Diversity Rules Magazine

Jim Koury is a seeker of personal truth, and desires to empower oth- ers to find their own personal truth, whatever it may be. He is also an ac vist who is not afraid to speak his mind, and ruffle some feath- ers, if necessary. His main objec ve is to get people to think and think for themselves. He espouses Aristotle's mantra, "It is the mark of an educated mind to en- tertain a thought without accep ng it." Jim does not force his views on others but just puts them out there for folks to think about and discard if they wish. The New Year has dawned! Last year sure was a fast one, wasn't it? Wow. Yes, the adage does apply, "The older you get..." We can only hope the coming year brings be er news for us all, and this damn virus begins to abate. It certainly has overstayed its wel- come. Like it was ever welcomed in the first place, eh? GGGGRRRR. This month's main story is a bit different. I received an email about it and it struck me as something sure- ly worthy of being a feature. The email was about a new report from the Diverse Elders Coali on (DEC) and its members and in partnership with the Na- onal Alliance for Caregiving (NAC). The report, calls for policies to support family caregivers in the U.S. that address systemic inequi es. It also is an analysis that reveals how Diverse Family Caregivers of Older Adults in the United States were Impacted during the pandemic. Family Caregiving in Diverse Communi es addresses the needs of diverse family caregivers for older Amer- icans. It focuses on understanding the lived experi- ences of family caregivers who support older adults from the DEC's cons tuent communi es, including racially and ethnically diverse people; American In- dians and Alaska Na ves; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/ques oning (LGBTQ+) peo- ple. Key themes that have emerged in the report include a lack of resources to adequately and culturally re- sponsively address caregivers' mental health, social isola on, and financial strain. The report also high- lights protec ve factors or how our communi es exercise resilience despite the pandemic and other inequi es. The (DEC) advocates for policies and programs that improve aging in our communi es as racially and eth- nically diverse people; American Indians and Alaska Na ves; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or trans- gender people. We envision a world where all older adults can live full and ac ve lives as they age. Also in this issue are other great features, including the regular contribu ng authors and columnists, as well as other ar cles of interest, along with book and movie reviews. I hope you enjoy this month's feature and the other great informa on sources included as well. I just want to finish by encouraging you all to get vac- cinated, and/or get your booster. The Omicron vari- ant is running rampant and is expected to increase the number of cases exponen ally before it begins to peak later in January. PLEASE GET VACCINATED. While one can s ll get the virus when vaccinated, it will certainly lessen the severity of the disease and keep you out of the hospital. There is no excuse to not get the jab if you can. PLEASE DO IT. Well, hopefully by the me January comes to a close we will be in a much be er posi on, and that 2022 shapes up to be a great year for all of us. I know personally, the last two years have sucked. Time to shake it off and move on, right? See you in February! My Two Cents A Message From The Editor James R. Koury, Editor/Publisher Diversity Rules Magazine | Jan 2022 | 3

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