Thoughts on Martin Luther King Day

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Letters from a Birmingham Jail” (April 16, 1963)

Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial at night

Photo credit: Avalon Havan

I have visited the Martin Luther King, Jr., memorial many times, most recently just shy of a year ago. At first, I saw it only at night, on night tours of our nation’s capital. Having since seen it during the day, I prefer the night view. Dr. King’s image looms large, literally emerging from the stone, the stone of hope (“out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope” from the “I Have a Dream” speech, August 28, 1963). It always gives me pause, an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of Dr. King’s words.

On this day when we celebrate the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr., it’s inevitable that we turn to his words, and how they speak to us, even so many years later.

It’s easy to see how Dr. King’s words relate to health: Every person, regardless of where they live, what race they are, and what income they have, should have equal opportunities to stay healthy. It seems so simple, doesn’t it? But we have much work to do to make this a reality.

In an uncharacteristically short post, I will leave you with a cover of James Taylor’s “Shed a Little Light” by two a cappella groups, The Maccabeats and Naturally 7. Here are the lyrics of this song:

“Shed A Little Light”
Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King
and recognize that there are ties between us, all men and women living on the Earth.
Ties of hope and love, sister and brotherhood, that we are bound together
in our desire to see the world become a place in which our children can grow free and strong.
We are bound together by the task that stands before us and the road that lies ahead.
We are bound and we are bound.

There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist
There is a hunger in the center of the chest
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
And though the body sleeps the heart will never rest

Shed a little light, oh Lord, so that we can see, just a little light, oh Lord.
Wanna stand it on up, stand it on up, oh Lord,
wanna walk it on down, shed a little light, oh Lord.

Can’t get no light from the dollar bill, don’t give me no light from a TV screen.
When I open my eyes I wanna drink my fill from the well on the hill,
do you know what I mean?

Shed a little light, oh Lord, so that we can see, just a little light, oh Lord.
Wanna stand it on up, stand it on up, oh Lord,
wanna walk it on down, shed a little light, oh Lord.

There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist, there is a hunger in the center of the chest.
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
and though the body sleeps the heart will never rest.

Oh, Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King
and recognize that there are ties between us.
All men and women living on the Earth, ties of hope and love, sister and brotherhood.

The task before us: Let us recognize that there are ties between us and work to make the world a better, healthy place for all.

Yours in Health,

Signature

Theresa Ferrari, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development

 

Daily Dose- Happy Mother’s Day

Picture of My Mom and I

My Mom and I

According to the History Channel, The American incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. We celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May every year. The founder Anna created the holiday as a way for people to thank their own Mother and spend time with that special woman in their life. CNN’s article on Mother’s Day gives some of the specifics of the origin including the insight that Jarvis’ Mother was a community health advocate! Below is an excerpt.

“In 1908, Jarvis campaigned for a national observance of the holiday in honor of her mother, who was a community health advocate. Her mom had organized several Mother’s Day Work Clubs that addressed child rearing and public health issues, and Jarvis wanted to commemorate her and the work of all mothers.”

As we experience Mother’s Day this year it is important to look at the core of what Mother’s Day means and find ways to spend time with our Mother (even if that means digitally this year). Sometimes we take for granted the time we spend with family. Think about what it truly means to spend time with someone. What does it look like? How does it make you feel?

For me, spending time with my Mother is often creative. We work on calendars, journals, crafts, and some of my favorite early memories with my mother were doing crafts and activities at home. I have acquired her hobby of cutting out pictures in magazines, greeting cards, and reusing them in my calendar and journal entries.  It usually includes us sitting on the couch, talking over upcoming events, and relaxing. It helps me feel connected to her, more relaxed, and provides a wonderful creative outlet while completing what we are working on. Use today’s journal to spend some time with your Mom and learn more about her!

Today’s journal is a fun one to do with your Mom! Answer the questions about her and then see how well you do! It is harder than it may seem.

 

 

 

Daily Dose- Tips for Taco Tuesday

plate with food

Tips for Taco Tuesday: My taco turned into taco salad, using ingredients I had at home

Tacos have their origin in Mexico. A tortilla is a type of flatbread, and a taco is simply a tortilla wrapped around a filling. Like a sandwich, the filling can be made with almost anything and prepared in many different ways. Here are some tips for Taco Tuesday!

Many restaurants feature specials for Taco Tuesday, but you can make tacos at home! The variations of tacos are endless! When you make your own tacos, you get to the control the ingredients.

 Be Mindful about MyPlate

To pack the most nutritional punch into your tacos, use MyPlate to design yours. Be mindful of the sodium and fat content of your food choices. Meats and cheeses will contribute to the fat content; they also contribute important vitamins and minerals. Cheese, canned beans, and prepared tortillas and chips will contribute to the sodium content. Read labels to select low-sodium varieties. You can include any ingredient, just consider the portion size. Fresh veggies add vitamins and minerals. They are naturally low in calories and sodium – they’re colorful too!

Make-Your-Own Taco Bar

If you set up a Make-Your-Own Taco Bar, you can satisfy everyone’s individual tastes.

Grain

  • Soft tortilla (flour or corn)
  • Taco shells
  • Tortilla chips
  • Cooked rice

 Vegetables

  • Pepper, chopped or in strips
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Shredded spinach
  • Cauliflower (roasted or fresh)
  • Shredded carrots
  • Diced onions
  • Sliced avocado
  • Shredded red cabbage
  • Corn

Protein (see recipe for seasoning mix)

  • Ground turkey or beef
  • Shredded chicken or pork
  • Fish or other seafood
  • Beans – black, kidney, pinto, garbanzo, white, or combination

Dairy

  • Shredded cheese

Other Toppings & Seasonings

  • Chopped cilantro
  • Squirt of lime
  • Salsa or hot sauce
  • Chopped green onions
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Thinly sliced radishes
  • Sour cream
  • Black olives

Theresa’s Twist on Pandemic Taco Tuesday

I’m making limited trips to the grocery store these days. Since it’s been almost 2 weeks since I’ve been shopping, to make my taco I had to use the ingredients I had on hand.

Challenge accepted! I didn’t have tortillas, but I did have some tortilla chips, so my taco turned into taco salad. I still had some fresh vegetables and I had made my own chili over the weekend.

Tip: Layering the spinach between the tortilla chips and the chili kept the chips from getting soggy.

  • Tortilla chips
  • Shredded spinach
  • Three-Bean Chili
  • Shredded Colby-Jack cheese
  • Cilantro
  • Avocado slices
  • Orange pepper rings
  • Chopped red onion
  • Sliced radishes
  • Squirt of lime

Check out our Make-Your-Own Taco activity page here.

Make Your Own Tacos Bar 

 

Packaged seasoning mixes usually contain a lot of sodium. Here’s a recipe to make your own.

HOMEMADE SEASONING MIX

Prep: 5 minutes

Yield:  appx. 2 Tablespoons of seasoning, enough for 1 ½ to 2 pounds of meat or vegetables

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Equipment Needed:

  • Measuring spoons
  • Small bowl

Directions:

  1. Measure all ingredients and combine.
  2. Add seasonings as you are cooking meat or vegetables.
  3. If making ahead, store in airtight container.

I hope you have enjoyed these Tips for Taco Tuesday!

Yours in health,

 

 

 

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