By Katelynn White NASHVILLE, TN — Metro Nashville Public School (MNPS) spokesperson Sean Braisted said last week cameras purchased and not used in the COVID-19 relief contract between the district and Meharry Medical College did not fit the need for the work that had to be done. “The decision to move to a different model was made in collaboration with Meharry during team meetings after field-testing the initially proposed cameras,” he said. “The desire from the team was for a mobile system that could easily check and confirm individual temperatures,” Braisted said. “The donated cameras were unable to be upgraded…
Author: Katelynn White
By Katelynn White NASHVILLE, TN — At the age of 23, Belmont graduate student DeAnn Whitlow has become an advocate for overcoming depression and anxiety. As part of a generation in which discussing mental illness is considered taboo, she has decided to use her journey to encourage her peers. “Fighting with your own mind can feel like there is no escape. Luckily, that is not true. When you fight through, you will learn that you have the strength. Keep faith in yourself, even when you do not have faith in anything else. When it comes to fighting back, the best…
By Katelynn White NASHVILLE, TN — According to Metro Nashville Public Schools website, the $18 million COVID-19 testing deal with Meharry Medical College ended June 30. To help fight COVID-19, renowned immunologist and Meharry Medical College president Dr. James Hildreth joined Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of MNPS in a COVID-19 safety partnership. Hildreth said, “We need to know where the enemy is. And the virus is sorta like the invisible enemy. I don’t know where to find it, just know where it is. But we can’t do that without testing, and we can’t test the kids without the parents’ permission”…
By Katelynn White NASHVILLE, TN— Regular physical activity throughout the years has been connected to good health by doctors and personal trainers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, health officials have continued to stress the importance of exercising. “You can’t change your risk factor of advanced age — unfortunately — but you can increase your physical activity and decrease your risk of contracting severe COVID,” said Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, a physiatrist who serves on the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Inclusion and Engagement Committee and as director of the post-COVID recovery clinic at the University of Texas Health Science…
By Katelynn White NASHVILLE, TN — The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln on Jan.1, 1863 and in April 1865, the American Civil War ended but the news of freedom did not reach all African Americans. Some stayed enslaved longer than others. This was the case for enslaved people in Galveston, Texas. Nearly two and a half years went by before Union troops notified slaves about their new freedom status. On June 19, 1865 the Emancipation Proclamation was read aloud to slaves in the city. For 156 years June 19 has been celebrated in parts of the African American community…
By Katelynn White NASHVILLE, TN — The Juneteenth celebration continued in Nashville on June 20 with an American voting rights organization coming to the First Baptist Church Capitol Hill. Black Voters Matter drove into town on the “Blackest Bus in America” for their BVM Freedom Riders for Voting rally. Organization members addressed the Black community about the importance of voting and how voting could increase power within the black community. “Cast that ballot like a candle burning with ancestral flame; it’s the legacy they fought for, let them see what became of the women, of the country, of the children…
By Katelynn White NASHVILLE, TN — UNA Bears Coach Bryan Lowe’s love for sports and coaching youth developed while watching his father and uncle coach teams when he was young. He has played football and basketball since he was five or six and even today, he plays flag football for fun. “Parents have entrusted me with their kids, and I always want them to walk away saying that I taught them skill and discipline and I did right by them,” Lowe said. Combining his love for instructing and his passion for sports gave him the drive to want to coach…
By Katelynn White NASHVILLE, TN — The COVID-19 pandemic restructured this last year of school for most high school students. Everyone had to participate in virtual courses. Parents and teachers wondered anxiously how students would cope with virtual learning. Students were frustrated with the sudden change but still found the courage to persevere. As the school year ended, standardized testing and graduation ceremonies were the topics of discussion. Isaiah Burns, a football player from McGavock High School said, “Participating in school virtually put a lot of pressure on me when trying to enter to the next grade level and football…
By Katelynn White The coronavirus has created challenges for many people. Americans have lost their jobs. Many children have missed meals because schools are closed. Essential workers have risked their lives. Parents were forced to create in-home daycare for their children. And incomes have decreased. These challenges can cause stress and strong emotions in adults and children. As a result, many Americans are struggling with their mental health. The US Census Bureau recently reported more than 40 percent of Americans have reported symptoms of feeling isolated, stress, anxiety and depression while living during a nationwide lockdown. Mental Health America President…
By Katelynn White NASHVILLE, TN — Five of the six historically Black colleges and universities in Tennessee are preparing to resume face-to-face courses on campus this Fall, but the transition for faculty, staff and students may be different for each group. The five HBCUs are Tennessee State University, Fisk University, Lemoyne Owen College, Lane College, and Meharry Medical College. Information was not available from American Baptist College. Each HBCU has decided not to force students to take the vaccination before returning to campus but each school is taking extreme safety measures to keep all faculty, staff, and students safe. Dr.…