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How one school is helping deaf immigrant children navigate traumaEpicenter NYC spotlights The Lexington School for the Deaf, a 160-year-old private nonprofit school based in Queens, New York, where about 10% of its student body comes from immigrant backgrounds. The school offers free American Sign Language (ASL) classes for family members to assist in navigating the health, legal, and shelter systems. The school also functions as a social services organization and helps students navigate trauma by extending support to their families, an approach that has been particularly useful since the pandemic, when absenteeism became a major issue among immigrant students.
“We were like, ‘we don’t want the students to be absent because … [Aliah] needs her flu shot, and [her dad] is calling [but can’t get an appointment],’” said Laura Cruz, director of student services at Lexington. “So you know what? I’m going to have my social worker call, because my social worker is going to make sure they get an appointment tomorrow.”
Other ways the school is addressing mental health and trauma among students? School staff offer legal referrals to caregivers navigating the asylum-seeking and work permit processes. They help those with limited English skills understand bills and make medical appointments for their children. They also write letters to help families avoid eviction from shelters. And whatever school staff can’t do, writes Ambar Castillo, they connect caregivers to local organizations that can offer health, housing and food security resources.
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Black women are disproportionately dying from HPVHow much do you know about HPV? First, it's a sexually transmitted infection that can cause warts and that Black women are disproportionately dying from. It "is the main cause of cervical cancer, rectal cancer, and mouth and throat cancer," according to Dr. Ashley Urrutia, an internist at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, who spoke with Black Girl Times (BGX) about the issue. Despite HPV vaccines being widely available and effective, there is no cure for the virus. BGX also cites that the National Cancer Institute reports HPV vaccine awareness among U.S. adults is painfully below target. The Centers for Disease Control reports that nearly 1 in 4 people are infected with the virus. Urrutia adds that almost all sexually active people have been exposed to HPV in their lifetime.
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These foods prove Black food is healthySoul food is often criticized as unhealthy, but it’s rich in both nutrients and culture. PushBlack points out that the cooked collard greens usually found on the tables of Sunday and holiday dinners are loaded with vitamins A, C and iron. Yams, another soul food staple, is a root vegetable that boosts brain health, reduces inflammation and can regulate blood sugar. But, like many elements of Black culture, this vegetable is currently being co-opted and marketed as “exotic” in beauty and body products. Similarly, the hibiscus flower, traditionally used by Black and diaspora families in teas and remedies for its antioxidants and blood pressure benefits, is now the star of overpriced skincare serums.
More from PushBlack →Plus: The Black-owned business using tea to spread Caribbean nutrition to other communities (Epicenter NYC)
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Highlighting the innovators transforming health outcomes in our communities
As the world faces extreme heat and climate-related disasters, researchers at the University of California Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy stress the need for improved research on heat stress in India to better inform the public about health risks during heatwaves. Policy analyst Piyush Narang tells India Currents that the guidelines issued by India's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) fail to account for the combined effects of temperature and relative humidity →Credit: Berkeley Public Policy