VIVA NOLA July 2020

wellness
When We Support Black
Communities, We Support
Our Communities
By Lia Threat
@wellnesswithlia
As I write this, George Floyd has just been laid to rest,
and Breonna Taylor would have been celebrating
another year of life. Sadly, they lost their lives to
senseless police brutality like many others before
them. So, I would like to dedicate this space to remind
readers to reflect on the struggles of those blacks being
oppressed in the United States and worldwide.
As an action step, I encourage you to support black
businesses and other communities of color. Visit blackowned
restaurants and donate to organizations that are
doing important work with children to inspire change.
Please pay attention to those in our food industry,
working to end systemic forms of racism that limit
access to fresh foods.
We share similarities in culture and our strong sense
of community. Daily, we fight systemic oppression
complexly linked to a history of slavery and colonization.
In a holistic approach to health, we cannot truly thrive if
one part of our life is out of balance. When a community
suffers, we suffer, and there can be no joy when a
person harbors hate and fear.
Systemic oppression also affects other marginalized
communities of color. In the chart are some local
organizations to explore. The list is not exhaustive. For
a list of black-owned restaurants and businesses, check
out neworleans.com.
Viva NOLA Magazine - Page 6