April 2020

Features:

Calling all artists!

Put your artwork on a UMOJA cover! Works selected will fit the monthly editorial topic and reflect the county’s unique stories, history, and people.

UMOJA Inside:


The Messiah

Cover: The Messiah Artist: Cecil L. Reed Jr. www.creedart.gallery



UMOJA Publisher/Editor: Finding Peace in the Face of Uncertainty

The world has changed. There is no more business as usual. The invasion of the coronavirus epidemic across the globe has altered day-to-day order and routines. In absence of certainty, we can either panic and worry, or become more focused and just breathe.



Old-Fashioned Values at the Heart of Success for First Black-Owned Business in Madison

It’s the nostalgia of the Hill Grocery Store that first grabs hold. Penny candies filled crystal bowls within in glass-enclosed display cases. The aroma of freshly baked breads and sweet rolls would tickle noses. Schoolchildren, sitting in white wrought iron chairs, would swing their feet in delight, while sipping old-fashioned ice cream soda from tall glasses.



CEO of N Motion Medical Transportation:

Hours after receiving the Healthcare Company of the Year Award from the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce Black Business Awards Recognition & Exhibition, Joseph Durruthy turned to social media to share his personal journey with hopes of inspiring others to recognize if he can make it, they can, too.



Faith Is Stronger Than Fear

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).



Madison Public Market to Offer Historical Perspective on Madison’s Minority History; Venue for Minority Businesses

Jasmine Banks, owner of Perfect Imperfections, is on board now so she’ll be ready as a vendor when the Madison Public Market opens in late 2021.



Bringing Black Boy Joy and Black Girl Magic in Transracial Foster Homes

Many people say that the child’s race or ethnicity does not matter when it comes to fostering or adopting children. Providing a safe and loving home, regardless of whether they look like them or share their cultural heritage and traditions, is what many say is evidence of loving a child unconditionally.



School Bill Aims to Stop Holocaust Fading From Memory

Eva Klein Zaret sat before legislators in a packed committee room with a manila envelope clutched in her hands and a lapel pin on her black sweater that simply read “remember.” The Holocaust survivor pulled out old photographs, one by one, to recount painful memories.



Personal Finance: Saving For A Rainy Day

The sun may shine on any given day, but rain too is inevitable. This certainty applies to most people’s financial circumstances as well. While their financial equilibrium might be good most days, there will come times when unexpected expenses will upset the norm of one’s cash flow.



8 Tips to Work From Home Effectively During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Businesses globally — including the United States — are urging, and in some cases mandating, employees to work from home to help block the escalation of the coronavirus.



9 Options If Your Small Business Can’t Pay Its Bills Due to Coronavirus

Coronavirus is having a significant impact on many small businesses already and no one knows how long or how hard the economy will be affected. If you are having trouble paying your bills due to a slowdown in revenues or higher than usual expenses related to COVID-19, here are 9 options to consider if your business can’t pay its bills due to coronavirus:



Escape Rooms Can Build Your Team

We’ve all been through team building experiences. You know what I’m talking about. Trust exercises, bowling, golf, obstacle courses, paintball and laser tag competitions, and work contests have all had their day. They all had their good points but seldom hit on the things that make a team great. A successful team is one that works as a unified, cohesive unit. Most of the things listed above still relay partially on individual effort separate from the group. In the last couple of years an experience has arisen that requires a team effort: Escape rooms.



4 Ways to Easily Build Business Credit

The statistics are sobering: Black entrepreneurs get denied for business loans twice as often as white entrepreneurs. Reasons may vary from one lender to another, but there’s one factor—regardless of race—that will absolutely impact your ability to secure financing.



25th Annual Heart and Soul Scholarship Ball

It was a “Night of Magic and Wonder” during Madison Alumnae Chapter’s 25th Annual Heart and Soul Scholarship Ball.



Men Who Cook

The Kappa Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority raise money for scholarships for young people during its 26th Annual Men Who Cook. Crowds packed Kromrey Elementary School cafeteria to sample tasty entrees, side dishes and desserts created by talented men from across Dane County.



Fathers In Kids’ Lives Matter

Magical memories were made during a recent Saturday morning trip to the circus. Participants of the Urban League of Greater Madison’s Fatherhood Responsibility Program enjoyed a day out with their children watching tigers, jugglers, and aerial acts at the Zor Shrine Circus in Madison.



He is Risen

Matthew 28:5-6 ~ “But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen.’ ”



Recipes to Create an Unforgettable Easter Brunch

G. Garvin’s Glazed Ham Ingredients 2 cups chicken stock2 cups orange juice 2 cups pineapple juice 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup honey 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 to 5 whole cloves 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil One 8- to 10-pound bone-in fully cooked smoked ham Directions For the glaze: Combine the chicken stock, orange juice, pineapple juice, [...]



UMOJA SHORTS — April 2020

Michael Morgan Jr. Named Principal Prairie Phoenix Academy in Sun Prairie The Sun Prairie Area School District Board of Education approved the hiring of Michael Morgan, Jr. as principal of Prairie Phoenix Academy, an alternative programs high school in Sun Prairie. Morgan, who served as principal of the Milwaukee College Prep School and the YMCA [...]