In part two of Black and Disabled with Vilissa Thompson, we dive into the topic of intersectionality. Thompson opens up by talking about how media has traditionally positioned abled people as 'saviors' for the disabled population. Telethons and fundraisers often portray disabled people as people to be pitied over or incapable of living like others in society. "The way we view disabled people is grossly negative and condescending," Thompson says. This negativity will sometimes deter Black people from identifying as disabled. It's hard enough to be Black in America and adding "disabled" to our s ..read more

We're starting a new series on Black Body Health: The Podcast. This week, you get to meet Vilissa Thompson. For 10 years, Thompson has led Ramp Your Voice!, an organization that promotes empowerment, education, inclusion, and self-advocacy for disabled people like herself. According to the World Health Organization, there are three dimensions of disability Body functions and structure (impairment) Activities at the individual level Restriction in participation in society With this in mind, there are still societal pressures and exclusions which prevent people with disabilities from being act ..read more

Welcome back, Black Body Health listener! Host Natasha Phelps starts off November with part one of our Black Veteran series. In this episode, we introduce you to Richard Brookshire, one of the brilliant minds behind Black Veterans Project. The nonprofit works to advance racial equity for those in and out of uniform by using storytelling and national reporting. They have positioned themselves to be watchdogs of policy and change that could affect the health and well-being of Black veterans. Not only does he detail the hard work of Black Veterans Project on the podcast, Brookshire also shares hi ..read more

At The Center for Black Health & Equity, we pledge to support a meaningful and community-driven response to this growing monkeypox (MPX) outbreak. MPX has spread to over 88 nations and we are now under a global health emergency according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Recently, on August 3, 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration officially declared MPX a public health emergency in the United States. This critical development aims to free up emergency funding, coordinate a nationwide response, and improve the distribution of vaccines and treatment. This past week, the Centers for Di ..read more

Have a seat, let us drape you, and welcome to Black Body Health the Barbershop! Kidding, this is another great podcast episode where fabulous host Natasha Phelps interviews two guests about Black health. More specifically, Black men’s health. In this country, Black men have the lowest life expectancy compared to men and women of other racial and ethnic groups. Stigma, proper access to healthcare, and other socioeconomic details contribute to this disparity. So what are medical and public health professionals doing about this? They’re going to the barbershops. Michael Scott, Senior Program Mana ..read more

It’s hot hot hot almost anywhere you go. With record heat baking the United States and Europe, during UV Safety Month, we felt that a discussion about skin cancer in Black people was vital. Yes, our melanin is more than just beautiful – it provides protection. However, the amount of protection it gives us from the sweltering sun is not enough to hit the beach without sufficient sunscreen. While Black people are less likely to be diagnosed with skin cancer, we are more likely to die from it due to late detection. In this episode, host Natasha Phelps explains this health disparity further. She’l ..read more

In the late 90s, pharmaceutical companies created opioids so doctors can treat patients with chronic or severe pain. Misuse and overprescribing of these drugs have turned a solution into a health crisis –  often highlighted in predominantly white communities. Yet in recent years, there has been a shift. The number of Black people who have overdosed on opioids has increased by about 40 percent as other groups see a decrease in cases.  In this episode of Black Body Health: The Podcast, Natasha explains why drug addiction in the Black community deserves our attention and action. The ide ..read more

This week, Black Body Health The Podcast starts off a little heavy. A draft from the U.S. Supreme Court potentially striking down on abortion rights was leaked to the press. People across the country are marching to protest on what could be a major infringement of our right to privacy. Host Natasha Phelps elaborates on this concern before starting the main discussion: the need to rest and sleep. When was the last time you had some adequate, consistent sleep? Can you think of the last time you took a few minutes or an hour to rest your mind? For many of us, sleep and rest sound like ‘luxuries ..read more

It started with a little abdominal pain, but it progressed as the day went on. Within hours, she had to endure an emergency surgery. That’s just a part of Sterling Fulton’s story. You’ve heard her on Black Body Health: The Podcast before, speaking as the Director of Evaluation for The Center for Black Health & Equity. But this week, Sterling joins host Natasha Phelps to talk about her journey with uterine fibroids. Alongside her is Dr.Stacey Wells, a hospitalist working in Houston, Texas. She joins the conversation not only as a physician but also as Sterling’s concerned caregiver and youn ..read more

Happy April! Springtime is among us – the birds are chirping louder, your neighbors are cutting the grass, and you are probably listening to this podcast while driving down a snowless road. This is a great moment to start reconnecting to nature, and our guests on this week’s episode of Black Body Health: The Podcast would agree. Meet Jordan Bethea, production manager for Backyard Basecamp located in the Baltimore area. He’s a first generation farmer working to help Black people in their nature reconnection journey near the city. We also have Andrea Ramos on the podcast, an amateur climber who ..read more