What’s Up Miss Lil: Black Health Summit Meets At Harlem’s Alhambra Ballroom

By Lil Nickelson

Early on the morning of August 15th, 2024, crowds of interested people converged on the Alhambra Ballroom located on the Southeast corner of 126th Street at 2116 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.

The Black Health Matters Summit & Expo titled, “Elevating Health & Wellness in the Chocolate City,” and was sponsored by Black Health Matters (“BHM”) and the Harlem Week division of Grater Harlem Chamber of Commerce (“GHCC”). A free full-day program began at 8am with check-in and breakfast, thirteen 30-minute workshops were held during the day and concluded 4:15pm with raffles and closing remarks.

The six 30-minute workshops before lunch distribution were:

The Role of Democracy in Shaping Black Health Outcomes, Body Sculpting for All Ages, Early Detection: How We Overcome Barriers to Access and Why It’s Important, Clinical Trial Diversity: Nothing About Us Without Us, Savings Legs, Changing Lives, Addressing Generational Needs: Healthy Aging for our Elders and Behavioral Health for our Youth in Post-COVID NY.

During lunch distribution the workshop The Powerful Impact of Integrative Care for Breast Cancer Patients was held, and a mini workout took place with the Guru of Abs.

The last six 30-minute workshops before lunch distribution were:

Hereditary ATTR Amyloidosis: Know Your Genetic Health History, Inequities in Sickle Cell Disease Health, Quality of Life, and Costs: Why Sickle Cell Matters, HIV and its Impact on The Black Community, Food Allergies in our Community: More Than Just Peanuts, My Kidneys are Failing, Now What? What you should know about dialysis and transplantation, Taking Control of Our Health: Information That Empowers.

I came into the event during the workshop just before lunch, Addressing Generational Needs: Healthy Aging for our Elders and Behavioral Health for our Youth in Post-COVID NY workshop which was moderated by Padmore John. Padmore John is a former chair of Harlem Community Board 9, as well as Assistant Commissioner NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for the Harlem Bureau of NeighborhoodHealth. I stayed for this workshop, but the ballroom was so jammed back that I decided it was too crowded for my comfort, and I was glad it was virtual as well.

BHM provided participants with five (5) tips to take charge of your health:

1. Get regular medical and dental screenings – to practice preventative healthcare habits with physical examinations, tests for disease or other health problems. Early detection of health diseases gives you the best chance of getting treatment and surviving.

2. Keep track of your health numbers – whether you have been diagnosed with a chronic disease or not. The four most important health numbers everyone needs to know are:

a. Blood pressure – normal reading is 120/80 or less.

b. Hemoglobin A1C – it should be less than 5.7% for non-diabetics and less than 7% for type 2 diabetics.

c. Cholesterol – total cholesterol should be below 200, with your HDL (good cholesterol) above 60 and your LDL (bad cholesterol) below 100.

d. BMI – stands for body mass index under 25 is considered healthy; 25 – 30 is overweight, and over 30 would be obese. This number should be looked at alongside your waistline and body fat for a more accurate picture.

3. Know your family health history – it is so important that you know the diseases and health conditions that run in your family medical history. Make a list of your family members and found out the cause of death for those members no longer with you.

4. Stay active and start moving. Simple activities like walking, dancing, and working out in water by swimming and water aerobics can help you improve your health, reduce your risk of injuring yourself as well as reduce your mental stress levels.

5. Eat the rainbow – you must include vegetables and fruit from the colors of white
to black in your consumption of food every day.

Most of the participants at the summit were seasoned and retirees. Padmore John summarized it best, you need to go home and speak to your younger family members in their 20s through their 40s to make sure they are fully aware of the disease and conditions that run in their family. The steps they can begin taking and putting in place can help them avoid and eliminate these conditions.

Back in 1995 I became a participant in the Black Women’s Health Study (“BWHS”), a historic study on the health of Black women in the United States. The study has contributed to exploring the reasons why there continues to be higher rates of certain diseases in the African American community with the goal of gaining insight and solutions to decrease the impact on the Black community. I remain a participant twenty- nine years later because it is important.

Lil Nickelson

Lil Nickelson is a Senior Consultant with an MBA degree focused on Finance and Financial Management Services from New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Skilled in sales, management, business development, marketing strategy, and social media, with a history of working in the food and beverages industry. Her column “Dining with Miss Lil” has been featured in Harlem newspapers and with Harlem World Magazine for numerous years.

Photo Credit: Lil Nickelson.