Monica May's Point Of View

Tyasia Raynae is the Chair of the 31st Valencia Student Film Celebration February 28th on the East Campus. She is the 2nd African American student to chair the entire celebration (the first was in 2014). This year's celebration is named after Ralph Clemente, an esteemed professor who structured the film program at Valencia. Films will be shown at 1pm and 6pm and the public is invited to attend FRE...

Dawn Ofodile and Lawrence Davis from the City of Orlando and Alpha Phi Alpha respectively, shared the upcoming calendar of events commemorating what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's 97th birthday. "Mission Possible" is this year's theme which focuses on everything from a candlelight vigil to the Great Day of Service at the Orange County Convention center where 5,000 volunteers are neede...

Reshell Smith, CEO of AMES Financial Solutions, reminded us that starting off financially strong this New Year is still super important. Paying down debt is the best way to start - who do you need to pay, write it down and then pay in the right order. Since pension plans on jobs are becoming extinct, use your company's 401K plan - if they match 5% to yours 5%-= 10% growth that you can take out at...

Author, Miz B shared 3 books with Monica recently; "Brokenhearted at Christmas," "On The Other Side of the Cul-de-Sac" and "She Feelin' Herself." She has been writing for some time now and has degrees in communication that entails both writing and editing. Her favorite authors run from Eric Jerome Dickey and E. Lynn Harris to Terri McMillan. Miz B started as a ghostwriter for others and shares tha...

Ericka Dunlap was raised to be a pageant queen. Her mom taught her early about having the confidence to perform and represent her community with purpose. Those qualities helped her compete and become the 1st African American to hold the Miss America crown and then go on to win the Miss America Crown in 2004. She is a powerhouse speaker who has used her ambition and talent to rise to the top. She i...

Dr. Allison Hamilton - Nurse, Educator and CEO discussed the future of healthcare per these current administrations push to decertify several careers that support America's infrastructure. Based on limiting the amount of money students can borrow to pursue degrees in: Nursing, Teaching, it will also affect Occupational & Physical Therapists, Social Workers as well as Accountants and Architects. Th...

Tarcia Smith, host of the "Adoption Journey" podcast which is coming up on its 100th episode, talked about the trauma of adoption and the need for a support system. Through her podcast she co-founded "Black Adoptees Meetup." It's an organization that curates conversation with black people around the world who have been adopted. They share stories and information to help each other. They know the h...

Dr. Treshonda Baucom, of Enriched Life Counseling, shared several symptoms of seasonal depression which can affect anyone at any time. However, the change in season disrupts our circadian rhythm, which is the body's internal 24-hiur cycle that regulates physical, mental, and behavioral changes that primarily influence our sleep-wake patterns. She also pointed out that It is best to manage grief, a...

Tarcia Smith, host of the "Adoption Journey" podcast which is coming up on its 100th episode talked about the trauma of adoption and the need for a support system. Through her podcast she co-founded "Black Adoptees Meetup." It's an organization that curates conversation with black people around the world who have been adopted. They share stories and information to help each other. They know the ha...

Our nation is in the 40th day of the government shutdown and as of November 1st no one has received SNAP benefits - what can we do? Ray Warthen - the Black Farmer is an engineer by trade who was affiliated with the construction of both the I-4 Ultimate Project and Brightline. However, he is a 5th generation farmer and initially designed a farm to sustain the residents of Parramore. Infinite Zion F...

The Salvation Army of Orange and Osceola counties have a new leader, Major Roger Glick. He shared his story of turning family need into a lifelong service to others. With homelessness, hunger and financial need still present, Major Glick is looking for community collaborators to further the mission of the Salvation Army. For information on how to join their board or support the Red Kettle campaign...

In this current economy, asset wealth manager James A. Hicks shared tips to secure your finances. He shared the following tips: Using $1 - we broke it into 4 "piles" 10% or 10cents = tithes I 50 cents = bills I 20 cents = miscellaneous i20 cents= savings. You should be journaling your thoughts & budget practices. If you have a side hustle it was suggested that you use that income as your savings....

Melvin Cotton lll and Treston Mayo of CTK & Associates produced a documentary designed to explore the emotions of African American men. "he-MOTIONS" explores the vulnerabilities of black men and how they can heal. The film captures conversations and interviews of various men and shares the importance of teaching men young and old to manage their emotions, become more empathetic and use "Common-Uni...

Today nearly 40% of U.S. college students are over 25 and they're balancing full time work, family and school. La'Tasha Graham from Valencia College shared details about their Career Pathways Expo Saturday October 18th 11an - 2pm on their West Campus 1800 S. Kirkman Road (Parking Lot D). It's a free opportunity to learn about all of the career and certification opportunities Valencia offers. Regis...

Sickle Cell Anemia affects more black people than any other ethnicity. However, people from Africa, the Caribbean, Mediterranean and of Middle Eastern descent can be diagnosed with the disease. The most effective blood test to diagnose sickle cell anemia is hemoglobin electrophoresis, also known as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which identifies and measures the abnormal form of he...

There are over 100,000 children up for adoption nationally. Shanda Moorman, CEO of Family on the Mend, LLC founded an agency (locally) to make the adoption process a bit more navigable. Her love of children helped her learn the adoption process and be able to unite families with children throughout the country. To connect www.familyonthemed.org or smoorman@familyonthemend.org 407/476-1334 or 321/2...

Center for Multicultural Wellness & Prevention invites the community to their 22nd Health Fair Saturday September 27th at the Multicultural Center 7149 West Colonial Drive Orlando, FL 32818. FREE screenings are available for prostate cancer, diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension and more. Registration available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/22nd-community-health-summit-tickets. ONYX Magazin...

Many of Central Florida nonprofits are facing major funding challenges. The 11th Victory Cup Initiative can fill that gap. From September 2-22 - applications are open for you to present your nonprofits story to receive unrestricted funds. Connect at www.victorycupinitiative.org Master Facilitator Nat C. Jones speaks around the country and shares communication skills that can work for your family,...

Dawn Ofodile the Assistant V.P. Of Regional Community Engagement shared information about the "Good is Everywhere" campaign that VyStar initiated to bring Free experiences to our community. Look for members of their team to "post up" at events with opportunities to share. They are giving their employees chances to engage in their own way as a "giveback" that can benefit everyone. Registration open...

Engaging Kare’s Gospel Fest, the Orlando Chapter of Sisters Organizing to Survive (SOS) and Orlando Commissioner District 5 Shan Rose, invite you to a free, family-friendly event in honor of National Faith HIV Awareness Day and is open to the public Saturday, August 23RD 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Lake Lorna Doone Park, located at 1519 W Church Street. The event will feature live gospel music, free HI...

Youth Central Connection is a 20-year-old organization that brings opportunities for youth through job development, mentoring and more. Charles Morse, program director offers their next Summit, Saturday August 16th 9am-1pm at New Covenant Baptist Church 2210 Rio Grande Avenue in Orlando. There will be resources for youth along with the “Law Enforcement Use of Force Simulator.” Youth and their fami...

Our guests Dr. Treshonda Baucom with Enriched Life Counseling & Consulting, Dr. Roneisha Randall, the Community Partnerships School Director for Eccleston Elementary and Melissa Clark, Principal Colossus Private School provided all the tips for parents and students to be empowered for greatness this school year. Parents need to download two sites to manage communication with teachers www.parentsqu...

AUGUST IS NATIONAL MINORITY DONOR AWARENESS MONTH/PALM BEACH EDUCATOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM/CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE STAR 94.5 will partner with Our Legacy and Advent Health for the 2nd Free Kidney Screening & Wellness Expo Luncheon Saturday, August 2nd 10:00 am - 2:00pm @ the Boys & Girls Club 5211 Hernandes Drive in Orlando. Please regis...

A conversation with various Legislative Aides in our community. They discussed their “Why” as well as their passion for not only politics but our community. Travaris McCurdy –contact Travaris.mccurdy@yahoo.com Charlean Gatlin – contact Charlean. Gatline@myorangeclerk.com 407/836-6335 Connect with Landra Wormack on LinkedIn Chester Glover – contact Chet. Glover@aol.com Reginald McGill – contact Reg...

A conversation with various Legislative Aides in our community. They discussed their “Why” as well as their passion for not only politics but our community. Travaris McCurdy –contact Travaris.mccurdy@yahoo.com Charlean Gatlin – contact Charlean. Gatline@myorangeclerk.com 407/836-6335 Connect with Landra Wormack on LinkedIn Chester Glover – contact Chet. Glover@aol.com Reginald McGill – contact Reg...