My Quirky Valentine: Luke James has a Love Letter for Black Women

There’s nothing quite as powerful as feeling acknowledged, valued and loved.

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HBCU Designers Made Their NYFW Debut and Footaction’s NO 1 Design Program Winners Announced

In December, we received word about Footaction’s exclusive HBCU competition in partnership with black-owned design academies FAAS and PENSOLE. We traveled to Portland, Oregon, to get a behind-the-scenes look at the program as five HBCU students worked diligently to learn about and create functional apparel as a part of the NO 1 Way Design Program under the tutelage of fashion industry veterans Angela Medlin and D’Wayne Edwards.

There, we met five brilliant designers Brianna Thomas of Dillard University; Chakierrah Stinson of Tuskegee University; Le’Nora Gray, Nachae Davis, and Sharonda Richardson who are students and graduates of Clark Atlanta University.

The NO 1 Way Design Program challenge was to design functional apparel for the chance to win cash prizes, the opportunity to have their designs showcased at New York Fashion Week in February 2020, and the opportunity to have their designs sold at Footaction stores nationwide and online.

For Footaction, the NO 1 Way Design Program is a way to position students who might not typically have access to the fashion and design industries.

A moment in time             

Some designers work their entire careers without being able to ever see their creations worn on the runway during New York Fashion Week. That truth is pervasive for black designers who often don’t have access to the prestigious design schools or mentors and sponsors within the fashion industry.

In spite of those truths, all five contestants got to live out their dreams as they debuted their functional apparel designs, which highlighted the future of fleece at NYFW on Tuesday.

Designs by Footaction’s No 1 Way Design Program HBCU students (Photo Credit Troi Williams)

For Medlin, seeing the students’ hard work pay off was fulfilling as a fashion innovator who is cultivating the next generation of black woman designers.

“They (the student designers) took a chance in joining the competition, stepping out of their comfort zone, sticking it out through the competition, and the class which is pretty intense. And they learned so much about themselves and how the industry really works,” says Medlin.

And if you ask her, she will tell you that FAAS and PENSOLE are two of the industry’s best-kept secrets.

“I tell them (the students) all the time that they skipped the line! There are people who wait a decade to get to Fashion Week and be on the runway, or to have their own show, or to get the exposure that they’ve gotten. But they put their heart into this. They’ve really worked hard to get to this. They didn’t take anything for granted. They realize this is one of the closest programs they will ever get to the industry, says Medlin.

With all of the excitement in the room, Medlin said that she felt like a proud parent!

“I feel like I just gave birth to five phenomenal designers who are going to take it to the next level. I couldn’t be happier!”

 

 

And the winners are…

Each of the contestants won big given their experience within the program and the level of exposure they received.

During the presentation, Footaction announced Nachae Davis, as the first place winner of the NO 1 Way Design Program, as part of Style360’s Fall/Winter 2020 New York Fashion Week event. Davis was awarded $15,000 and a retail launch in select Footaction stores and online at Footaction.com beginning in Fall 2020.

Angela Medlin, Nachae Davis, Chakierrah Stinson, and Briana Thoman (Photo Credit: Troi Williams)

Second place winner, Chakierrah Stinson and third place winner Brianna Thomas were awarded $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.

For Davis, winning first place was beyond rewarding.

“Honestly, it feels so surreal that my work is being appreciated. I’ve been designing for a while—and to finally have something that other people believe in is truly unbelievable!”

The Footaction team shared what made Davis’ designs the grand-prize winner, “With a focus on athleisure dressing, Nachae’s designs are on-trend, sustainable and inclusive [and] made for real women of all shapes and sizes. Her unique design solutions include body control functionality in the pants and versatility/personalization of styles in the jackets which help mold to each women’s unique body type.”

Nachae Davis, first place winner of the NO 1 Way Design Program standing with the models wearing her designs. (Photo Credit: Troi Williams)

 

Davis is grateful for the NO 1 Way Design Program and FAAS.

“My time at the Functional Apparel and Accessories Studio was truly eye-opening. I came into this competition not really knowing what to expect. And thanks to Miss Angela, I came out of it with [a level of] education that I didn’t have prior. I learned so much throughout this competition and I’m taking more away from this than I could have ever hoped for,” said Davis.

And to other young black designers, she offers this advice, “Take a leap of faith and step out on faith. You may not know what the outcome may be, but, when you’re in a situation where you have everything to gain—be open and take a risk. I never applied to a competition before, and here I am. I can’t believe I won!”

But, she did.

In the next five years, Medlin plans to create access for underrepresented designers into the fashion industry and build FAAS.

 

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2Hkfhbb

HBCU Designers Made Their NYFW Debut and Footaction’s NO 1 Design Program Winners Announced

In December, we received word about Footaction’s exclusive HBCU competition in partnership with black-owned design academies FAAS and PENSOLE. We traveled to Portland, Oregon, to get a behind-the-scenes look at the program as five HBCU students worked diligently to learn about and create functional apparel as a part of the NO 1 Way Design Program under the tutelage of fashion industry veterans Angela Medlin and D’Wayne Edwards.

There, we met five brilliant designers Brianna Thomas of Dillard University; Chakierrah Stinson of Tuskegee University; Le’Nora Gray, Nachae Davis, and Sharonda Richardson who are students and graduates of Clark Atlanta University.

The NO 1 Way Design Program challenge was to design functional apparel for the chance to win cash prizes, the opportunity to have their designs showcased at New York Fashion Week in February 2020, and the opportunity to have their designs sold at Footaction stores nationwide and online.

For Footaction, the NO 1 Way Design Program is a way to position students who might not typically have access to the fashion and design industries.

A moment in time             

Some designers work their entire careers without being able to ever see their creations worn on the runway during New York Fashion Week. That truth is pervasive for black designers who often don’t have access to the prestigious design schools or mentors and sponsors within the fashion industry.

In spite of those truths, all five contestants got to live out their dreams as they debuted their functional apparel designs, which highlighted the future of fleece at NYFW on Tuesday.

Designs by Footaction’s No 1 Way Design Program HBCU students (Photo Credit Troi Williams)

For Medlin, seeing the students’ hard work pay off was fulfilling as a fashion innovator who is cultivating the next generation of black woman designers.

“They (the student designers) took a chance in joining the competition, stepping out of their comfort zone, sticking it out through the competition, and the class which is pretty intense. And they learned so much about themselves and how the industry really works,” says Medlin.

And if you ask her, she will tell you that FAAS and PENSOLE are two of the industry’s best-kept secrets.

“I tell them (the students) all the time that they skipped the line! There are people who wait a decade to get to Fashion Week and be on the runway, or to have their own show, or to get the exposure that they’ve gotten. But they put their heart into this. They’ve really worked hard to get to this. They didn’t take anything for granted. They realize this is one of the closest programs they will ever get to the industry, says Medlin.

With all of the excitement in the room, Medlin said that she felt like a proud parent!

“I feel like I just gave birth to five phenomenal designers who are going to take it to the next level. I couldn’t be happier!”

 

 

And the winners are…

Each of the contestants won big given their experience within the program and the level of exposure they received.

During the presentation, Footaction announced Nachae Davis, as the first place winner of the NO 1 Way Design Program, as part of Style360’s Fall/Winter 2020 New York Fashion Week event. Davis was awarded $15,000 and a retail launch in select Footaction stores and online at Footaction.com beginning in Fall 2020.

Angela Medlin, Nachae Davis, Chakierrah Stinson, and Briana Thoman (Photo Credit: Troi Williams)

Second place winner, Chakierrah Stinson and third place winner Brianna Thomas were awarded $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.

For Davis, winning first place was beyond rewarding.

“Honestly, it feels so surreal that my work is being appreciated. I’ve been designing for a while—and to finally have something that other people believe in is truly unbelievable!”

The Footaction team shared what made Davis’ designs the grand-prize winner, “With a focus on athleisure dressing, Nachae’s designs are on-trend, sustainable and inclusive [and] made for real women of all shapes and sizes. Her unique design solutions include body control functionality in the pants and versatility/personalization of styles in the jackets which help mold to each women’s unique body type.”

Nachae Davis, first place winner of the NO 1 Way Design Program standing with the models wearing her designs. (Photo Credit: Troi Williams)

 

Davis is grateful for the NO 1 Way Design Program and FAAS.

“My time at the Functional Apparel and Accessories Studio was truly eye-opening. I came into this competition not really knowing what to expect. And thanks to Miss Angela, I came out of it with [a level of] education that I didn’t have prior. I learned so much throughout this competition and I’m taking more away from this than I could have ever hoped for,” said Davis.

And to other young black designers, she offers this advice, “Take a leap of faith and step out on faith. You may not know what the outcome may be, but, when you’re in a situation where you have everything to gain—be open and take a risk. I never applied to a competition before, and here I am. I can’t believe I won!”

But, she did.

In the next five years, Medlin plans to create access for underrepresented designers into the fashion industry and build FAAS.

 

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2Hkfhbb

Rep. Ayanna Pressley schools on Fed Chair Powell on Civil Rights

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) taught Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell a Civil Rights Movement history lesson on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Ayanna Pressley bumps heads with police union over ‘straight pride’ parade demonstrators

At the end of the House Financial Services Committee meeting, Pressley told Powell that the belief that anyone who wants to work should be able to work goes back to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King and wife, Coretta Scott King, advocated for full employment policies for all Americans, which has come to be known as a “jobs guarantee,” according to Business Insider.

“In a 1944 address, FDR called for a second Bill of Rights which included the right to a useful and financially rewarding job,” Pressley told Powell. “Justice Thurgood Marshall argued that the Right to a Job is secured by the 14th Amendment. And Dr. Martin Luther King called on the government to guarantee a job to all people who want to work, and are able to work.”

“Dr. King’s legacy is often reduced to just one speech, and the March on Washington often mischaracterized. The March on Washington was actually the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was a March for Economic Justice,” Pressley said, reported Forbes.

“And I take special claim to the fact that Dr. King and Coretta actually met in Boston. I represent Boston, and I don’t think she gets enough oxygen for the role that she played in the movement,” Pressley continued. “And so, after Dr. King’s assassination, Coretta Scott King picked up the mantle, pushing the Fed to adopt a full employment mandate, and was actually standing behind President (Jimmy) Carter as he signed the Humphrey-Hawkins Act into law. And that’s the reason you are here today.”

READ MORE: Squad breaker, Ayanna Pressley, endorses Elizabeth Warren for President

Powell appeared to look stunned before commenting: “First, thank you for that history, I didn’t know that. So that’s our goal, that’s what we’re working to do at all times,” Powell stated about the notion of full employment. “And we’re never going to say we’ve accomplished that goal, but we’ve certainly made some progress.”

In the words of Biggie Smalls, “and if you don’t know now you know.”

 

The post Rep. Ayanna Pressley schools on Fed Chair Powell on Civil Rights appeared first on TheGrio.

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Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage — Which Plan Is Right For You?

Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage — What Are The Differences?

Medicare offers a variety of options and plans for you to choose from to best fit your healthcare needs.

Original Medicare covers services like hospital visits and outpatient needs, but has certain limitations. If Original Medicare doesn’t cover everything you’re looking for, you can enroll in a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) or Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) plan.

• Medigap plans are best if you’re seeking plan flexibility and control while reducing out-of-pocket costs.
• Medicare Advantage plans may better suit you if you want an alternative to Original Medicare with additional benefits like prescription drug coverage.

In this article, we’ll go further in-depth on the differences between Medigap and Medicare Advantage to cover:

1. Original Medicare and the gaps in coverage
2. Medigap plan options and extra benefits
3. Medicare Advantage plan options and extra benefits
4. How to choose the right plan

Review Of Original Medicare

Before we discuss Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage, let’s review Original Medicare and the gaps in coverage. Original Medicare consists of two parts — Part A and Part B.

Medicare Part A

Part A covers inpatient services and procedures like hospital visits, skilled nursing needs, home health, and hospice care. You must pay the Part A deductible before your coverage begins. For 2020, the deductible is $1,408.

You pay the deductible for each “benefit period.” A new benefit period begins when 60 days have passed since you received Part A services. If you go to the hospital twice in one month, that’s only one benefit period. But, if your visits are separated by six months, that’s two benefit periods and two deductibles.

You could pay the Part A deductible several times during the course of one year.

Medicare Part B

Part B covers all your outpatient medical needs. Part B helps with:

• Doctor’s visits.
• Therapy visits (physical, occupational, etc.).
• Durable medical equipment like CPAPs and oxygen.
• Diagnostic tests like blood work, X-rays, MRIs.
• Infusion-based cancer treatments like chemotherapy.

Just like with Part A, you will have some out-of-pocket expenses for these services. Costs for Part B come in several forms:

• Part B deductible ($198 for 2020).
• Part B coinsurance (20% of the cost for every Part B service or procedure).
• Part B excess charges (amounts up to 15% of the Medicare-approved amount — this only applies if your doctor or facility doesn’t accept Medicare pricing).

Gaps In Original Medicare Coverage

Important points to always remember about Original Medicare:

• Prescription drugs are not covered by either Part A or B;
• There is no out-of-pocket maximum – your total potential costs are uncapped; and
• Original Medicare does not provide emergency coverage outside the United States.

Medigap Insurance

Medigap plans are a great tool for limiting your out-of-pocket costs with Medicare. These insurance policies, which are issued by private insurance companies, work with Original Medicare.

Medigap plans fill in some or all of the gaps in Original Medicare, hence the name. You will pay an additional premium for Medigap coverage. This premium goes directly to the insurance company.

Medigap policies are issued in standardized “plans.” Every insurance company must offer the coverage specified by Medicare for each plan. There are 10 standardized plans: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Not all companies offer every plan in every state. 

	Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plans
	A	B	C	D	F*	G	K	L	M	N
Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Part B coinsurance or copayment	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	Yes	Yes
Blood (first 3 pints)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	Yes	Yes
Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	Yes	Yes
Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	Yes	Yes
Part A deductible	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	50%	Yes
Part B deductible	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Part B excess charge	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Foreign travel exchange (up to plan limits)	No	No	80%	80%	80%	80%	No	No	80%	80%
Out-of-pocket limit for 2020***	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,880	$2,940	N/A	N/A

* Plan F also offers a high-deductible plan. If you choose this option, this means you must pay for Medicare-covered costs up to the deductible amount of $2,340 in 2020 before your Medigap plan pays anything.

** After you meet your out-of-pocket yearly limit and your yearly Part B deductible, the Medigap plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.

*** Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to a $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in inpatient admission.

Each plan covers a different portion of the gaps in Original Medicare. An important benefit to all the standardized plans is that they allow you to see any doctor in the nation, as long as they take Medicare patients. Several of the standardized plans provide worldwide emergency coverage.

Medigap plans do not provide drug coverage, so you’ll need to enroll in a standalone prescription drug plan if you enroll in Medigap.

Medigap Extra Benefits

Many insurance companies choose to offer extra benefits with their Medigap plans. They are not required to do this and the extra benefits are not guaranteed. However, insurance companies tend to keep the extra benefits in place as a service to their customers.

Some of the extra benefits that companies offer include:

• Discounts on vision, dental, and hearing services.
• Healthy living packages including gym membership programs.
• Access to 24-hour nurse hotlines.

Medicare Advantage Plans

The Medicare Advantage program is also known as Part C of Medicare. Unlike Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage is a distinct alternative to Original Medicare. When you enroll in a Part C plan you are no longer in Original Medicare. Part C not only combines Original Medicare Part A and Part B, but usually includes Part D prescription drug coverage in addition to extras such as hearing, dental, and vision coverage. 

Medicare Advantage plans work like traditional private health insurance. You will generally pay a small copayment or coinsurance for every service or procedure you receive. The payments are usually less than you would pay under Part A or B. Costs you may encounter with Part C plans include:

• Monthly premium (many have $0 premium).
• Annual deductible (many have no deductible).
• Copayments / coinsurance for services and procedures.

Medicare Advantage plans are usually network-based. Some are Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), which require you to use their network of doctors and facilities. A HMO plan provides medical coverage and health care from a specific set of doctors, specialists, and hospitals in a plan’s network. If the situation is an emergency, medical care is accessible regardless of the network.

Other plans are Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs). One of the major benefits of PPOs is that you can receive care without a referral from a primary care physician. PPOs have a network of preferred doctors and facilities. You will pay less if you stay in-network, but you can use out-of-network doctors if you’re willing to pay more.

Many Medicare Advantage plans provide prescription drug coverage, which is a big plus for many people. Medicare Advantage plans must offer a hard yearly out-of-pocket maximum. You will know with certainty the most you can spend in a bad year, unlike with Original Medicare.

Extra Benefits Of Medicare Advantage Plans

Just like Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans frequently come with extra benefits. These plans often provide:

• Vision coverage (for exams, lenses, and sometimes frames).
• Hearing coverage (for exams, and also discounted hearing aids).
• Dental coverage (sometimes included, sometimes for a low extra premium).
• Fitness or gym memberships.

Choosing A Medicare Plan

We’ve looked at options for Medicare coverage and compared Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage plans, but you may still want a few guidelines to help you choose. Here’s a quick way to apply what we’ve covered:

• Medigap plans likely have a higher monthly premium, but more complete coverage
• Medigap plans allow you to see any doctor who accepts Medicare patients nationwide
• Many Medicare Advantage plans also offer prescription drug coverage
• Medicare Advantage plans are likely to offer more complete extra benefits in the form of vision and hearing coverage.

The bottom line is that if you’re most concerned about out-of-pocket costs, Medigap is probably your best bet. If you’re worried about paying too much each month, then a Medicare Advantage plan probably suits you. Regardless of the decision you make, conducting your own research, recognizing what your needs are, and speaking with a licensed Medicare insurance agent before choosing a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan will help empower you during the enrollment process. 

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