Monthly Archives: January 2021

Why Use a Structural Competency Framework?

Although some see tobacco use as a personal choice among adult informed decision-makers, looking at tobacco use through a structural competency framework calls attention to the larger societal forces that lead people to use tobacco. The structural competency approach frames health inequities in relation to the institutions and social conditions that determine health related resources and is focused on structural changes to address upstream causes of health disparities.17 The structural competency framework adds to the SDHs approach by acknowledging that social injustice and power dynamics underlie health inequity.18 Although the structural competency approach is used in social work and public health, it may be a new paradigm for clinicians focused on the care of individual patients.

Many structural issues perpetuate tobacco initiation and use on both a global and domestic scale. The tobacco industry aggressively targets vulnerable and marginalized groups, including children. People who smoke often have poor access to health insurance and health care, lack access to cessation resources, and live in poverty, all of which, in addition to other factors, perpetuate tobacco use and dependence. The lack of effective enforcement of age-for-sale laws means that too often youth have unregulated access to tobacco products.19,20 Tobacco dependence and exposure reinforces existing health disparities, and these health disparities perpetuate tobacco dependence, creating a cycle of intergenerational tobacco dependence, poverty, and poor health (Fig 1). Pediatricians can continue to engage and support individuals in cessation attempts while also recognizing and addressing economic, social, and political structures that reinforce tobacco dependence and exposure. Adding a structural competency approach to individual clinical interventions will help pediatricians recognize and address some of the structural factors promoting tobacco dependence and will allow pediatricians to push back against a cycle of addiction and disadvantage that reinforces its use.

Tobacco use and exposure reinforce existing health disparities, and these health disparities perpetuate tobacco use.

Targeting vulnerable populations is a well-established tactic used by the tobacco industry to recruit new smokers and maintain current smokers. Children, the most vulnerable group, have long been targeted and tasked to serve as replacement smokers by the tobacco industry.21 The rapidly developing adolescent brain is uniquely susceptible to nicotine addiction,22 and 90% of adults who smoke started smoking before 19 years of age,23 thus giving tobacco companies great incentive to recruit youth smokers. Documents reveal that the tobacco industry has clearly recognized this opportunity. Philip Morris executives noted, "Todays teenager is tomorrows potential customer...24 The 2014 US Surgeon Generals report acknowledged that the root cause of the smoking epidemic is evident: the tobacco industry aggressively markets and promotes lethal and addictive products, and continues to recruit youth and young adults as new consumers of these products.2 Although tobacco companies deny intentional marketing to children, they continue to advertise tobacco in outlets designed to reach children.25

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals are a focus of targeted campaigns, likely contributing to higher smoking rates compared with non-LGBTQ individuals. In 1992, a tobacco industry memo stated, We see the gay community as an area of opportunity. Philip Morris would be one of the first (if not the first) tobacco advertiser in this category and would thus own the market.26 The tobacco industry subsequently began advertising in publications aimed at the LGBTQ community and financially supporting LGBTQ organizations.27

Black and African American youth and adults have been systematically targeted through advertisements, retailers, and promotion of menthol products. More tobacco advertisements are found in communities with a higher density of Black and African American residents. In these communities, Black and African American youth have been recruited to smoke through advertising and the distribution of free cigarette samples.28 The proportion of Black and African American smokers who use menthol cigarettes increased from 5% in 1952 to 89% in 2011, likely because of aggressive racial targeting by the menthol cigarette industry. Between 1998 and 2002, Ebony magazine, a monthly publication with a large Black and African American readership, was nearly 10 times as likely to contain ads for menthol cigarettes as People magazine, which has a larger readership among white Americans.29 This targeted advertising has contributed to nearly 90% of Black and African American smokers using menthol cigarettes, which are more addictive and more harmful than nonmenthol cigarettes.7

American Indian and Alaskan native people are also subject to predatory targeting by the tobacco industry. Tobacco companies exploit the federal exemptions that accompany the unique sovereign status of tribal lands to increase their own economic profit, using tactics such as promotional coupons, price reductions, giveaways, and sponsorships.30 Tobacco companies employ manipulative strategies to exploit sacred use of tobacco. For example, the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, now owned by R.J. Reynolds, produced an exclusive line of authentic reproductions of Native American pipes, snuff containers, tobacco pouches, and other natural tobacco implements.31 These and other tactics are believed to contribute to the disproportionate burden of tobacco-related disease in Indigenous populations.30

Since the 1920s, women have been targeted through appealing tobacco advertising that gave them perceived psychosocial needs around weight loss, independence, stress relief, and the need to escape.32 As smoking rates for increasingly educated women started to decrease, targeting of low-income women increased, with significant resources devoted to understanding the psychological profiles of potential customers.32 R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company attempted to distribute coupons for packs of cigarettes in envelopes with foods stamps. Coupons were for individual packs, not cartons, because the lower-income groups tend to buy single packs.32

People living in rural areas are also at higher risk of smoking and tobacco-related disease. Rural adolescents start smoking earlier and are more likely to be daily smokers than adolescents living in nonrural areas. Young rural men have historically been targeted through tobacco advertisements featuring cowboys, hunters, and other rugged images. Antitobacco media are less likely to reach youth living in rural areas.10 This targeting contributes to higher rates of tobacco use and lower life expectancies in the 12 contiguous states collectively known as Tobacco Nation9: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

The industry also cultivated relationships with organizations working with people with mental illness and funded research to encourage the erroneous ideas that cessation is too stressful for people with mental illness and that people with mental illness need to self-medicate with nicotine to relieve negative moods.8

Tobacco companies use targeted marketing strategies because they are incredibly effective in recruiting smokers. As big tobacco and big vaping become increasingly entwined,33 a resurgence of these advertising tactics aimed at attracting youth to e-cigarettes has been observed. Pediatricians need to be aware of this targeted advertising and its impact on vulnerable populations.34

Structural barriers maintain intergenerational smoking by reinforcing economic disparities and limiting access to tobacco-dependence treatment.

Access to health insurance is one example. In more than 40 states, people who smoke can be charged higher insurance rates than those who do not smoke35; in some states, these rates can be up to 25% higher than rates for nonsmokers.36 People from marginalized groups are already much less likely to have health insurance; raising premiums for people who smoke makes health insurance even harder and more expensive to obtain. In a 2016 study, authors examined the impact of tobacco surcharges on insurance coverage and cessation among people who smoked and found that smokers were 7.3% less likely to have health insurance coverage than nonsmokers.37 The authors also noted that tobacco surcharges increased neither smoking cessation nor financial protection from high health care costs.37 Without health insurance, tobacco users may have limited access to care for smoking-related illnesses as well as less access to tobacco-dependence treatment. The treatment they can access may be inadequate, for example, providing limited medication only for a limited period of time. Such regressive policies do little to treat nicotine addiction as a chronic illness; instead, they limit access to treatment for people who are addicted to nicotine.36

Life insurance is also more expensive for people who smoke,38 which affects the ability of those who smoke, who have a higher mortality rate from numerous health problems, to provide financial security for their survivors, including minor children or grandchildren, in the event of their demise.

Adding to the economic burden is hardship caused by missed work because of caregiver or child illness. Children are more likely to be absent from school if their caregiver smokes,44 meaning caregivers may have to miss work to care for their sick child. The cost of missing work to care for a sick child can be high; caregivers lose an estimated $227 million per year caring for ill children,44 which reinforces economic disparities. Repeated school absences can hinder a childs school performance45 and, in the long-term, may influence career trajectory and earning potential.44

The cycle of health and economic disparities among people who use tobacco is self-perpetuating; adults who smoke who are unable to escape the cycle of addiction are more likely to have children who smoke,46,47 giving rise to new generations addicted to nicotine and susceptible to these same economic hardships.

Read more:

Health Disparities in Tobacco Use and Exposure: A Structural Competency Approach - American Academy of Pediatrics

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - As the year comes to a close, KY3 takes a look back at several stories around Springfield and the Ozarks region that had a major impact in 2020.

In year driven by a global pandemic, economic uncertainty and political activism, we break down some of the top local stories from each month.

JANUARY

FEATURED STORY: Son of Greene County judges found dead in California after weeks-long search

Alex Holden, a Springfield native and the son of two Greene County judges, was found dead in late January after a weeks-long search in California.

Holden is the son of Greene County Judges Calvin Holden and Margaret Palmietto.

Police say Holden disappeared on the morning of Dec. 31, 2019. Investigators found his body along the American River in the Sacramento, California area. Authorities say foul play was not suspected in his death.

He just did whatever he did at the moment. He lived life to the fullest. He was the most caring, compassionate and caring children you could ever have, his father Calvin Holden recalled in January.

Family and friends gathered for a memorial in early February to pay respects to Alex Holden.

OTHER TOP STORIES: Severe storms damage homes in Fair Play, Mo. ; Two charged in Seymour, Mo. child abuse investigation ; Steckel out, Petrino in as MSU football coach

FEBRUARY

FEATURED STORY: Ozarks region celebrates Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory

Springfield and other communities in the Ozarks region cheered on the Kansas City Chiefs during the teams first Super Bowl championship in 50 years.

Before the age of social distancing, fans packed local sports bars, including Harbells and Coyotes Sports Caf, to cheer on the Chiefs during the Super Bowl. Springfields Academy Sports and Outdoors location stayed open several hours after the Super Bowl win to sell Super Bowl Champions merchandise and even had a line looped around the building on the night.

A 50-year wait for another Super Bowl run was particularly special for Michael Meyer, a Chiefs fan in Springfield, who said he became a part of Chiefs Kingdom half of a century ago at Super Bowl IV.

I had no idea Id be loyal this long. I have. Theyre just my team no matter what they do, Meyer said.

For Deborah Payne, a former Stone County resident, the Super Bowl victory meant more than just making history. It meant fulfilling a promise, holding a Super Bowl celebration for her son Travis, an avid Chiefs fan who died in a car crash 17 years ago. The family visited a gravesite in late February to remember her son and celebrate the Super Bowl victory with loved ones.

He told me one time that theyre going to win it and when they do, everybodys going to want to be a Chiefs fan, said Traviss cousin John Keithley. I can just imagine him now saying, Welcome to the Kingdom, everybody.

OTHER TOP STORIES: Tow trucks lead procession in memory of fallen Springfield tow truck driver ; Waynesville community gives prisoner of war a second funeral ; Springfield Housing Authority proposes complex for homeless veterans

MARCH

FEATURED STORY: Springfield officer Christopher Walsh shot, killed in the line of duty

A gunman fired several shots at a Kum & Go gas station in mid-March, killing Springfield officer Christopher Walsh and three others.

Walsh, a three-and-a-half year veteran with the Springfield Police Department, was killed in the line of duty in the late evening hours of March 15, when he attempted to rescue a shooting victim at the gas station at 2885 E. Chestnut Expressway. He died at the age of 32.

It marked the first time the Springfield Police Department experienced such a tragedy in decades. Walsh was the first Springfield police officer killed in the line of duty since 1932.

Chris died a hero, rushing in without regard to his own safety to protect members of his community. His courageous actions serve as an example to us all, said Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams one day after his death.

Three other civilians were killed. They include Troy Rapp, 57, who worked at the Kum and Go; Shannon Perkins, 46, who worked for WCA Waste Corporation; and Matthew Hicks-Morris, 22, who was a customer in the store.

The shooter, Joaquin S. Roman, 31, killed himself after firing shots at several people and officers inside of the gas stations convenience store. He also opened fire at officer Josiah Overton, who survived and returned to work in July after his recovery.

A string of reported shootings across southeast Springfield led up to Walshs death. Witnesses told police the gunman crashed his car into the convenience store, then entered the store and shot multiple customers and an employee. Walsh and Overton arrived in response, then were shot. The shooters motive remains unclear.

You get into this job primarily to help others who cant help themselves, said Brandon Keene, the Treasurer for the Springfield Police Officers Association, in March. Officer Walsh is no different. Hes a selfless person. He dedicated his life to helping his community and his country.

Officers led a procession in memory of Walsh on March 21. Hundreds in the Springfield community gathered along Battlefield Road to pay respects. Police cruisers from across the state, even from other parts of the country, joined the procession to escort Officer Walsh to his final resting place.

Tributes for Officer Walsh stretched deep into the new year. Tunnels 2 Towers, an organization that helps families of fallen first responders nationwide, paid off the mortgage to the home owned by Walshs widow in November. The city of Willard paid respects by adding an inscribed brick with Walshs name and his military rank to the Veterans Memorial at Willard City Park.

Before joining the Springfield Police Department, Walsh served with the United States Army for 10 years, and was deployed twice to active combat zones. He is survived by his wife Sheri and daughter Morgan.

NOTE: Walshs death, along with three others from the March shooting, were classified as homicides before the Springfield Police Department revised its crime reporting system. SPD says, as of Dec. 22, the city has investigated 27 violent deaths in Springfield this year. Eighteen of those have been determined to be murder. The citys record for deaths classified as homicide was 16, set three times in the last decade.

OTHER TOP STORIES: Greene County health leaders report first COVID-19 cases and deaths ; Springfield woman shares COVID-19 recovery story ; Woman gives birth in a Springfield Walmart

APRIL

FEATURED STORY: Pandemic leads stay-at-home orders, shuts down schools

The COVID-19 pandemic led some southwest Missouri communities, including Springfield, to adopt stay-at-home orders as early as March, one of the first significant decisions to combat the spread of the virus.

We would not be doing this if we were not 100 percent convinced that we are doing everything we can to protect life on a mass scale, said Greene County Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon during a community Q-and-A session on the stay-at-home order in late March.

In early April, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced a statewide stay-at-home order, prompting some employers in the Ozarks region to shut down and limiting people to engage in only leave home for activities deemed essential.

The stay-at-home orders presented various challenges for businesses. Restaurants were limited to delivery, drive-thru and curbside options. Private businesses that didnt sell food or essential goods were ordered to close, particularly causing a hit to the entertainment industry.

We thought we had everything figured out, but when they just tell you youre going to close your doors, I dont think anyone anticipates that, said Randolph Medler, co-owner of Glenstone Cottage Antiques, in April.

Stay-at-home orders lasted through early May for the state and several communities in the Ozarks region, but they left some local business scrambling to reopen, including bars and breweries.

Theyre following the science, they are thinking it through, and I understand it, but for a small business... we are the newest brewery in town it hurts, it hurts really bad, said Carol McLeod, co-owner of Hold Fast Brewing, days before Springfield lifted its stay-at-home order.

The city of Springfield started loosening restrictions in late-April, phasing into several stages in an effort to fully reopen the economy. Springfield is currently in Phase 3C of its Road To Recovery plan and remains under a civil emergency order entering the new year due to the pandemic.

OTHER TOP STORIES: Missouri schools ordered to close for remainder of year ; Springfield nurse assists with hospital in NYC amid pandemic ; Citations issued to motorcyclists in Springfield over stay-at-home order ; Gas falls below $1 in Springfield

MAY

FEATURED STORY: Thousands protest in Springfield over racial injustice

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked protests over racial injustice nationwide, including several weeks of political demonstrations in the Springfield area.

Floyd died on May 25. A bystanders video showed Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck for several minutes, even after Floyd said he couldnt breathe and slowly stopped talking and moving. Chauvin and three other officers face criminal charges in Floyds death, and all four have been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department.

Hundreds gathered for two protests in south Springfield on back-to-back days during the final weekend of May. Groups met near Glenstone Avenue and Battlefield Road, one of the citys busiest intersections, then marched down Battlefield Road holding signs and voicing against racial injustice.

On May 30, protesters briefly gathered alongside cars traveling on Battlefield Road. A few demonstrators stood in front of cars traveling in an area that had been blocked by police. The following day, a group assembled on Battlefield Road near the intersection, lying on the concrete for several minutes screaming I cant breathe!

Several protesters said their message was about peace and support for one another, saying they felt supported by local law enforcement during the demonstrations.

For them to support us, and weve seen on social media where police have also had signs saying they are ready for justice, thats just an amazing thing, said Wyatt Shaw during a May 31 protest. The people can protest, but the people who actually work with those people have to also step up, and they have.

Other protesters said the gatherings were just the beginning of efforts to have their voices to be heard.

You have to get angry enough to want to create that positive change because, as long as you sit idle, youre not getting mad enough, said protester Larry Flenoid II. Its just words on Facebook, a lot of talk, with no actions behind it.

Springfields largest protest of the year came the following weekend on June 6, when police a crowd of 2,500 people turned out for a protest throughout downtown. The demonstration began at Park Central Square, then progressed with a march throughout several sites, including City Hall, the Springfield Police Department station and the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge.

Multiple organizations passed out water, sunscreen and face masks for protesters throughout the afternoon. The protest also featured a voter registration booth that allowed residents to register to vote in future elections.

Demanding accountability of your elected officials is extremely important, said State Sen. Brian Williams (R-Ferguson) during the protest. If you dont have folks in office that are going to go to their respective bodies and advocate for the interest of the people, then youre going to run into these challenges all the time.

Protests over racial injustice stretched into early July for the Springfield area, while surrounding communities like Bolivar, Branson and Camdenton held protests for similar reasons throughout the spring and summer.

OTHER TOP STORIES: Lebanon community hit hard by storms ; Crowds pack Lake of the Ozarks amid pandemic ; Health leaders warn of COVID-19 exposure at Springfield Great Clips ; On Your Side Investigation: Neighbors paid Springfield tree service, jobs arent done

JUNE

FEATURED STORY: Springfield officer Mark Priebe struck outside SPD headquarters, faces lengthy recovery

A driver struck Mark Priebe, a 21-year veteran with the Springfield Police Department, outside of the departments headquarters on June 9. Officer Priebe suffered serious injuries, including multiple rib fractures and a spinal cord injury.

According to Police Chief Paul Williams, the driver, later identified as Jon Routh, crushed Priebe against a barrier after causing a disturbance inside the building.

Williams said staff asked Routh to leave the parking lot. According to court records, Routh urinated on the stations door handles as he left the building. Investigators say, as officers tried to flag down Routh, he hit the accelerator on an SUV and struck Priebe.

According to court documents, Routh believed the FBI or a police department were sending people to mentally harass him. Authorities found a text on his phone from just two hours before the incident that included the words Im going to run over a cop I think.

Routh faces charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Per court records, a judge issued an order committing Routh to the department of mental health in October because of incompetency to proceed. His next court appearance is set for April 8, 2021.

On June 16, Mark Priebe and his wife filed a lawsuit in Greene County Court against Routh. Supporting documents called for punitive damages in such amounts to prevent a repetition of such conduct in the future, plus court-related costs and relief that a judge feels is just and proper.

The lawsuit claims Routh should be held accountable for intentional assault, negligence, and loss of consortium, companionship, and all other services provided. It adds that Priebe may not be able to work again and will be a parapelegic for life, while future medical expenses could cost millions of dollars.

Officer Priebe spent several months in Colorado for physical therapy and medical treatment, returning to Springfield in September. During therapy, Priebe walked for the first time since the incident with help from a robotic device called an Esko. It allowed Priebe to move his hips in a lateral direction, stimulating movement with help from leg braces.

Priebe returned from rehab on Sept. 10. Community members, friends and loved ones welcomed Priebe back from rehab on Sept. 10, lined up along an intersection in Republic to send him well wishes.

I think thats what gets us more emotional, with everything thats happened since June, is just the outpouring of support, Priebe said in October.

The Springfield police union organized a fundraising account for Priebe and his family, while several local organizations have held fundraisers to help his family. In October, hundreds gathered for the Priebe Strong 1062 Race in Republic, an event that raised an estimated $30,000 for Priebes family.

Weve still got a road ahead and a lot of things I need to work on and figure out, Priebe said in an August update. We appreciate all the continued prayers and thoughts and support. I couldnt ask for any more. Its been amazing as it has been from the beginning.

OTHER TOP STORIES: Protesters, counter-protesters gather in Branson over Confederate flag ; Back The Blue rally draws crowds in downtown Springfield ; Escaped pet monkey gains spotlight in Oregon County ; On Your Side Investigation: Free rent promotion in Springfield makes false promises

JULY

FEATURED STORY: Springfield responds to COVID-19 pandemic with mask mandate

To mask or not to mask? That became a key debate for Springfield and other southwest communities moving forward from the halfway point of 2020.

On July 13, the Springfield City Council approved a citywide mask mandate in response to the pandemic. City leaders heard more than 100 public comments on the issue over four-plus hours prior to making a decision.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department takes an evidence-based approach to protect and promote the health of our community, said Clay Goddard, the health departments director, following the decision to implement a mask mandate. Evidence continues to underline the effectiveness of wearing face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and as such, is the recommendation of this department.

Scientific research factored into the citys mask mandate. A CDC study examined the effects of masking from when a Great Clips employee in Springfield tested positive for COVID-19 in May. The research determined that masking, a requirement for customers and employees at the salon, limited the spread of COVID-19 with nearly 140 people exposed to someone who contracted the virus.

Healthcare officials at Mercy Springfield and CoxHealth also urged city leaders to approve a mask mandate. In the first week of July, CoxHealth reported a 43% increase in positive test results compared to the final week of June. CoxHealth CEO Steve Edwards said COVID-19 testing increased in July, but so did infections and hospitalizations from the virus, contributing to the call for a mask mandate.

Theres no science that says when its too early because theres really no harm done with wearing a mask, but there is science that may say its too late, Edwards explained to KY3 in July.

Some local residents found it difficult to support such a mandate. More than 100 people protested against a mask mandate ahead of the July 13 city council session, many arguing that wearing a mask was unconstitutional and an infringement on their rights.

The city of Springfields tipline took more than 300 calls regarding the mandate on July 16, the first day it officially took effect. The Springfield Police Department handed out its first mask mandate violation ticket in December and now encourages locals to call 911 to report a mask violation.

I think we have taken a little longer time to educate and make sure people really understood because there was some difference of opinion, but the officers are ready and willing to do that, said Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams in August when addressing enforcement of the mask mandate.

City leaders have extended the mask mandate twice ahead of a planned expiration date. Springfields mask mandate will remain in effect through April 2021. Branson, West Plains, Nixa and Ozark have all issued similar mask mandates since Springfields order took effect in mid-July.

OTHER TOP STORIES: COVID-19 outbreak at Kamp Kanakuk in Stone County ; David Leong, inventor of Springfields cashew chicken, passes away ; CoxHealth opens new COVID-19 unit

AUGUST

FEATURED STORY: Nine charged in Lawrence County homicide investigation

Nine people are behind bars, facing murder charges in the death Sarah Pasco, an Aurora, Missouri woman who investigators say was kidnapped and fatally shot on August 16.

Investigators say Pasco and another woman were kidnapped, then thrown into the trunk of a car and taken to a remote location near the town of Miller, Missouri. Suspects forced the pair down an abandoned well and shot both women, per investigators.

Pasco died instantly. The other woman survived and played dead until the kidnappers left, then alerted authorities to Pascos body in the well.

Authorities arrested nine suspects, including the suspected shooter Gary Hunter Jr., over a four-day span in mid-August.

In my 28 years here, I dont know that weve ever had nine first-degree murder suspects at one time. Thats just unprecedented, said Lawrence County Sheriff Brad Delay in August.

Among those arrested include:

All nine suspects face charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, kidnapping and first-degree assault in the case, though additional charges vary for each suspect.

Sheriff Delay says the community played a vital role in helping law enforcement track down the accused. The sheriffs office received hundreds of tips from community members, in addition to some out-of-state leads, while investigating the death. This led investigators to a likely motive.

It basically comes down to drugs. Drugs is whats ruling this entire thing at this point, said Delay. People are ripping each other off over drugs. They get mad. Then they do things like commit acts of murder. It just unfortunately blew up in our faces all at once.

Pasco leaves behind two children. Court proceedings stretch into the new year for all nine suspects. The next hearing for Gary Hunter Jr. is set for February 5, 2021, per court records.

Link:

2020 In Review: A look back at the top local stories in Springfield and the Ozarks region - KYTV

Following an Eater tradition, we asked a group of restaurant critics, journalists, bloggers, and as a new twist this year a couple industry pros to weigh in on the year in food. Their answers to an annual Year in Eater survey will be revealed in several posts this week. First up, the dining experts share their restaurant standbys for takeout and delivery in 2020.

Tom Sietsema, Washington Post food critic: Unconventional Diner, Baan Siam, and Revelers Hour (that fried chicken!) never failed to please, and for special occasions, Rooster & Owl reminded me what a talent we have in chef Yuan Tang.

Ann Limpert, Washingtonian food editor and critic: I regularly returned to the Convivial burger, to Red Lights Detroit pizza, to the jerk-style wings at Comet, and to the cheesesteak at Ghostburger. And for nights when we were feeling fancy, the butcher steak and a wedge from St. Anselm, plus buttermilk biscuits for the next morning. PS I swear I do eat vegetables.

Tim Carman, Washington Post food columnist: I ate my fair share of Indian dishes this year. They travel well. Theyre comforting. My go-to was Jewel of India, a strip-mall operation in Silver Spring that always delivers, in at least two senses of the word.

Jessica Sidman, Washingtonian food editor: Ive definitely ordered Makan more than any other restaurant these last several months. Even my 16-month-old daughter cant get enough of their chicken sate. Rasa for days when I miss office bowl lunches. Sushi Taro or 2Amys for days when the pandemic is just too much and I really need to treat myself.

Lenore Adkins, freelance food writer: I kept it local for the most part because of the pandemic, which meant dividing my time between NoMa and Ivy City. So I was constantly hitting up Gravitas and Bakers Daughter in Ivy City and Stellina Pizzeria near Union Market. When I ventured outside that bubble, it was usually to swing by Mlange for those juicy burgers. My boyfriend and I LOVE that place and we are up there pretty often, at least three times a month; I always get the Classic Burger, no lettuce.

Anela Malik, Feed the Malik blogger: For takeout and delivery both, this year has been full of Ethiopian food. It travels well and Ive turned to Chercher, Habesha Market, and Ethiopic more times than I can count.

Takera Gholson, Flights and Foods blogger: Full Yum 2 (4940 South Dakota Ave NE) is my neighborhood Chinese restaurant for takeout. Their food is always nice and fresh. They closed briefly, but we were excited to have them back once they reopened.

Raman Santra, Barred in DC blogger: In general, to help support my neighborhood restaurants and avoid filling the pockets of predatory third party delivery companies, we almost exclusively order takeout from spots within a short walk or bike ride away. Maketto, Mangialardos, Bullfrog Bagels, DC Harvest, and Dukes Grocery were spots we supported the most for takeout in 2020.

Paola Velez, executive pastry chef for Maydan, Compass Rose, and La Bodega: Albi (especially the soft serve), Maydan, ABC Pony, Kuya Jas, Little Cocos, Coconut Club [heartbreak emoji], Cane, Wiseguy Pizza, Taqueria Xochi, Queen Mothers, Unconventional Diner (chix dinner forever!) and so many more but these are my rotation currently.

Simone Jacobson, co-owner of Thamee: I have to say that while Ive always been enthusiastic about supporting woman- and BIPOC-owned businesses, 2020 is the year I made it my personal mission to vote with my dollar as a diner, and not just as an industry cheerleader of the people I love. I became very intentional about supporting small, independent restaurants whose staff and owners come from marginalized communities.

With that in mind, while there are tons of great places to eat and drink in D.C., all of my favorites for 2020 are BIPOC-owned and operated.

Takeout Before March 2020, I ate at Pho Viet at least once a week, sometimes up to three or four times. So when the pandemic hit, I knew it was important that I continue to visit Michael and Nina (the owners), and Lorena (our favorite server) as much and as consistently as possible. While my industry peers and I tend to try to keep Pho Viet off of lists like this one (fearing theyll be inundated with new business and then we wont be able to just walk in for our hangover cure), they deserve all our praise and support. Of course their pho is second to none, but the #37 combo with honey lemongrass pork is my favorite takeout item (sub rice for rice noodles for a super fragrant and satisfying hot meal).

Delivery When I finally broke my once a week only rule for delivery and got cooking-at-home fatigue, I started exploring new restaurants and found Momos Cafe to satisfy my craving for Taiwanese comfort food (which I blame on having a Taiwanese-Japanese American business partner). Sadly, I never got a chance to eat on-site but was blown away by how well the Taiwanese spicy pot and the popcorn chicken traveled. The spicy pot is worth every one of the $22 I reluctantly first spent on it, packing both hearty comfort and heat in one bowl.

Gabe Hiatt, Eater D.C. editor: I dont get to return to my favorites as much as I like, but my neighborhood standby has long been El Sol (for formidable salsa verde, tacos dorados, carnitas quesadillas with made-to-order tortillas, and even a solid ribeye steak). One takeout option I felt compelled to revisit this year was Your Only Friend, where Columbia Room beverage manager Paul Taylor has created the supreme sandwich pivot in town, as far as Im concerned. The giant chicken nugget, held together with the help of transglutaminase, is an achievement in poultry. Baan Siam delivery has impressed on multiple occasions. A sweet and spicy pomelo salad, chef Jeeraporn PBoom Poksupthongs signature chicken khao soi, and kanom krok (itty bitty coconut milk pancakes) were recent highlights.

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Where D.C. Restaurant Experts Loved to Order Takeout and Delivery in 2020 - Eater DC

We made the change by changing our cultureand how we workedto intentionally identify, mentor, network, promote and hire individuals that improved our outcomes and enhanced the organizations diversity.

Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

We often hear managers report they interviewed a Black candidate, but they werent qualified. When it comes to hiring, Black Americans and other underrepresented groups face discrimination at every step of the employment process.

We also hear that the pool of underrepresented candidates ready for executive leadership is shallow and the pipeline narrow. We agree. But the problem isnt with the candidates: people of color are often systematically excluded from leadership opportunities, despite one survey which found 52 percent of people of color indicated a strong desire for top leadership roles, according to a recent report released by the Building Movement Project, an organization based in New York City.

A 2018 NYC Services and NPCC report found that 70 percent of the citys nonprofit CEOs and executive directors are Caucasian and only 15 percent are Black, despite Blacks making up 24 percent of the population.

According to the Building Movement Project report, institutional supportor the lack of itis responsible for the gap between the desire of people of color to lead and realization of that goal. The report found that whites get mentored more often. Mentoring is key to advancement. In 2016, 43 percent of respondents of color said they had a mentor within their organization, compared with half of whites. By 2019, the percentage of respondents of color saying so had risen to 48 percentbut an even larger percentage of whites56 percentsaid they had received internal mentoring.

The fact is, little has changed in over a decade. In 2009, Philanthropy New York released a groundbreaking study, Benchmarking Diversity, A First Look at New York City Foundations and Nonprofits, which found that 70 percent of nonprofit executive staff were Caucasian. Its clearly time we do more to invest in people of color and move the dial on organizational leadership diversity.

There are multiple paths to executive leadership, the easiest being family legacy and influence and, typically for the rest of us, broad experience and being networked. It worked for us. But it happened because we were chosen, we were introduced, and we were mentored.

That does not happen for enough Black Americans and other people of color. Native-born Black individuals especially are denied, discouraged and persistently excluded from success. Yes, the pool is shallow and the pipeline is narrowthat is in many ways intentional.

It doesnt have to be that way.

At The Childrens Village, one of the nations oldest children and family serving organizations, we had an executive team that was mostly white in 2004, and the pipeline among our 450 employees was not diverse. We decided to change. Diversity on our executive team has doubled from 30 to 60 percent. More than half of our administrative teamour benchis now made up of people of color. And last year, 80 percent of internal promotions were people of color. For an organization that now counts over 1450 employees, this is a significant shift, driven by a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

We made the change by changing our cultureand how we workedto intentionally identify, mentor, network, promote and hire individuals that improved our outcomes and enhanced the organizations diversity.

We started by insisting that our executive leaders identified and hired candidates of color and we held them accountable for doing so. Diversity and inclusion is a regular agenda item, not just at our management team meetings, but at our board meetings tooelevating the conversation and the visibility to the top. Additionally, we regularly monitor our diversity dashboard to measure against progress. Those charts and numbers reinforce the organizations commitment to improving diversity.

We also required executives to mentor and invest in relationships. Mentorship is critical. When successful it creates opportunities for learning, personal growth and introduction to a broader network. We asked staff to set aside time every week to identify, mentor, and network hard-working staff that go unnoticed. And the CEO led by example, not just mentoring new people, but continuing to mentor long-standing mentees, some who were elevated to the executive team.

Our organization stipulated that first and foremost internal diverse candidates must be considered for open positions and tasked hiring managers and the Human Resources department to identify individuals for promotions. Last year, out of 140 internal promotions and transfers, 75 were Black/African American and a total of 117 were people of color.

And we also fostered internal awareness and dialog around issues of race and otherness. Individualsinternal or externalwith lived experience were invited to speak with the larger organization. Its different hearing directly about navigating in a different skin than reading about it in the paper.

Finally, but importantly, we recognized that color is not a proxy for true diversity. New immigrants of color contribute greatly and enrich our democracy, but they are not a substitute for native-born Black Americans. The American narrative continues to be anti-Black, where some immigrants of color are chosen and presented as an example of diversity. If you have people of color among your executives and in your pipeline but no native-born Blacks, your work remains undone.

All this work took tremendous effort. And the work is not donenor will it ever be. Creating a diverse workforce is to make a commitment to work differently, permanently. It is worth all the effort. Diversity is not about numbers. It is about creating successful organizations, communities and society.

Jeremy Kohomban, Ph.D. is president and CEO of The Childrens Village and president of Harlem Dowling. Alastair Short is a board member at The Childrens Village. Deborah Finley-Troup, MS, is vice president of Human Resources at The Childrens Village.

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Opinion: How City Nonprofits Can Diversify Their Workforce and Leadership Teams - City Limits

Nicole Villalpando|Austin 360

2020 was a year that challenged many a parent. In a matter of minutes, kids were home from school, home from college. Older kids sometimes were furloughed or laid off and also moved back in with parents. Grandparentsoften were separated physically from their children and grandchildren.

We discovered how to learn virtually, how to connect virtually, how to air hug from our patios and in our Zoom screens.

2020 was a year of woe as well as whoa. We mournedthe lives lost, but we also slowed down.

We learned the value of family togetherness andpatience with the people we love the most, and how to carve out space in every corner of what feels like a shrinking home.

We also learned the value of getting outside, taking a walk, watching the sunset, pausing for a moment each day to see the beauty that's around us. We found gratitude in many small things.

We asked Austin moms and female thought-leaders what they learned from 2020 and what they hope to bring into 2021.

May your 2021 be filled with gratitude and moments of joy.

Cristina Bocanegra, wardrobe stylist, creator of Mini Market, Love Child online magazine and Current Conference for women:What I've learned: to let go of words like selfless and perfection, especially when it comes to motherhood. I'm neither, and that's OK.

To go with the flow! Two of my three businesses rely on in-person events (not great for aglobal pandemic) ... or so I thought.When we switched to a virtual format for both Current Conference and Mini Market, I was so surprisedby the positive response and support from our attendees.

I learned how to be a more present mother, wife and friend by simply disconnecting. Removing apps on my phone that otherwise distract me from growing those relationshipsis a new weekly practice of mine.

I learned just how important it is to support small businesses.I committed to shopping small and local back in March and have loved getting to know the people and their stories behind the businesses.

My hopes for 2021: to carry the gratitude I feel right now, at the end of the wildest and hardest year, into the next one.

Nakeenya Wilson, executive director of Black Mamas ATX:I have learned that We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. (Proverbs 16:19). A lot of people set New Year's resolutions, professional goals and travel plans,but we had to abandon our plansfor COVID-19. We are not in control;God is.

My hope for 2021 is that collectively we have learned to be more compassionate, givingand mindful based on all of the lessons learned in 2020.

Bethany Hegedus, children's books author and founder of the Writing Barn:2020 schooled me as a mom. It taught me messes are OK, that adventure lies in our own backyards, and talking to a 5-year-old about systemic racism is scary, but what is scarier is if we as parents don't address the hard stuff inside and outside our homes and that we are NOT meant to do this alone. Or perfectly. Ever.

My mama hopes for 2021 are simple: more hand-holding, an abundance of hugs outside our home circle, and high-fives to those of us who learned that surviving is sometimes what thriving really looks like.

Simone Talma Flowers, executive director of Interfaith Action of Central Texas:Even though 2020 stretched many of us to the limits, with loss, grief, loneliness, isolationand uncertainty, we learned that we did not break we bent, contorted, adjusted, learned new ways of being, and did what was necessary to keep ourselves, loved ones and our community safe.

I look forward to learning how we can be more flexible with each other in building a stronger and safer community.

Allison Chase, regional clinical director of Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center and Eating Recovery Center:While 2020 has been beyond challenging in both our personal and professional worlds, it is those silver linings that we cannot lose sight of. 2020 has forced us to slow down and appreciate the things we so often took for granted like our health and our family connections.

It is my hope that as we move into 2021 and this pandemic gets under control and lifes activities pick up again, we can take the time to slow down for a moment and remember who we are and what is important to each of us.

Gerry Tucker, author of "Bedside Chat: A Book of Meditation and Inspiration":This past year taught me the importance of personal time alone and self-care. As a mother and employee, I rarely spent time alone or time attending to my physical, mental and spiritual health. However, I have learned the importance of exercise, meditation, massagesand journaling.

During this year I experienced stress and anxiety, and self-care was the only relief. I learned to first take care of me, and I can thentake care of everything and everyone else.

I am hoping for a spiritual evolution in 2021. It will be a time of metamorphosis when communities and society will change into the humanistic, generous, law-abiding, tranquiland blessed nation that our forefathers envisioned.

This requires that each of us be loving, respectful of others, supportive and tolerant of others. I am also hoping for a government of and for the people for all individuals.

Andra Liemandt, founder and CEO of the Kindness Campaign:Connection has to be intentional, and five words can make all the difference. How can I support you?

For 2021, I hope we can use the rawness of this past year to go deeper with our relationships. And heres the thing: We have the perfect opportunity to do so. A lot got stripped away in 2020, leaving us with bare truths, painand exposed cracks cracks that were there all along, in our larger society and in our interpersonal relationships. Now, I truly feel we can lean into those truthsand be radically honest about what we all need to thrive.

I do believe 2021 will be a year of healing; 2020 set us up for that. In this new year, we can cultivate relationships and systems that nourish us. We can be more honest, more precise in the ways we give. The outcome will be more authentic connections, which are hard-won and oh-so-precious, because we had to get super vulnerable to achieve them.

Renee Peterson Trudeau, author of "Nurturing the Soul of Your Family": What I learned:I am stronger and more resilient than I realized.Just when another piece of devastating news would arrive in my inbox (my senior in high school will not have a graduation ceremony, all my 2020 self-renewal retreats have been canceled, etc.), I would pause, find inner strength, reach out to my backbone friendsand discover a reframe for what I was experiencing.

Sometimes this looked like a creative hack (offering a retreat online) or a redirect (my sons piano teacher rocked it online), and often it meant having the courage to release expectations and just let go.

Resiliency is a choice, its a perspective, its a skill you can cultivate, and its about choosing to be bigger than the issue that is causing you stress. In our house, we constantly reminded ourselves, Go easy on yourself; were in the midst of a global pandemic.

Gifts from 2020 include clarity. This time has been illuminating for me around life purpose/work, relationships, where/how I want to live and how I want to BE in the world.Ive also cultivated a deeper, wider gratitude practice (the fastest way to feel better fast), have gotten clearer around which friendships nourish me and how to cultivate these. Through my work with women/moms across the U.S., I heard a resounding theme: We want to simplify. Were less interested in shopping and stuff and more interested in creating a life that is centered on our values for ourselves and for our children.

My greatest hope for 2021 is that people will stay awake and actively keep working for change.I think were just starting to get traction and have much work to do especially around social/racial injustices and climate change work. I really hope we can all stay engaged, alive, aware and keep asking, How can I keep these issues at the forefront and what is uniquely mine to do in 2021?

Allison Schickel, founder of the Brobe post-surgical clothing:Take it a day at a time. Trying to juggle it all is impossible and WILL eventually catch up with you. 2020 has taught me to TRY and slow down a bit. Three kids at home, virtual learning, a first-responder husband, and me keeping my business afloatforced me to go with the punches and made me realize that I didnt have to DO IT ALL.

The world was not going to collapse because the dishes didn't get done or the laundry didn't get folded. With all the horrible things that 2020 brought, I feel it also brought unexpected friendships with neighbors, long walks with family just talking, and actually getting a nap in every once in a while.

My hope for 2021 is that we continue to not move at 1,000 miles per hour and can still enjoy those family walks, Saturday night game night with the kids, the fun cul-de-sac happy hours with neighbors, and for me personally, to focus more on my own health and taking time for ME everysingle day.

Reenie Collins, chief executive director of Health Alliance for Austin Musicians:As a mother with grown children, 2020 has made me realize just how important home is for all of us. I have realized that home is much more than a physical space. As mothers, we help create home by the traditions and simple daily things we do to keep our family togethereven if we are apart.

Holly Christine Hayes, founder of Sanctuary Project jewelry line made by survivors of sex trafficking:In the rush and busyness of life as we knew it, moments of motherhood drifted by without much thought. The entrance of 2020 forced a slowness we never knew we needed. We took time to be with our loved ones and treasure the quiet and the mundane reading books, cooking together, staying home. I pray we carry this intentionality and slowness into 2021 and all the years to come!

Elaine Garza, principal of Giant Noise, public relations firm:I just asked my husband what I havelearnedand he said, "That your husband is awesome." Of course, that made me laugh, but it also solidified my theory that attitude really makes a huge differencein not just my environment but the environment of those around me.

I live with my husband and two teenage girls,and I think we could have all had a miserable year had we let ourselves get caught up in all the sadness and fear in the/our world.

If I feel down or worried, I stop and think about all that we do have and all that I am grateful for, and it truly changes my state of mind. That might sound corny, but it's true for me.

For 2021, I hope for an end toCOVID-19, I hope kids can get back to school safely, that teachers can feel safe at work, that our incredible health care workers can rest and get the recognition they so deserve, and that our beloved restaurants, hotels and live music venues can prosper.

Judy Knotts, author of "You are My Brother: Lessons Learned Embracing a Homeless Community":Being elderly and living alone, I discovered I missed hugs. So I had to improvise. In this socially distancing environment, I would frequently touch my fingers to my mask and toss an imaginary kiss in the air that sometimes was caught. And when sending emails to my faraway family and friends, I learned to say what was truly in my heart "I love you."

What is my wish for 2021? That we would ignore all labels of race, skin color, ethnicity, gender, religion, political persuasion, sexual preference, economic status, employment rank, citizenship standingand education level, and imagine instead that each person we meet is a pilgrim, just like us, taking up space on our planet Earth.

Kathy Terry, founder of inLieu charitable giving app and co-founder of P. Terry's Burger Stands:I think for me, 2020 has been the year that has confirmed my belief that we are all in this together.I want my kids to learn to see the world through the eyes of others: A world where we can all be successful. Where everyone has access to basic needs, love, compassion and happiness.

In order to do this, we have to open our eyes andour hearts and get out of our bubbles to witness all the amazing people right next to us.In the end, we all just want to be seen and to be heard we want to know we matter and have value.

My hope for 2021 is that we move away from the me world we have created and build a we world.

Barbara Frandsen, author of "Dignity in Death": Love and forgive yourself so you will be able to keep loving your children.

When you need to cry, do so. If you slip into dark humor, go with it (but maybe privately).Laugh at your own jokes, even if they are terrible.

Even the greatest moms need to rely on a spiritual power beyond themselves.

Your children are not you. They are the arrows that will live in a future you cannot even imagine.

Allow children to develop their own courage and grit.They will need it to take care of you later.

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Austin moms reflect on a 2020 like no other year in parenting, hopes for 2021 - austin360