It has been a busy week for me. My car is acting up again after the very successful show. It happens 🤷🏾♂️.
It’s not all bad. I love riding the train and this week I faced my fears and just rode it alone and met lots of nice people. The city is full of wonderful souls. My bag and my jackets get lots of comments. Feels nice to me seen. Alec has walked with me home almost everyday.
I have found I really enjoy walking and wish I had a pair of Jordans. They are kind of beautiful shoes. I like the green ones.
This is a love letter to how I used to film and I still love it.
I honestly forgot most of this book 25 years ago. It was a big part of my life. Not a lot of stories about strong brown boys growing up. This was a rebel yell for me. Great book and also horny book.
My deep reads for a few years has molded me a bit. I hear the tails of my heroes and their struggles and can’t understand how they kept it together, other than they had too. I get older and outlived so many so fast. I think you are your age even after death. Many thoughts but less paint on walks.
What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?
Halla galeras,
Every once while I get it with a good question. This one is One the kind of hit me in a deep space because I’m still struggling in a lot of ways to control my diabetes. So I have this fear that if I have to go on insulin with his current administration it may not be affordable for me and that’s kind of terrifying. A long time ago insulin was created by scientist and they gave it to the world for free and then pharmaceuticals decided they wanted to charge money once they got it. Typically it is not expensive but it has been on several occasions very expensive. So it’s the thing I’ll worry about or if it’s gonna be some type of unaffordable monster that’s like $400 a mile or whatever. Cause like what did the rest of us do when our life-saving medicine becomes too expensive and maybe we’re in danger? Having a late stage diabetes is one of those weird things where you get diagnosed with type to diabetes but then they find out you actually just have a late stage type One diabetes. it’s a little scary and I’m trying not to freak out everyone else around me while I think about it because they’re afraid for me. I think of all these great artists that all had diabetes throughout time it’s a very human disease and people think it’s something you do to get it in an actuality there’s really nothing you do you just kind of genetically have it. But that’s my my thing I worry about six months. I wanna have a life worth living.
The first few months of life are a critical period of growth, development, and bonding for newborns and their families. However, for Black babies and their families, this period can be fraught with unique challenges and disparities. Systemic racism, socioeconomic factors, and inadequate access to healthcare can all impact the health and well-being of Black babies. Postnatal support for Black babies and their families address these disparities.
The Alarming Reality:
Black infants are disproportionately affected by poor birth outcomes, including higher rates of:
Infant mortality (2.3 times higher than white infants)
Low birth weight (1.5 times higher than white infants)
Premature birth (1.5 times higher than white infants)
These disparities are not solely the result of individual choices or behaviors, but rather are influenced by systemic factors such as:
Limited access to prenatal and postnatal care
Racial bias in healthcare provider decision-making
Socioeconomic stressors, including poverty and housing insecurity
The Importance of Postnatal Support:
Postnatal support is critical for ensuring the health and well-being of newborns and their families. This support can include:
Home visiting programs, which provide regular check-ins and support for new parents
Breastfeeding support and education
Access to mental health services, including counseling and therapy
Connection to community resources, such as food banks and parenting support groups
For Black families, postnatal support can be particularly vital in addressing the unique challenges they face. By providing targeted support and resources, we can help mitigate the effects of systemic racism and promote better health outcomes for Black babies.
Addressing Disparities:
To address the disparities in postnatal support for Black babies and their families, we must take a multifaceted approach. This includes:
Increasing funding for programs that provide targeted support to Black families, such as home visiting programs and breastfeeding support services
Providing cultural competency training for healthcare providers, to address implicit bias and ensure that care is tailored to the unique needs of Black families
Promoting community-based initiatives, such as peer support groups and parenting classes, to provide connection and support for Black families
Conclusion:
The first few months of life are a critical period of growth and development for newborns and their families. For Black babies and their families, this period can be marked by unique challenges and disparities. By providing targeted postnatal support and addressing systemic disparities, we can promote better health outcomes for Black babies and support the well-being of their families. It’s time for us to cradle life and ensure that all families have the support they need to thrive.
I read a few articles and had spellcheck jazz it up.
The point of this painting for me is that I want to see the next generations enjoy my art of themselves. Something has to give.
It has been a week to be creative and have a few interesting conversations. How goes it on your end?
The first shirt was me who king on my 24 shots weekly Patreon post. Which you are always welcome to join. The third is the process of finishing the page. The second video is the answer I get a lot with Producer Tom.
“How do you grow your business as an artist?” I feel like I gave a pretty good answer from my experiences.
Mostly I’m just thinking about my next painting. As I always am. Hopefully I can finish this new commission before next weekend. I’ll keep you posted.
For a long time i have been afraid of this painting. It meant so much to me to be able to focus on something so powerful. I am just a painter after all. I think about how bad the world looks right now and I had to paint about it. I feel the pain of the children of Gaza. It just feels so sad and overwhelming to see online everyday. I think we have to make effort to not look away or become numb because they are just kids and no child deserves any of this.
Pray or meditate or whatever you believe in.
Painting is a doorway to an artist’s mind and emotions.
jaws_blake 