Healthcare in the Black Americas

On February 23, 2008, Afropresencia.com held its 1st Conference Healthcare in the Black Americas at the Graduate Center, City University of New York.
Paper presentations were on a variety of health related topics regarding communities of African descent in the Caribbean and North, Central and South America:

Session I was moderated by Patricia Spradley, PhD, Queens College, City University of New York

Teresa Leslie presented the paper that she and Diana Bitenas of University of Maryland College Park wrote: "An analysis of Population Substructure using Historical Vital Statistics Data, NYC 1890-1930."

Ebbin Dotson of the University of California, Berkley's School of Public Health spoke of "Telephone Counseling for Bridging Prostate Cancer Risk to Screening"

"Researching Consumption Patterns of Fish Protein and its Relationship to Mercury Toxicity among Matawai Maroons of Suriname, South America" was the paper presentation by Cheryl White of Santa Fe Community College

"Progress and Disease Epidemics: The Negative Implications of the Relatively High HIV/AIDS Cases among Blacks in the United States" was presented by Amadu Kaba of Seton Hall University

Session II was moderated by Mirtha Colón of Hondureños Contra el SIDA, Inc. /Hondurans against AIDS

Primary healthcare consultant Sapphire Mann Ahmed spoke about the need for the "Development of an African American Preventive Health Institute" and also gave a presentation called "Let's Talk About Sex Health"

As part of her paper on "Healing the Diaspora through Capoeira: Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of an Afrikan-centered, Community-based Martial Art" Shenelle Eaton-Foster, MSW, LMSW, had local students of the art demonstrate capoeira.

Columbia University's Carol Lautier-Woodley delivered a paper on"Group Identity and Personal Risk: HIV/AIDS, Violence and Social Decline"

Keynote Addresses were given by:

Keynote Speakers

Robert E. Fullilove, EdD is the Associate Dean for Community and Minority Affairs, Professor of Clinical Sociomedical Sciences and the co-director of the Community Research Group. He also co-directs the newly formed degree program in Urbanism and Community Health in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences. Dr. Fullilove has authored numerous articles in the area of minority health. Dr Fullilove serves on the editorial boards of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases journal, and the Journal of Public Health Policy. He has twice been awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award at the Mailman School of Public Health, and in May, 2002, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Bank Street College of Education.

Mindy Thompson Fullilove, MD, is a research psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and a professor of clinical psychiatry and public health at Columbia University. Dr. Thompson Fullilove is a board certified psychiatrist, having received her training at New York Hospital-Westchester Division (1978-1981) and Montefiore Hospital (1981-1982). She has conducted research on AIDS and other epidemics of poor communities, with a special interest in the relationship between the collapse of communities and decline in health. From her research, she has published Root Shock: How Tearing up City Neighborhoods Hurts America and What We Can Do about It, and The House of Joshua: Meditations on Family and Place. Dr. Thompson Fullilove has received many awards, among them inclusion in many "Best Doctors" and two honorary doctorates (Chatham College, 1999, and Bank Street College of Education, 2002). Her work on AIDS is featured in Jacob Levenson's The Secret Epidemic: The Story of AIDS in Black America. Her current work focuses on the connection between urban function and mental health.

Terrie Williams is co-founder, president, and CEO of one of the most successful public relations firms in the country. She is a licensed clinical social worker and founder of the Terrie Williams Agency.

Her most recent book Black Pain:It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting (Hardcover) was released by Scribner on January 8, 2008.

The book opens a dialogue on Black America's secret mental and emotional health crisis in the United States. Speaking from experience, Williams, offers a compelling look at depression in the African American community. By chronicling her own battles with the debilitating disease, as well as the stories of other sufferers, from entertainers to athletes; she sheds light on the healing process.

Williams continues to donate her time and resources educating the young. She has engaged in charitable, as well as civic organizations. Some of which, included Big Brothers-Big Sisters of America and Ryse Reaching Youth through Saturday Education. One of Williams's charitable endeavors that she was most fond of is assisting with the young men from New York City's Kaplan House. In 2002 she was co-founder of The Stay Strong Foundation, a non-profit organization that guides young people. This endeavor went hand-in-hand with her book, Stay Strong: Simple Life Lessons for Teens. When asked by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal why this was important topic for her to write about, Williams replied, "This book is their lifeline. Something they can hold onto." Williams was recognized for her work with young people and was featured in Savoy magazine in the community activism section along with activists, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton. The book has been used in schools and at conferences and seminars.