Features:

UMOJA Publisher/Editor: Health Awareness and Learning from Our Past
One of my favorite pastimes, especially on dreary Saturday afternoons, is sitting near my dad and listening to his random escapades or life lessons learned while growing up in the Deep South.

A Jar of Mustard Seeds
Christin Gates Calloway planned out her life on paper and followed it down to a T. She earned a master’s degree in education policy, landed a great job, and married the love of her life.

Black Culture in Food and Farming
By the turn of the 20th century, emancipated slaves and their descendants had amassed 14 million acres of land. Per capita there were more Black farmers than white farmers. Owning land represents freedom for African American farmers—proof of ownership in this country.

Ancestral Honoring as a Form of Self Love.
Invocation - Mother, Father, Creator Energies of the 5 directions. Grant your blessings so that we all may be one with wisdom. Grant your blessings that the confidence of basic goodness be eternal. Grant your blessings so that all beings enjoy profound brilliant glory. ~Mudwymn
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:
Publishers Note
UMOJA Publisher/Editor: Health Awareness and Learning from Our Past
One of my favorite pastimes, especially on dreary Saturday afternoons, is sitting near my dad and listening to his random escapades or life lessons learned while growing up in the Deep South.
Cover Artwork
Illustration: Keeping Your Peace / Artist: Alice Y. Traore, A self-taught watercolor artist
Advertorial
Breastfeeding Has Been An Easy Thing to Love Doing.
"I think it’s pretty amazing to look at a person who’s growing rapidly and think all the nutrients that they need comes from you,” shared Ali Muldrow. Breastfeeding has “been an easy thing to love doing.” Less than two months old, Muldrow’s daughter Frida is nursing on demand. She breastfed her two other children as well. “I wish the [...]
Feature
Christin Gates Calloway planned out her life on paper and followed it down to a T. She earned a master’s degree in education policy, landed a great job, and married the love of her life.
Feature
Black Culture in Food and Farming
By the turn of the 20th century, emancipated slaves and their descendants had amassed 14 million acres of land. Per capita there were more Black farmers than white farmers. Owning land represents freedom for African American farmers—proof of ownership in this country.
Feature
Ancestral Honoring as a Form of Self Love.
Invocation - Mother, Father, Creator Energies of the 5 directions. Grant your blessings so that we all may be one with wisdom. Grant your blessings that the confidence of basic goodness be eternal. Grant your blessings so that all beings enjoy profound brilliant glory. ~Mudwymn
Health & Wellness
Is It Safe to Get a Booster Vaccine and a Flu Shot?
Amid all the saturated focus on COVID-19 vaccinations, including the booster doses, health experts are finding many are contemplating skipping annual flu shots.
Health & Wellness
Gut Check: The Power of Food Science
It is no secret that the food we consume has a direct impact on our overall health and lifestyle. Food provides our bodies with materials and information that dictate how they respond and function.
Health & Wellness
Mapping Barriers to Care in Wisconsin
As health care resources quickly and heavily shifted toward COVID-19 testing and management in 2020, the primary care system struggled to meet the needs of Americans across the country, with access to many services delayed or diminished.
Health & Wellness
15 Foods That Boost the Immune System
If you’re looking for ways to prevent colds, the flu, and other infections, your first step should be a visit to your local grocery store. Plan your meals to include these 15 powerful immune system boosters.
Community Profile & Events
Major General Marcia Anderson Receives Women United Philanthropy Award
Major General Marcia Anderson was honored with the Women United Philanthropy Award at United Way’s Women United Brunch, which took place on Sept. 10. Each year, this prestigious award celebrates and acknowledges a woman who is committed to helping make the community a better place to live, for all.
Community Profile & Events
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County BIG Night Out
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, which helps children realize their potential and build their futures, raised more than $306,000 during its annual gala. Nearly 600 supporters enjoyed the socially distanced fundraising dinner under a warm autumn sky at Breese Stevens Field.
Community Profile & Events
Workforce Survey to Examine and Address Diversity Accountability
Dr. Richard Harris has spent more than eight decades in Madison. He attended the public schools, raised his family, and earned his Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The community civil rights activist has had a front-row seat to much of the city’s history and its love-hate tug-of-war with the Black community.
Community Profile & Events
A New Effort to Support BIPOC Artists and Stories and How André De Shields Became Its Namesake
On a cold day in New York City in February 2020, Wisconsin Union team members and University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni had the opportunity to meet actor, singer, and writer André De Shields, during a talk-back after attending “Hadestown” in New York City.
Halloween
The kids look adorable in their costumes and are counting down the days until Oct. 31! Are you ready for the sugar rush? With a little creativity, you can find fun ways to include some healthy options in the mix, whether you’re having a party with friends or trick-or-treating in the neighborhood.
UMOJA Shorts
Black women will be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for the first time CNN The National Inventors Hall of Fame lineup is full of familiar faces: Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, the Wright brothers and Eli Whitney, along with many other mostly White men. Joining them in the next class of inductees [...]