My African American Family

The Story of Maci Kean When you think of people in a kid’s life, you probably imagine two parents, siblings, friends, and teachers. What you don’t typically think is a social worker, a judge, foster homes and a dead mother and father. This became the case for the then 15-year Maci Kean, as well as over 100,000 kids in the United States. When Maci was just a toddler, she became deaf due to a high fever and her father passed away when she was just two due to drug abuse. When she was around the age of 13 her mother passed away as well due to a drug overdose after getting out of jail.

If the student has to quit their job, this can mean even more stress and working night hours because of the fact that they would have to scramble around trying to find the perfect new job that can support their families and work with their new schedules. In article number four by the National Sleep Foundation, it states that, “This issue is important for certain students and their families who rely on the extra income to get by. Therefore, the change may disproportionately affect low income families.” Late start is a little bundle of chaos ready reek havoc, and if late start comes into our district it will destroy the order we already have. Late start will change nothing.

Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Johnson, lived through an unstable early life. She was born in St. Louis, Arkansas, but moved away to Stamps, Arkansas at age three due to her parents’ divorce. There, Angelou lived with her brother, Bailey, and her paternal grandmother (Galenet - Self and a Song of Freedom in the Southern Tradition). As discussed in her first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, seven-year old Maya was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. The man was consequently murdered by her uncles, and Maya, feeling responsible for his death, ceased talking and remained speechless for five years.

I asked my Grandmother, when you finally went for your scan and the results came out positive what was your first reaction? She answered in tears and said i immediately fell to the ground in shock, “I suffered through the treatment and ended up in breast conserving surgery were i got my left side breast removed, over a 2 months of healing after being in hospital for 1 week after my surgery, after a couple of months after my surgery i went for my weekly check up and the Doctor then informed me that i had to get a mastectomy done on my right breast because the cancer cells had spread too and also a bit just by armpit , i am now 77 and finally recovered from the removal of both my breast and now i am proud to say i am Cancer free but in saying that i will never again hesitate getting a check up to insure I’m well.

Tina Jones Medical Genogram Nessrin Leonida School of Nursing Course Number: Nurs516 January term of 2017 Tina Jone’s Medical Genogram Tina Jones is a twenty- eight year old, African American, who was diagnosed with asthma when she was two. She verbalized that cats and dust trigger her asthma. She did have chicken pox as a child, and also has type two diabetes in her twenties. Tina’s paternal side consists of her grandfather, who died five years ago at the age of sixty- five due to colon cancer. He has a history of type two diabetes.

Horton: “My major life change event was the passing of my daughter, Zaniyah Samone Horton, she passed away at eight days old at Duke Hospital, the day before Mother’s Day, that was the greatest tragedy, I have ever had to face and endure.” “Second to that, I would probably say the passing of my mother and my father. Just death that happens suddenly without clues or expectations.” Terence: “Can you elaborate on this a little more, on why this was such a hard time?”

Lydia is a 45-year-old woman, who has been paralyzed for over six months due to a car accident. Since then, she can only communicate through nodding her head, and also has been on a ventilator for respiratory assistance and receiving tube feedings at Little Falls Hospital. Moreover, she was diagnosed and treated successfully for breast cancer before the accident. The medical staffs are uncertain as to whether she can understand what is going on to make any decisions about her life. An advance directive has been located however, a copy could not be found.

By the 1990s, Ella had recorded over 200 albums and in 1991, she gave her final concert at Carnegie Hall in New York. As her health deteriorated, at the age of 76, Ella experienced severe circulatory problems and had to have both of her legs amputated below the knees. Unfortunately, she never fully recovered from the surgery, and was rarely able to perform. On June 15, 1996, Ella Fitzgerald died in her home. She was then buried in the "Sanctuary of the Bells" section of the Sunset Mission Mausoleum at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.

The reason being that in most cases, the mentally disturbed tend to undergo very long periods of depression or hyperactivity. At the same time, these people won’t be in their full thinking ability; so they can easily vandalize the house property within a short space of time when they are frustrated. Therefore, when dealing with the chronically homeless, it is vital to start by seeking treatment and medication for those with mental disorders. The reason why medical treatment should be a priority is that untreated mental disorders ultimately lead to homelessness. Therefore, to reduce the number of such people from among those who have the streets for a home, I think it is crucial that we as a society come in and help in funding for their

Migrant and refugee families face many issues when relocating to a new country. Migrant families often relocate voluntarily, however, refugee families often have no choice. Both these groups have specific health needs to be addressed in order to build a new and healthy life. Some of the issues experienced by these families are social exclusion, the loss of family and community networks, cultural differences, education gaps, financial stress, and language barriers. Many refugees are detained in detention centres, and exposed to adverse conditions, resulting in psychological issues which health care providers are often ill equipped to handle.

Bessie Smith, an African American blues singer was killed in a car accident. Her songs have touched the lives of many black people across the country, and her songs will be forever missed. Elizabeth (Bessie) Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 15, 1894. Bessie was one of the seven children that William and Laura Smith had. Her father died shortly after she was born and in 1906, her mother and two of her brothers died, so her aunt ended up raising her and her remaining siblings.

In Hill’s (1972) seminal work, The Strengths of Black Families, on African American families, he states that “strong kinship bonds, a strong work orientation, adaptability of family roles, a strong achievement orientation, and a strong religious orientation were characteristics that have been functional for their survival, development and stability”. Hill (1999) states that strong kinship ties are the greatest enduring family qualities and are imbedded in West African cultural values. This strong kinship connection encompasses the significance of extended family, which is inclusion of fictive kin as family, the high value placed on children, and honor and respect for older adults (Billingsley, 1992).

In the novel The Known World by Edward P.Jones, the theme of most family life is chaotic, sorrow and a little bit of happiness. Because of the slavery, black family life faced more hard time than white family. They faced hunger, punishment and separation from their family. Meanwhile, white family is more calm and peaceful.

During the 20th century, African American starting leaving the south. They left behind the racial segregation, discrimination, and violence in search of greater economic opportunity. This was the forming of the “Great Migration” of 1.5 million African Americans that happened between 1910 and 1945. Also another 6.5 million moved north and west between 1945 and 1970. Since the 1960’s, many black urban immigrants have achieved success where as some have been left behind.

I am a free African American, but in a since I am not free. I am not a free person because I am not allowed to vote or speak out for myself and my country where I live in. I want to have rights, but I am not allowed to due to some circumstances. Even though I am a free African American, people are saying that there is no proof that I am a free African American. Also, when a white American captures me, I do not have proof that I was a free African American, and I will be sent into slavery.