By Charlene Crowell, NNPA Newswire Contributor Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed dual crises. Over 542,000 American lives were lost and continue to increase. At the same time, the rippling effects of a massive economic downturn has caused the nation to lose 9.5 million jobs – more losses than even those of…
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent For Walter Coleman, an independent contractor in Washington, D.C., Samantha Robles, a hairstylist in Bethesda, Maryland, and Robin Pruitt, a loan officer who also lives in Bethesda, the coronavirus pandemic not only resulted in close calls, but the financial fallout may lead to bankruptcy. Each says…
By d-mars.com News Provider As an African American and a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), Dr. Edwin Aroke has always been committed to equitable care for racial and ethnic minority patients. However, following years of providing anesthesia care in hospitals and teaching student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Aroke…
By d-mars.com News Provider Award-winning national journalist, author, television host, and Jack Yates High School alumnus Roland S. Martin is supporting Houston Independent School District students with financial assistance to pursue the path of higher education. Martin has established two $1,000 annual college scholarships and has committed $25,000 for the program. One scholarship is for…
by d-mars.com News Provider Even if you’re young, newly employed or haven’t yet started to save for retirement, many financial professionals agree planning is key to achieving a sense of security for your future. But a new survey shows that if you’re a first- or second-generation American, a woman, African American or Hispanic employee, you…
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Wells Fargo & Company announced equity investments in five African American Minority Depository Institutions, or MDIs, as part of a 2020 pledge to invest up to $50 million in Black-owned banks. The banking giant said it is also offering access to a dedicated relationship team that…
By d-mars.com News Provider If you contribute a portion of your income to a 401(k), you may think you’re all set for a comfortable retirement. Experts say it’s important to take a closer look at these savings. To help you get started, Lincoln Financial Group is breaking down three common misconceptions about saving for retirement…
By d-mars.com News Provider In 2014, Benito Castro was sentenced to six years in prison for passing bad checks as a result of a gambling habit he’d developed. Today, he’s the director of operations for a grocery store chain and runs freedomrides.org, a non-profit he started that provides transportation for those recently released from prison….
by d-mars.com News Provider Medicare fraud is not a new issue and long predates the pandemic, but during times of crisis, scammers often get more aggressive and creative with targeting seniors. Scammers have taken ample advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by offering Medicare beneficiaries fraudulent services, resources, or information about the vaccine in exchange for…
by d-mars.com News Provider Pets are beloved members of many families. In the U.S alone, about 85 million families own a pet. According to the American Pet Products Association, many of us also drive with our furry friends, from quick trips to the veterinarian’s office to longer road trip adventures. A recent national survey by…
by d-mars.com News Provider Americans are living longer than ever before, and with continually rising health care costs, the need for a long-term care solution becomes more of a “when” than an “if” situation, according to financial experts, who warn that Americans are largely waiting too long to plan and prepare. “Many people wait until…
by d-mars.com News Provider Planning for retirement is an important step toward long-term financial wellness at any age. Even though everybody knows to expect the unexpected, no one could have predicted how the events of the past twelve months would change the world. As a result, many people had to shift their approach toward financial…
The percentage of Black Americans unable to find a living-wage job climbed to its highest level in six months, even while other segments of the population enjoyed marginal improvement, according to an analysis released today by the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP). In its monthly True Rate of Unemployment (TRU) report, LISEP determined…
by d-mars.com News Provider The pandemic created a lot of uncertainty for people, especially when it comes to their finances: unemployment was up, spending was down and pretty much everything felt like a roller coaster. One year after much of the world shut down due to the coronavirus, it’s time to rebuild your savings to…
by d-mars.com News Provider While the past year has been rough in so many ways, one positive result is that people are focusing more on saving money — creating a silver lining to the cloud that was 2020. A new survey from Coinstar found nearly 3 out of 4 people (74%) say they are likely…
by d-mars.com News Provider In 2014, Benito Castro was sentenced to six years in prison for passing bad checks as a result of a gambling habit he’d developed. Today, he’s the director of operations for a grocery store chain and runs freedomrides.org, a non-profit he started that provides transportation for those recently released from prison….
Where some believe the stigma that the Black woman cannot collaborate with other sisters, there is an exemplary enterprise right in the heart of our city combatting that stereotype…
by d-mars.com News Provider Food insecurity, a serious global public health issue, has risen significantly in the United States since the start of the pandemic. Entire families, especially children, are currently experiencing the detrimental effects of this crisis which the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines as “a lack of financial resources for food…
by d-mars.com News Provider It comes as second nature for most parents to take their children to a pediatrician at least once a year. The differences between children and adults are so stark that it makes sense to choose a doctor specially trained to treat younger patients. Yet as we age, far too few of…
One year into the pandemic and the dearth of N95 face masks for healthcare workers continues, with practices and facilities that serve some of the most vulnerable communities still unable to obtain adequate supplies.[1] So when biopharmaceutical company Esperion Therapeutics of Ann Arbor, Michigan called the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) and offered to donate 20,000 N95 masks,…