win over Democrats, who said that they were dissatisfied with the lack of worker protections.

Democrats also condemned the Republican-written guidelines on corporate bailouts, insisting that the bill favored corporations over people.

“When you hear that the Democrats have stopped the stimulus package from moving forward, understand that none of the safety nets that would help our communities would have been included,” Rep. Bass said.  “It’s not just Democrats blocking something; it’s Democrats fighting for the most vulnerable people.”

Those vulnerable people include African Americans and Latinos who experience poverty at higher rates than any other race. Shelby County mirrors the national statistics, with more than 34 percent of African Americans living below poverty the poverty level.

CBC leaders emphasized that those with the fewest financial resources are most vulnerable to infection and most susceptible to the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why federal support is needed; but the plan needs to be right, leaders said.

At the time of Monday’s teleconference, the coronavirus stimulus bill in the works called for Americans to receive $1200 direct deposits, along with an additional $500 for each child. The bill also included $242 billion more for programs such as SNAP, child nutrition and the Centers for Disease Control.

Bass said while immediate income support is important, long-term and targeted support will be essential in helping the country’s vulnerable populations bounce back after the pandemic.

The 11-page proposal presented by the CBC includes:

  • Requests to extend the data collection period of the Census,
  • Safeguarding safety net programs such as SNAP,
  • Provision for rural broadband funding,
  • Grants for small businesses,
  • 90-day moratorium on payments,
  • Relief for Black farmers,
  • Emergency funding for HBCUs,
  • Protection for incarcerated individuals, and
  • Increased health care for all.

“No family should have to worry about their physical health and financial health at this critical time,” said Rep. Steven Horseford (D-NV), who was also on the call. “That’s why these priorities outlined in the proposal are important.”

Bass said despite the potentially bleak economic impact that may result from the pandemic, she remains optimistic.

“As black people we have faced so many challenges and not only have we overcome them, we have thrived,” she said.

“We cannot let anything divide us, despite having the ‘divider-in-chief’ in office. I know that we will get pass this, but we can’t let it derail us. We have to remained focused.”

 

 

 

 

 

elected officials composed an extensive list of nine priorities to be included in the stimulus package. The list was sent to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, last week.

 

“Yes, we have to battle this virus, but we also have to protect our communities,” Representative Karen Bass (D-CA) who also serves as the CBC’S Chair, said during a call led by the organization’s leaders, Monday. “What the Republicans presented does not protect most people in our communities.”

 

After days of intense negotiations, the U.S. Senate failed for the second time to advance the $1.8 trillion economic stimulus package in a procedural vote, Monday.

 

The hefty package is slated to be one of the most expensive in American history, with talks of it growing beyond $2 trillion. Republicans, who needed 60 votes to move forward on the bill, weren’t able to win over Democrats, who said that they were dissatisfied with the lack of worker protections. They also condemned the Republican-written guidelines on corporate bailouts, insisting that the bill favored corporations over people.

 

“When you hear that the Democrats have stopped the stimulus package from moving forward, understand that none of the safety nets that would help our communities would have been included,” Rep. Bass said.  “It’s not just Democrats blocking something; it’s Democrats fighting for the most vulnerable people.”

 

Those vulnerable people include African Americans and Latinos who experience poverty at higher rates than any other race. Shelby County mirrors the national statistics, with more than 34 percent of African Americans living below poverty the poverty level- making the group the poorest in the county.

 

CBC leaders emphasized that those with the fewest financial resources are most vulnerable to infection and most susceptible to the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why federal support is needed; but the plan needs to be right, leaders said.

 

As the coronavirus stimulus bill currently stands, many Americans would receive $1200 direct deposits, along with an additional $500 for each child. The bill also included $242 billion more for programs like SNAP, child nutrition, and the Centers for Disease Control.

 

Bass said while immediate income support is important, long-term and targeted support will be essential in helping the country’s vulnerable populations bounce back after the pandemic.

 

The 11-page proposal presented by the CDC includes requests to extend the data collection period of the Census, safeguarding safety net programs such as SNAP, provision for rural broadband funding, grants for small businesses, 90-day moratorium on payments, relief for Black farmers, emergency funding for HBCUs, protection for incarcerated individuals, and increase health care for all.

 

“No family should have to worry about their physical health and financial health at this critical time,” said Representative Steven Horseford (D-NV), who was also on the call. “That’s why these priorities outlined in the proposal are important.”

 

Bass said despite the potentially bleak economic impact that may result from the pandemic, she remains optimistic.

 

“As black people we have faced so many challenges and not only have we overcome them, we have thrived,” she said. “We cannot let anything divide us, despite having the ‘divider in chief ‘in office. I know that we will get pass this, but we can’t let it derail us. We have to remained focused.”

 

 

 

 

 

BBB scam alert: Phony government checks and grant offers

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Warning consumers about COVID-19 scams, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) notes that it has received reports of Memphians being contacted through Facebook regarding government grants.

In one instance, the consumer saw something offering COVID-19 grants for seniors; in another case, the consumer got a message with grant information.

The alert comes as Congress lurches forward toward a package of stimulus payments/grants. No matter the final product, the BBB says only scammers will consumers to pay to get them.

Here is a reported scam-case scenario: A Memphis man clicked on an ad and was immediately messaged by someone claiming to be the “U.S. Emergency Grants Federation.” They asked for his personal information to see if he qualified.

Sensing a scam, the man said, “I gave them a fake Social Security number and guess what…I qualified.”

A second scam scenario: A Memphis woman got a Facebook message from a “friend” who said she’d gotten a grant designed for seniors to help them deal with the COVID-19 crisis. She called the number her “friend” provided and was greeted by “Officer Julie,” who asked for her personal information, then said she qualified for a $150,000 grant.

“Officer Julie” told the woman she’d get the money after paying $1,500 using prepaid gift cards. According to the BBB, she might have fallen for it, but couldn’t drive to the store to buy the cards and didn’t have enough money in her checking account for the crooks to draft.

“This scam even had a humanitarian twist,” the BBB reports. “She was instructed to keep most of the money for herself and to pass some on to help others.”

And one Memphis man told BBB that he got a phone call regarding “the funding that the president is giving to Americans because of the coronavirus pandemic.” When the caller asked for his personal identification, the man recognized it was a scam and hung up.

The BBB and the Federal Trade Commission offer the following tips:

  • The government is putting together a stimulus package that should include checks or deposits to individuals. However, they will not ask you to pay anything up front to get this money. No fees. No charges. No nothing.
  • The government will not call to ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. Anyone who does is a scammer.
  • These reports of checks aren’t yet a reality. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer.
  • Don’t give out your bank account information to anyone you don’t know. Scammers pressure people toto divulge their bank account information so they can steal the money in the account.
  • Look-alikes and sound-alikes aren’t the real thing. Just because the caller says he’s from the “Federal Grants Administration” doesn’t mean he is. This and other names used are fakes.
  • Phone numbers can deceive. Con artists use the Internet technology to disguise their area code in caller ID Systems. They could be calling from anywhere.

Consumers spotting such scams are encouraged to contact the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint and report it to the Better Business Bureau at bbb.org/scamtracker.

 

Boss Up!: Dolen Perkins-Valdez

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Memphian Dolen Perkins-Valdez is super dope. I have had long-time great admiration and respect for her.

#ACCESS901 columnist Joy Doss

First, she is one of the only people I know who went from Memphis to Harvard University, where she double majored in African-American Studies and East Asian Studies. She also is the highly regarded author of the historical fiction work “Wench,” which was her debut as a novelist.

To hit the New York Times bestseller list on your first go-round…goals goals GOALS!

“Wench” explores the lives of four young, enslaved women of color, who are mistresses of their wealthy white masters. They are Southerners, who spend summers at Tawawa House, a resort in the free state of Ohio.

How did she come up with this idea? Reading.

Good writers oftentimes are avid readers. As she was reading the “Biography of a Race” about W.E.B. Du Bois, she came across the passage where Du Bois called Wilberforce University in Ohio, where he was teaching at the time, a “strange place.”

It was a place where Southern men took their black/slave mistresses on “vacation.”  She was fascinated and wanted to pull this thread a bit more.

She did some digging, but there was scant recorded information. She decided to make it up. She bounced it off a good girlfriend, who advised her to write it or she would!

And here we are. Inspiration is any — and everywhere friends! She says the lesson she learned from writing “Wench” was, “…to follow my nose. If you’re curious about the story, readers will be curious about the story.”

Perkins-Valdez, a professor of Creative Writing at American University, admits that, “Growing up I didn’t know a writer and didn’t know writing was a possibility.”

Then in college she wrote a short story she describes as a “silly romance story.”

She says, “I started to think maybe I can do this!” She applied for Jamaica Kincaid’s workshop at Harvard, but was rejected. “I thought I just may not be a good writer. But I didn’t let that discourage me. I ended up enrolling in an MFA program for that reason. I knew I had a lot to learn.”

Lemons meet lemonade.

The major “aha!” came after college graduation, when she was home in Memphis for a bit.

“I would be sitting at my desk writing all day long. I would get up and write from about 8 a.m. until about 4 p.m. One day, I walked to Baskin-Robbins near my apartment … and (after talking with the lady who worked there) I realized I had lost track of the days!”

That’s when she realized that she could do this all day every day because that’s how much she enjoyed writing.

People always tell us to follow our passion. If there’s something you love to do and would do for free, then that’s your path.

But, no one said the path would be paved or without some fails. For instance, in her very first MFA workshop, her story got torn to shreds.

Speaking candidly, Perkins-Valdez says, “It was really painful, but also really sobering because I realized just how much I had so much to learn. I had never known how hard it was to write a good story…. It’s good to have that humility but you have to keep moving forward.”

However, she only recommends the MFA program if you can afford it. Do NOT rack up the debt.

Other pearls of wisdom:

▪ It’s harder to find an agent than a publisher. Agents reject about 95% of the manuscripts they read. It’s not because you aren’t a good writer, but because they have their own interests. It has to be something they want to read.

▪ Don’t forget about the smaller presses. Many of them are doing wonderful work.

▪ Everyone’s process is different. Her timeline from start to finish is about five years, some take two years. But it can also depend on your other commitments – kids and family, job, other writing projects.

Perkins-Valdez is a married mom of two. She has several commitments and a job-job. So how does she push through? Again, she is transparent.

“Honestly, I don’t! Balls drop all the time. I just do my best and try not to be too hard on myself. Also, I have a lot of support, so that helps too.”

Perkins-Valdez also published a second historical fiction novel, “Balm,” in 2015, which is true to her five-year timeline. So, there should be something coming up soon right? Yes!

She is working on another project but will be a contributor in the upcoming anthology “Suffragette City” about the 1915 women’s suffragette march in New York City. The book is scheduled to released will be released in October to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the march and the 101st anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

“I’m happy that the editors included by voice because I wanted a black woman’s voice to be heard.”

We hear you. We see you. And we stan! #becauseofthemwecan.

Both books are available via all outlets – bookstores, Amazon, Audible, Kindle. Follow her here: @dolenperkinsvaldez on IG and @dolen on Twitter.

BOSS UP – A 5-part series in celebration of Women’s History Month

To meet or not to meet? Churches deal with the question

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When the COVID-19 global pandemic roared into Shelby County, government officials and healthcare professionals feared the first two cases that trickled in only days ago would quickly grow to “community transmission,” also called “community spread.”

They were right.

The Shelby County Health Department, as of Monday, had confirmed 93 cases of COVID-19 since the first county case was reported March 8.

Extraordinary measures became necessary. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, for example on Monday issued a “stay at home” executive order that requires Memphians to stay at home unless they serve in essential services. The order goes into effect at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Restaurants, bars, gyms and other places of public gathering have been ordered closed. Essential businesses include hospitals, groceries, restaurants serving to-go items only gas stations and pharmacies.

Strickland made a personal appeal to pastors to keep churches closed and opt for online streaming or virtual services options in place of corporate worship.

It was evident on Sunday that religious leaders are divided in their response to the request. Some churches remained closed and used some virtual option.

Others opened; business as usual in the midst of this crisis. Faith leaders on both sides claimed to perceive the will of God in their decision.

“At first, I was torn,” said Bishop William Young of The Healing Center. “But much of that comes from the mixed, confused messaging in the White House. I was on the call with Mayor Jim Strickland on Thursday with other pastors.

“God dealt with me all that night. For me, the choice was clear. Faith and science go hand in hand. We did our radio broadcast from home, and streamed church service online.”

Bishop Young and his wife, Pastor Dianne Young, conducted a full service in the pulpit of an empty church. Minister of Music Frederick Hardiman and the church musician provided the music for praise and worship.

Bishop David Hall, pastor of Temple COGIC, publicly conveyed the view that the only option for “people of faith” was to hold regularly scheduled service. Gathering together at such a time as this was the only option “for those who were trusting God.”

The Rev. Leonard Dawson

Pastor Leonard Dawson of Cane Creek Baptist Church agreed with Hall, also holding regular worship service on Sunday.

“There were fewer members in service,” he said. “But we also had some visitors who came to worship with us because their church was closed. I feel that God would be pleased if we continue to trust Him. We did curtail the handshaking and hugging that often goes on in a worship service.”

Young said, although, he disagrees with the decision to close the church, he understands how important the church is in the life of the black community. So, for some, a decision to close the church is unthinkable. Someone stated as much during the call-in portion of their broadcast.

“On our radio show, a woman called and said shutting down the church was like a death to her,” Young said. “She was grieving because life in the church is very important to our people.

“You see, in the world, they weren’t anybody. But in the church, they were somebody. This lady is an usher in a Pentecostal church. She is essentially grieving a loss.”

Dawson was certain he had made the right decision.

“God would not be pleased with suspending services,” he said. “The Lord established a place for us to come and to call on Him. We are not to be conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. We’ve got to have faith that the Lord will take care of us. This is God’s way.”

Pastor Byron and Rev. Sharon Moore. (Courtesy photo)

Dr. Byron Moore, pastor of St. Andrew AME Church, led worship service virtually on Facebook Live.

“This is what we are planning to do in coming weeks,” Moore said. “It is our way of providing a live worship experience as close to our regular service as possible. Our members are safe at home while we use this time to sanitize the building. Virtual service was necessary. Our seniors are the most vulnerable to this virus. Safety first.”

When this time has passed, Moore said, the church will be there. It was the only decision, in spite of any other concerns.

“We have 30 employees on staff and a day-care center,” Moore added. “We exercise our faith by believing that God will make provision through this period. Our seniors are our treasures. We covet and protect them. God has led me to go virtual and continue on this course until this pandemic has ended.”

Three pastors of smaller congregations worship together every fourth and fifth Sundays. Pastor Larry Lewis of Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding Ministries said the decision was not hard to call off the fellowship for both Sundays.

“If the government asked God’s people to do something against His Word, we would have no choice but to respond with some form of civil disobedience,” Lewis said.

“But the mayor asked us to suspend services for now to get a handle on this community spread that we are seeing. All three of us pastors have senior members who have some health issues. We wouldn’t think of putting them in jeopardy. The request was a good and reasonable one. It’s just common sense.”

I went to church yesterday. Here’s what happened.

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I went to church yesterday.

As in, I walked into an actual sanctuary, sat down in an actual pew, and . . . y’know, church.

Despite Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland requesting churches suspend their services. Despite having covered a webinar in which major religious leaders in Memphis discussed how to demonstrate their faith in the face of the coronavirus pandemic – among them, live-streaming and telling their folk to stay home.

I had no intentions on going, mind you. I literally live right next to Mount Zion Baptist Church on Dellwood Ave. in Frayser. I’d had friendly conversations with deacons coming and going on Sundays, but I’d never set foot in the building until yesterday. Judge away.

The parking lot at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Frayser is usually packed on Sundays, but about 50 faithful members overcame coronavirus fears to come worship on March 22. (Photo: Lee Eric Smith)

Anyway, I was doing some work in my garden, when to my surprise, I noticed cars in the parking lot. A few more pulled up. I saw some people getting out of their cars with surgical masks on. “They’re actually going to have church?” I thought to myself.

I know news when I see it, so I put on my other shoes and walked on over.

For a variety of reasons, I set some rules for myself. I just wanted to be an observer. For social distancing reasons, I decided I wouldn’t interview anyone. I figured the pastor would explain his reasoning from the pulpit (more on that in a moment). And I suppose part of me felt like I was snitching for going in with the intent of covering this service. It’s weird feeling like you’re snitching on people for going to church.

I heard organ music as I came through the doors. Ushers were already inside the sanctuary, so I just eased on down to the far left door so I could tip in, sit on the back pew well over six feet away from anyone, and take it all in. But I didn’t get to my seat.

The ushers noticed me coming in and silently signaled for me to go back out into the lobby. That’s where one usher took me back to the hand sanitizer station they had next to the sanctuary doors.

“You’re not sick, are you?” she asked as she spritzed my hand.

“No ma’am,” I said.

Moments later, another usher upended my plan to sit unobtrusively in the back, guiding me down the center aisle to my seat. As I came in, I did a quick head count: In a sanctuary that can easily hold 400-plus people, there weren’t more than 40 or so there. The ushers were methodically seating people with plenty of social distancing, though in some cases people were sitting closer than six feet apart.

“If they require us to shut down, we’ll shut down,” said Pastor H. P. Washington Jr. as he took the podium.  “But if they’re requesting us to shut down, we will be open.”

Lee Eric Smith

Washington said he’d been preaching on faith since the beginning of the year, saying that times would come that would test one’s faith. He invoked the story from Mark 4, in which Jesus is sleeping through the storm that is freaking his disciples out. “Where is your faith?”

Turns out that much of the early part of the service was dedicated to honoring a church mother who had experienced some health issues. One by one, biological family and church family stepped up to the mic to “give her flowers” while she’s still here.

During this part, however, the drummer had been assigned double duty. After each remark, no matter how short or long, he stepped to the podium with a small spray bottle of disinfectant, spritzing the microphone (which became its own running source of laughter) and wiping down the podium. I stopped counting after eight spritzes, but I do know he did not miss a single one – not even at the pastor’s mic.

A few of the church mother’s friends and loved ones went over and hugged her. Later, Washington took the mic to tell people to save their hugs and kisses for when they got back home.

Spritz. Wipe. Then Washington stepped up to introduce the guest speaker, the Rev. Jimmy Davis.

“If you look at this thing from a logic perspective, you’d be afraid, you’d be hiding under your bed,” he said. “God does not operate out of logic, out of things that make sense.

“It don’t make sense that a man can walk on water,” he said. “Don’t make sense that somebody can take two fish and five loaves of bread and feed over 5,000. It don’t make sense that three boys can be thrown into a fire and walk out unscathed. You have to view things from a spiritual perspective. God’s got this thing under control.

“I’m not saying that nobody in here will get this virus,” he added. “What I’m saying is that God will bring you through. He didn’t stop the boys from going in the furnace, but he brought them out. He didn’t stop Daniel from going into the lion’s den, but he brought him out.

“That’s the God we have to trust and believe in.”

Rev. Davis delivered the main sermon, leaning on Proverbs 3:5 for his inspiration: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” What followed was quite a bit of shouting.

“Where is the trust this morning?” he bellowed. “It’s not in the White House! It’s not in Donald Trump this morning! It’s in the Lord!”

Honestly, I couldn’t make out all of what he said, though I heard something about sin and men marrying men. Like I said, there was a lot of shouting – it felt as if he was trying to generate the same energy a full sanctuary would have. After he took his seat and Pastor Washington did an altar call and offering, one of the deacon’s recognized me.

“Aren’t you our neighbor?” he mouthed toward me.

Moments later, he asked Washington to acknowledge my presence as a guest of the church. “Y’all give Brother Lee Smith a hand,” he said. So much for me being incog-negro.

Before giving the benediction, Pastor Washington acknowledged that it may be a while before the church gathers in the building again. He had a parting thought.

“You better make sure your life is fixed up with the Lord,” he said. “I stand here and preach the Word of God for times like these. If you don’t get real with God, you might miss Heaven. And if you miss heaven, there’s only one place left: Hell.

“If the Lord takes me out with coronavirus, if you hear that I got coronavirus and I die, remember one thing,” he continued. “I died on the battlefield. And I’m satisfied with what I’ve done for the Lord. Amen? Amen.”