Linked in Impact with The Arlington (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated

According to Forbes.com, a survey by the travel organization Road Scholar has revealed that up to 30% of the company's tour participants are solo travelers; and of those solo travelers, 85% are women.According to Condor Ferries, 64% of travelers worldwide are female, while only 36% are male. The company estimated that $125 billion would be spent by women on travel in 2023.The average U.S. traveler is a 47-year-old woman. Some 75% of those who take cultural, adventure or nature trips are women. Despite possible dangers, 86% of women state that they are not afraid to travel. And whether women travel with their partners, their families, friends, solo or in groups, 80% of all travel decisions are made by women.In this episode, our host Krysta Jones speaks with Niki Martin and Melandee Jones Canady about their experiences traveling.

“At its core, the role of a community foundation is to create pathways that connect our community and its many different individuals, groups, and organizations to the resources needed to flourish.”How much do you know about community foundations and the impact they are making in your community? In this episode we speak with Jennifer Owens, President and CEO of the Arlington Community Foundation, and Heather Peeler, President and CEO of ACT Alexandria, about these longstanding resources and change agents in our community. 

How much do you know about the "path to the presidency"? Of course, for some people it can start decades before they officially announce that they are running, but in today’s episode we are going to talk about everything from the convention to the electoral college to the transition. If you have seen the movie Shirley, about Shirley Chisolm’s historic presidential run as the first black candidate for a major-party nomination for President of the United States and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, you have seen an even more in-depth look at the convention politics. In this episode we speak with Glyda Carr, president, CEO and co-founder of Higher Heights for America, and at the center of the national movement to grow Black women’s political power from the voting booth to elected office. and Rebekah Caruthers, Vice President at Fair Vote, who has managed or consulted on campaigns, voter projects, and with candidates in over two dozen states including presidential and down ballot races in battleground states.If you want to get involved with the process. One way you can do that is by becoming a delegate at a political party convention. Its best to reach out to your state party to get specifics on the process, as each state is different. 

At a time when there is a backlash against DEI efforts, along with the resignation of Claudine Gay, the first black woman to serve as president of Harvard University, we felt it was time to have a discussion about how those of us who are DEI proponents continue moving DEI forward. I don’t think we take the time to define, what success looks like for DEI, and acknowledge practically and realistically what we discuss in our conversation as the backlash that history tells us we can expect, and how we emerge from this current backlash with a stronger movement and a stronger society. In this conversation with Joi Chaney, founder of principal of J.O.I. Strategies, and Jessica Paige, social scientist with the RAND Corporation, two Harvard graduates, we hear their perspectives on what DEI means, how Black women can succeed despite the challenges, and what’s next for the future of DEI post Claudine Gay’s resignation.

"I learned that my story was not uncommon. There were others like me, just like me -Black like me, healthy like me, doing their best, just like me. And they faced death just like me too."- Allyson Felix, Olympic Track & Field ChampionWe have all heard the stats-the maternal death rates for Black women - regardless of socio economic status are 2-3 times that of white women. The 2022 documentary Aftershock directed and produced by Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee. I- was a heart wrenching accounting of how maternal mortality strikes black families and what is being done to solve the crisis. For one, birth workers, doulas, and midwives are associated with improved maternal outcomes. Additionally, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, introduced by The Black Maternal Health Caucus and reintroduced in the 118th Congress in May 2023, is a comprehensive legislative initiative aimed at eliminating preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and health disparities in the U.S. In this conversation, host Krysta Jones speaks with Mallory Mpare, with the March of Dimes, to talk more about this critical issue and what we can do. Aftershock | Documentary Film (aftershockdocumentary.com)

Youth are facing a number of challenges today. Deaths from suicide among youth and young adults have been increasing over the last two decades in the United States, Despite negative headlines and growing concerns about social media’s impact on youth, teens continue to use these platforms at high rates – with some describing their social media use as “almost constant,” according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens. In this episode, our host Krysta Jones speaks with Canek Aguirre, on the Alexandria City Council, to discuss the state of youth in Alexandria and how our community can get involved. 

In this conversation we speak with Dr. Alfred Taylor, author of "Bridge Builders of Nauck/Green Valley: Past and Present” which details the stories of over 100 Arlingtonians,  Scott Taylor, president of the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, which celebrates the African American Journey to Freedom, focusing on Arlington’s Freedman’s Village, Wilma Jones Killgo, a fourth-generation resident of the Halls Hill community in Arlington, and author of the book, "My Halls Hill Family: More Than a Neighborhood", and Councilman John Chapman, a fourth generation Alexandrian and founder of Manumission Tour Company LLC. These dynamic leaders share their thoughts about local black history and why it's so important. How much local history do you know, and what impact has it had on how you see your community? Enjoy the conversation, and I challenge you to learn even more about, and support -  your local Black history. 

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.This conversation with Dr. Lisa Loury Lomas, Eastern Area Director of The Links, Incorporated, on Black women's mental health, is a "must listen". Lisa has worked in the field of psychology for 30 years and is an expert in human relations and development, with a specialty in mood disorders, trauma, grief, DEI, life adjustment disorders and couples. Women are at least twice as likely to experience an episode of major depression as men. And, compared to our Caucasian counterparts, African American women are only half as likely to seek help.No matter what you are going through, remember that it's "OK, to not be 'OK'". 

Join several community leaders and activists as we discuss reparations - what they are, and what progress has been made in the movement to make the descendants of chattel slaves in America "whole". 

September is HBCU awareness month.  Through our National HBCU Initiative, The Links, Incorporated seeks to increase the retention and graduation rates of students attending HBCUs, which were founded in the face of discrimination and have a proud history and legacy of achievement.For more than a century, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have produced a significant portion of the nation’s doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, and political and religious leaders. Listen in on this conversation among members of The Arlington (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated as they share their experiences, why they feel HBCUs are so important, and what they hope for the future of HBCUs. With so many forces trying to tear our students and communities down, it makes us proud to support the institutions which are doing everything they can to hold our communities up.