Helping Hands is a project of the Federation of India Community Associations (FICA). Helping Hands supports South Asians in Cleveland and NE Ohio who are trying to break the cycle of domestic and sexual violence and take back control of their lives.
They also provide Services to Seniors such as services and programs to promote health and independence for the elderly, information and referral services for medical, food, transportation, and meal programs.
In addition, the Helping Hands-Aangan initiative aims to engage the 50+ in the community understand issues of importance to them and bring in domain experts to talk about those issues.
After years of Zoom meetings they gathered in person on November 10, 2024 in the Beachwood Community Center.
Helping Hands founders Mona Alag, Dr. Jaya Shah and Dr. Gita Gidwani
MotivAsians for Cleveland is a non-profit organization established to cultivate a vibrant Asian community for Greater Cleveland by promoting the attraction and retention of Asian-American professionals. They hosted their first Taste of Asia gala banquet in the Dolan center of John Carroll University on Saturday November 2, 2024. The evening included Asian food, entertainment, cultural performances, silent auction and more including a demonstration of Kimono by Traeonna Wagener from Kimono Kitsune.
Traeonna spoke about and demonstrated the Japanese fashion of kimono as well as fusion fashion which combines clothing and accessories from two or more different styles (e.g., Lolita+Kimono) or cultures (e.g., Japanese+American) to create a unique look.
A spooky story for Halloween - The Island of Dolls in Mexico City
In this special episode of Fun with Maps, host Dan Hanson warns you not to be afraid as he looks at a scary topic just before Halloween and the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos). The Island of Dolls (La Isla de las Muńecas) is an eerie, creepy destination in a borough of Mexico City south of the city center. The legend tells of a man who found a drown girl in the canal by his home. He also found her doll and hung it from a tree as a sign of respect. But he started hearing whispers, footsteps, and anguished wails in the darkness even though his hut-hidden deep inside the woods of the borough of Xochimilco-was miles away from civilization. Driven by fear, he spent the next fifty years hanging more and more dolls, some missing body parts, all over the island in an attempt to appease what he believed to be the drowned girl's spirit. Watch the video to see what happens.
This episode starts with an overview of the map of Mexico and then drills down to Mexico City and its 16 boroughs including Xochimilco. This borough has canals (like Venice) for transportation and tourism and chinampas for agriculture. Dan takes a look at the Day of the Dead and then finally to the scary Island of Dolls. See pictures and videos of the Day of the Dead Parade in Cleveland Ohio USA.
Spotting and Avoiding Scams
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a government agency that protects people from frauds and scams. Unfortunately, scammer often target communities that they feel are vulnerable. That may be senior citizens, immigrants or members of ethnic communities. The FTC partnered with Ethnic Media Services (EMS) and hosted an event in Cleveland Ohio on September 24, 2024 dealing with Spotting and Avoiding Scams - especially for vulnerable communities.
Experts from several agencies were joined by ethnic community leaders and members of ethnic media outlets for a robust and informative session.
There are numerous federal and local resources for people to prevent and protect from scams and also to report a scam if it occurs. The resources are available in multiple languages and should be shared with others in your community.
There are three prongs to preventing a scammer from harming you and your community: Protecting Yourself, Identifying a Scam and What to do if you were scammed. Here are some resources:
How to Protect Yourself
A great resource to learn about avoiding scams is Consumer.gov. This website includes information on scams that target immigrants, warnings about notarios and how to get legitimate help with immigration. For example:
Get advice from U.S. government websites. A website might look like it comes from the government. Make sure the website address ends with .gov. That means it is a government website.
Do not pay a notario for legal advice. Notarios will not help you, even when you pay them.
Don't carry all your important papers or ID cards with you.
Don't click on unknown links in email messages.
Make sure websites start with https. The "s" at the end means the site is secure.
Many more useful and important tips at Consumer.gov. Identifying and Preventing a Scam
Experts say that Imposter Scams are the most common currently. In Imposter Scams someone pretends to be someone they are not, maybe even a friend, relative or co-worker, and contacts you out of the blue and tries to distract you and convince you to act urgently. They want you to pay in cash or gift cards or wire transfer or similar non-standard methods.
The government and legitimate companies will never do this! In addition do NOT give out personal information in response to an unexpected request whether it comes as a text, phone call or e-mail.
You can sign up for free Consumer Alerts at ftc.gov/consumeralerts to be kept informed about the latest scams.
Don't believe your Caller ID. Technology allows for scamming here. If someone asks for money or personal information, just hang up. You can always call the legitimate number of the business to confirm.
Don't pay upfront for a promise such as job assistance, mortgage assistance or the like.
Take your time. Con artists want you to act in a hurry. If in doubt, slow down and check with trusted sources, search online and so on.
Hang up on Robocalls. Don't press a button to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls.
Be skeptical about free trial offers. These can lead to unwanted billings and difficult cancellations.
Don't deposit a check and wire money back. This is a common scam where you will end up being responsible for paying back the bank.
Don't click on unknown links in e-mails. They can look legitimate so be very wary. Also, don't grant remote access to your computer even in messages pop up warning you.
It is very important to report if you were scammed. Go to https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ and choose your language. You can also call the FTC at 1-877-382-4357 (1-877-FTC-HELP)
You can remain anonymous, speak in your own language and give as much or as little information as you want.
Note: Scammers are impersonating the FTC. Know that the FTC will never threaten you, say you must transfer your money to "protect it," or tell you to withdraw cash or buy gold and give it to someone. Learn more at ftc.gov/impersonators
Do not be ashamed or embarrassed. The scammers are often professionals who spend a lot of money and time trying to fool you. Everybody gets targeted and people from every age group and demographic have been scammed.
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation (CCGF) has been hosting One World Day in the Gardens since 1946. A highlight of the day is the Parade of Flags where representative of over 50 communities marched in traditional clothing carrying flags of their heritage. One of the participating groups was the Indonesian community. In this video we learned about a beautiful formal Indonesian dress from the island of Bali. It's worn for important occasions like weddings and dances.
76 year old blind Cleveland Woman runs the 10K at Pan Am Masters Games
The Pan-American Masters Games are a multisport event for Masters Athletes over the age of 35. The 2024 Pan-American Masters Games were held in Cleveland Ohio USA and featured athletes from 6 continents, 48 states and more than 70 countries. Participants competed in 24 medal-contending sports.
At the Closing Celebration on Sunday July 21, 2024 we caught up with 76 year old athlete Keryl. Keryl just completed the 10K race and what makes it more impressive is that she is legally blind and ran with a guide. Wow.
Hale Farm - Life in the 19th Century in the Western Reserve
In 1957, the Western Reserve Historical Society received the Jonathan Hale homestead in Bath, Ohio and now operates the 90 acres of Hale Farm & Village, a living history museum depicting life in the 19th century through agricultural practices and everyday craft and trade demonstrations such as glassblowing, pottery, spinning and weaving, and more.
We spoke with two ladies from Hale Farm dressed in period costumes. They
provide a look into daily life on the farm as well as unique demonstrations of 19th century lifeways and skills.
Funny Mental Fitness Evaluation
This test is to ascertain your mental state now. If you get one right you are doing OK, if you get none right you better go for counseling. (I'll meet you there.)
There are 4 test questions. Don't miss one.
Giraffe Test
1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
Stop and think about it and decide on your answer
before you scroll down.
The Correct Answer:
Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.
Elephant Test
2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?
Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the refrigerator?
Wrong Answer.
Correct Answer:
Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through
the repercussions of your previous actions.
Lion King Test
3. The Lion King is hosting an Animal Conference. All the animals attend... except one. Which animal does not attend?
Correct Answer:
The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.
Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.
Crocodile Test
4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?
Correct Answer:
You jump into the river and swim across. Haven't you been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Conference. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes. Ha Ha!
Cleveland Woman Sara Lucy Bagby
The last person returned to slavery in the US
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses established in the US during the early 1800s to help slaves escape into free states and Canada. It was run by abolitionists and others sympathetic to the cause of the escapees. Ohio had many stops on the Underground Railroad and since Canada was an ultimate destination, the short distance across Lake Erie from Cleveland to Canada made the city a popular destination. Cleveland was codenamed Hope on the Underground Railroad.
Restore Cleveland Hope operates the Underground Railroad Interpretive Center in the Cozad-Bates House, the only surviving pre-Civil War building in University Circle. They offer tours and events and it was here that we learned of the story of Sara Lucy Bagby.
Sara Lucy Bagby display at Cozad-Bates House
Sara Lucy Bagby was born in the early 1840s in Virginia. On October 3, 1860 Bagby fled from slavery in Wheeling. She eventually escaped slavery via the Underground Railroad and made her way to Cleveland, Ohio.
Her arrest in Cleveland on January 19, 1861 became a test case of the Fugitive Slave Act.
Wheeling resident John Goshorn and his son showed proof of ownership, and the federal court ordered her return to Virginia. Sara Lucy Bagby was the last person in the United States forced to return to slavery in the South under the Fugitive Slave Act.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer and Democrat Party of the US were both pro-slavery so despite the state government's and citizens of Cleveland's attempts to intervene, Lucy was transported back to Goshorn's property in Wheeling, then still part of Virginia.
After the Emancipation Proclamation, Bagby eventually resettled in Cleveland, where she died in 1906 and was buried.
In this video, Kathryn Puckett, Restore Cleveland Hope Board Chair, tells the story of Sara Lucy Bagby.
Sure, air fryers achieve a satisfyingly crisp finish with just a fraction of the fat, putting a healthier spin on fried foods. But there’s another reason to love your air fryer: the mind-blowing array of exciting new dishes you can add to your everyday repertory.
Rebuilders Xchange (RBX) buys and sells construction material from ordinary to extraordinary. RBX is in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood in an organized, 50,000 sq. ft. warehouse. It may not be the first business you think of for a woman entrepreneur but it was a dream of founder Jessica Davis and she made it happen.
In this video, Jessica tells the vision behind the project - reusing and repurposing construction materials, bringing wealth to the people of the neighborhood, keeping things out of the landfills and so on. She tells what it's like being a woman in a non-traditional industry. Ron tells of the jump from pipe fitter and welder to starting 16 IT and tech companies and now back to making custom pieces and design in the Fab Lab metal and wood shop in the Rebuilder's Xchange.
Victims of human trafficking find themselves forced or coerced into engaging in specific types of labor or commercial sex acts without their consent. Often, human trafficking remains a hidden crime. Victims fear their abusers as well as law enforcement and suffer such significant trauma that they struggle to reach out for help.
Human trafficking impacts people across genders, races, and ages. Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking, and all too often, that victimization occurs in the shadows. Human trafficking traps an estimated 24.9 million people–64% are exploited for labor, while sexual exploitation accounts for an estimated 19% of human trafficking.
Isolation can increase the risk of violence at home. Use this discrete gesture during a video call to show you need help:
Hold hand up with palm facing other person.
Tuck thumb into palm.
Fold fingers down over thumb.
A missing teenage girl was rescued in the US after using a hand gesture that signals distress or domestic violence to capture the attention of a passing driver. The 16-year-old was spotted travelling inside a silver Toyota near London, Kentucky, about 150 miles south-east of Louisville, on November 4th. A driver called police after noticing "a female passenger in the vehicle making hand gestures that are known on the social media platform TikTok to represent violence at home - I need help - domestic violence," the Laurel County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on 6 November.
Good idea
Murder in the Cultural Gardens
"It just didn’t seem right to DJ. A body found bludgeoned in a place known for “Peace through Mutual Understanding.” But there she was, crumpled behind a bust of composer Franz Liszt in the Hungarian Cultural Garden. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911. “What is the nature of your emergency?” the dispatcher queried. With a suddenly very dry mouth DJ managed to get out, “There’s been a murder in the Cultural Gardens.”
That's the beginning of the recently published first novel by Dan Hanson.
The whodunit, titled Murder in the Cultural Gardens, takes place in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens and all 30+ gardens are featured during the mystery. You may even recognize some of the characters.
Click the link above to learn more or to purchase in paperback or Kindle version from Amazon. Or contact Dan via the Murder in the Cultural Gardens webpage to have a signed book delivered.
ClevelandWomen.Com Book of the Week
The Girl on the Train
The #1 New York Times Bestseller, USA Today Book of the Year, now a major motion picture starring Emily Blunt. The debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives.
Intersecting, overlapping, not-quite-what-they-seem lives. Jealousies and betrayals and wounded hearts. A haunting unease that clutches and won’t let go. All this and more helps propel Paula Hawkins’s addictive debut into a new stratum of the psychological thriller genre. At times, I couldn’t help but think: Hitchcockian. From the opening line, the reader knows what they’re in for: “She’s buried beneath a silver birch tree, down towards the old train tracks…” But Hawkins teases out the mystery with a veteran’s finesse. The “girl on the train” is Rachel, who commutes into London and back each day, rolling past the backyard of a happy-looking couple she names Jess and Jason. Then one day Rachel sees “Jess” kissing another man. The day after that, Jess goes missing. The story is told from three character’s not-to-be-trusted perspectives: Rachel, who mourns the loss of her former life with the help of canned gin and tonics; Megan (aka Jess); and Anna, Rachel’s ex-husband’s wife, who happens to be Jess/Megan’s neighbor. Rachel’s voyeuristic yearning for the seemingly idyllic life of Jess and Jason lures her closer and closer to the investigation into Jess/Megan’s disappearance, and closer to a deeper understanding of who she really is. And who she isn’t. This is a book to be devoured. -Neal Thompson
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Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a pattern of repeated physical, sexual and emotional violence and behaviors that one person in a relationship uses to exercise power and control over the other. Cleveland and Northeast Ohio have many resources for victims of domestic violence.
How about something for the Cleveland foodie on your list?
The Cleveland Cooks Cookbooks are packed with hundreds of the best recipes from Cleveland people. Volume 1 is sold out but there are special offers for Volume 2 and 3.
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