On Thursday Feb 15th, in honor of Black history month, IPC-NY held its very first Health Panel. It happened to be our first event for 2007 also, and as someone intricately involved in the organizational aspects of the occasion, I was privy to the firsthand experience of what goes into putting together an event that would hopefully help gather the momentum for the rest of the year. Glad to say that the Health Panel was a great success!
Though the weather was frigid and the turnout was well below expectations, the event proved to be a fantastic experience and wonderful opportunity to get together under the banner of a common cause. The obesity epidemic in the Black community is no easy topic. There are no simple solutions and almost no progress has been made in curbing the rising rates of obesity and its associated illnesses for decades. What we do know for certain, is that the economic and social impact of the obesity epidemic in Black society today is something to reckon with. Indeed, the causes are multi-factorial and so should be the steps taken towards stemming this pervasive health threat.
What we learned from the panelists is that tackling the issue of obesity (or any such medical conditions for that matter) head on is futile. Behavioral modification, further education, a pooling of resources and certainly an integration of expertise on the behalf of healthcare professionals, local churches and community members are the best means of making even a dent in these types of health issues. This is a tremendous feat, and one in which the healthcare industry as a whole must be ready to face…and overcome!
A coming together of our line-up of panelists was truly an amazing experience. These Black men and women are innovators and leaders within their fields. They rejuvenated me personally, and helped to fuel the fire and dedication inside me, despite the cold temperatures outside.
I want to officially thank all of them for taking time out of their busy schedules to discuss with us some ways in which their personal experiences have led them into their particular profession; some of what they perceive to be barriers towards improvements in morbidity, quality of life in the Black community, and promoting healthy lifestyle habits (like exercising often, eating smaller portions, etc.); and of course, some of the steps we, as Blacks in the Diaspora, can take to foster a sense of unity and sensitivity around health issues prevalent in our communities.
In the words of one of the audience members that had attended the event: “The panel was excellent and extremely knowledgeable. Furthermore, it was moving and inspiring to see older Black adults working in varied fields within leadership capacities! I was pleased.” (Natasha Nalls, Columbia University School of Social Work ’07). It is safe to say that the rest of us who were also there, share her sentiments fully!
Therefore, as Black Brown Alumni, I hope and pray that we will continue to put forth our efforts, abilities and resources in resolving many of the current health challenges and in further empowering ourselves, our community and people. Please keep your eyes and ears open for future Health Panels… your support is greatly appreciated….Thank you.
Ofiji Parris
Class of ‘98 & ‘99
Welcome to the Boldly Black page. These are challenging times for our people and wherever possible, we'd like Brown University to be a resource to and a beneficiary of our individual and collective efforts in the strengthening and empowering of our community.
Thoughts On The Health Panel by Ofiji Parris