Who is Makayla Raney?

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1 November Issue 2016 Who is Makayla Raney? Makayla Raney, is a native of Columbus, Ohio and at 22-years-old, she is a 4th year undergraduate at the University of Cincinnati; where she is currently pursuing a B.S. & B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. She is expected to graduate this upcoming Spring Makayla plans to attend graduate school at the University of Cincinnati in their 4+1 program where she anticipates to obtain her Master s in Community Psychology within a year. Her ambition is to gain more experience in the Criminal Justice field as a Parole Officer for the State of Ohio before ultimately working for a Federal Correctional Institution as a Case Manager and retire in 20 years. Makayla s definitive goal is to open her own Residential Re-entry Centers, ( The Raney Center ) across the country. Connect with Secretary Raney! RANEY.MAKAYLA@GMAIL.COM She currently is serving as a Student Representative for the Administrative Review Committee for misconduct hearings at her University, a Habari Gani Ambassador for the African-American Cultural Resource Center on her campus. She is a member of Black Arts Collaborative s Poetry department, the Fundraising Chair for Shades of You a organization devoted to empowering women of color, the current Secretary of Transform into Bearcats an organization attentive to transfer students and a member of the Psychology Club & Criminal Justice Society. MAKAYLA We delight in the beauty of the butterfl y but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. -Maya Angelou

2 Message from the Secretary Greetings! I am very humble to serve as your Secretary on the NABCJ Student Council for this school year. The National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice is one of the most needed and influential organizations of its time and has quickly became a very big part of my extended family. Although I have not been a member even a year yet, I am so grateful for the opportunities, friendships and mentors I have gained from this amazing organization in such a short amount of time. As a member of NABCJ, it is our duty to stand for what we believe is right, what is the law, as well as with our community to be the difference, which can seem like a challenge at times. And, with all the advocacy against and reform needed in the Criminal Justice System, YOU are the major key! Literally! Your involvement and future career paths in this field are exactly what is needed during this time to enact change. Even if your destination is not to work in the field of criminal justice specifically, your support and the alliances you build and develop as well as any of your contributions during this crucial time is just as important. As representatives of your Chapter and the National Association as a whole, we are the standard many do and will look up to now and in the future. The members of the Student Council and myself are here to help you in any way that we can to make sure you thrive in this organization and field regardless your endeavors so please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us for anything, from just saying hi, to forthcoming opportunities, because we are here for you! Sincerely Yours, Makayla Raney

3 More than just brightening up your day, sharing a good laugh can improve your health. The sound of laughter draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, strengthen your immune system, and diminish pain. As children, we used to laugh hundreds of times a day, but as adult s life tends to be more serious and laughter more infrequent. By seeking out more opportunities for humor and laughter, though, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness and even add years to your life. Here are five little things you can do: 1. Share funny moments even if they are embarrassing with friends 2. Host a game night for friends 3. When you hear laughter, move towards it 4. Seek out playful people who laugh easily 5. Learn to laugh at yourself Laughter By: Destiny McFarlin Nothing balances your nervous system faster than communicating face-to-face with another person. Add laughter to that communication and you have a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety, pain, and conflict. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you to release anger and be more forgiving. With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health. Laughter is good for your health Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after. Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain. Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems. Laughter burns calories. OK, so it s no replacement for going to the gym, but one study found that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes a day can burn about 40 calories which could be enough to lose three or four pounds over the course of a year. Laughter lightens anger s heavy load. Nothing diffuses anger and conflict faster than a shared laugh. Looking at the funny side can put problems into perspective and enable you to move on from confrontations without holding onto bitterness or resentment. Laughter may even help you to live longer. A study in Norway found that people with a strong sense of humor outlived those who don't laugh as much. The difference was particularly notable for those battling cancer. There are many physical, emotional and social benefits of laughter. Let s all try to laugh a little more and stress a lot less.

4 November Chapter Highlight Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth is our chapter of the month this month. Their current president is Lauren Waller. They have had many events over the course of the semester however the highlight of their events was the Perception Vs. Reality panel discussion held on November 16 th. VCU is one of the more active chapters this year and we are elated to highlight them has chapter of the month.

5 Scholarship Opportunity! National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice The Criminal Justice Solutions Organization 2017 NABCJ Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Award The National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ) will award a scholarship to an individual who demonstrates academic excellence and financial need. This scholarship award is presented annually at NABCJ s Annual Conference and Training Institute (the scholarship recipient is encouraged to attend the National Conference usually held in July). The purpose of the Scholarship is to offer deserving students financial assistance in continuing their education in the criminal justice field. The scholarship is awarded to the best candidate who is in good scholastic standing and plans to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice or a closely related Criminal Justice field. The amount of the scholarship is $2, A. Academic Criteria: The successful candidate demonstrates superior achievement in past educational accomplishment activities and has been accepted in a Criminal Justice Undergraduate program. 1 Candidate has maintained the equivalent of a B average. 2 Candidate has been accepted or is currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in Criminal Justice that will start the fall after receipt of the scholarship. 3 The Candidate must submit a 1,000-word essay on why they are pursuing a career in Criminal Justice and why they are seeking the scholarship. 4 Candidate must provide a copy of high school/current transcript supporting the reported GPA and must also include a copy of acceptance letter from University or College where accepted. B. Financial Criteria A successful candidate will demonstrate need based on hardship or lack of opportunity to accumulate supplemental financial funds for the candidate s education. 1 Specific criteria for demonstrating financial need are: Emancipated youth) will submit a statement explaining prior financial planning for the candidate s education. 2 A statement will be submitted by the candidate s parent or the legal guardian that describes the present need for financial assistance. 3 Supportive documentation must be at least one or more of the following provided by the student and/or the parent: Current W-2 form, 1040, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), or Financial Aid. C. Volunteer Service: Candidate must provide documentation of community/volunteer service. ***Incomplete Applications will not be processed. APPLICATIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY MARCH 27, 2017 MAIL TO: NCCU/NABCJ P.O. BOX C, DURHAM, N.C

6 Active Student Chapters Alabama State University Clark Atlanta University Fayetteville State University Florida A&M University Grambling State University Langston University Michigan State University North Carolina Central University Old Dominion University Sam Houston State University South Carolina State University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia State University Wiley College