Attention to Health Education in the African Diaspora (AHEAD)

WORLD AIDS DAY is a day to recommit to the fight against HIV/AIDS. PECHE is committed to that fight commerate WAD. PECHE has joined forces with several national and local minority serving organizations to present a unique platform to promote health and disseminate public health information among Africans in the Diaspora while commemorating World AIDS Day. Attention to Health Education in the African Diaspora (AHEAD) was developed out of PECHE’s commitment to educate the masses on public health issues such as HIV/AIDS that negatively impact people of African descent in Metro-Atlanta, Georgia. We are organizing a Health Fair Workshop with three main goals:

1. Educate the public about public health issues affecting Africans in the Diaspora
2. Bring together organizations serving Africans in the Diaspora, and
3. Celebrate African culture.

The theme of the Health Fair Workshop is: “Our Health, Our Future”. The event will take place at the Georgia International Convention Center, 2000 Convention Center Concourse, College Park, GA 30337 on Saturday, December 2, 2006 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

All are welcome: African immigrants, African Americans, Caribbean immigrants, and friends of Africa.

Scope

A World AIDS Day event integrating health and African culture, Attention to Health Education in the African Diaspora (AHEAD) will offer health education and information, as well as show case African culture through health related poems, drama, and music.

Implementation

A variety of partner organizations and vendors will be on hand to exchange information, provide health education, screening, and testing (Free testing for HIV, diabetes, TB, and blood pressure will be offered). Three panel sessions will be conducted, with two concurrent sessions in the morning and one “Ask the Expert” session in the afternoon. A plenary session during the lunch hour will consist of a guest speaker and a keynote speaker.

All the sessions will be led by esteemed scholars covering an array of topics on public health issues affecting peoples of African descent. These topics will focus on HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. One of the critical issues to be discussed in all the sessions is the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS and how the Black community must confront it and find strategies to overcome it.

Population

The target population for the health and cultural fair includes all people of African descent (African immigrants, African Americans, and Caribbean immigrants). However, the general public is welcome.

Sponsors/Partners

PECHE is working with various partners to ensure the success of this workshop. These partners include:

1. Office of Minority Health Resource Center (OMHRC)
2. DeKalb County Board of Health.
3. Morehouse School of Medicine
4. The Reconstruction Era.
5. African Sisters for Information, Knowledge, and Empowerment (ASIKE)
6. Saving Lives through Alternative Options (SLAO) Inc
7. Council of African Muslims, USA Inc. (CAMUSA)
8. Uganda North America Association (UNAA), Atlanta Chapter
9. The East Africa America Business Council