4th Annual Uhuru Health Festival in East Oakland

On Saturday, April 28, 2018, the African People’s Education and Defense Fund and Black Star Industries will host the Uhuru Health Festival from 11am to 4pm at Akwaaba Hall at 7911 MacArthur Blvd in Oakland.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Family, Fitness, Freedom! Putting the Power of African Health in African Hands!” The festival will include presentations and workshops from organizations including the Black Nurses Association, the East Bay Boxing Association, East Bay Chiropractic, Family Education Resource Center, Fresh Approach and the Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority.

Ona Zene Yeshitela, coordinator of Uhuru Health Fairs & Festivals nationally, asserted that
“The dire state of health faced by African families in Oakland is well known and well documented.” Reports by the Alameda County Department of Health show grave disparities in life expectancy, maternal health, infant mortality, chronic disease, medical care access and overall health and well being. Some of these statistics include:

A person of African descent born in East or West Oakland can expect to die almost 15 years earlier than a white person born in the Oakland hills.
The rates of Asthma for African-American children is 2.5 times higher than the overall rate in the county.
Diabetes in Alameda County is at 13% for African-Americans compared to 5% for caucasians.
High blood pressure is 48% for African-Americans, 28% for caucasians.

According to Yeshitela, the long term goal of the health festivals is African self-reliance. The Uhuru Health Festival is harnessing the vast resources of the Bay Area, putting these crucially needed resources in the hands of our under resourced African community. And we are inviting people from all walks of life to participate and contribute.

To get volunteer or support the Uhuru Health Festival and for more information, contact 510-763-3342 ext. x5 or email oakland [at] uhuruvolunteer.org

The African People’s Education and Defense Fund is a national 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is to defend the civil and human rights of the African community. APEDF builds programs and institutions that are addressing the grave disparities faced by the African community in health, healthcare, education and economic development. Apedf.org

Black Star Industries is building economic development and commerce for and between African people worldwide. http://uhurupies.org/about/story.php?store=stpete