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On Nov. 2, Black men will have a rare opportunity to attend an important event dedicated to their health. It’s organized by the African-American Male Wellness Agency (https://aawellness.org) and will be held at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex, 5001 Obama Blvd in Los Angeles.
Black Men’s Wellness Day will begin at 7 a.m. with the “Walk to Save Black Men’s Lives.” It will focus on informing men about their health and reducing health disparities among African Americans. The day will include free health screenings and health education, along with vendors, entertainment, and free family fun.
AAMWA focuses on mental wellness, the opioid crisis, fatherhood, financial health, wellness and preventative health.
Although overall chronic disease among African Americans is higher, organizations committed to reducing disproportional health outcomes are miniscule. That’s why organizations like AAMWA are so important. Men in general are less likely than women to stay on top of their health, even less with Black men.
Since 2004, AAMWA has worked “to reduce disparities in premature death and chronic diseases among African American (AA) males by providing more than ten thousand health screenings yearly and innovative health education programs,” according to their website.
Improving health begins with communication, and this is something that AAMWA seems to be doing rather well. The nonprofit hosts regular conferences, to create a safe space for dialogue about important health issues.
Their programs empower men to take ownership of the quality of their lives. Men learn how to gauge health conditions by knowing what numbers are within the “normal” ranges. They also learn how closely related lifestyle, diet, and mental health are to overall physical health.
Black people in general lag behind their white counterparts across the board with regard to wellness. Specifically, Black American men are 50% more likely to get lung cancer than white American men, and 70% more likely to get and die from prostate cancer. Black men, regardless of family history, are encouraged to start screening for prostate cancer at age 40—10 years earlier the American Cancer Society recommends.
Black men, we need to do better. I am asking you to take your health more seriously. Waking up each morning is never a given, and you could very well save your own life, simply by making a doctor’s appointment. Check out Black Men’s Wellness Day if you can. If not, make a commitment to take better care of yourself. The 2024 Los Angeles Black Men’s Wellness Day is open to the public. Participants can register on the day of the event or online at la.aawellness.org.
