Hope & Wellness 's Podcast HopeandWellness

The proposed 2018 federal budget will affect families across the country that receives assistance to purchase food. In some states like Louisiana, over 20% of the state resident rely on SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, to purchase food. These residents also support the economy of small and large grocery stores that accept SNAP benefits. On this Memorial Day weekend, we discuss the history of this day of service and sacrifice. For many this is the weekend to break open the grill, we discuss food safety and tips to keep friends and family food safe.

Graduation ceremonies are a time of celebration for the graduate and their families In 2017, they have also been a time for civil protests. After the celebration, career counseling and mentors are critical to helping new hires successfully navigate challenging workplace environments, personalities, and politics. Our co-host, Mr. Antoine Brooks, MBA, shares his experiences on becoming a systems engineer and then a project director in a major defense corporation in Bethesda, Md. And we discuss possible changes to the Affordable Care Act, a program that provides health insurance for over 30 million Americans.

Early detection of major depression in adolescents remains a challenge. Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble created the AAKOMA Project, African-American Knowledge Optimized for Mindfully-Healthy Adolescents, to help African-American , Black and racially diverse youth and families successfully recognize the signs and symptoms of depression and access mental health care. Partnering with community members and faith-based institutions, Dr. Breland-Noble and members of the AAKOMA Project works to effectively educate, encourage and enlighten communities in North Carolina, Washington, D.C, Virginia, and Maryland that, on average, are reluctant to seek out professional mental health care services. Dr. Breland-Noble joins us to discuss depression, coping skills and the early findings from the AAKKOMA Project.

Mass incarceration disproportionately affects LGBTQ, low income, and urban communities. This has resulted in an explosion of women incarcerated and unable to gain their release due to the predatory practices of the money bail system. In honor of mothers, women, and caregivers, organizations around the country are working to release women from jail by Mother's Day, May 14, 2017. Mary Hooks, co-director of the Southerners of the New Ground and the founder of the Mama's Bail Out Day campaign, joins us later in the show to discuss how national and local organizations are working to free women from modern-day bondage.

Finding the right mental health therapist can be a daunting task. Quinn Gee,M.S., a mental health therapist and the owner of Magnolia Mental Health in Washington, D.C., joins us to offer some tips on finding the right therapist for your unique needs. Magnolia Mental Health provides services to most adults but specializes in the care of transgender persons. We talk about the special needs of the transgender community and the importance of therapy for therapists.

The recent, and now withdrawn, Pepsi commercial, brings attention to another fact of unsavory soda marketing practices: increasing healthcare disparities in underserved neighborhoods. African American and Hispanic youth are disproportionately targeted by soft drink companies with ads promoting nutritionally poor, sugar-filled drinks conveniently located in neighborhood corner stores. One 12 oz drink contains more than the recommended daily amount of added sugar for adults per the American Heart Association recommendations. We discuss the recent commercial and the disparate marketing budgets of soft drink companies versus public health organizations.