Urban Views Weekly February 24, 2016

Feb. 24, 2016 Scholar of the Week - Elise Chapman

Personal Injuries: Getting payment for Pain and Suffering

2 Urban Views Weekly | February 24, 2016 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

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FUNdraising Good Times

Making the needle move: Corporate men behind the birth of the UNCF telethon

Civic Beat

Part Two of a two-part series

What contributed to the success of the history-making UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Lou Rawls telethon? Leadership, collaboration, team work, and a respect for the individual goals of participating partners.

In part one of this series, we provided a look at what went on behind the scenes to create a partnership between UNCF and Anheuser-Busch. Once the initial team members were committed, it was time for creativity and hard work.

Anheuser-Busch, through its resources and financial power, propelled the UNCF telethon into the largest African American special event in the United States held on one day. Wayman Smith, Anheuser-Busch’s vice president for minority affairs, used his position to the fullest extent and changed the face of African American philanthropy in the United States through his efforts with UNCF. He brought on board Victor Julien, then manager of national events and incentives, and independent marketing specialist Byron Glore.

Julien made it his business to make sure that his marketing team – and the resources of Anheuser-Busch – such as their public relations, marketing and sales team were

truly behind the telethon and involved. He also ensured they worked closely with local UNCF teams (staff and volunteers) across the country in local Anheuser-Busch markets.

Glore produced the entertainment for the telethon, creating a world-class television show that met the standards of all participating TV stations and networks. It was imperative that the entertainment, talent and production values were all first class. TV stations were donating air time and the telethon had to keep their viewers watching, and attract an expanded audience. An excellent production helped sustain participating stations. As a producer, Glore insisted on diversity at all levels of the production team from writers, to talent, to production staff.

The late Chris Edley, then CEO of UNCF, assigned our own Melvin B. Shaw to develop and manage the telethon with special emphasis on staff development, volunteer training and management, sponsorship, and TV/Radio recruiting. Shaw’s team was charged with creating an annual fundraising plan for the telethon, producing the local TV segments; recruiting additional national and local sponsors; developing a network of TV, radio and cable stations to air the telethon; and developing a well-trained pool of continues on page 5

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The Hippodrome528 North 2nd Street

Central Virginia African American Chamber of CommerceEmail: [email protected] • Phone: 804-823-7745

Join the chamber by going online to www.CVAACC.org

February 24, 20166:30pm-8:30pm

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RSVP online at www.CVAACC.org Event CalendarNon-Members $20.00 – Online RSVP Only

3 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com Urban Views Weekly | February 24 2016

valve.vcu.edu

Welcome to Urban Views Health News, a bi-monthly feature focusing on health, specific health-related issues, fitness and fun and giving tips on how we can become healthier individually and as a community.

It’s February, and this month is Heart Health Month! You may see folks wearing red all month to recognize and bring awareness to heart disease, which is considered the “silent killer” because it often has no symptoms, or presents pain that is barely noticeable.

Typical heart attack symptoms include:

• Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.

• Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck or arms.

• Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.

The best thing you can do is be proactive about being healthy and active to keep yourself in the clear.

Do you remember Diahann Carroll’s character in the TV series Julia? Dr. Debra Barksdale, associate dean of academic programs at Virginia Commonwealth University, says that even though Julia played a nurse, her character inspired her to become a nurse and help make the Black community be aware of cardiovascular diseases.

Check out this clip from Julia – Watch Video at UrbanViewsWeekly.com

During Heart Health Month, Dr. Barksdale encourages us to dance, to start getting healthy and active. In our February 17 column, we chatted with Dr. Barksdale about her transition to Richmond and also about tips we can take to get ourselves healthier. Being active is a great first step to adopting a healthy lifestyle.

“Let’s do some Zumba,” she says. “Let’s move this month and dance. When we move, we feel better and when we feel better we can do other things better.”

Regular exercise is an important way to lower your risk of heart disease. Exercising for 30 minutes

or more on most days can help you lose weight, improve your cholesterol, and even lower your blood pressure by as many as five to seven points. Every year, Americans suffer more than 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes. Nearly 44% of African American men and 48% of African American women have some form of cardiovascular disease that includes heart disease and stroke.

Here are some of the facts:

• Heart disease is the No.1 killer of women worldwide.

• A woman is 10 times more likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer.

• One in four people will die from heart disease.

One of the most shocking facts, 80 percent of heart disease and stroke events are preventable. Education is key for prevention and advocacy is necessary to help prevent heart disease and stroke.

Did you know 43% of all Americans have cholesterol that is higher than it should be? Forty percent are black women and 37% are black men.

Yes, we know mommy and auntie may have heart problems, but that does not mean the same has to be for you. Let’s break these bad habits in the Black community.

So, let’s take Dr. Barksdale’s advice and dance this month! Dance to your favorite Beyoncé hit or sign up for a local Zumba class. Moving and getting active.

Cheers to a healthy heart and happy life!

sponsored by VCU HealthJ. Chevonte’ Alexander

Dr. Barksdale

Health News

Let’s Dance in February!


The concept of the “generation gap” has been around since the beginning of time. Today, we label generational divides by the decades between the vast perspectives, core values, lifestyles and the political leanings of people within categories such as Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X and the Millennials. The gap between the delayed gratification folks versus the I want it right now ones and the work to live versus the live to work folks seems to be ever increasing as we continue to be fully immersed in the political season. A season that feels more akin to an episode of the television show Punk’d or a story on the front page of The Onion, a farcical newspaper that features world, national and community news, than it does to any actual reality. We have people calling for a political revolution.

Revolution, as a concept for Millennials, is not the same as it is for the Baby Boomers that lived through the violence of the 1960s when the assassinations of Kennedy, Medgar, Malcolm, King and Kennedy had major cities burning from Watts to Detroit, Chicago to Philadelphia, Newark, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Baltimore. Church burnings were rampant, along with state-sanctioned violence and the struggle for civil rights and social justice filled the streets of America with blood. Baby Boomers do not throw around the term “revolution” without pause because there are grave and deadly consequences to political revolution, consequences that Millennials have not completely thought through. Urban communities like Detroit and Newark have never recovered from the race riots, massive destruction of property, economic blight and white flight of the 1960s and 1970s. However, the politics of discrimination could not overcome the tenacity and commitment surrounding the engagement of a

disenfranchised Black population finally able to participate in the process of Democracy. The battle was hard fought by warriors for justice in the decades of social and political revolution, by those who are now called the Baby Boomers. The power of the vote as the ultimate proof of citizenship created a climate and cultivated a cultural shift over time (decades) that was able to elect America’s first Black President. And now we stand at a place where some say we need a political revolution that will compel the super rich to share the wealth and the economic power brokers to give back to those who made them rich. A revolution? Really? Many who are calling for this so-called revolution are not prepared for what that call really means and what it may cost.

Those who lived through the dogs, the beatings, the bullets, riots and fires of the struggle for civil rights want to caution our children and our grandchildren to be very careful what they do with the vote that they have, for when they call for revolution they may be unprepared to see it through to its end point, especially when the sacrifice must be added up in both blood and treasure. Access to the ballot must be protected at all costs because that is truly the way to make change that is both Constitutional and transformational. We don’t just want to burn stuff down in the search of revolution…unless perhaps it is the criminal justice system. The Boomers and the Millennials are divided about how we make the change we need

and who will be the champions to carry the banner. We do NOT disagree that change is needed…how we make that change is where the generation gap becomes crystal clear.

Up Next Week: We Have a Problem.

ViewPointsBy Dr. T

Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D.Founder and Artistic DirectorThe Conciliation Project andAssociate ProfessorVirginia Commonwealth UniversityDrT@Margins2theCenter.comwww.theconciliationproject.org

The Millennial Gap

TanyaFree.com/Urban Views Weekly Poll

Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance, paying tribute to the Black Lives Matter Movement with references to Hurricane Katrina, continues to be a subject of debate on social media and cable news outlets. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani criticized the performance and a Tennessee Sheriff is blaming the performance for an alleged rise in violence against police officers.

What’s your take on Beyonce’s “Formation” Super Bowl performance?Check out the story and respond to this week’s poll at TanyaFree.com and the Urban Views Weekly FACEBOOK Page. Listen to the Tanya Free and Friends Talk Show Wednesdays @ 2pm on WCLM1450AM streaming LIVE @ TanyaFree.com and BlackTalkRadioNetwork.com. You can now watch us LIVE at TanyaFree.com and ustream.tv

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More Women Buying HomesBy Anna Chang-Yen

volunteers. Early UNCF team members included James Alston, William Allen, Carmen Botto, Jan Honore, Kristie Patton, Stephen McDaniel, Harriet Morgan Ecton, Valerie Davis, William Casey, and Ron Bookman.

This team – and others – helped make the telethon a catalyst through which the African American community supported the goal and mission of UNCF. It engaged people from all across the community, giving each an opportunity to become involved, give, and be recognized on TV and radio.

Before the telethon, there was never a partnership between a corporation and an African American nonprofit at that scale, or with that level of resources behind it. Anheuser-Busch and UNCF developed an ideal cause marketing partnership, one that advanced the internal and external business, financial, and marketing goals of each. Most importantly, this fabulous partnership of resources helped to educate thousands of our young men and women.

Copyright 2016– Mel and Pearl Shaw For help growing your fundraising visit www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

From Fundraiser pg 2

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The path to homeownership may be rough for single women, but it is more tenable for women today. Single women are buying homes at an increasing rate, according to new research.When the National Association of Realtors released its Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers in 2012, it found that single women accounted for 23 percent of first-time buyers and 16 percent of repeat buyers. Fifteen percent of first-timers and 8 percent of repeat homebuyers were men.With home prices unusually low right for the past few years, women who may have found home ownership out of reach in the past are taking another look. No one knows why women are buying more homes than men, but Walter Molony, a spokesman for Realtors, speculated that “it may be as simple as most guys don’t get serious about housing until they meet the right woman.”

Money MattersWomen still earn 79 cents for every dollar a man earns, making the obstacles to homeownership higher for women. To make matters worse, the American Association of University Women said in early 2016 that the pay gap has barely budged in a decade, and at the current rate, the gap won’t close for more than 100 years.Women should be cautious about their budget when shopping, urges Bankrate, and it’s probably a good idea to shop below the amount of mortgage for which you qualify. Added to other housing expenses and household debt, a mortgage can be stifling for a single earner.

Some ways to cut costs include shopping around before deciding on a mortgage and asking the seller to make any necessary repairs before closing. In 2011, the Social Science Research Network released a study showing women, on average, pay more than men for mortgages because they tend to find their lenders by recommendation, while men shop around.Women who are veterans should get information about Veterans Administration

loans, which require low down payments and closing costs, and Federal Housing Administration loans can keep costs down for women who are first-time buyers.The Department of Housing and Urban Development helps low-income women

attain homeownership through its HOME Investment Partnerships program. This program provides grant funds to state and local governments to provide affordable housing.

A Worthy Investment Bankrate quotes Mariko Chang, a consultant studying the wealth gap for women for the Insight Center for Community Economic Development in Oakland, Calif., who said “single women are more likely to work at jobs with lower retirement and other benefits.” “Housing is expected to be a good investment over the long run,” she said,

“making it attractive.” Housing prices have nearly recovered from the highs of the mid- to late 2000s, when the Great Recession began, according to the Economist, so a home is still a good financial choice for many people.

6 Urban Views Weekly | February 24, 2016

Navigating the Legal Maze following an AccidentPersonal injuries can be traumatic, life-changing events. Depending on the severity, they can alter the way you work, play and live your daily life. That’s why the steps taken at the beginning of your case can be the most important moves you make.Between medical bills and lost income, personal injuries also can have a big impact on your financial future. Many accident victims are dependent on the damages awarded after an injury, so maximizing your settlement is key.

Be Careful What You ShareSocial media is the perfect platform for updating friends, family and the world about your life. If you are in an accident, your first instinct may be to post an update to your Facebook wall or Twitter profile. Stop right there! Legal professionals advise clients to keep any sensitive information to themselves if they want any chance at landing a settlement. Why? Because everything that is posted on social media may be considered public. This means that information about an injury claim could be used against a plaintiff by the defense. For anyone involved in litigation, it’s best to refrain from posting your thoughts on the case, your experi-ence with the injury and your progress of recovery. This type of information is being watched for by lawyers and the people involved in your case. So think before you hit that “send” button and follow our tips on social media usage during a personal injury situa-tion.

Keep Quiet OnlineHopefully your personal social media accounts are set to private. Research shows that most are not, so that should be your first step in using social media dur-ing litigation. This keeps outsiders from being able to scroll through your posts and read your updates. That being said, it’s still common sense to keep all information about your personal injury accident, legal advice, photos of your injuries or other related tidbits out of the world of social media. Your personal

injury attorney will advise you to keep quiet online for the best chance of winning your case. We know this can be tough. But instead of posting a photo of your overall physical condition, ask a friend to stop by to talk about what’s going on. Face-to-face interaction

can provide a much more intimate, comforting feeling than social media. That’s exactly what you need when trying to recover from a personal injury. Biggest MistakesYou’ve surely heard of stories about someone involved in a personal injury case posting photos of themselves engaged in vigorous activity such as a skiing or hiking trip. This actually happens. These types of photos are damaging in many ways, especially if you’re attempt-ing to win a settlement that includes monetary com-pensation for chronic pain or serious injuries. One overlooked mistake can be not alerting your friends and family members to follow the same guidelines. Ask them to refrain from posting updates

on your condition, even if the updates are meant for friends and family members. This means no tagging you in any posts that may have negative consequences for your case and absolutely no mention of any con-fidential deals that are reached in settlement negotia-tions.

You May Need a LawyerFinding the right personal injury attorney to represent your case in negotiations, settlements or even a lawsuit is one of the most important actions you can take once your injuries are under control. How do you find a legitimate personal injury lawyer? Where should you look and what kinds of questions should you ask to make sure their firm is the right fit for your needs? Read on for three characteristics of a top personal injury lawyer and start your path to a successful settle-ment. Specialization in Injury LawThere are many arms of the law, and different attor-neys have different specializations. Your task is to find an attorney who specializes in injury law. There are many intricacies to this subset of the legal field.How long has the attorney been practicing injury law? Are you confident with his strategy for getting the compensation that is due to you in a timely manner? Ask yourself these questions before signing on the dotted line. Extensive Courtroom ExperienceWhether or not your personal injury case enters the courtroom, it’s best to have a lawyer with loads of experience initiating investigations, securing evidence, dealing with witnesses and filing legal documents. There are many negotiations to be conducted within a personal injury case, including with insurance compa-nies and other lawyers. Put your trust in an attorney who can prove years of courtroom experience and successful outcomes.

A Flexible Pricing Structure Injury cases can be downright expensive to prove. In order to prove damages, your attorney may need to engage the services of physicians, neurologists, ortho-pedic specialists and accident investigators. You’ll want to find a personal injury lawyer who works on a flexible payment structure, specifically for a contingency plan. Negotiate a deal with your at-torney that will leave you out little to no money if you don’t win your case.

First Steps After a WreckBeing involved in a car accident can be a frightening experience, but taking clear-headed steps immediately following it can make or break your personal safety and ability to land a settlement. This can be easier said than done. That’s why having a clear plan of action top of mind at all times is crucial to being able to execute it should the need arise. And the first step to that plan should always be to seek immedi-ate medical attention, even if your injuries seem minor. Many symptoms — including pain, dizziness or numbness — can crop up days or weeks later. And if you never received treatment or medical clearance, it may be hard to have these damages paid for in a personal injury settlement claim.

Document Your Experience As soon as you’re able to, take detailed notes and photos on your injuries, medical treatment and any symptoms that come after the fact. The Department of Motor Vehicles advises you to keep the following records: • Receipts for medications you were prescribed or any assistive devices such as crutches that were needed, as well as every form of corre-spondence you had with medical professionals during the course of treatment.

• A specific, detailed journal on your injuries and medical care.• Information about the accident, documented with photos of the accident location if possible. • Numerous photos of your car’s damage at every angle. • Proof of financial losses, such as lost wages and op-portunities.• Names and contact information of witnesses. Common Mistakes After a car accident, you may apologize or admit fault to your car insurance agent. Doing so can compro-mise your claim. Give your detailed, honest account to law enforcement officers, who will then provide a po-lice report to your insurance company for a decision. The DMV recommends following these tips to avoid other common mistakes: • Don’t reach a personal injury settlement until you

have completed all of your medical treatment and your injuries are as healed as they are going to

get. • Don’t sign forms or checks with releases on them before you’re ready to settle com-pletely. • Don’t talk to people about the case un-less you need to.

Personal Injuries: By the Numbers

In the United States, about 60 percent of civil litigation trials are related to some form of personal injury, according to the

most recent statistics from the United States Department of Justice.

Here are more statistics from the DOJ that paint the picture how, where and why personal injuries are prevalent in our country.

According to the DOJ: • 52 percent of personal injuries are the result of mo-tor vehicle accidents.• 15 percent are in relation to medical malpractice.• 5 percent are the result of product liability.• The remaining 28 percent are classified as “other” cases. In terms of cases that went to trial, the DOJ finds that plaintiffs are successful in about half of the cases. Here are the splits, according to the DOJ: • In motor vehicle related incidents, plaintiffs are successful 61 percent of the time.• In intentional tort trials, plaintiffs are successful 50 percent of the time.• In premises liability trials, the success rate for plaintiffs stands at 39 percent.• In product liability trials, plaintiffs were successful in 38 percent of cases.• Just 19 percent of plaintiffs were successful in medical malpractice trials.

7 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

Navigating the Legal Maze following an Accident

Breakdown of how damages are paid out:

• Half of all plaintiffs receive no more

than $24,000.

• The median award is $31,000 for all cases.

• The median award in motor vehicle

personal injury cases is $16,000.

• The median award in premises liability

cases is $90,000.

• Intentional tort cases have a median

payout of $100,000.

• Medical malpractice cases pay out an

average of $679,000.

• Product liability cases have a median

payout of $748,000. Source: Department of Justice

By Bernard Freeman


RICHMOND, Va. – Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site is one of 36 National Parks featured in the Google Cultural Institute, a digital platform which makes hundreds of historically and culturally significant objects available online. Contributors to the site include the Palace of Versailles, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, and the Museo del Greco. Other featured National Parks include Grand Teton National Park, Gettysburg National Military Park, and Dinosaur National Monument. The partnership comes as the NPS celebrates its Centennial anniversary this year.The Google Cultural Institute uses technologies similar to Google’s Street View –providing 360-degree views on Google Maps of locations around the world -- to photograph and virtually map important artifacts, photos, records and works of art to share important material with global audiences and digitally preserve them for future generations.Virtual tours of Maggie L. Walker’s home and workplace, along with images of artifacts from her collection, can be viewed on a National Park Service “channel” that highlights over 3,800 works of art, artifacts and records, as well as a Centennial Virtual Exhibit, which features a significant museum object from over 350 national park sites. The highly detailed photography allows web users to navigate through the Walker home and get behind the scenes, zooming in on artifacts or architectural features that catch their eye. An annotated virtual tour option offers details and interpretation for selected museum pieces. Also available for a virtual tour is St. Luke Hall, where Walker ran her African American fraternal order, the Independent Order of St. Luke, an organization dedicated to advancing social and financial opportunities for African Americans. The site is a significant part of Walker’s story but is not part of the historic site. Through the Google Cultural institute, web users can now view contemporary street perspectives with historic photos and objects, essentially bringing Walker’s bygone office back to life.

“The National Park Service is proud to partner with Google to make important symbols of our shared national heritage accessible to more Americans than ever,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis.

“Visitors to the National Park Service collection in the Google Cultural Institute will have the unique opportunity

to see rare Native American artifacts, browse inspiring works of art that convey our nation’s history and natural beauty, and virtually walk through the homes of great American thinkers, like Frederick Douglass and Thomas Edison.”

“These online galleries and exhibits hold limitless possibilities for long-distance learning, foreign language applications, and for people with impaired mobility who may otherwise not be able to take a standard house tour,” said Ethan Bullard, Museum Curator for the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site and Richmond National Battlefield Park.On August 25, 2016, the NPS will celebrate 100 years of protecting, preserving and sharing the nation’s national parks. For the last 100 years, operating under the U.S. Department of the Interior, the NPS’s mission has expanded to help communities across the United States to revitalize their communities, preserve local history, celebrate local heritage, and create close-to-home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun. For more information on the NPS’s Centennial effort, visit http://www.nps.gov/subjects/centennial/index.htm. The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site has been a unit of the National Park Service since 1978. Guided tours

of her restored home, located in historic Jackson Ward, are given by National Park Rangers. The park visitor center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional information is available at 804-771-2017, or on the web at www.nps.gov/mawa or www.Facebook.com/MaggieLWalkerNHS.

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site Featured in New Partnership with GoogleNational Park Service partnership with Google Cultural Institute digitally features virtual tours, historical artifacts

Boydton Plank Road (Route 1) Bridge Repairs

Dinwiddie County Willingness to Hold Public Hearing

The Department of Transportation is proposing to repair the southbound bridge on Boydton Plank Road (Route 1) over the CSX railroad in Dinwiddie. The project will upgrade the deficient bridge and reduce the southbound bridge from two lanes to one. During construction, all traffic heading over the southbound bridge will be moved to the northbound bridge. Review the project information and National Environmental Policy Act documentation at VDOT’s Richmond District Office located at 2430 Pine Forest Drive in Colonial Heights, 23834-9002 804-524-6000, 1-800-367-7623,TTY/TDD 711. Please call ahead to ensure the availability of appropriate personnel to answer your questions. If your concerns cannot be satisfied, VDOT is willing to hold a public hearing. You may request that a public hearing be held by sending a written request to Tony Haverly, PE, PMP, Project Manager, Virginia Department of Transportation, 2430 Pine Forest Drive, Colonial Heights, VA 23834-9002 or [email protected] on or prior to March 7, 2016. If a request for a public hearing is received, notice of date, time and place of the hearing will be posted. VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you have questions or concerns about your civil rights in regards to this project or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact the project manager listed above.

State Project: 0001-026-576, P101, R201, C501, B607 Federal Project: BR-5A27(062), BR-5A27(321), BR-026-4(020),

BR-026-4(020)


What if your next doctor’s visit could happen by smartphone from anywhere in the world? It could happen sooner than you think.

It’s called telemedicine, or telehealth: The use of Internet-connected devices to communicate infor-mation about diseases, symptoms and other health data. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is driving innovators in healthcare and technology to develop apps and devices that offer greater access to healthcare products and services at a lower cost. In fact, the global telehealth market is expected to grow from $440.6 million in 2013 to $4.5 billion by 2018, according to Colorado-based research firm IHS.

How could this affect you? Though apps that mea-sure everything from your daily walk or run to your heart rate are already available, an incredible range of options are coming. Here are some of the current and future product development trends in smart-phone and wearable healthcare:

Physical activity and vitals tracking. While many major health systems and hospitals allow you to download apps that let you schedule appointments, see lab results and even communicate by email or text with your doctor, such offerings have no diagnostic value… yet. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently released policy state-ments on what it calls “mobile medical apps” that

will actually allow tracking of vital health data for direct interpretation by trained health professionals.

GPS Medicine. Let’s say you need to fill a prescrip-tion and you want to know the cheapest place to buy it within a 10-mile radius of your office. Using technology similar to the restaurant, movie and service-finding sites you probably use now, devel-opers are considering similar models for medical supply and service pricing data that could save you money in real time.

Diagnosis by selfie. Who knew taking a selfie could help improve your health? This new technology al-lows patients to take a photo of a non-life-threaten-ing injury or rash using their cell phones. Then, an algorithm processes the image, evaluates it and texts back the diagnosis. Developers are coming up with sensors to collect symptom- and condition-related health data, which could mean that in the future, physicians will have a lot more to work with than a mere photo.

Virtual appointments. Healthcare legislation is also expected to spur use of handheld devices to create 24/7, real-time communication between patients and practitioners for the cost of a co-pay – or less. In a 2014 report, consulting firm Deloitte said that there would be 100 million health “eVisits” globally, potentially saving over $5 billion in costs compared to those incurred by

traditional physician visits.

But before you start downloading this new technol-ogy, research the following:

• Who made the app and what do the developers really know about my condition?

• What about privacy? What’s in the app’s usage agreement and how safe is the payment, pre-scription or medical data required to use the app?

• What does my primary care doctor or my insurer think about me using this app? Could using it affect my coverage in any way?

• What does it really cost to use the app and how might it affect data charges on my smartphone or tablet bill?

Bottom line: The ability to manage your health-care by smartphone is a revolutionary concept. But before you dive in head first, learn as much as you can about the technology and whether your current health professionals and networks support it.

Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa’s financial education pro-grams. To follow Practical Money Skills on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.

By Nathaniel Sillin

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GPA: 3.4

College of Interest: Virginia Commonwealth University or Colombia University

Major Community Service: Richmond Film Festival and Richmond Triangle Players Theatre

Strong Interests: Film, Cinema and Screenwriting

Favorite Activities: Watch movies and write

Elise Chapman not only wants to go to college to experience new things and learn more about the world, but she also wants to go to fulfill her dream of working in the movie industry. Elise has always been interested in movies. At first, she wanted to be an actress but then she became more interested in the creative process. Even in her spare time she likes to watch movies. “I like analyzing the process and how the creators decided to do what they did,” Elise said. “Just basically analyze their decisions and how it came to be and like the creative process.” She also likes to practice writing fiction, non-fiction and narrative stories.

With an interest in film, cinema and the theatre, Elise wants to study and one day work her way to creating her own movies and writing her own scripts. “I would describe my dream job as being a director and, or movie producer, and writer,” Elise said about her professional aspirations. “I have a lot of goals, but directing is my number one, my dream.” Some of her favorite types of movies are horror films. She enjoys the shock factor that these movies create. One of her favorite directors is Quentin Tarantino, the director of movies like “Django Unchained” and

“Kill Bill.” She named him as one of her film role models.

To learn more about film, Elise plans to continue her education in college. Her two top choices are Virginia Commonwealth

University and Colombia University in New York City. VCU is a top choice because of the status of the art school nationwide and their developing film department. Colombia is her other top choice because of their already developed and well-known film school. One lesson she will take with her from high school is to never do anything last minute.

While she is still in high school, she prepares for a life working in film by volunteering at the Richmond Triangle Players Theatre where she ushers and assists with set up for shows. She also volunteers with the Richmond International Film Festival where she has helped with commercials and worked with local film makers. She uses these opportunities as chances to network, meet new people and learn new things about the industry.

Elise said her mom is one of her biggest inspirations. “She’s always telling me to be independent and not rely on other people,” Elise said. “I just go out and seek it myself … and I know I have to work hard for everything.” Elise is continuing to work hard on becoming a director and working in the film industry. She encourages anybody who has a dream, that “if you have a goal, you should go out and do it, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.”

Scholar of the Week By Janeal Downs

Elise Chapman of John Marshall High School

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Urban Views Weekly February 24, 2016