An estimated 8,000 people attended the two day Health Summit held on January 28, 29, 2005 at the Oakland Marriott City Center. Titled Embracing Wellness: Body, Mind and Spirit, Friday's Health Summit Conference involved 500 individuals, physicians, allied health professionals, community leaders, educators, holistic health practitioners, youth activists, senior advocates as well as local and regionally elected officials.
The Health Summit Conference opened with a performance by "Destiny, The Harpist from the Hood." Asara Tsehai, Founder of "A Touch of Life", led a powerful community unification affirmation. During the morning plenary session Dr. Brenda Wade of San Francisco and Heartline Productions spoke about the need to embrace wellness in all aspects of our lives. Conference attendees were inspired by former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher to know your numbers, eat colors, and to be aware of the services that should be provided to us by health care professionals.
Kaiser Permanente, title sponsor for the 2005 Health Summit convened a press conference to introduce its new video entitled, "Caring for Your Family's Health" as a way to bring greater consciousness to African American communities regarding the need to take positive action towards your health. Bernard Tyson, Senior Vice President, acknowledged that Kaiser Permanente would no longer just research health disparities; instead, they are working to address them - starting with this new video program. Mr. Tyson also emphasized the importance of knowing your health numbers (blood pressure; cholesterol, body max idex) and to eat colors (fruits and vegetables).
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a founding member of the Bay Area Black United Fund, attended the Press Conference to express her pleasure at the convening of the African American Health Summit. Her office awarded the Bay Area Black United Fund with the highest award her office can present to any local agency. She is very concerned about the declining health of ethnic communities in the 9th Congressional District. As she commended the Bay Area Black United Fund, she thanked Kaiser Permanente and local leadership for their leading edge programs on behalf of the African American community.
Health Expo attracts large numbers
Woody Carter, Ph.d., Executive Director of the Bay Area Black United thanks the numerous agencies and community partners who worked together to make the Health Summit such a success. Dr. Carter says, "our goal was to throw the biggest rock we can muster into the community and let the impact move out into the community."
Saturday's Health Expo more than doubled in attendance from the 2003 Health Summit with over 7,500 - 8,000 people attending. The health screenings set record numbers as people participated in blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index checks conducted by the Bay Area Black Nurses. The Ethnic Health Institute, Healthy Oakland and the Watson Wellness Center teamed up to administer prostate cancer screenings. Additional screenings were provided by the Northern California Kidney Foundation, the Bay Area Black Social Workers, City Center Dental, and Children's Hospital Sickle Cell program. The Summit experienced record setting health screenings.
Billy Blanks, Creator of Tae Bo, led two jam packed Tae Bo workouts and provided an inspiring motivational talk that preceded each work out. Health promotion activities were carried in both Convention Exhibit Halls West and East with holistic health classes offered all day on the second floor. The YMCA showcased its Total Family Fitness program, the Rock Wall enticed over 600 climbers both young and old. Chef Leslie James of the LLC Community Culinary Academy not only showed us how to sauté but help us to understand how to keep the integrity of the food we eat.
The day was packed with an incredible array of activities - if you missed it - you can view the Health Expo's program by clicking here.
The Health Summit is community knowledge building process that will produce the second "Black Paper" that decribes a Community Action Plan to guide our collective actions. Held every two years the in between years focus on creating and supporting healthy practices at an individual, family, neighborhood and community level. The next Health Summit will be in 2007.
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Click on images to see larger versions  Dr. David Sacher, former US Surgeon General
 Billy Blanks & BABUF's Executive Director Dr. Woody Carter
 Dr. Brenda Wade
 Arnold Perkins, Director Alameda County Public Health Department
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