By Gene Lambey, Special to the AFRO April is a National Financial Literacy Month, making it the perfect time to read up on all things related to money. Check out the list below and see which book is the perfect fit for you and your home library.  “Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away” is a book written for Black people looking to improve their lot in life on their own terms. The book is written by Julien Saunders and Kiersten Saunders, and focuses on how to break free from corporate America. (Photo courtesy of RichandRegular.com) Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Aw ..read more

By Ama Brown, AFRO Editorial Assistant Associated Black Charities (ABC) recently hosted a Free Teen Financial Literacy Summit for all ages at The Doubletree by Hilton in Pikesville, Md. on April 13. The event, sponsored by SECU, offered all teens in attendance a new account with a free $25 deposit. Guests enjoyed breakfast and lunch at the summit, which divided attendees into groups that focused on different finance subjects. Breakout sessions included time allocated specifically to topics such as the job search and interviewing skills, entrepreneurship and investing and breaking generational ..read more

By AFRO Staff The ladies of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women’s (NCBW) Baltimore Metropolitan Chapter hosted “Pearls with a Purpose” on April 14. The event, which featured a deluxe bull roast, took place at Martin’s West in Baltimore. DJ KeeBee provided sounds for the evening, as attendees enjoyed a three-hour buffet and open-bar.  While there was plenty of fellowship and networking to do, the event was also a fundraiser. Proceeds from the event will help the NCBW’s Baltimore Metropolitan Chapter continue their advocacy work through community programming. The funds will be aimed ..read more

Top finance tips from Michelle Singletary, personal finance advisor. (Photo courtesy of The Park School of Baltimore) By Karyn Cook, Special to the AFRO As April is National Financial Literacy Month, this week’s edition includes tips from finance experts in all walks of life, looking to help people improve finances and build generational wealth. One expert who spoke with the AFRO was Michelle Singletary, a personal finance advisor and journalist. A graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park and Johns Hopkins University, Singletary has been honored by the National Association of Bl ..read more

By AFRO Staff On April 17 members of the Metropolitan Baltimore Chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness celebrated the work of Angela Celestin, executive vice president and chief of human resources at CareFirst BlueCross Blueshield, and Robert Matthews, vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Exelon.  Clarrissa Taylor-Jackson, director of programs and outreach for NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore, addresses the crowd. Tyleia Reed, WEST Baltimore Outreach Coordinator NAMI Baltimore President and Chief Executive Officer at United Way of Central Maryland Fran ..read more

in Prince George’s County University of Maryland Medical System is bringing high-quality, comprehensive cancer treatment to Prince George’s County with the Cancer Center at UM Capital Region Health, part of a new 100,000-square-foot Center for Advanced Medicine on the UM Capital Region Health campus in Largo. Cap Region, Center-For-Advanced-Medicine, Exterior, Welcome Desk, Multidisciplinary Center, Radiation Oncology Suite, CT Simulator, Linear Simulator, Pulmonary, Ultrasound, Hematology Breast, colon, lung and prostate cancers are prevalent in Prince George’s County, and specialists at the ..read more

The postpartum period is often depicted as a time of overwhelming joy and bliss, but the reality for many new parents is far from that idealized image. It’s important to note first— postpartum depression (PPD) and anxiety (PPA) are very common, affecting one in eight women. But it can be difficult to distinguish the difference between the normal challenges of new parenthood and the symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety. While it’s common for 50 to 80% of women to experience mood changes after childbirth, persistent symptoms beyond two to three weeks may indicate a more serious conditi ..read more

By Mylika Scatliffe, AFRO Women’s Health Writer, mscatliffe@afro.com Medical debt is a looming crisis for millions of families. While Congress has passed the No Surprises Act to protect Americans from certain unexpected medical bills, including unexpected bills for emergency services from out of network providers, there are steps consumers can take to manage and perhaps reduce or eliminate medical debt. Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, nearly 20 percent of U.S households have some form of past due medi ..read more

By AFRO Staff Knowledge is power- but the process of learning how to properly deal with money is often a hard lesson. In honor of National Financial Literacy Month, members of the AFRO team weighed in on how they have navigated their finances over the years and tips they have used along the way. Read below and send your finance tips in to the AFRO at editor@afro.com Question 1: What is the best financial advice you have ever received? Who gave it to you? Question 2: Have you ever been in a tight financial situation? How did you get through it? Q1: “The best financial advice you ever got was i ..read more

By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, tmcqueen@afro.com Mayor Brandon M. Scott and members of the Baltimore City Council filed a lawsuit against the owner and manager of the Dali, the cargo ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, causing a deadly collapse. In the lawsuit, filed on April 22 in the U.S. District Court of Maryland, the city alleges that the owners were negligent in allowing the vessel to leave the Port of Baltimore even though alarms on the ship were allegedly reported before the vessel left port, indicating an unreliable power supply. Scott refused to spea ..read more