African Houston Business Directory

We support the Black Man Project + Black Woman Project at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston with Brian Ellison and Tarren Everette M.Ed. Free monthly group therapy sessions at the MFAH for adults and youth. Great way to meet others, support mental health, see artistic beauty, help the community and be out in the community! Also thanks to Anita N. Bateman, Ph.D. and her team for supporting the projects. https://lnkd.in/gfzb9BK3 Also join and #network with us at the African Houston Business Directory. #mentalhealth #Houston #community

Houston’s Thriving West African Food Scene in The New Yorker by Hannah Goldfield (Part 1) As the city has welcomed more immigrants from #Nigeria and neighboring countries, the local restaurant landscape has flourished. Excerpts below for brevity. "The other day, at a #Nigerian restaurant called Safari, in Houston, #Texas, I peeled back the plastic wrap on a ball of #fufu, a staple across #WestAfrica. Made from a steamed root vegetable or grain—in this case, yam—that’s been pounded and hydrated until it’s soft and slightly stretchy, reminiscent of rising bread dough, it falls under a pan-African category known as “swallow,” most often served as a starchy accompaniment to soup or stew. After checking, and then checking again, that I was after “traditional?traditional” Nigerian dishes, Kavachi Michelle Ukegbu, the co-author of a 2021 book called “The Art of Fufu,” had ordered for me, ferrying plates from the kitchen herself. I had arrived in #Houston on the day after the election, and driven directly from George Bush Intercontinental Airport - IAH to another restaurant, this one brand-new, called ChopnBlok. According to census data, the number of people of Nigerian ancestry living in the Houston metropolitan area more than doubled between 2010 and 2022, from more than twenty thousand to nearly fifty-three thousand. When a Nigerian teen-ager considers college in the U.S., one #Houstonian told me, “the question is: Harvard, Stanford, Yale, or University of Houston?” In the early nineties, opening a Nigerian restaurant made Margaret Ukegbu a pioneer. In the years since, dozens of other businesses have followed, mostly in and around #Alief, an area of southwest Houston that borders the city’s Asia Town and encompasses Little Africa. On a brief tour that included the wholesaler #Bukky Enterprises (Bukky Hamed), which imports goods from all over West Africa, and Suya Hut—a tiny restaurant specializing in exceptional grilled meat, as perfected by the #Hausa people, marinated in a mixture of ground peanuts and spices—Ukegbu emphasized that we were barely scratching the surface. In October, Houston’s city hall mounted an exhibition commemorating “notable #HoustonNigerians,” including the rapper Tobe Nwigwe, Dr. Seun Adigun, D.C., M.S., M.Ed, OLY, a biomechanist who has competed in both the Summer and the Winter Olympics; and Ope Amosu, ChopnBlok’s thirty-seven-year-old owner and chef. On my last morning in town, I met Amosu and Marcel at the the breakfast klub, a restaurant serving daily brunch in Midtown. The “K” in Klub is a reference to Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, the Black fraternity; the owner, Marcus Davis was a member in college." - Hannah Goldfield Click link for full article (Full access may be needed). https://lnkd.in/ez9GjfRw Safari Restaurant #UofH

CNBC TV: The Shortage of Black Financial Planners & How We’re Bridging the Racial Wealth Gap with Association of African-American Financial Advisors Only 2% of Certified #FinancialPlanners (CFPs) in the U.S. are Black. This month, Quad-A is taking action to change that by sponsoring 100 students—including those at #HBCU like?Howard University—with free exam prep classes for the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam, a key first step toward?#CFP? certification. In a recent?CNBC?segment with?Frank Holland,?Sheena Gray?CEO of #AAAA and Dr.?Alex David, AAAA Board Chairman?emphasized why this initiative is so important: ?? #Representation Matters "CFPs are more than just #FinancialAdvisors. They provide estate planning, tax strategies, and guidance on wealth transfer—critical areas for our community as we build generational wealth." — Sheena Gray, Quad-A CEO ?? Financial Education is Key "We are preparing students to understand market cycles, risk-based assets, and portfolio diversification. This knowledge will position them as future #leaders in #wealth management." — Dr. Alex David, #QuadA Board Chair ?? The Impact is Generational With $38 trillion in wealth expected to transfer by 2045, ensuring that Black families are positioned to build and sustain wealth is essential. Howard students in the program recognize the importance: ?? “Bridging the gap, obtaining wealth, keeping it, and passing it down is the biggest goal for me.” Closing the #RacialWealthGap could add $5 trillion to the U.S. #economy over five years. ? Click Here to watch the brief segment on the importance of bridging the #WealthGap and empowering the next generation of #FinancialProfessionals! https://lnkd.in/gqnpTCnp #FinancialLiteracy #BlackHeritage CFP Board #Houston #BlackLivesMatter

Great article with real situations (Part 2)! What Are Small Company Benefits and How Can They Impact Your #Career? Working for a small #business might be your next best move. With Monster by Venus Gentile 15 Advantages of Working for a Small Company 1.?You Can Move Up Quickly This is a major benefit of a small company because it allows you to develop #leadership skills and take on #meaningful work sooner. At larger companies, more structured hierarchies and competition can make #promotions take longer and feel less #personal. 2.?You Can Wear Many Hats This #diversity in work is one of the key benefits of small companies, helping you develop a wide range of skills and become more #adaptable. Unlike in larger companies where roles are specialized and limited to one focus, small companies let you gain experience across different areas, making you more #versatile and #marketable in your career. 3.?You’ll Get Close to the Mission 4.?You’ll Work Closely with Leaders 5.?You’ll Enjoy a Flat Structure A smaller company usually has fewer layers of #management, creating a more open and communicative environment. This flat structure empowers you to #voice your #ideas and be heard—a valuable small company benefit. 6.?You'll Build Strong Team Bonds 7. You'll Connect More with Your Manager 8.?You Can Learn About Sales Without a large #sales department, you’ll often gain firsthand experience understanding the company’s value proposition. You may even contribute to pitches or client interactions. This insight can help you build strong #communication and business acumen. This type of exposure in bigger organizations is usually limited to those within dedicated sales teams. 9.?You Can Act on Your Ideas This means you can see the results of your #creativity quickly, which keeps you #motivated and #engaged. The approval process in larger corporations is often lengthy, which can stifle #innovation and slow #progress. 10.?You’ll Have Room to Experiment This #culture of experimentation is one of the benefits of #SmallCompanies, helping you #learn and #grow from #successes and #failures. Larger companies often have established processes that limit your ability to experiment, as #risk-taking may be discouraged. 11.?Your Leaders Make People-First Decisions Small, privately-owned companies have the freedom to make decisions that prioritize #employees, not just #profits. This focus on #employee #wellbeing... In larger, shareholder-driven corporations, decisions are often made with the bottom line in mind, sometimes at the expense of #EmployeeSatisfaction. 12.?You Can Enjoy a Relaxed Dress Code *13.?You’ll Enjoy Greater Flexibility One of the standout benefits of a #small company is the greater #flexibility with #RemoteWork and overall #WorkLifeBalance. 14.?You Can Choose Your #Tech 15.?You’ll Feel a Sense of #Ownership + More! https://lnkd.in/gTJrExU #Stress #SmallBusiness #SMB #Family

#Follow us. We're more aligned than we think. National Today Doing many of the things this #newsletter https://lnkd.in/gSennMPQ talks about. #Eating #fruit, (#yogurt with no added #sugar), taking #breaks as you mentioned, being around #nature (real or fake), #natural #sunlight, #drinking #tea, and so much more. Bonus + warm to hot bubble #baths!

Happy Black History Month! And you know thiss, Mannn! (meme) CHRIS TUCKER #HappyBlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistory #BlackExcellence #AmericanHistory #WorldHistory #History

"At some point, people realize that it's not about the hours worked but the moments you cherish with your #family and the #community you’ve built,” she explained. - Paulishia Augillard, LPC-S, MFT Finding Joy in Community and #Creativity with Memorial Hermann Health System https://lnkd.in/gDxrnUhr One way to start building a community is to identify what you #love to do and to find like-minded individuals. For example, if you enjoy reading, consider joining a book club. Do you love being outdoors? Maybe a hiking meetup is something to consider. And don’t underestimate the community that can be forged through #organizations that have been around forever, such as #churches, #volunteer organizations and #social clubs. Creativity: A Path to Joy and Self-Discovery When it comes to finding #joy, community is only one piece of the puzzle. Creativity, on the other hand, is also crucial in a #achieving a balanced and #fulfilling life. The New York Times reported in 2023?that creative endeavors, such as writing, drawing and music, can elevate your #mood and improve your #MentalHealth—and the good news is that you don’t even have to have talent to reap the rewards. Most of us adults have lost our ability to play,” she noted. “We get so caught up in being serious and focused on work that we forget to enjoy the small things. Practicing #mindfulness clears the clutter from your mind and helps you see what’s truly enjoyable.” Another key to engaging in the #artistic process? Create without expectation. “You don’t need to be a professional artist or writer. Just #create?something,” Augillard said. “You could be doodling, writing a journal entry or simply listening to #music that inspires you. The point is to tap into that part of yourself that’s been #suppressed by daily responsibilities.” Creativity in Community: A Powerful Combination Creativity often #flourishes in a community where like-minded individuals can inspire each other. Rarely is great art created in a vacuum; creativity often needs other people to #flourish. “You are who you hang out with,” Augillard contended. “If you’re looking to develop your creativity, being around a community of people who are striving toward the same thing helps you rise to new levels. Surrounding yourself with positive people who feed into you can spark creativity you didn’t even know you had.” “The sum is greater than the parts,” Augillard added. “When you combine creativity with a supportive community, the #possibilities are endless.” Embracing Inner Joy: The Key to Lasting #Happiness Finding joy in community and creativity is not about doing more or becoming more involved—it’s ultimately about aligning your #life with what truly matters... "Joy is an inside job," Augillard said. “You need to start by cultivating a sense of #gratitude, #SelfAwareness and #connection, and allowing your creative spirits to soar. The rest will fall into place.”

What is the point of a vacation? Vacations help improve one’s #physical and #MentalHealth, and it makes people discover new things about themselves and what they want to do with their lives. Each year, #Americans leave more than 600 million #vacation days unused. Our work martyr attitudes combined with a culture of #silence in the #workplace is keeping workers at their desks instead of using their time off. To change this, National Plan for Vacation Day reminds us to plan our vacation at the start of the year for the rest of the year. When it comes to taking a vacation, it is the #planners (OM Investments) of the #world who get the job done. Planners are more likely to take all their vacation time in a given work year and take more extended vacations than non-planners. They are also #happier with their #jobs, #relationships, and #health. So don't knock the planners who get out the door to vacation! Get #planning![ Steve O. Oniya, CFP?, ChFC?, MBA] About the Founder Project: Time Off has uncovered an alarming trend over the last 40 years: Americans are taking fewer and fewer vacation days. To reverse this trend, we aim to prove that vacation #travel is valuable and necessary for strengthening personal #relationships, #inspiring #creative thinking, improving #professional #performance, and #promoting better #health. https://lnkd.in/gk9EKzAe #PlanForVacation - National Day Calendar "The need for this day became especially important when survey findings revealed that Americans were not using their vacation days since 2015. This was, in turn, negatively affecting their health, relationships, and even #companies." - National Today What is the point of a vacation? Vacations help improve one’s physical and mental health, and it makes people #discover new things about themselves and what they want to do with their lives. How To Celebrate National Plan for Vacation Day Use your leave You only #live once, so stop postponing that vacation and start planning. Use the one life you have to have all the fun you want! Spend time with your #LovedOnes The time you spend with your near and dear ones will end up as beautiful #memories. It is important to #cherish them and plan to spend time together. #Share on #SocialMedia Don’t forget to share your trip pictures and experiences on Instagram! #Inspire others to #plan and go on that vacation too. Why We #Love National Plan for Vacation Day It opens us up to new #experiences Vacations help us leave our normal, #boring #routines behind and #LetGo, and allow us to #rediscover ourselves and what we love. https://lnkd.in/gyH252vU #Instagram Better Late Than Never

Great article with real situations (Part 5 & final)! How to Identify and Deal with Workplace #Bullying Stand up to #bullies in the workplace and reclaim your #happiness. With Monster by Venus Gentile How Not to Deal with Workplace Bullying When dealing with workplace bullying, it’s essential to understand that some responses, while tempting, can make things worse rather than #resolve the issue. So, take a #deepbreath and consider what doesn’t work and why before facing the issue Ignoring the Problem While it might seem easier to #ignore bullying and hope it will go away, this approach usually backfires. The bully may see your silence as permission to continue or even #escalate their behavior. Over time, the problem can grow worse, affecting your well-being, #confidence, and work #performance even more. It’s always better to stand up to bullying for yourself or someone else and show #bullies you know you’re #worth. Waiting Too Long to Act Similarly, delaying #action, to see how things pan out, also often worsens the problem. The longer the behavior continues unchecked, the more difficult it becomes to stop. Acting sooner gives you a better chance of #resolving the situation before it spirals out of #control. At the first sign you or a colleague is being bullied consider your options for facing it. Reacting Emotionally It’s natural to feel upset when you’re bullied at work, but responding with anger, tears, or frustration can play right into the bully’s hands. #Emotional reactions can shift the focus away from the bully’s actions and make you appear unprofessional to those who don’t realize what’s going on. Venting or Gossiping Talking to coworkers about the workplace bullying might feel like a way to #vent or find support. Still, it can quickly turn into?office #gossip. When word gets around, it could reach the bully or others in the company, creating more tension. Say Goodbye to Bullies and Hello to a #Healthier Workplace It’s time to leave #workplace bullying behind and find a job where you’re genuinely valued. Sign up for a?free Monster account?and explore thousands of job listings tailored to your experience, receive personalized #job alerts, and read more expert #career advice. Plus, upload your #resume to get noticed by top #employers looking for candidates like you. + More! https://lnkd.in/e2Pm64Gx? #Wellbeing #Toxic #Stress #Houston #Texas #Family #Meditate

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Let's #appreciate our assets and let our assets appreciate! Better ourselves so we can better our #communities! https://lnkd.in/gcQ3aG7A #MLKDay #Community #DrKing would be proud.