Big East hosts its eighth annual Transition Game program
The Big East Conference hosted its eighth annual Transition Game program earlier this month, providing current women’s basketball student-athletes with insights into planning for life on and off the court after graduation. More than 30 student-athletes attended, listened, and asked questions of speakers about subjects ranging from playing professional basketball to using skills developed in sports to launch new careers. Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Liberty Keia Clarke addressed the attendees.
Shenneika Smith, now an assistant coach at her alma mater, St. John’s University, spoke about moving into the pro game. She admitted she’s not fond of public speaking but was happy to share her story of being drafted by the New York Liberty, getting cut, and then learning the ropes of playing overseas.
“One of the mistakes I made when I first went overseas was not being more in tune with my teammates, not gravitating to them where they could help me with the language barriers or even the small things like where to go eat, what’s fun to do,” said Smith, who played in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, and Australia. “Also, I was not used to not having a schedule because in college, everything is planned out.”
Other than practice and games, Smith spent a lot of time in her first season in her apartment, watching Netflix or NBA games. Fortunately, she became more a part of the community as her career progressed. She also learned to accept not making a WNBA roster.
“I was the last person waived by the New York Liberty, and it was heart-wrenching,” said Smith, now in her seventh season on the St. John’s coaching staff. “I let them know [that] just because you didn’t make a team or you got waived doesn’t mean you don’t go forward. Go overseas and enjoy your time over there.”
Kae Satterfield, a fifth-year guard/forward at Seton Hall, attended and soaked up the wealth of information. Her post-graduation goals include playing professionally. “The real world is coming fast,” said Satterfield, who also listened intently to Dr. Alfiee M. Breland-Noble’s insights about mental health. “I really appreciated the former athletes panel and their honesty. Their insights into overseas professional basketball, as well as the WNBA, were really helpful. They gave good tips for when you’re in other countries.”
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North Carolina Central University tops the HBCU Power Rankings
North Carolina Central (NCCU) is atop the HBCU power rankings heading into this weekend’s Black college football schedule after a commanding 45-3 win over Mississippi Valley State in Indianapolis, Indiana, at Lucas Oil Stadium in the Circle City Classic this past Saturday.
NC Central, of the MEAC, is 3-1 overall and their only loss is to UCLA in a 59-7 drubbing to the PAC-12 Power Five conference school two weekends ago in Los Angeles. Mississippi Valley State of the SWAC fell to 0-3 and faces a formidable task at home this Saturday when they will play their first conference game of the season against Florida A&M.
The Rattlers are No. 2 in the HBCU Power Rankings and are coming off of a 23-10 victory over Alabama State. They are followed by No. 3 Tennessee State (2-1) of the Ohio Valley Conference, No. 4 Jackson State (3-2) of the SWAC and No. 5 Hampton (2-1) of the Colonial Athletic Conference.
NCCU, which had its seven-game win streak dating back to last season snapped by UCLA, opened up a 14-0 lead in the first quarter against the Delta Devils and were never threatened after. Eagles junior quarterback Walter Harris was 17-28 for 263 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.
NCCU is back home at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium this Saturday after two games on the road to play Campbell University (2-2) of the Colonial Athletic Conference. The Eagles ended last season as the Black college champions with a gripping 41-34 overtime win in the Crickett Celebration Bowl over the Jackson State Tigers led by the program’s former head coach Deion Sanders, who now is in his first season leading the Colorado Buffaloes.
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Harlem Fave SwizzBeatz, Fat Joe, Spinderella, And More At The “BET Hip Hop Awards” 2023
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The “BET Hip Hop Awards” 2023 is heating up with an electrifying list of top performers in hip hop music and culture. Today, BET announced the continuation of its ‘Non-stop Hip Hop Party’ celebrating five decades of the genre with performances by Offset, DaBaby, Fivio Foreign, GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and a deejay and producer tribute featuring Kid Capri, Kool DJ Red Alert,…
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“Welcome To Rap City” Doc With Harlem The Diplomats And More By BET And Mass Appeal
The #1 source in the world for all things Harlem.
Today, BET announces an original three-part documentary of its iconic music series, “Rap City,” as BET continues its year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Produced by entertainment company Mass Appeal, “Welcome To Rap City” unlocks the “Rap City” vaults, airing never-before-seen footage of iconic Hip Hop stars while providing viewers with a historic look back at the vital role of BET…
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Lifestyle Medicine Program begins citywide expansion
NYC Health + Hospitals announced this week that its nationally recognized Lifestyle Medicine Program has expanded to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in the Bronx. This is the first of six new sites to make the program available citywide.
The pilot program, launched at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in 2019 with the support of then-Borough President Eric Adams, has already seen hundreds of patients. The program’s team supports patients in making evidence-based lifestyle changes, including a healthful plant-based diet, increased physical activity, improved sleep habits, stress reduction, avoidance of substance use, and stronger social connections.
Adults living with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or health concerns related to excess weight are eligible to enroll.
The program can accommodate 48 new patients each month, and the care team at each site includes physicians, a nurse practitioner, a dietitian, a health coach, community health workers, a psychologist, a program coordinator, and an exercise trainer.
In the wake of the launch at Jacobi, NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, Kings County, Lincoln, Elmhurst, and Gotham Health, Vanderbilt will launch in the coming months. Current patients of NYC Health + Hospitals can get referrals to the program from their providers, and people who are not yet patients of NYC Health + Hospitals can see if they qualify to enroll in the program by calling 347-507-3695.
“I joined the new Lifestyle Medicine Program a month ago, and already I feel so much better,” said Skyler Myres, a patient at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi. “I no longer have diabetes. My blood pressure is lower, and I no longer need to take one of my blood pressure medications. I have more energy. I feel it in the morning when I exercise—it’s easier to do things than it was before. I really enjoy the camaraderie of the team here, and they’re always there for me when I call with a question. I feel welcome here.”
The Lifestyle Medicine Program’s nine-month program provides every patient with these resources:
- Six to nine one-on-one counseling sessions—two to three visits each with a physician or nurse practitioner, dietitian, and health coach to develop and implement a personalized care plan.
- 14 weekly group classes about topics such as reading nutrition labels, grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation, and sleep and stress management techniques.
- Eight weekly exercise classes, working with an exercise trainer and receiving a resistance band for strength training to take home.
- Six free, monthly deliveries of seasonal fresh produce—patients will work with dietitians to learn about incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diet across culinary traditions and skill levels; recipes developed by the team’s dietitians accompany each produce box (launches early 2024).
- Access to Health Bucks—$2 coupons that can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at NYC farmers markets. Five of the seven program sites have farmers’ markets on their campus.
- Culinary skills videos so patients can learn cooking skills through short videos developed by the Lifestyle Medicine team in partnership with an online culinary school, Rouxbe. Videos feature healthy cooking from various culinary traditions, including Caribbean, South American, Central American, and South Asian, and will be translated into Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, and Haitian Creole (launches early 2024).
- A plant-based cookbook; cookbooks for plant-based eating for type 2 diabetes are available as well.
- Support with accessing benefits from community health workers for patients who are eligible for SNAP benefits and nutrition resources.
Each site will partner with local community-based organizations to explore ways to support community members in nutrition and other aspects of lifestyle change. The Lifestyle Medicine Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi will collaborate with the Throggs Neck Community Alliance in the Bronx.
Particular attention has been placed on ensuring that the curriculum is relevant for patients from diverse backgrounds and experiences. For example, the Spanish-language curriculum reflects cultural adaptations, not simply a translation of the English-language version. Individual visits with the medical providers, dietitians, and health coaches allow for tailored behavior change recommendations based on each patient’s social, financial, cultural, and family context.Formal evaluations of the Bellevue pilot program revealed a successful implementation process; extremely high demand for services (more than 850 patients asked to enroll in the first few months); and positive health outcomes, including clinically and statistically significant improvements in weight, glycemic control, and diastolic blood pressure.
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