- 7 weeks ago
Health outcomes are shaped by more than what happens in a doctor's office. Join leaders and advocates working at the intersection of health, community, and equity for a conversation on the challenges facing our communities and the collective action needed to create change. From chronic disease awareness and food access to advocacy and public health, this discussion explores how organizations and individuals can work together to build healthier futures for all.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00So our next section is all about community is care. Building healthier
00:05futures together. Now health outcomes are shaped by more than what happens in a
00:12doctor's office. This conversation is going to put together leaders and
00:16advocates working at the intersection of health, community, and equity for a
00:22conversation on the challenges facing our communities and the collective action
00:27needed to create change. From chronic disease awareness and food access to
00:33advocacy and public health, this discussion explores how organizations
00:37and individuals can work together to build healthier futures for all of us.
00:43Are you ready to kick off this conversation? All right. Thank you so much.
00:47So here to moderate this fabulous conversation, we have the one and only
00:52Miss Chelsea Brown from the Black Mill. Let's go ahead and give Chelsea a round
00:57of applause. And let's also give it up for this shirt because that shirt is
01:02amazing, Chelsea. Give them some shoulders. I love it. Joining Chelsea on stage, we
01:08have Mellicent Miller of the Lupus Foundation of America. Come on up, Miss
01:13Mellicent. All right. Thank you so much for giving her some love as she makes her
01:18way to the stage. Joining these ladies is Dr. Leija Carter of the Coalition for Food
01:25and Health Equity. Welcome, welcome, Dr. Carter. So happy to have you. And rounding out this panel
01:34conversation, we have the lovely and the amazing Lisa Cunningham of Black Women's Health
01:40Imperative. Let's go ahead and give Lisa a round of applause. Now, as these ladies have their seat,
01:46I'm going to go ahead and pass it over to Chelsea so she can kick off this conversation.
01:50Awesome. Thank you so much. Good morning, everyone, and happy Sunday.
01:54Happy Sunday. Yes, absolutely. I'm so excited to have these wonderful women up here. We're going to
02:00talk about what it means to not only take care of yourself, but also take care of your community.
02:05Raise your hand if you feel like you do an amazing job taking care of your friends, family,
02:10people around you, people at work, people in line at the grocery store, all the things, right?
02:16Now, keep that hand up if you think you give yourself that same sort of care. All right.
02:21And that's what we're going to be talking about today. You have to put your mask on first before
02:25we move forward, okay? All right. So, again, these wonderful ladies, I'm going to have them
02:30introduce themselves. And I want to know from you all, when you hear the phrase communities of care,
02:36what does it mean through the lens of your work and lived experiences? I'll start with you, Lisa.
02:40Absolutely. Welcome, everyone. I am so excited to be here at Essence Fest. And my name is Lisa
02:48Cunningham. I have two roles. I'm Executive Vice President at the Black Women's Health Imperative
02:53for Marketing and Communications. But I'm also a filmmaker and a serial entrepreneur. So, I'm going
03:00to tell you guys that community as care means so much to me. Because if I had not leaned in
03:07to
03:07community, I would not have been able to do much of what I've been able to do on my own
03:13health journey,
03:15right? So, as we get older and we have conditions and sorts of things, sometimes we have to tap into
03:20our community to figure out some of this. Because those 15-minute doctor's appointments don't cut it
03:28a lot of times, right? So, for me, community as care is finding trusted sources online, not that crazy
03:37AI TikTok video. Trusted sources. And, you know, you can find your community that way. Yeah.
03:45Dr. Miller.
03:46Good morning, everyone. I'm Dr. Melisette Miller. And I have the pleasure of serving as the Director
03:52of Federal Grants and Public Health Programs at the Lupus Foundation of America. And so,
03:58when I hear the term community as care, I also think about the fact that health does not happen
04:04just in the clinic walls. As we know, health is influenced by everything around us. That's where
04:09we live. That's where we work. That's where we play. That's where we worship. That's in our grocery
04:14stores. That's at our sorority meetings. That's everywhere. That's here at Essence. And so,
04:18when I think of community as care, I think that means that we are finding solutions to our own
04:24health challenges. That means that we have people rallying behind us to support us and find resources
04:30and get culturally responsive care. Last but not least, Dr. Carter.
04:37Hey, everyone. My name is Dr. Leija. I'm the CEO and founder of the Coalition for Food and Health
04:44Equity. The work we do there is about food. It's about food security, but it's also about food
04:49economics. When I think of community, I think about the last five letters of community, which
04:55is unity, right? We're all in this together, that your struggle is intertwined with my struggle.
05:03And so, community for me is how we care for one another. How if you're hurting, I'm hurting.
05:10If you're in need, I'm in need, right? And how are we being advocates for each other? How are we
05:18understanding our access to food, basic needs together, right? Health, wealth within our black
05:28communities, what does that look like? And how are we fighting for each other to be resilient
05:33together long-term, not just now, but well into the future? So that unity aspect is what community
05:40means to me. Thank you all so much. Dr. Miller, I'm going to start with you. As we know, many
05:47black
05:47women are living with lupus and the symptoms are being extremely dismissed. It's usually dismissed
05:52as stress, weight, other factors, et cetera. What does it look like beyond the exam room to build
05:58communities where women trust their own bodies and advocate for themselves and are believed the
06:03first time they say something doesn't feel right? I love that question. And I really think that sums
06:09up a lot of the work that I do in the lupus space. So for those of you who may
06:13not be familiar with
06:14lupus, lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect any organ system in the body. Some of the
06:20symptoms do include fatigue, body aches, hair loss, face rash, and even organ involvement like kidney
06:28involvement. And so many women, in particular black and other women of color, are two to three times
06:35more likely than their white counterparts to develop lupus, which is very sad. And we know that as black
06:42women, even without a chronic condition like lupus, it's hard to be heard. So I mentioned before that
06:48health happens outside of the clinic walls. And so we know that about 20% of our health is dependent
06:55upon
06:55what we do in the medical space. But there's so much more that happens outside of that. And we think
07:01about moving beyond the clinic walls and lupus care, that really means that women don't have to
07:07explain or have a degree in medicine or be a lupologist for people to believe them the first
07:12time. That means that people don't have to prove their pain in order to get adequate care. That means
07:19that people are advocating on their behalf. If you know anyone with lupus, you know that it looks
07:24different from person to person. Some people live well thriving lives and others, it's very
07:29debilitating. And so we know that it goes far too long from being undiagnosed, on average about six
07:35years. And so that's too long for someone not to know what's going on in their body. And at the
07:40same
07:40time, lupus is ravaging their body and different organ systems. And so we think about black women in
07:45lupus space, that means that you hear them, you see them, and you also show up for them.
07:51Thank you so much. Dr. Carter, as we know, food insecurity and chronic diseases are often framed
07:58as a result of individual choice. But we know communities have been intentionally underinvested.
08:03And what I would love to know from you is, what does it look like for resilient infrastructure
08:08in those communities? And how do we equip our neighbors, our friends, our people in our communities
08:14to become bridge builders and asset creators needed to support our healthier lives as a community?
08:21Yeah, I love this question as well, because let me throw out a couple of statistics for you.
08:25The first is that around 24% of black households are food insecure. That's double the national
08:35average, right? Now also, about 1%, 1.4% of farmers and those that own agricultural land are black
08:50farmers. Actually, and it's less than that percentage when we look at indigenous growers.
08:55That means everybody else are white. So when we're thinking about, and then when we look at what
09:05this federal administration is doing to SNAP, right? How SNAP is being targeted to then make it harder
09:14to access this very needed safety net, and then to renew that safety net. It is impacting our black households
09:24more, and our black farmers more. So then if we pan out, and we think about the intentionality, and how
09:34surgical the intentionality is, to prevent and debilitate our ability to not only eat well, but to build a
09:45resiliency in our black communities to be able to care for ourselves, we then have to think about how do
09:53we do this together?
09:55My answer to that is that we all can be partners in health, partners in wealth, and partners in resiliency
10:03to do that.
10:04That means that your local restaurant owner, right? If there's vacant space in your community, ask yourself, hey, how can
10:15I turn that
10:15vacant lot into an urban farm? There are many municipalities that are selling vacant space for a dollar. Newark is
10:26one. Right? You can go buy that vacant space for a dollar, turn it into an urban farm,
10:33and then be somebody that is helping your local municipality access fresh produce. Right? You don't have to live in
10:42a rural space to do that. Right?
10:45You can be someone that goes and studies how do you access SNAP benefits and just deliver information. You don't
10:54have to be a member of the state to do that. Right? We can be partners in health, partners in
11:00wealth to do that, so that way our neighbors, our friends,
11:03can access and stay in the loop of being able to care for ourselves in that. So it just takes
11:09us all to be partners in that, to build that infrastructure both educationally and financially and from a nutrition standpoint.
11:17Thank you for that. I'm going to Google Baltimore City tonight about that.
11:22Lisa, as we're thinking about chronic diseases, when we're talking about kind of making sure our community is eating and
11:28being healthy, right,
11:29we're also talking about what it looks like when black women are often the ones that we call chief health
11:34officers, right, of their families.
11:36So they're managing appointments, they're doing all the things, making sure everyone else is well.
11:40What does it mean to be a good steward of our family's health but also prioritizing our own,
11:45especially when costs, busy schedules and competing responsibilities make it extremely difficult?
11:52Oh, another good question. Because when I think about what you just said, it brings this phrase to my mind.
12:01It ran in my family until it ran into me. If we operate from that lens right there, we are
12:09going to automatically start zeroing in on some things.
12:14So most people in this space right here are focused on that from a wealth standpoint, right? Financial wealth.
12:21But I think of wealth as every time I go out and hike, I just paid in. I just paid
12:28in. I just paid in to my own health.
12:32So I always say to myself, okay, Lisa, did you make any money today? And I think of that from
12:37those different lenses.
12:38Did I make any money that gets into my bank? And did I make any money that gets into my
12:43physical bank, right?
12:45And so I think as mothers, you mothers out there and you entrepreneurs have to think of it from that
12:51standpoint.
12:52Because when you think about your balance sheets or your customers and all of that, you aren't actually making health
13:00a part of that same checklist.
13:03So health should be in your business model. And I know it's hard because I know that I just learned
13:10some statistics about how small businesses pay more for health insurance than large companies do.
13:19That's insane. That's absolutely insane. And so we've got to fix that on a policy side.
13:27But when we start thinking about our very own families, these are things that we can do.
13:33You can schedule your well woman exams. You can schedule your mammograms. I like to call it the parade of
13:40doctors.
13:41I do it all one time a year and make sure that I am covered. Because what you will understand
13:47is this.
13:48If you don't take away anything from what I'm saying, delaying care costs so much later.
13:54And our system is set up so that they make sure that they're not trying to prevent any of this.
14:03Because they only want to help you when we are already in that diseased state.
14:08So let's not give them that. Let's make sure that we get on top of this now.
14:13Thank you so much. Thank you. So I have two more questions for you all.
14:17And then if we have time, maybe some questions from the audience.
14:20But imagine that it's 2036 and black women are living longer, healthier lives and trusting the health care system more.
14:28What did we finally do differently?
14:30And what's one thing that everyone in this audience can do before next month to help make that future possible?
14:36And I'll start with Dr. Carter.
14:38Oh, okay.
14:39Sorry.
14:39And who's going?
14:41I'm like listening.
14:43I know.
14:43I'm listening to the music.
14:48I would say one thing is, you know, evolving from the health care system, health care to we care, right?
14:56That is checking in on your sister, your grandmother, you know, your daughter, you know, that again, it is, you
15:03know, at coalition, we have a program called Ujama.
15:06And that is about, you know, sisterhood, familyhood.
15:10It is, again, we're all interconnected.
15:12So, you know, just like Lisa said, it is, hey, you know, hey, mom, did you get your well visit?
15:20Did you check in there? You know? And for us, it's also about making sure community care, right? You know,
15:28for us, we check in on our, we're concerned about our restaurant partners and our grower partners.
15:33Hey, how are you doing at that farm? You know, you know, is things economically good for you? Because neighborhood
15:42economics translates to the everyday household economics, right? These things all matter.
15:49So I would say we care. Do you, are you checking in on your neighbor? Are you checking in on
15:54your cafe owner? Are you checking in on your urban grower? Right? And not that you might be able to
15:59help, but hey, it's just a prayer.
16:01You know, I'm praying for you. I'm checking in on you. Are you good?
16:05Love vibe. Yes. Thank you. Dr. Miller.
16:07So when I think of that question, 2036, which is not that far, I think that black women in particular,
16:16we're living longer, healthier, well lives. I think for generations, we have just been surviving and not thriving.
16:26So that means that we are pouring into ourselves. We're no longer pouring from an empty vessel. That means that
16:32we are being believed the first time that we say something is wrong with us.
16:36And we don't have to doctor hop to find someone who truly cares for us. That also means that prevention
16:44is a part of the model. Prevention is invested in on the front end because as you mentioned, we save
16:49so much on the back end.
16:51And I may get in trouble for this, but it also means that health equity is not a trend. It's
16:57not something that we follow with certain administrations. It doesn't mean that we are putting that as a side conversation.
17:08It's an add on.
17:09That means that it is embedded in everything we do across the lifespan, across the healthcare continuum. It also means
17:16that spaces like this, where we come to talk about health topics, the room is full. It's overflowing.
17:23No shade to the artists at the concert, but if they were to make an appearance, they would be flooded
17:28with people following them, getting pictures for Instagram and posting.
17:32But we should be just as enthusiastic and passionate about our health and ensuring that we are investing. I love
17:39the analogy about investing in our own health bank.
17:42So to me, that's what it means. It means that health is not just a side conversation. It's just what
17:47we do because we want to live. We want to thrive. We want to be here to support future generations.
17:54I'm thinking about this from our young people and our elders. And I'm thinking about this sandwich generation. I don't
18:05know who out there might be in the sandwich generation, but that generation to me is going to have a
18:12lot to do with our future.
18:14And who they are is a woman who has young children and aging parents. Okay. She might be going through
18:23perimenopause and still dealing with a young child. And then she might be needing to start to think about caregiving
18:32for her parents.
18:33So that one woman, think about that, is dealing with three different parts of her family. And if we can
18:41tap in and love on that woman right there and that man, quite frankly, who needs to be an anchor
18:48for her, right, then we can make some real changes in our community.
18:52So I think about that woman a lot before I go to sleep at night because it is important that
18:58we nurture what's going on with them through motherhood, through caregiving, because the caregiving economy is something that people are
19:08not prepared to deal with.
19:10I was a caregiver for my mother for eight years, and it took so much out of me. And I
19:16wish that somebody had given me a book or a resource to go with that. So I think once again,
19:22prevention, prevention, and getting this information so that in 2036, 46, 56, we are truly thriving.
19:31Thank you. Y'all preaching today. Amen. Thank you. So we have two minutes left. I want to know, how
19:37can people reach you all as we're thinking about resources?
19:40Other ways to, you know, advocate for our health? What are some things within your organization that you are looking
19:46for our folks to do and also other ways that they can reach you? I'll start with Dr. Miller.
19:51So you can reach the Lupus Foundation at lupus.org. That's l-u-p-u-s.org. We're across all
20:00social media. That's our website. On the website, you can find lots of great information about lupus, whether you are
20:07living with the condition yourself,
20:09whether you're a care partner for someone who is living with lupus, if you're just curious, if you're a healthcare
20:14professional, or even if you may be going through that sort of uneasy part of which you're actually seeking a
20:20diagnosis.
20:21We have lots of resources and education there for you. We also provide support groups. We provide in-person and
20:29virtual education sessions. We do our walks.
20:32A lot of people are familiar with our walks, but there's so much more that we do to support the
20:36person because we are the only national patient-focused lupus organization.
20:41And so we encourage you to take a look at our resources, whether you're looking to better manage your condition
20:46through tracking your medication, tracking your symptoms.
20:49We help to prepare you for your doctor's visits. We have lists of a variety of different resources that help
20:54you really navigate this very challenging healthcare space, as well as just navigate life.
20:59We have health education specialists that do help provide support and direct care for individuals who are just seeking answers.
21:06So we do encourage you to reach out if you have any questions. We also have a booth here, so
21:10please feel free to stop by and check in with us as well.
21:14Dr. Carter, and then Lisa.
21:16Absolutely. So you can visit us online at www.coalitionequity.org.
21:24We are also on Instagram and TikTok as well.
21:28And we do have a few different programs.
21:30We have a free CSA produce box program for cancer patients throughout the state of New Jersey.
21:38For cancer patients and their caregivers, you get free produce and medically tailored meals delivered directly to your home.
21:45We have a suite of tech-enabled community refrigerators, completely desurveiled with nutritious food from local restaurant partners,
21:53and you can go in and get that food for free.
21:55We're in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Nashville, with other cities coming soon.
22:01And then we also have beautiful free farm stands that produce comes from local growers, and folks can come, client
22:11choice, and get that produce for free.
22:13We also provide SNAP navigation and SNAP information as well.
22:18And so we hope that you will come to our booth as well.
22:21We are at booth 2105, so you can learn more about us and the work we do.
22:26We're always looking to partner with growers and restaurant partners and community agencies in order to host the work that
22:34we do throughout the locations that we're at.
22:38Hey there, and you can reach the BWHI.
22:43It's Black Women's Health Imperative, BWHI.org.
22:46And we are the oldest organization in this country working towards health equity for black women and girls.
22:54And we've got programs for chronic disease prevention.
22:57We have programs for perimenopause, menopause, a whole suite.
23:02So you can find us there.
23:04And then anybody interested in that resource I was talking about, about women's health,
23:08if you need to know what to talk to your doctor about at what stage and age,
23:13you can go to BWHI.org slash health checklist.
23:18And that way, because I don't know about y'all,
23:20when I get into that doctor's office, for some reason, my memory goes to,
23:25I don't know what to say, right?
23:27So I know that might be one of you out there, but thank you so much.
23:31This has been amazing.
23:32Thank you all so much.
23:33Thank you all.
23:34Have a good day.
23:35Bye.
23:36Bye.
23:36Bye.
23:37Bye.
23:38Bye.
23:39Bye.
23:40Bye.
23:41Bye.
23:42Bye.
23:42Bye.
23:45Bye.
23:45Bye.
23:46Bye.
23:46Bye.
Comments