Tag Archives: color

The Mask: Art Therapy Can Ease Anxiety About COVID

In a perspective published in the journal Science, a group of scientists reiterates that masks are not only helpful but necessary to combat the spread of the virus from people without symptoms.

The top reasons why Masks will continue to play a critical role are:

  1. No vaccine is 100% effective.
  2. Vaccines do not provide immediate protection.
  3. Covid vaccines may not prevent one from spreading the virus.
  4. Kids are last in the line to get a vaccine as the clinical trials are still in process.

Because a vaccine is out, that does not mean that people should stop social distancing or wearing a mask. It is still very important to wear a mask and social distance. While doing this, you not only protect yourself but also the people around you, including those with compromised immune systems, senior citizens, friends, family.

Coloring has the ability to relax the fear center of your brain, the amygdala.

“Art therapy is being prescribed a lot more to support the mental health of young kids, especially those with social and emotional deficiencies,” Phaire

It induces the same state as meditating by reducing the thoughts of a restless mind. In these difficult times, this is a small initiative to help people around the world cope with COVID-19. 

  • Creating an hour of activity.
  • Spreading and educating the importance of Masks to younger kids.
  • Teaching the basics of Masks.

I have authored the coloring book  “The mask” to educate young children about the importance of a mask, especially during this time. It gives children something to do other than watch tv. During this time, there are not a lot of things that people can do and it is much harder for the younger children. My hope with this is to give them an activity or something fun to do while educating them. You can download the book here. It is also available on amazon 

With the intention to educate the younger generation, I  have reached out to a dozen non-profit organizations, and with their help, I am in the process of distributing 500 “The Mask” coloring books to kids in shelters in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle. The primary intention being:

  •  To raise awareness about masks and the importance of wearing it
  •  More importantly to support the mental health of young kids using art. 

Thanks to the No Birthday Left Behind and Lavanya Reddy, Washington Helping Hands for helping in this great cause.

As per NY times, for a teenager living in California, the stats for getting the vaccine are:

  • Based on your risk profile, we believe the teenager is in line behind 185.6 million people across the United States.
  • When it comes to California, teenagers are behind 20.7 million others who are at higher risk in your state.

Masks are our saviors, so the quest to educate kids on masks and their importance is critical, as they are last in line to get the vaccine once one become available. Please continue to wear the masks and educate about the importance of Masks. 

Stay Safe! 

Pranav Medida is a freshman at BISV in San Jose. His love of reading, which started at a young age, soon grew into a love of writing. He loves educating kids by authoring books and distributing them to the needy. ‘The Mask’ is his third book to raise awareness. 

Gem and Jewelry Show Shows It’s Metal in San Mateo This October

International Gem & Jewelry Show returns to San Mateo County Event Center on the weekend of October 4th 2019. Jewelry aficionados see gem shows as an opportunity to discover the latest in jewelry trends.

Spring 2019 runway reports from New York to Paris called for a return to maximalist jewelry. Harper’s Bazaar in it’s fashion month roundup cited key trends, including statement necklaces making a comeback to dripping stone details, re-imagined chokers, layered piles of different necklaces, larger-than-life earrings, and bunches of bangles- more is less seemed to be the theme this year said Deborah Yonick, jewelry style expert. Tiaras are back as are chandelier earrings and fringed chokers.

Silver is also a favorite metal with color, especially blue. Silver also combines nicely with pearls. Silver and diamond allow customers to wear luxury precious metals and stones without breaking the bank. Lemon quartz is well matched in silver as well.

Additionally, says Deborah Yonick, “ Gemstones have been ascribed unique energy properties that can work with our own energies to draw out negativity, hold onto certain intentions and provide desirable qualities like calm and strength. In much the same way, she says as crystals captured the attention of a generation during the 1970s gemstones are inspiring the youth of today to include them in their lifestyle.”

During the New York fashion week for fall 2018, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen gifted guests at their show with white quartz to promote harmony and black tourmaline to ward off negative energies.

At the International Gem & Jewelry Show jewelry crafters can source directly from wholesalers and manufacturers. They are promised the lowest prices on beads, pearls, clasps, wire, supplies, chains, findings, in addition to finished jewelry. They can craft their own designs.

The event will showcase handcrafted beads from around the world in all components, colors, shapes and sizes along with loose beads and finished beaded jewelry and beading supplies. The marketplace will be open Friday 12pm- 6 pm, Saturday 10 am-5pm and Sunday 11 am-5 pm at San Mateo County Event Center 1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo, CA. Learn https://www.intergem.com/events/upcoming-shows/san-mateo-ca-bead-show-october-4-6-2019Mmmore here:

Fears of Undercounting People of Color Rise Before 2020 Census

By Michael J. Fitzgerald, Richmond Pulse/Ethnic Media Services

Combatting a predicted major undercounting of people of color in the 2020 U.S. Census was the focus of a national roundtable discussion, featuring key representatives of civil rights and voting rights organizations, earlier this month.

In sometimes heated presentations, representatives of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), the Urban Institute, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ) and the New York Immigration Coalition hammered home how important a full count will be.

“We are not going to stand by and be undercounted,” said Jeri Green of the Urban Institute, which on June 4 released a study asserting that the upcoming census is likely to be the least accurate since 1990, or possibly worse, and that among the people likely to be overlooked will be 1.7 million kids younger than age 5. It expects California to have the highest percentage of people not counted, followed by Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Georgia, New York and Florida.

Part of the concern expressed repeatedly in the national teleconference was the possibility that the 2020 Census will include a question inquiring about a person’s citizenship status. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to soon issue its decision on whether to allow the question. Three federal courts have ruled against allowing the change to census procedures, but it is widely feared that the Supreme Court may overturn those rulings.

“Regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision, we will not idly stand by as others attempt to undermine the progress of the Latino community and suppress the count of the nation’s second largest population group,” NALEO CEO Arturo Vargas said. “We will continue to fight for a just Census 2020 and a full and accurate count of Latinos and immigrants.”

“But even if it doesn’t get put on the census, just the discussion of it has already done harm,” John Yang of the AAAJ said.

 The harm, Yang explained, is that people who are already skittish about government in general — or their citizenship status — are less likely to fill out any census form, thinking it might put them at risk.

 Steven Choi of the New York Immigration Coalition said that the most effective strategy will be to have as much person-to-person contact with individuals to convince them to fill out the census because of its importance in determining federal funds and national representation.

 “Clearly the Trump administration effort (wanting the citizenship question included on census forms) strikes hardest at immigrant-rich states,” he said.

 In New York, the state Congressional delegation is bracing for a likely loss of two seats.

 “And in terms of money and power, for every person lost — or not counted — it’s estimated to cost the state about $3,000 per person,” Choi said.

 That’s money lost to all manner of public spending.

 This year’s census will also be the first to extensively use the internet and online data gathering, in favor of deploying the traditional door-to-door census takers.  The Census Bureau is planning to send out an electronic request to 80% of U.S. households, expecting a response rate of about 45%. Non-responsive households will eventually be mailed a paper census form to fill out, either in English or Spanish. Online questionnaires will have more languages to choose from

 Eventually, if no response is forthcoming, a Census Bureau field worker will be dispatched to contact the household in person or via telephone.

 The consensus among the teleconference panelists was that if the citizenship question is included in the census, people should answer it and not leave it blank.

 “You really must answer,” Choi said. “There are legal ramifications.”

 Panel moderator Beth Lynk, census counts campaign director for The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said her organization is worried about an undercount of as high as 4 million minorities with a possible concomitant over count of Caucasians.

“Everyone relies on census data,” she said.

 Sulma Arias of FIRM said her organization is already holding community meetings, engaging people of color online, and getting the word out about how important this census will be.

 “This is an attack on our rights to fair representation,” she said. “We refuse to be erased.”