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Safety Tips to Keep You Away From Fraud

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Birmingham Times
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With escalating prices all around the need to protect your money is even more urgent. Every penny, nickel and dollar counts for the average person. Therefore, this article will continue to focus on how you, the average person, can fight against fraudulent attacks on your bank accounts, credit cards, and personal identity. The fight is real, and you want to win the battle.

Information is the air the scammers breathe. Without your email addresses, Social Security numbers, passwords, credit card information or other personal data, a scammer could not reach you or pretend to be you. Therefore, an enormous illegal, international underground economy has surfaced to serve the needs of the scammer.

The wares? More than 15 billion pieces of stolen personal data, say the law enforcement and cybersecurity experts with the firm Digital Shadows. This number sounds massive, but they say it is not. The reason why is that the average person logs in to nearly 200 sites that require passwords or other information. Your computer contains an endless amount of personal data about you which is useful to a scammer. This fuels another arm of this illegal enterprise: data stealing.

In 2021, there were a record 1,862 publicly reported breaches of large organization customer databases says the identity Theft Resource Center. Most of the data ends up in the dark marketplace referenced earlier.

Brian Krebs, a security expert, with KrebsOnSecurity.com says that smartphones are also a target. He says, “Threat actors are really going after people’s phone numbers to hijack their digital lives.”

Therefore, below are some safety tips to help you fight back:

  • Set up your digital accounts to require multifactor authentication.
    • Freeze your credit at the three major credit bureaus. Do the same for your dependents’ credit. This helps prevent a scammer with your information from making any major transaction in your name or the name of a dependent.
    • Do not save credit card numbers online with merchants or service providers.
    • Activate biometric locks (facial recognition or fingerprints) on your mobile device to safeguard data if the device is lost or stolen.
    • Use antivirus software and perform recommended cybersecurity updates on your devices.
    • Because your phone number is increasingly being used to identify you, remove it from as many online accounts as possible. You may need to use your number to open some accounts but go back and remove them later.

Again, due to the serious nature of this topic much of the information is quoted from Identity Theft Resource, KrepsOnSecurity, the special fraud edition of AARP, along with other reputable sources to help everyone Keep an Eye on Safety.

This article appeared originally May 11, 2022 on birminghamtimes.com 

CEO Melvin Gravely’s Reality Check for Black Business Owners in Birmingham

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Birmingham Times
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Panel participants at the A.G. Gaston Conference from left: Moderator and conference host/co-founder Bob Dickerson; Fuddruckers owner Nicholas Perkins; conference co-host Gaynelle Jackson Adams; author, speaker and TriVersity Construction Company majority owner Dr. Mel Gravely II. (Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson Photo, For The Birmingham Times)

By Keisa Sharpe Jefferson | For The Birmingham Times

Speaker, teacher, author and Black business owner Dr. Melvin J. Gravely II spared no words as the keynote speaker for the opening day of the 20th annual A. G. Gaston Conference at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.

Gravely, majority owner of TriVersity Construction Company based in Cincinnati Ohio, on Tuesday apologized up front for his harsh reality check.

Addressing the Black business leaders in he room, he said, “We don’t have an agenda because we’re distracted by what other folks are doing to us, instead of what we can do for ourselves. If we don’t evolve, America has decided that they’ve moved on,” he said.

He also offered a straightforward, no-nonsense challenge directly to business owners and asked, “What, if anything, are you reading about business?”

Gravely, who is author of “Dear White Friend: The Realities of Race, the Power of Relationships and our Path to Equity” (a compilation of 19 letters on race relations), added, “We have to grow our companies and our businesses. My job as a business owner is to make money, not so I can keep it, but so I can use it to transform my community,” he said.

A.G. Gaston conference host and co-founder Bob Dickerson, who is president and CEO of the Birmingham Business Resource Center agreed with Gravely.

“If you look back at our first paper we published … in 2005…. It talked about Black business in Birmingham and how little revenue it generated in Birmingham,” said Dickerson. “And if you wrote a paper in 2024, you could still write the same story. You can change the dates, but you’re not going to be able to change any of the facts.”

The annual conference was created to honor Black businesses and named in honor of Dr. A.G. Gaston, an iconic Birmingham entrepreneur who employed a system of “find a need and fill it.”

In his lunch keynote Gravely encouraged business owners to build up their industry knowledge; recruit the best and brightest talent; redefine business success and focus on multigenerational businesses.

He later joined Dickerson, Gaynell Adams Jackson and Nicholas Perkins for a panel discussion.

Jackson, from Birmingham, is founder of Advanced Planning Services, a meeting and event management company. Perkins is the CEO of Perkins Management Services who owns Fuddruckers hamburger chain, the first African American to own a national hamburger franchise system.

Perkins said he used Gaston’s example to enlarge his vision of entrepreneurship and began his entrepreneurial career just a year and a half out of undergraduate school, receiving his first food service contract.

“This company which was a dream of mine and it put me in a position to be able to provide food services for a number of HBCU and government organizations,” said Perkins.

When his company acquired Fuddruckers, his business admittedly was the “smallest dog in the fight” and he still decided to “thrust himself into the world of mergers and acquisitions,” he said.  “I decided to put my hat in the ring. Let’s just say I got a crash course in mergers and acquisitions.”

While the decision was risky, it proved to be a life changing as he acquired the chain and ownership of the Fuddruckers brand, he said.

More information on the A.G. Gaston conference and schedule of speakers can be found here: https://aggastonconference.biz.

‘He Got on His Knee in Front of Me and I Started Crying and Said, ‘Yes’”

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Birmingham Times
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CHINEKA & RONNIE PARKER

BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY • The Birmingham Times

Live: Forestdale

Married: Oct. 4, 1996

Met: Summer 1992 in the Southtown Projects on the southside of Birmingham. Both Chineka and Ronnie were residents and Chineka, then 20, said she’d often flirt with Ronnie, who was then 29 because she had a crush on him.

“I would see him walking past, and I would say ‘Hey, Ronnie, what cha’ doing?’, and he would say, ‘Girl you better leave me alone, you’re too young for me’. Over time I left him alone, but about six months later I saw him in the club at the Sports Den [downtown], and a song came on and he came up to me,” Chineka recalled. “At first I thought he was just going to [say hello] but he asked me to dance and the rest was history.”

“Make it Last Forever [by Keith Sweat] was playing and that’s what we been doing ever since,” said Ronnie, as the couple approaches nearly three decades of marriage.

First date: December 1992, the pair went for a drive around town to spend some time alone.

“I stayed with my mom at the time, and he shared his place with a roommate, and we just wanted some alone time,” Chineka said.

Ronnie said he just wanted an opportunity to learn more about her without interruptions.

“During that car ride, I just wanted to get to know her and see where her head was,” Ronnie said.

The proposal: New Year’s Eve 1995, in Indianapolis, Indiana, at Chenika’s aunt’s house after Chenika became pregnant with their second child, Ronnie wanted to make their family official.

“We had one child in our life and I was ready for more, I wanted [a son] and I knew she was the one and was going to be mine forever,” Ronnie said. “We went to her aunt’s house to bring in the new year, and the music was playing and everybody was dancing and socializing when I stopped the music and said I had an announcement to make. And I went and got Chineka by my hand and got on one knee and asked her to marry me.”

“I thought he was about to make a toast to bring in the new year because it was about a minute left until midnight, but then he got on his knee in front of me and I started crying and said ‘yes’,” Chineka said.

Ronnie said they lived in Indiana for two years. “We went up there with one child and brought another one back [to Birmingham] and came back married,” he laughed.

The wedding: On their firstborn child, Ronnika’s birthday [October 4, 1996], at a courthouse in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, officiated by a clergyman, followed by a reception at Chineka’s aunt Anna’s home in Indianapolis. The reception colors were shades of red and white.

Most memorable for the bride was a moment during their reception when she realized their life plans had come full circle. “Most of that day [I felt] gratefulness, happiness, and couldn’t believe I was married with two children. We [had had our] baby boy, Ronnie Jr., in September of 1996, and had got married on our daughter’s birthday like we always said we would,” Chineka said.

Most memorable for the groom was a myriad of emotions. “I was crying and happy, all my emotions were mixed up together. I knew it was time to step all the way up [in my manhood] because now I had a whole family to take care of,” Ronnie said.

They honeymooned for the weekend at a hotel in Indiana, but had “a real honeymoon 10 years later when we renewed our vows and had a church wedding at Good Hope Baptist Church [in Birmingham] with the children in it,” Chineka said. “That’s when we went to Las Vegas and had the time of our lives!”

Words of wisdom: “Trust each other, and every day we wake up and say ‘I love you and kiss each other’ … You gotta spread your love because you never know when it might be the last time you get to say I love you,” Ronnie said.

“Trust and communication are important. We also try not to go to bed mad at each other. Listen to one another, listen to his heart, listen to his mind, and listen to his emotions. Marriage is a job and you constantly have to work at it. You can’t leave it alone to complete itself, you have to work it and manifest it into what you want it to be,” Chineka said. “Also, try something different or be spontaneous to [keep the spark] going… we’ll go places at the spur of the moment.”

Happily ever after: The Parkers attend St. James Christian Center in Ensley, and have two children, Ronnika, 30, and Ronnie Jr., 27, and six grandchildren.
Chineka, 51, is a Southside Birmingham native who grew up in Southtown Projects. She is a Phillips High School grad and works as a therapeutic specialist for Birmingham City Schools.

Ronnie, 60, is a Southside Birmingham native, who grew up in Southtown Projects. He is a Phillips High School grad and works on the shipping dock at the Amazon Warehouse in Bessemer.

 “You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future “Hello’’ column, or know someone, please send nominations to Barnett Wright bwright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.

https://www.gusterlawfirm.com/

 

 

President Biden Appoints Montevallo Grad as First Black Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

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Birmingham Times
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The Birmingham Times

WASHINGTON – This week, President Joe Biden announced Willie L. Phillips, Jr. as Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC is an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of natural gas, oil, electricity, and other energy projects.

As the Biden Administration works to tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and create a clean electricity grid by 2035, FERC will maintain an important role in spurring access to reliable, affordable carbon-free energy moving across the country.

Philips, a graduate of the University of Montevallo, was confirmed to serve on the commission in 2021 and has been acting chair since January 2023. He is the first Black person to lead the commission.

He is an experienced regulatory attorney combining over 20 years of legal expertise as a utility regulator, in private practice, and as in-house counsel. He has an extensive background in the areas of public utility regulation, bulk power system reliability, and corporate governance.

Prior to the DCPSC, Willie served as Assistant General Counsel for the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), a not-for-profit international regulatory authority charged with ensuring the security and reliability of the bulk power system in Washington, D.C.; he also worked for two law firms, where he advised clients on regulatory compliance, litigation, and policy matters.

Chairman Phillips is an active member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) where he served on the NARUC Board of Directors and chaired the Select Committee on Regulatory and Industry Diversity. He earned a Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Montevallo.

The full press release can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/.

UAB Among 12 Entities To Provide Services for the International Space Station Program

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Birmingham Times
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The International Space Station is seen in this image taken by ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano. UAB's School of Engineering’s Engineering and Innovative Technology Development organization has been selected to provide research, engineering and mission integration services for the International Space Station Program. (Luca Parmitano, Wikimedia Commons)

By Micah Hardge | UAB News

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Engineering’s Engineering and Innovative Technology Development organization has been selected to provide research, engineering and mission integration services for the International Space Station Program.

Along with 11 other entities, UAB will receive a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract allowing the opportunity to be awarded task order projects as a part of the $478 million Research, Engineering and Mission Integration Services-2, or REMIS-2, contract.

“This new contract will operate as if we’ve been added to an ‘approved supplier list’ for future opportunities that arise,” said Chad Duke, P.E., director of the UAB EITD. “The award grants us the ability to essentially bid on task orders that come out under the duration of the contract.”

The seven-year contract began in January 2024 and extends through Sept. 30, 2030, with an option to extend through Sept. 30, 2032.

“The REMIS-2 contract is a tremendous opportunity for our group and reinforces our commitment to excellence in this field,” Duke said. “We are excited about this new opportunity with hopes that it allows us to expand our offering of hardware and services within the NASA community and beyond.”

To read more about the work of EITD, click here.

The EITD group was created to support the development of specialized research instruments for ground- and microgravity-based research experiments. Under the direction of Duke, EITD serves as one of the nation’s leading developers in thermal controlled hardware for use in microgravity and aspires to provide hardware for operations beyond low Earth orbit.

Prior to the awarding of this recent contract, EITD’s work in thermal controlled systems had established a baseline of consistency and excellence with NASA under multiple previous contracts. EITD currently offers a range of options in size, temperature range, cooling rate and sample containment. With a team of experienced engineers and technicians, EITD specializes in the design, development and commercialization of innovative hardware and software systems for the aerospace and life sciences industries.

For more information about NASA and its programs, visit www.nasa.gov.

Birmingham Mounts Full Court Press to Get Third Graders Up to Reading Level

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Birmingham Times
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Mayor Randall Woodfin, in collaboration with the city’s Department of Youth Services, is seeking 200 teachers and educators who are either retired or have flexible schedules to participate in an expansion of its Page Pals. (FILE)

By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times

Birmingham City officials are beginning a full court press to get all third graders reading on grade level or proficiency by the end of the year.

“This is it everybody,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin in an interview last week. “The test is less than 90 days away, and every third grader in the state of Alabama, including the 1,300-plus third graders in Birmingham City Schools will take this test.”

Passed in 2019, The Alabama Literacy Act requires third graders to reach a certain reading score on a statewide test — the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program — to go to fourth grade.

“If this test was today, I would be extremely concerned because about 750 of them read below grade level,” Woodfin said last week. “… there’s only so much you can do in less than 90 days. I think what we have to do is level up our time that we are spending with our third graders.”

The mayor, in collaboration with the city’s Department of Youth Services, is seeking 200 teachers and educators who are either retired or have flexible schedules to participate in an expansion of its Page Pals, a program which started in March of 2022, where retired educators and/or educators with flexible schedules will provide one hour per day of in-school tutoring for reading over four weeks, from February 21 to March 22, 2024. Participants will receive a one-time stipend of $500 for their commitment to advancing literacy among Birmingham’s youth.

Qualified applicants are invited to apply beginning Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Interested individuals must be retired educators or educators with very flexible schedules, preferably with backgrounds in English or Language Arts. Application packets should include a detailed cover letter expressing interest, a resume with contact information, and copies of credentials to verify educator background. These materials should be addressed to Cedric Sparks, Sr., Chief of Staff for the City of Birmingham. Packets should be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024.

Applications can also be emailed to pagepalsteacher@birminghamal.gov.

Sparks said the city is asking former educators because they know those are the ones who have the skills necessary to help a student’s reading improve prior to their standardized tests.

“Our goal is to accentuate the positive. It is not to be critical about what doesn’t happen, but we feel like we can move the needle with all three versions of this effort. So if we affect one, that is a win, but the goal is to affect 700. Anything in between is a win,” said Sparks.

The mayor said he is calling on “every volunteer, every parent, every teacher, every reading coach, every adult in the community, give your time. We’re talking what, maybe eight to nine weeks out of an entire year that we need to give all our energy, attention. and focus on this issue.

“We’re talking about the village and all other adults participating and making sure we can do everything we can in this immediate crisis right in front of us to make sure the majority of our third graders are put in the best position to pass that test and matriculate to the fourth grade. “

He added, “I can’t imagine a world where that many third graders have to repeat the third grade. Neither should you all.”

For more information about the Page Pals: SOS initiative and how to apply, visit www.birminghamal.gov/pagepals or call 205-320-0879.

The Rise of Birmingham Music Producer Luke S. Crowder

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Birmingham Times
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Birmingham’s Luke Crowder on Sunday won a Grammy Award for production on mega rapper Killer Mike’s album, ‘Micheal’ in the category of Best Rap Album. (PROVIDED)

By Je’Don Holloway-Talley | For The Birmingham Times

Add Grammy Award-winning music producer to the list of honors for Birmingham’s Luke S. Crowder. During the 66th annual Grammy Awards a week ago he won a Grammy in the category of Best Rap Album for production performed on mega-rapper Killer Mike’s album, “Michael.”

The 35-year-old Crowder kept his celebration “low-key,” he said, with a bottle of champagne and a take-out-meal-turned-celebratory-feast. “I had a conversation with my mom, [Robbie]. She was pleased about it, [and] she told me to continue to keep God first and my ego in check,” he said.

Musical Foundation

Crowder can credit his mother and family ties for his musical upbringing, which was steeped in the church. His mother sang in their family’s home church, Winewood Baptist Christian Fellowship in Birmingham’s Roebuck neighborhood, and his parents loved blaring music around the house.

“You might hear Olivia Newton-John and Hall & Oates one day, Stevie Wonder and Prince the next day, and Billie Joel, Curtis Mayfield, or Parliament-Funkadelic the day after that,” Crowder laughed. “I was always hearing eclectic music.”

Crowder gravitated toward instruments. He has some formal piano training, a natural prowess for percussion, and dabbles at the bass guitar. Essentially, he started making music as a preteen on his mother’s Korg keyboard, where he created instrumentals of his own using its built-in recorder.

As for developing his own sound, he attributes that to his older brother, Ken, who he credits as “one of the greatest influences for my musical style. Ken was always into music, and at the time he was DJing and rapping with his friends,” said Crowder.

At Birmingham’s Ramsay High School, Crowder moved on to making beats using a program called FruityLoops, now called FL Studio: “This was the program that really got me into production,” he said of the software music production environment, or Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).

“Ken was in college, [at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU)], and his friend, Jacquez Williams, had the program and gave me a copy. … When they would come home from [AAMU], we would have a friendly competition, playing our beats for each other. Then one day my brother said, ‘We should create a production group,’” Crowder recalled.

The trio produced under the moniker SWAT Team Productions, circa 2002, and their sound even made it to local airwaves.

After graduating from high school, Crowder attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) from 2007 to 2009, majoring in biology with a minor in music.

“I did a few years, and then I knew that route wasn’t for me,” he said. “I was preoccupied and trying to get back to the studio. [I was] not worried about which 16th-century composer did what.”

Crowder left UAB in 2009 and began “adulting,” he said, working warehouse, retail, and administrative jobs. He then spent more than 15 years as an underground producer.

The Magic City’s underground scene “has always been vibrant,” he said. “I had a chance to produce for [numerous unsigned acts]. … The Foreign Exchange and Labotomix [night clubs] were good places to see different electric styles of R&B singers and neo-soul artists perform. I was never one to perform at those showcases, [but] I was the one who provided the music to [some of] the artists, … and it was an honor to see them use it.”

Rising Profile

Asked how he transitioned from underground and undiscovered to an award-winning producer, Crowder said he had to pivot.

“I was doing so many cold calls, trying to do it the ordinary way, [pitching artists via email and social media], when a peer of mine showed me another route,” he said. “I learned that there were other ways I could get my production out, and I basically became the melody man.”

Co-producing records became the gateway into the “members-only” society of hit-music makers and brought a sudden influx of opportunities, raising his profile among industry producers.

“I make music that feels good to me,” Crowder said. “My sound is colored by what inspires me. … I am a conduit for vibrations—an emotion, a memory, an experience, a call to action, a plea—and I transfer it to the music.”

The now-certified double-platinum producer has collaborations with music industry heavy-hitters, such as Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Common, Latto, Bryson Tiller, Young Thug, YSL Records, Lil Wayne, and, of course, Grammy Award winner Killer Mike.

Some of Crowder’s other achievements include Billboard number-one hits, a Dove and a Stellar award, and certified gold records. He’s also produced what’s called music sync placements, sound effects and tones for television and digital media.

Several of his digital tones and/or melodies have “landed,” meaning they’ve been used, on shows like Lena Waithe’s “The Chi” and Issa Raye’s “Rap Sh!t,” video games like “Fortnite” and “NBA2K,” and commercials for Peloton and Pizza Hut.

Co-producing with his mentor, veteran music producer Darwin “C Gutta” Quinn, has had a tremendous impact on his career and that getting signed to his production label, Gutta Muzik, has expanded his reach, Crowder said.

Sharing the Spotlight

The producer believes in reaching back and pulling up fellow musicians, he said.

“My prayer is that I continue to be a light for myself and others. I want to keep giving other creatives the same type of access I have. I want to be a gate opener rather than a gatekeeper,” said Crowder, who added that he and his partners, RJV Media, Sound Fader, and Good Omen Studios, are planning to open a creative compound in Homewood, Alabama, in late February.

“It’s a multimedia facility, where you can record, do podcasts, photography. … We’re trying to make a central hub for artists and creatives.”

The Grammy winner also hosts a monthly community-based event called Vibe Tribe, a collaboration with local groups like BHAM Stands and The Flourish, that helps to give exposure and opportunity to local talent.

“It’s a free event, held every third Wednesday of each month at The Green House in [Birmingham’s Ensley neighborhood], that highlights local producers and showcases fashion designers, chefs, and other small businesses here in [the city],” Crowder said.

“I’ll also be teaming up with Vibe Tribe and The Flourish [on a project] called the ‘Bloom Initiative,’… [and] we’re going to start working with Birmingham City Schools students [who have an interest in music production] and will teach them throughout the next three or four months.”

Luke S. Crowder’s music can be found on all major music streaming platforms. Follow him on Instagram @lukelimelite and TikTok @luke.crowder.

Updated on 2/16/2024 to shorten title.

Study: New Therapy Could Decrease the Risk of Death Among Critically Ill Black Patients With COVID-19

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Birmingham Times
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Naman Shetty, M.D., (left) and Pankaj Arora, M.D., (right) were involved in a study that revealed high-dose inhaled nitric oxide therapy was more beneficial in reducing the risk of mortality in Black patients compared with their white counterparts. (UAB Photos)

By Anna Jones | UAB News

In a first-of-its-kind study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, physician-scientists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine discovered that high-dose inhaled nitric oxide therapy may improve oxygenation and reduce the risk of mortality among critically ill Black patients with COVID-19. Acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, is a condition that most commonly occurs in the setting of a lung infection such as COVID-19.

“In ARDS, the barrier between the blood vessels and air sacs in the lungs is disrupted leading to the accumulation of fluid from the blood vessels in the air sacs, restricting air exchange in the lungs,” said Naman S. Shetty, M.D., a research fellow in the UAB Division of Cardiovascular Disease and the first author of this manuscript. “Poor air exchange in ARDS leads to organ damage and increases the risk of death. Therefore, increasing oxygenation in ARDS may improve survival and decrease organ damage. However, it may not be possible to maintain oxygenation in patients with ARDS when providing external support for breathing using a mechanical ventilator.”

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, witnessing the ever-increasing mortality of COVID-19 patients led Pankaj Arora, M.D., the senior author of the manuscript and an associate professor in the UAB Division of Cardiovascular Disease, to collaborate with Lorenzo Berra, M.D., to initiate the NOSARSCOVID trial, an international multicenter trial to examine the effects of high-dose inhaled nitric oxide on improving oxygenation in COVID-19 patients who required support from a mechanical ventilator.

Trials are rare in critically ill patients due to enrollment difficulties; therefore, this effort provided a much-needed boost in critical care research during the pandemic. The primary trial revealed that high-dose inhaled nitric oxide therapy improved oxygenation.

As an extension of the NOSARSCOVID trial, Shetty and his team assessed whether racial differences in the response to inhaled nitric oxide were present. The trial recruited a diverse patient population, allowing them to effectively examine this research question.

“In the study, we evaluated whether the improvement in oxygenation and risk reduction in mortality differed among white and Black patients recruited in the trial,” Shetty said. “Inhaled nitric oxide therapy was associated with a larger improvement in oxygenation among Black patients compared with white patients. Most notably, inhaled nitric oxide therapy reduced the risk of death at 28 and 90 days in Black patients. This benefit was not observed among white patients.”

Arora says these findings may be due to differences in biological systems among different races and ethnicities.

“To ascertain that self-reported race could indicate biological differences, we used data from the All of Us Research Program and restricted the data to include populations where patients were recruited from in our trial,” Arora said. “This was done to determine whether the self-reported race is a good surrogate for genetic ancestry in these individuals. We found that the self-reported race in these geographical areas was a good proxy for genetic ancestry.”

Arora says the differences observed in this study may be attributed to differences in the nitric oxide system.

“Black individuals have been shown to have a suppressed nitric oxide system at baseline compared with white individuals,” Arora said. “The suppressed nitric oxide system in Black individuals increases their susceptibility to developing severe ARDS with a high risk of death. Treatment with inhaled nitric oxide overcomes this intrinsic deficit in the nitric oxide system in Black individuals.”

Arora says this study calls for a larger phase three trial to test the hypothesis in Black patients. Arora explains that, due to the complexity of conducting trials in critical care, the inclusion of a diverse population was traditionally placed lower on the list of priorities.

“Our study highlights that the treatment effect of an intervention may vary by race,” Arora said. “Therefore, there is a need for adequate representation of minority populations in large clinical trials. Furthermore, our study draws attention to the individualization of treatment based on the patient. Precision phenotyping techniques incorporating clinical, physiological, imaging and molecular markers may help guide physicians to individualize therapy in ARDS.”

NAACP Image Award Nominees Unveiled

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Birmingham Times
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Colman Domingo as Mister in 'The Color Purple.' Domingo leads the nominations across the motion picture categories with three nominations at the NAACP Image Awards. (Courtesy of Warner Bros)

By Stacey Brown | NNPA Newswire

LOS ANGELES – Recently, NAACP unveiled the full list of “55th NAACP Image Awards” nominees with Netflix and Amazon leading the pack with 55 and 27 nominations respectively. The winners will be revealed during the two–hour LIVE TV special, airing Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET/ PT on BET and CBS.

Colman Domingo leads the nominations across the motion picture categories with three nominations. Ayo Edebiri received the most nominations in the television and streaming categories with two for Abbott Elementary and The Bear. Victoria Monét and Usher received the most nominations in the music recording categories, earning six and five nods, respectively. RCA Records received an impressive 20 nominations, the most across record labels. HarperCollins Publisher and Penguin Random House lead nominations across literary categories seven and four nods, respectively.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of this year’s nominees, whose outstanding contributions across film, television and streaming, music, literature, podcasts, and more have inspired us all,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. “The NAACP Image Awards stand as a tribute to their creativity, talent, and dedication to authentic storytelling and are a testament to the richness and diversity of our community.”

“As we reflect on the rich legacy of the NAACP, we take pride in honoring the artistic brilliance of this year’s nominees. We are excited to illuminate and celebrate the extraordinary talent within our community,” said Scott Mills, President and CEO, BET Media Group

By visiting www.naacpimageawards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the “55th NAACP Image Awards” in select categories. Voting closes February 24 at 9:00 p.m. Winners will be revealed during the “55th NAACP Image Awards” telecast on March 16, 2024, on BET and CBS. NAACP will also recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories March 11–14th, which will stream via naacpimageawards.net. For information and updates, please follow NAACP Image Awards on Instagram @NAACPImageAwards.

The “55th NAACP Image Awards” is proudly presented by this year’s incredible partners and sponsors. We extend our thanks for their invaluable support and commitment to promoting excellence in the Black community.

Globally recognized as one of the most distinguished multicultural awards shows, the “55th NAACP Image Awards” will continue a tradition of excellence, uplifting values that inspire equality, justice, and progressive change, and highlighting artists committed to that purpose.

One of the most iconic annual celebrations of Black excellence, the NAACP Image Awards draws the biggest and brightest stars in Hollywood. Previous years’ attendees and winners include Angela Bassett, Will Smith, Viola Davis, Beyoncé, Nicco Annan, Ruth E. Carter, Glynn Turman, Quinta Brunson, Nia Long, Keith David, Jennifer Hudson, Stacey Abrams, Tabitha Brown, Dwayne Wade & Gabrielle Union, Tems, Erica Campbell, Chris Brown, Bruno Mars Anderson. Paak Silk Sonic, Rihanna, Quavo, Takeoff, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Zendaya, Yara Shahidi, Issa Rae, Janelle Monáe, Tracee Ellis Ross, Serena Williams, Kerry Washington, Method Man, Dominique Thorne, Austin Scott, Tyler James Williams, Kyla Pratt, Jabari Banks, and many more.

The full list of nominees can be found at www.naacpimageawards.net.

Birmingham Creator Jessica S. Smith Shares Stage With Emmy Winner Tabitha Brown

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Birmingham Times
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Jessica S. Smith, left, founder of “Jess Ask,” the podcast Emmy winner and social media star Tabitha Brown, right, took the stage at the Lyric Theatre on Feb. 3. (Desiree Greenwood Photos)

By Chanda Temple | birminghamal.gov

When Birmingham native Jessica S. Smith, founder of “Jess Ask,” the podcast Emmy winner and social media star Tabitha Brown took the stage at the Lyric Theatre on Feb. 3, they enriched the evening by dropping pearls of inspiration, wisdom and empowerment. Near the end, Brown commended Smith on a job well done.

“I’m so grateful you said, ‘yes,’’’ Brown told Smith, recalling how she first asked her to be a part of the event. “You have been amazing. ‘Honey, (doesn’t) it look like she belongs in this space?’ She’s doing what God has called her to do.’’

“So, I pray that whatever it is that you dream, whatever it is that you imagine, that God makes it 10 times even bigger than it is, honey.’’

“I appreciate you. I see you. And God sees you. He hears you. So, don’t ever forget, and don’t ever doubt it. It’s all over you, honey,’’ Brown told Smith.

On Dec. 1, 2023, Brown, New York Times best-selling author, Emmy winner and social media star announced that Birmingham would be one of nine cities on her 2024 book tour, “I Did A New Thing.’’

Tabitha Brown was in Birmingham on her 2024 book tour, “I Did A New Thing.’’(Desiree Greenwood Photo)

On Jan.16, 2024, Brown told her 4.4 million Instagram followers and her 3.2 million Facebook followers that she wanted to do a new thing for her Feb. 3 Birmingham visit, and she asked people to tag their favorite Birmingham content creator. At the time of the post, no one really knew what the invitation could lead to, but the posts garnered more than 17,000 comments from people tagging themselves or their favorite content creator.

One nominee who caught Brown’s eye was Smith. Brown knew almost immediately that Smith would be the perfect moderator for her Birmingham show, which would feature Brown talking about her new book, the importance of fighting fear to bring positive changes to one’s life and doing a new thing every day.

“I don’t know who tagged you, but I remember your name just popped up and I said, ‘Ooo, let me click on that,’” Brown told Smith in front of a sold-out crowd at the Lyric Theatre. “I think you had maybe 1,200 followers. And I said, ‘Oh, this is her, Lord.’”

“And I said, ‘Oh, this is going to be great.’”

Smith, 32, eagerly accepted Brown’s invitation.

“I don’t know if words can describe how I felt. I was grateful,’’ said Smith. “This whole process has brought another level of gratitude.’’

After the show, Smith said that appearing with Brown, who is a vegan personality with her own hair care line and is involved in numerous business ventures that have led to deals with Target, Ulta and McCormick Seasonings, has only increased her confidence.

“Bet on yourself,’’ Smith said in an interview with the City of Birmingham. “If I learned anything from this process (is that) I did it scared. I had people around me who said they saw more (for me.)’’

 Birmingham’s Jessica Smith was the perfect moderator, said Tabitha Brown. (Desiree Greenwood Photo)

Smith, who works full time in sales and has an undergraduate degree in communications studies from the University of Alabama, started her podcast in October 2021 as a way to give Birmingham creatives a safe space to share their ideas.

She shares podcast clips, professional headshots and colorful podcast flyers on her Instagram account to promote her show and her thoughts. Her clips are heartfelt, transparent and encouraging, much like how Brown communicates with her followers.

But there was a time when Smith wanted to play it safe and never show her face on her podcast. When she first did her podcast in 2021, hardly any of her Season 1 episodes featured videos. But by Season 2 in 2022, her friend, Desiree Greenwood, signed on as her producer and encouraged Smith to do all of her podcast recordings with video so people could see Smith. Smith followed her advice.

Another thing that helped Smith improve her podcast was that she attended a summit led by “Social Proof” podcast guru David Shands in 2023. During that meeting, Shands stressed that podcasters cannot build trust with their followers if they are inconsistent. They must be consistent on when they produce and share content.

Smith listened and learned. She releases a new episode every Thursday at 7 a.m.

“That podcast summit changed my outlook on what a podcast can be,’’ Smith said, adding that the next Podcast Summit Shands will host will be July 4-5 at the Hilton Atlanta, 255 Courtland St. NE, Atlanta.

Smith is also grateful for her support system, which helped her get ready for her appearance with Brown.

Smith’s sister, Kendal McWilliams of Kendal’s Dreadheads, did Smith’s hair; Simone Williams of BeautyMarked did Smith’s makeup; and Smith’s podcast producer and friend, Desiree Greenwood, took photos of Smith and Brown on stage. For her nails, Smith used Nykki Houston with A Touch of Art 1.

Before meeting with Brown to go on stage, Smith’s coach, Dr. Dee Fomby; and her pastor, Corene Gardner; lowered their heads and prayed as Pastor Gardner said: “May your back be strong.’’

Those words calmed Smith and gave her confidence. She walked out on stage to applause. Birmingham embraced her in that very moment, and Smith gave that love right back.

Smith said it was important for her to have Birmingham-area people involved in her preparation because “it was our moment to shine.’’

“Birmingham has a lot of talent … from all different forms of creativity,’’ she said. “And I love it.’’

So, what’s next for Smith? Her social media following continues to grow as she responds to several requests from people asking her to help them with their podcast or serve as a consultant. And she continues to work on her podcast, where she wants to promote Birmingham and the people who live here.

“A lot of people have a bad rep on my city, and I don’t like that,’’ she said. “I take it personal. To be able to have a moment to represent a city that has given to me, a city that I grew up in, I’m grateful.’’

For more information on Jessica S. Smith, visit jessicassmith.com.

For more information on Tabitha Brown and her new book, “I Did A New Thing,” visit iamtabithabrown.com.

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