Panel Focuses on Health Issues for African Americans

A panel on health in the OAB Room 251 on Tuesday focused on the physical and mental health of the African American community.

Consisting of Dr. Arrie Smith, a clinical psychologist and counselor at FCC, Melissa Knight, a professor of women’s studies at Fresno State, Dr. Jeanette Moore from the Central Valley Black Nurses Association and Erica Alexander, the MCH program director for the March of Dimes, the panel discussed issues and took questions from students.

Dr. Smith said that health forums “are very important for them [students] to get information they otherwise wouldn’t get.”

The panelists discussed the physical and mental health problems that African Americans deal with everyday, and also about the truths and misconceptions that some African Americans have about health.

An informative video highlighted sexual consent, and how it’s not considered consensual if one of the individuals is unable to speak or when the advances are unwanted.

Other issues raised by the panel include how diabetes affects African Americans, sexual health, women’s health and hygiene and how unhealthy diets can affect one’s overall health.

The topics of sexual health raised interest from participants.

“I learned a lot of new things that I hadn’t heard about,” Alfonsol Roberson, a student, said. “It was interesting and a fun experience.”