Let's stay healthy together /CW Fam | Get Health Insurance before Jan. 15th

Hey CW\ fam!

As you know here at CopyWrite we always maintain a focus towards being #SociallyResponsible. We care about community, and community starts with YOU. If the past couple years haven’t shown us anything, they’ve shown us how important health is individually and as a collective. 

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Health insurance is a way for us to take care of ourselves. It covers health benefits that are essential to maintaining your everyday health needs. Anything from preventative care, to illness, injury, accidents, medications, mental health services, and more. 

Through the 2022 Marketplace enabled by the Affordable Care Act— also known as Obamacare—you’re able to get health insurance at no or low-cost. Under the new law with the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 more people than ever before qualify for help paying for health coverage even if they weren’t eligible in the past. 

Also, for many people currently enrolled in a Marketplace plan may qualify for more tax credits and with lower premiums also available under the new act, means more savings for the things you live for. That means checking to see if your eligible may also benefit you!

Healthy MKE is a coalition of public health, local government, non-profit, and community organizations promoting a vision for a healthy Milwaukee. Using Healthy MKE you can find out in less than 2 minutes if you qualify to get a no or low-cost plan. All you have to do is use this link: Click here to find coverage.

Let’s continue to take care of ourselves in 2022. Don’t miss the deadline. Open enrollment for healthcare coverage closes January 15th.

/CW

2020 Perspectives From The CopyWrite Team

As 2020 comes to an end we would like to share perspectives of reflection from our Team [Family] at CopyWrite. We often create our content in a way that masks “who” made it. Sometimes the anonymousness gives us leeway to let the stories we share speak for themselves. When we do share those responsible, it usually has very little to do with the creator, thus our personal stories are seldom shared at high capacity. We drop small cues, a few encrypted messages, some unavoidable “scandals”, some petty rants, and some “screw the system” themes out in the atmosphere but that's just the nature of the media beast. These perspectives are different. They are self guided moments that each individual person wanted to share. Not for likes but for a better tomorrow. We hope that you find closure in our words, value in our lessons, and inspiration to keep creating [& moving forward]. CopyWrite Magazine and everything we create is a TEAM [Family] effort. It does not exist without collaboration, a willingness to contribute, and self motivation to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. 2020 may have been a challenge like no other but now more than ever before we still vow to #SupportTheLocal.

Love & All Things Urban,

/CW Fam

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Lexi S. Brunson - /CW Owner & Editor-in-Chief

“Draw your line. Erase it. Draw it again.”

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Carrie “Noni Juice” Mahone - /CW Journalist

“Time is more valuable than you think”

Carrie for /CW

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Imani Ortiz - /CW Journalist

This year has been for the birds, no cap. My life, as I’m sure y’alls to, has been a literal rollercoaster. This year was it. There was too much turmoil and negativity at every corner, this year was truly insane. I’m still standing though. Blood still running through my veins. I’m just happy to be breathing. Why? Cause deep down in my heart, I didn’t know if I was truly gone to make it to the end of this year. 

If it’s anything I learned this year, it’s that the world is going to keep moving on whether you catch up or you don’t. Life’s still going to keep moving. All the depression, trials and tribulations that we all faced this year revealed our real superpower as a people. We are more resilient than we could’ve ever imagined. Every. Single. One. Of. Us. 

Pain is not only unique to you. Pain is not only unique to me. We are not the only ones exclusive to suffering, even though it may feel like it at times. Everyone has suffered to some capacity. Look around you, figuratively and literally. What do you see? 

People wear their pain differently. Some might smile and kick it with you but tryna escape reality. Some might be in groups of people everyday but still lonely as hell. Somebody's family member just got offed today and another one just died of Covid but they are smoking a blunt with you. The outside looks cool but they are dying on the inside. Everybody is suffering but everybody doesn't wanna talk about it—and that’s okay. 

My remedy for it all is just be a decent human being and get YOUR shit together. It starts with you, boss. You are not what you lost this year. You’re everything you gained—you’re the living definition of growth. Don’t forget that. It may hurt right now but take my word for it… that hurt doesn't last forever. 

There’s a saying that always happens to pop up on my socials when I’m having a rough day. It goes something like, “FACT:  As of this very moment, you’ve made it through 100% of the battles you thought you’d never survive.” You are a survivor. We are survivors. Don’t let anyone take that shit from you. 

That’s all I want from the world—for us to really dig deep, reflect and take care of ourselves. We all got problems. Problems are infinite. But make sure YOU good up top (i.e. your mental). Don’t let this world drive you crazy. You are divinely protected, baby. You just gotta do the work.  Shit not gone’ happen overnight.

Love yourself so you can love life. You are the beginning and end of your legacy. Act like it.

P.S. always remember, this is chess, not checkers.

Imani for /CW 

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Vergara Vergara - /CW Fashion Editor

Whew. . .2020 is GHETTOOOOO, but in all honesty; I’ve been able to reflect on my lifestyle, my career, and my role at CopyWrite Magazine. We’ve been in a pandemic since March; 10 months. I’ve been able to heal, build, and develop myself better than I have in 10 years. It’s amazing what productive time can do for us, when used properly. Although we’ve lost so many people in the Pandemic, some of us have gained self awareness. I am HAPPY with who I am and what I am becoming. Spread positivity, love and embrace the new year! With all the changes, we all should be able to handle adversity now. Still working and being a creative, life goes on and anything can happen within a blink of an eye. Learn who you are and love Who you are. 

Vato for /CW

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Adrienne Davis- /CW Intern

“I can do more. I will do more.”

Adrienne Davis for /CW

#TestUpMKE [a creative campaign] w/ CopyWrite Magazine

Pandemic Pending...

Covid-19 testing is a must to stop the spread. Check out this [creative campaign] for Test Up MKE, a Covid-19 testing, information, and support platform based in Milwaukee, WI.

https://www.testupmke.com/

Using creative means to get the word out to the URBAN, authentic, "minority" and creative community, we partnered in a collaboration that involved local artists, graphic designers, screen printers, photographers, models, journalists and health partners. [We used Covid-19 safety methods, because we are trying to liveeeeeeeee B!]

This campaign features t-shirt designs that include verbiage and imagery that not only reaffirms the importance of Covid-19 testing, but also pays homage to cultural cues, lifestyle and satire. With a graphic tee, a poppin' mask and of course a fresh pair of kicks, we can make being #SociallyResponsible fly!

Spread knowledge. Spread creativity. Stop the spread of Covid-19 by getting tested.

Learn more at https://www.testupmke.com/

/CW

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Original Art by Vedale Hill

Photography by Destined Visuals

Juneteenth Black Lives Matter Street Mural in MILWAUKEE

Many Street murals have been popping up around the country to express solidarity with the Black Lives Matter call to action. Today on this Juneteenth of 2020. Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, invites our Milwaukee community to join Lead Artist Vedale Hill, in a Black Lives Matter community art mural.

We had a chance to talk to Vedale as he was preparing for todays Juneteenth event. Here is what he had to say:

“The Black Lives Matter Street Mural is a public art piece commissioned by the City of Milwaukee,  funded by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, supported by West Care and the local Walmart. I was selected as the Lead Artist to program and produce the mural with the help of other local artists. During these difficult times in our country, I feel that it is a necessity to help the community grow, while also understanding the beauty of the moment. As a long time advocate for community development, I believe that at this moment we are no longer knocking at changes door but instead, we are kicking it in. The location in its self is ideal because it serves as a double entendre of meaning. It is not only literally an intersection but is an intersection between the police and the community that they have taken an oath to serve.” 

As a local media outlet that is all about community and creative culture, we are proud to see a visual representation of the rhetoric we have always lived by. Please join and be apart of this historic event.

(Don’t forget your mask! #SociallyResponsible)

BLACK LIVES MATTER.

/Lexi, Editor-in-Chief CW

The 28th Amendment - Limiting Militant Infringement of Civilian Rights Bill

DOWNLOAD FULL AMENDMENT HERE

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PROPOSAL FRAMEWORK 

United States Constitutional Amendment 28 - Limited Militant-State

Militant Infringement of Civilian Rights Bill

Dismantle and reform all current militant and policing practices/policies within the United States of America, perpetuated by the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches, and fortified by law enforcement departments and agencies, which infringement upon basic rights of growth, prosperity, and life, and are based on discrimination of ethnicity, wealth, gender, sex, or sexuality, physical or mental exceptionality, and citizenship. Enact new comprehensive laws that are uniformly practiced across all villages, cities, counties, and states, with no exceptions, which does not infringe upon states’ 10th Amendment Reserved Powers, but assures rights originally granted under the United States Constitution. New universal laws/policies to include without limitation:

 ● Dismantle all current militant policing practices/policies within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other departments, reforming all agencies within these departments, especially but not limited to the Federal Protective Service (FPS). Enact new comprehensive laws/policies uniformly practiced across all villages, cities, counties, and states, including but not limited to:

1. Rewrite and reform current Use of Force Continuum Models, including but not limited to: De-escalation Stage, and ESCALATED Situations Stage. Reforms to be voted on.

2. Ban of excessive force and lethal force practices, including but not limited to: ban of No-knock entry, ban shooting with traditional guns, ban use of assault weapons, ban Shoot-to-kill practice, ban pepper spray, ban strangulation/chokeholds, ban tear gas, rubber bullets and tanks during civil protests, ban of any other weapons of opportunity (reforming Use of Force Continuum Models), and ban lethal force for security and protection of items, property, resources, and capital (cash or liquid assets).

3. De-escalation practices BEFORE ANY form of physical interaction (reform to be the first stage in Use of Force Continuum Model).

4. Force ONLY to be enacted in ESCALATED Situations (ESCALATED Situations practices to be tiered and voted on, reforming Use of Force Continuum Models).

5. Exhaust all prerequisite options available within the De-escalation Stage BEFORE using ESCALATED Situations Stage within reformed Use of Force Continuum Model.

6. ESCALATED Situations Stage in reformed Use Of Force Continuum Model to allow tasers and rubber bullets ONLY, and ONLY as last resorts due to lethality, tiering tasers use BEFORE rubber bullets.

7. Require warning BEFORE use of EACH stage/tier involving verbal force and physical force. 

. . . READ MORE

We Can't Breathe! #SociallyResponsible