The Health Committee is working on multiple projects to serve the community. Here is what you can expect to see.

The committee will be exploring Alzheimer’s/dementia in the community. We learned of an opportunity to participate in a survey to collect local data about Alzheimer’s/Dementia with Stephanie Smith from the Alaska Department of Health. In her presentation, she mentioned that elderly Black adults are three times more likely to suffer from dementia than their white counterparts. As astonishing as this statistic is, those numbers are based on data from the lower 48. Stephanie is conducting a 5-year survey and is looking for local participants to complete her survey. Our committee asked insightful questions, and we are exploring how we can provide opportunities for Stephanie to reach out to our community to collect data.

Join us on Saturday, February 10, for the 5th Annual Bettye Davis Summit. We are thrilled to present a panel discussion on Black men’s health. “The Mystique of the Barbershop.” It will have an introduction by Jewel Jones and be moderated by Amana Mbise. The committee thanks Amana and Jewel for connecting with community members and organizing this panel. We hope you are as excited as we are to join this discussion.

Sunday, February 18, will be our first hybrid community conversation, in person at the Nave and online via Zoom and FB Live. Gail Jackson will lead a team of wellness practitioners as we present actionable steps you can take to enhance resilience and manage your health in these stressful times. We will broadcast live via Zoom and Facebook from The Nave in Spenard. This is a free event for the community, and we would love you to join us.