Located in Downtown Phoenix in the Roosevelt Row's Art District, Trapp Haus provides a cool atmosphere, serving up moist chicken and fall off the bone ribs that will keep you coming back for more. 

Founded by Pitmaster Phil Johnson, aka Phil the Grill, known as the "Jay Z of barbecue".  A veteran of the competitive barbecue circuit and food-truck world.

Looking for catering for the upcoming holiday season? Look no further, Trapp Haus is taking orders now for the Thanksgiving Rush. 

If you're in the area, be sure to dine in or carry out, their food will not disappoint!

511 East Roosevelt Street
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602)-466-5462
trapphausbbq.com/

Ken’s Hardwood Barbecue is the award-winning family-owned restaurant known for unique and delicious fusion of southern down-home cooking and fresh-smoked meats.

Descending from 4 generations of passionate cooks and restaurateurs in Kentucky and Tennessee, Ken’s has gleaned the very best of exclusive family recipes to create scrumptious offerings of entrees, sides, and desserts, Original rubs and sauces, combined with the secret low-and-slow approach of 3 accomplished Pit Masters, brings a one-of-a-kind flavor to Tucson, AZ.

Celebrating food and fellowship, Ken’s Hardwood Barbecue provides a delectable and joyful dining experience. 

Ken's Hardwood Barbeque
5250 E. 22nd St Tucson, AZ
520-745-4746
www.kenshardwoodbbq.com

By NaTyshca Pickett

TikTok Aficionado and Award Winning Musical Artist Jason Derulo gave a special lesson on social media and influence when speaking with digital leader David Shing (aka Shingy) at Advertising Week 2020. While most brands are still trying to get their heads around platforms such as TikTok, some entrepreneurs, personalities and companies are leading the field and changing the very nature of content along the way. Jason Derulo has more than 36 million followers on TikTok, and this morning, he spoke honestly and candidly about how the platform has changed the music industry, how he concerts returning after the pandemic, and wishing “the best -- but not better than me!” to his old record label.

Derulo shared his insights on what he thinks makes the best TikTok content “I go off the trends but I also come up with my own creative ideas, and I think it’s the perfect marriage of the both that kind of create the magic because you can’t just do one or the other. I feel like if you’re just doing the creative ideas and you’re posting once a week, you’re not really engaged in the culture.”

See full video below.

Advertising Week is a global business intelligence platform serving marketing, media, brand, advertising and technology professionals. Founded in 2004 in New York, Advertising Week’s global footprint has expanded to five additional worldwide live events: AWEUROPE (London); AWASIA (Tokyo); AWAPAC (Sydney); AWAfrica (Johannesburg); and AWLATAM (Mexico City). In addition to live events, the global thought leadership platform also contains online education (AWLearn) and year-round original content (AW360).

Photo Credit: Advertising Week 2020

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​Jason Derulo discusses TikTok, the future of concerts, and more at AW2020

Ocean Blue Caribbean Restaurant and Bar offers delicious dining and takeout to Chandler, AZ.

Ocean Blue Caribbean Restaurant and Bar is a cornerstone in the Chandler community and has been recognized for its outstanding American cuisine, excellent service and friendly staff.

Their American restaurant is known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and its insistence on only using high quality fresh ingredients.

This one comes highly recommended by the locals. If you're ever in the Chandler area, be sure to give them a try!

Ocean Blue Caribbean Restaurant and Bar
www.oceanbluecaribbeanchandler.com/location.aspx
6140 W Chandler Blvd
Chandler, AZ 85226
Phone: (480) 753-6000

Today's feature is Tucson's very own Urban Fresh. They are a family owned business that believes in the plant-based lifestyle and works towards producing quality house made vegan food at affordable prices. They have been in business since May 2015.

Urban Fresh strives to provide delicious and visually appealing Whole Food - Plant Based foods to fuel the body in the most efficient and healthy way. They provide quick and easy take away or dine in options that contain no animal products. They use little or no oils, minimal salt and sugar and no processed ingredients. Additionally, some of their produce is locally sourced or organic. 

If you're looking for a fun and healthy option in Tucson, Urban Fresh is the place to go!
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Urban Fresh
www.urbanfreshtucson.com
73 E Pennington St, Tucson, AZ 85701
(520) 792-9355

​October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In our community, breast cancer is one of the many health concerns we often do not discuss.  It's time to get candid about breast cancer.

According to the CDC, “Black women and white women get breast cancer at about the same rate, but Black women die from breast cancer at a higher rate than white women.”

Black women younger than 40-45 years old are increasingly being diagnosed with breast cancer, compared to white women.

Symptoms

All women are different and can experience varying symptoms. Some common symptoms include: 
Pain in any area of the breast.
Thickening or swelling in part(s) of the breast.
New lump in the breast or underarm.
Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
Nipple discharge including blood.
Any change in the size or the shape of the nipple and breast.

What can we do?

Pay attention to your breast. You know them better than anyone else. If something looks or feels different than normal you should follow up on it, do not wait. Talk to your doctor.

Early detection is key to treating cancer when it’s smaller.  Schedule mammogram screenings regularly, and if your family has a history of breast cancer talk to your doctor about screening younger than 40, which is the recommended age according to the CDC. 

Breasts can change due to having your period, gaining or losing weight, medication, and having children.

​Take a few moments and check your breast. Read and do your research, it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

Located in Phoenix, Arizona, Breadfruit Rum is an award winning modern Jamaican cuisine in an elegantly casual setting. Offering expertly prepared seafood, new rum cocktails, and a fine collection of premium rums & cigars.

Looking for a relaxing spot with amazing food and drink? This may be your place.

The Breadfruit
thebreadfruit.com
108 E Pierce St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 
(602) 267-1266

In the spirit of maintaining a positive image in the Black community, we have decided to designate the first two weeks in October to acknowledge Black owned restaurants in Arizona. This is the first year that we have done this and will continue this for years to come. 

We want to share with you the businesses that are thriving in our community or they're just starting out and need our support. To start us off, we present to you Cafe Desta. 

Cafe Desta has been proudly serving traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine since 2010. Located south of Downtown Tucson, Cafe Desta offers traditional vegan dish options and meat dishes incorporating chicken, lamb, and fish.  All of their meals are served with injera, a spongy bread made from teff, sorghum and wheat flour that is used like a tortilla to scoop food up from the plate.

If you are in the area, be sure to give them a try. 

​Cafe Desta
www.destacafe.com
758 S Stone Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701
(520) 370-7000

By NaTyshca Pickett

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For the month of October, we are featuring organizations and individuals who are working tirelessly to raise the awareness of this global pandemic. 

According to John Hopkins Medicine, there is an increase of stressors as a result of the pandemic. Some of those include schools remaining closed, loss of income, isolation from extended family and friends and not having the chance to participate in or enjoying relaxing activities. If these stressors are in the mix of an already abusive relationship, the pandemic can make matters worse. 

This is what Cynthya Hale is trying to combat. Hale is the Founder and CEO of FFT Helping Others (Family, Friends, Togetherness), she is also a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations. FFT Helping Others is a grassroots advocacy 501c3 non-profit organization, that has been aiding families and individuals through domestic violence, human trafficking and spreading awareness about these issues, along with sex trafficking, homelessness and relief action.

"We started out by helping hurricane victims and victims who had become homeless when hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. There was such a need to help the people out there. We partnered with Voices of Puerto Rico and were able to bring food and materials to the people," Hale stated. 

Once she arrived to Puerto Rico, she saw first hand the devastation the people were faced with and she saw that there was another cause for concern, the increase in domestic violence and human trafficking cases. 

"I saw the signs of domestic violence because I was once a victim over 17 years ago," Hale said. From her experience, she knew that this was a cause for concern, but when she went to look for resources, there weren't many available to provide the people of Puerto Rico or the community where she lived in the United Stated, so from there, she created her own. 

"As a Christian, I wanted to take a holistic approach. I knew that these were issues that the church was not addressing so I wanted to be that place and resource that people in and out of the church can turn to for help," said Hale. 

Along with her experience as CEO and Global Goodwill Ambassador, Hale is also a certified trainer for the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, and the Center for Disease and Control (CDC). She also speaks to schools to bring awareness of Teen Dating Violence.

Hale launched the first Domestic Violence Vigil hosted by FFT Helping Others in Washington, D.C. in 2019. The purpose of the rally is spread awareness of domestic violence and to acknowledge and hear the stories from survivors of domestic violence. 

"We need help changing laws that will protect families who are going through issues of violence, abuse and trafficking. Our hope is that our rally and vigil will continue to spread the awareness and grab the attention of those who are in position to make this change happen," Hale stated. 

Due to COVID, this year's rally and vigil will take place virtually through the FFT Helping Others Facebook Live page on October 1, 2020 starting at 2pm EST. 

For more information on how to get involved or how to attend, you can visit their website at
www.fft-helpingothers.comor through their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/events/791969238009342.

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