Page 8 • May 10 - May 16, 2010 • Insight News insightnews.

com

It pays to seek wisdom and ask good questions
Style on
a dime
By Marcia Humphrey
What you don’t know can’t hurt
you, right? Not!! Actually what
you don’t know can deal a
devastating blow to your health,
career, and finances. In the Bible
there is an insightful scripture
which basically says: Wisdom is
the principal thing, so seek wisdom
and get understanding Proverbs
4:7.
One of my favorite family
members, Cousin Betty, recently
reminded me of how a lack of
understanding robbed our
grandmother of her sight. My 93-
year-old grandma lost her vision to
glaucoma several decades ago.
Prior to that, this very proud,
independent woman struggled to
raise eight children, largely on her
own. When she first began to
experience the symptoms of
glaucoma, she kept it to herself. By
the time she finally admitted her
LIFESTYLE
problem to a doctor and her adult
children, it was too late. With early
detection her glaucoma could have
been treated and her eyesight
saved, but she did not know and
worse, she did not make her
difficulties known to others so that
she could gain an understanding of
her condition. By the time she was
completely blind, my witty and
feisty Grandma continued to
demand that her eyeglasses be
placed in her hand so that she could
wear them. She felt that everyone
did not need to know that she was
blind.
In many ways Grandma was in
denial of her situation. Instead of
acknowledging the fact that her
sight was slowly failing, and
seeking help, she suffered in
silence. It did not have to be that
way. Are you in need of answers or
insight regarding a health concern?
Are you seeking a job (or a better
job)? Are you having relationship
difficulties? Asking questions,
especially the right ones, can be
one of your most beneficial assets,
so don’t be shy.
1. Ask Your Doctor-Are you
struggling with a nagging health
concern that has been bothering
you for months? Instead of
torturing yourself with worry,
make an appointment with your
physician. Write out questions in
advance, so you don’t forget.
Studies show early detection and
treatment of medical issues,
provide the best opportunity for
optimal recovery. Also, to stay in
tip top shape, don’t neglect your
annual examinations.
2. Ask Your Boss/Mentor-
Instead of being frustrated at work
after not getting the promotion-
when you were clearly most
qualified- go to your manager or
trusted mentor and ask for
feedback. Ask a question like,
“What specific things will make
me a strong candidate for the next
advancement opportunity?
3. Ask Your Family; ask
Yourself -Isn’t it amazing how our
family and close friends can see
things in us that we are unable, or
unwilling to see? If you are in a www.minority-speak.com
place where you feel stuck, it may
be time to ask for some candid very honest and have a find all the answers to the life. Lastly, ask God to show you
feedback from one or two honest conversation with yourself and ask, questions that you ask, just how to apply the wisdom. Enjoy!
people in your life who really love “Am I setting goals and making remember that knowledge is
you. You might ask, “What do you positive plans for my life?” “Are power. Read books, listen to CDs Marcia Humphrey is an interior
see as my greatest strengths? What my current friends a help or a related to your interests and goals. decorator and home stager who
do you feel may be my greatest hindrance to my life?” “Do I need Be wise. Gather information. Ask specializes in achieving high style
opportunity for growth? What more education to fulfill my questions. These principles will at low costs. A native of Michigan,
untapped potential do you see in dreams?” place you on a successful path she and her husband, Lonnie, have
me?” Sometimes you have to get While it’s true that you may not toward fulfilling your purpose in three children.

UROC The event is free and open to the

From 1
placed a priority on discovering
solutions to the many complex issues
facing urban communities.
Creating a physical presence in
the urban community was the first
major step in this initiative.
UROC comes online as home to
12 university programs that pursue
research and outreach in partnership
with individuals and organizations in
the communities.
“The University of Minnesota is
committed to developing strategic,
sustainable partnerships with urban
communities, residents and
governments, leading to positive,
measurable outcomes with
significant impact toward improving
lives and stimulating economic
growth,” says university Senior Vice
President Robert Jones.
public and will include building
tours, refreshments, an art exhibit by
Fawzia Kahn and Lynn Fellman, a
youth choir performance by
CitySongs and brief remarks by
University of Minnesota Board of
Regents Chair Clyde Allen,
university President Robert
Bruininks and several community
and government leaders who have
been instrumental in making the
partnership a reality. Jones will host
the event that includes welcome
festivities at 3:30 p.m., followed by a
ribbon-cutting ceremony and short
program at 4 p.m.
Ora Hokes, a long-time
Northside resident who participated
in all of the early meetings that led to
UROC’s formation, says UROC is a
fulfillment of the community’s
vision. “When I look at the end
product-UROC-and think about all
the community requested of the
university-it’s all there,” she says.
“The U said, ‘We’re going to walk
with you.’ So we’re seeing programs
at UROC that help young parents
learn to feed their kids healthy meals
and that help our young
entrepreneurs get a solid start. The U
listened to us and the U heard us.”
The event will provide an
opportunity for guests to talk with
community partners and university
faculty and staff about the many
research, outreach and education
programs in the facility that are
designed to address key issues such
as health and nutrition, education, the
arts, and community and economic
development. These programs are
highlighted at
http://www.uroc.umn.edu/programs/
index.html.
More information about the
event can be found at
www.uroc.umn.edu. You can RSVP
at www.uroc.umn.edu/launch or by
calling (612) 626-UROC (8762)
The following programs are
affiliated with UROC:
African American & African Studies
Outreach
College of Liberal Arts
Broadband Access Project
Business and Technology Center (B-
Tech Center)
Office for Business and Community
Economic Development (BCED)
Center for Health Equity
School of Medicine
Child and Family Center
CitySongs
Extension
Urban Youth Development: (612)
624-4658; Nutrition Education:
(612) 624-4820; Family
Development: (612) 624-4858
FIPSE-UROC Work Groups
Fund for the Improvement of
Postsecondary Education
Five Hundred Under 5
Center for Early Education and
Development (CEED)
Simply Good Eating Programs
University of Minnesota Extension
University Northside Partnership
Community Affairs Committee
Urban Minnesota Area Health
Education Center (AHEC)
Pam Cosby, director
(612) 624-4541
Urban Youth Development Office
(Urban 4-H)
University Extension
The project was developed by
UROC’s founding director, Dr. Irma
McClaurin, Associate Vice President
for System Academic
Administration, and tenured
professor in the University’s
Anthropology Department.
In March, Jones announced a
leadership team that will work with
him to build the next critical phase of
development of the Urban Research
and Outreach/Engagement Center
(UROC) including:
Heidi Barajas, associate dean for
engagement and faculty
development, College of Education
and Human Development, and
associate professor, Department of
Postsecondary Teaching and
Learning;
Rose Brewer, professor and past
chairperson of the African-American
and African Studies Department,
College of Liberal Arts, and
University Morse-Alumni
Distinguished Teaching Professor;
Geoff Maruyama, professor of
educational psychology, College of
Education and Human
Development, and special assistant
to the senior vice president for
System Academic Administration.