February 2021 Volume 13, Issue 2 Recovery Happens Illuminating pathways toward opportunity, possibility, wellness and independence. Restoration Society, Inc., 66 Englewood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214 www.rsiwny.org (716) 832-2141 Fax (716) 832-0021 IT HAPPENED IN BUFFALO article by Anita H. and Rosario P. Mary Burnett Talbert was born in Oberlin Ohio and worked for a time in Little Rock Arkansas, although Buffalo is where she would make her name. An active participant in the Michigan Street Baptist Church Congregation (which both still exists and counts Restoration Societies Anita H. as one of their members), Talbert enacted change both in her surrounding community and her country. Through her connections Talbert helped organize the first meeting of the Niagara Movement, a predecessor group to the NAACP. Talbert was also an ardent Anti-Lyncher calling for all people to come together and unite against injustices faced by communities throughout the United States. Talbert is remembered as a woman of faith, a teacher and most prominently a leader and community organizer. She is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York. BLACK HISTORY MONTH PLAYLIST article by Carolyn B. In observation of Black History Month, I've made a playlist of some of my favorite songs recorded by black musicians during my favorite years in music history. Knowing how winter is often dark and dreary, I hope that listening to these songs will spark the same happiness in you as they do in me. 1. Tell Him- The Exciters, 1962: I love the energy of this song. The lyrics don't hold up in 2021, but a song is much more than its lyrics. 2. Doodlin'- Baby Washington, 1963: Baby Washington is a lesser-known singer, so this might be the first time you listen. Please enjoy. It feels good. 3. Spanish Harlem- Ben E. King, 1960: My struggle with relaxation is so strong that I believe relaxation might be a myth, but this song is the sound of relaxation. I love the groove, the instrumentation, and the saxophone solo. It gives me chills and sounds like a hug at the same time. 4. You've Really Got a Hold On Me- Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, 1962: From the opening piano riff to the fade out, this song is a perfect example of why Motown was so popular in the 1960s. It is soulful and sensual, and it feels good to listen to. Pro Tip: if someone treats you badly, please don't love them madly. Self respect. 5. Blue Moon- The Marcels, 1961: Doo-wop feels good. Enjoy it. 6. Goody Goody- Frankie Lymon, 1958: Who doesn't love a little bit of spite now and then? Frankie Lymon really sticks it to 'em in "Goody Goody." This song is inspiring, empowering, uplifting, and just a lot of fun. Especially for those who identify with its message. 7. Keep a Knockin- Little Richard, 1957: Little Richard's energy is so intense that he can hardly contain himself. And that energy has been contagious for the last 64 years. 8. Think- Aretha Franklin, 1968: Similar to "Goody Goody," "Think" has an empowering message with inspiring energy. Aretha Franklin has a special place in Black History Month, because she toured with Martin Luther King, Jr. and sang at his funeral. 9. He's a Rebel- the Crystals, 1962: In the early 1960s, girl groups like the Crystals dominated American pop music charts. "He's a Rebel" is one of my favorite girl group songs. It feels good and makes me happy. 10. Be My Baby- The Ronettes, 1963: I love this song from start to finish. Starting with a heartbeat rhythm that returns throughout the song, "Be My Baby" musically harnesses the feeling of new love. 11. What a Lovely Day- Ella Fitzgerald, 1958: If you struggle with starting your day, try listening to this when you wake up. It's a lovely way to turn a regular day into a lovely day. Plus- listen to the lyrics. They're refreshingly reasonable. 12. Do You Know the Way to San Jose- Dionne Warwick, 1968: I have always loved this song. The instrumentation feels good. The lyrics are somewhat different from the average pop song. February is Black History Month! To celebrate, we wanted to highlight some of the black artists in our own city. Four of Hearts is by Iris Kirkwood and is part of a series of large cards made by the artist. With these cards, Iris re-interprets familiar myths and symbols. For more information about Iris Kirkwood, check out this post by the Burchfield Penny Art Center: Four of Hearts by Iris https://www.burchfieldpenney.org/artists/artist:iris-kirkwood/ Kirkwood Other local artists create poems and performances. Annette Daniels Taylor is a local artist, writer, poet, and performer. You can see her perform her piece "We Be Lovely" (https://vimeo.com/230060082) Annette Daniels Taylor on our Facebook page. Robert Harris is another local painter whose work is vibrant and expressive, using thick layers of paint. You can see more of his work on his Instagram @paintingmachine (https://www.instagram.com/paintingmachine/ Join our phone groups for extra support! Our Empowerment is open for business @ 327 Elm Street, but if you can't make it out, just call in! We're here for you! It's easy: - Pick your Group (see EA Calendar below for mes) - Call 716-884-5216 x 901 and enter pin 1234 CODE BLUE CONTINUES When the temperature drops, the shelters open! Code Blue (15°F) and Code Blue (32°F) will be in effect throughout the winter. Please encourage anyone experiencing homelessness to call 211 to be picked up and provided shelter and/or stop in for assistance at Harbor House at 241 Genesee St. (during the day) Downtown NFTA Metro 181 Ellicott St.(beginning at 6PM) BE IN THE KNOW Receive Text Alerts When it is a Code Blue Night!! Simply Text: "CodeBlueBuffalo" to 989-211 or Follow "Code Blue Buffalo" on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/codebluebuffalo WINTER IS HERE Do you need to winterize your boots or shoes? Stop by to waterproof them for FREE! @327 Elm Street 2nd Floor, Buffalo (716) 884-5216 ext. 498 Peer-Spective: Help is Available Now! by Kira M. and Kate P. Those of us who have needed help with our mental health know how hard it can be to find that help. The good news is that Empowerment Academy (EA) and other local facilities have been creating more walk-in opportunities for individuals to receive fast assistance. Here are a few you might not know about! ECMC's Help Center at 462 Grider St. (in their Outpatient Clinic, to the left of the main hospital building) is an urgent care service for walk-in mental health treatment of adults in crisis who do not require psychiatric emergency treatment or inpatient care. Walk-in hours are Monday - Friday 8:00am-10:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am - 6:00pm, and Holidays 10:00am - 6:00pm. Virtual appointments are also available. Call 716-898-1594 for more information. The FREE Private Telemental Health Booth at EA (327 Elm Street) offers you the chance to connect to mental health services in a safe, virtual environment. Even if you've never had mental health treatment before, our Empowerment Academy staff can get you in touch with professionals who can help. Need help getting linked with mental or physical health providers? We connect the disconnected! Call our Empowerment Academy today at (716) 884-5216 x 498 Peer-Spective: The Hows and Whys of Self-Care Article by Amarilys G. There is no one way to self-care. What works for one person is not likely to work for another. At the same time, we can probably all agree that self-care is important. Therefore, it's important for people to find out what means of self-care work for them. 30 minutes in the gym might sound like bliss to one person and pure torture to the next. 3 hours curled up with a book? One person might get lost in the story while another person puts the book down after 3 minutes in boredom. One other thing to keep in mind about self-care is that it should not (cannot) be harmful. While eating a gallon of ice cream or 20 tacos might sound like a great end to a bad day, it may be a decision you come to regret a day or two later. There are different types of self-care. The number of types vary depending on what site / source you use. As a recovering academic, I went with Bustle. Their 8 categories of self-care align perfectly with the 8 dimensions of wellness: physical, intellectual, professional, financial, spiritual, social, environmental, and emotional. Am I going to define each type and provide an example for each one? No. Am I going to be a good researcher and a lazy human and provide the link to the article I am talking about so you can read it. Yup: https://www.bustle.com/wellness/types-of-self-care- how-to-practice-experts You do not necessarily need at least one form of self-care for each type, although the above article defines them so broadly you might be checking off boxes you did not expect to check off. Take Spiritual for instance. I thought for sure I'd keep that box unchecked, but the article included helping others in its discussion of this type so yup, box checked. If you're the organized, likes-to-plan type, google "self care plan template" and you should find some format that works for you.