On Wed August 21, WBLS’s own Ann Tripp moderated a community roundtable at Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem. The topic of the discussion was ‘The Community’s Health: What We Need To Know For Both The Body and The State of Politics.’ Tripp was joined by author Queen Afua, Dr. Kordai DeCoteau, and historian Margaret Kimberly.
Tying collective health to politics was the theme of the evening. At the onset, a leaflet outlining the controversial “Project 25” platform was distributed to the crowd. “They have a lot of desires about where our community should go and if you look at that list, some of this has already started,” Tripp said to the crowd. “They want to raise the retirement age so that you don’t get the money. It’s a scheme for them to keep your money. But if we take care of ourselves we can beat them.”
Tripp opened the discussion with a pointed question to homeopathic healer Queen Afua. “Only 14% of Black Americans live long enough to collect social security. What can we do about that and start to save ourselves?”
Afua proudly stood to address the audience and started by declaring that she had just celebrated her 71st birthday, but that living to this age was not a given for her.
“I was an old lady in my 20s,” she said matter-of-factly. She ran off a list of the many illnesses she had despite being young. Her poor health is what motivated her to use food as medicine and “live my lifestyle according to nature.”
Health is wealth
Afua went on to say that while age brings power and knowledge, certain foods are aging people’s bodies. It’s crucial to shift energy away from harmful foods and focus on self-love rather than “seeking fulfillment from food.” She added that emotional triggers often lead to unhealthy eating habits, which can be managed by incorporating bitters into the diet to reduce cravings.
Eliminating sugar, dairy, and processed foods, while adding vegetable proteins like avocado, can improve health.
She concluded by stating that culture, relationships, and environment play crucial roles in overall well-being. “Our culture is our medicine.”
Dr. Kordai DeCoteau, a board-certified podiatrist, shared her very personal Cancer battle and narrated her journey through chemo and recovery with personal photos. She admitted that being a doctor battling cancer during COVID still afforded her certain privileges that the average woman didn’t have, which underlines why it’s important for Black women to advocate for the best care.
“There is too much that you don’t know. We don’t get our questions answered…it’s great when you have people who look like you represent you.”
Power to the people
Author Margaret Kimberly shifted the conversation “from the body to the body politic” by discussing her 2020 book, Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents (Truth to Power). She explained that the title combines the words ‘President’ and ‘Prejudice’ as it unearths uncomfortable truths about every American Head of State from George Washington to Donald Trump.
“In an election year we ask who will be good for Black people,” Kimberly said, emphasizing that demands must be made to get results. “What is their incentive to change if you just go along? You can’t just vote and that’s it. Lyndon Johnson moved because people made demands. Without pressure, they don’t change.”
Ann Tripp punctuated the call to action by emphasizing the importance of voting, despite what some entertainers might say. “They tell you don’t vote, but cozy up to politicians when they want things done. This is why they took civics out of the classrooms.”
Stay tuned to WBLS for announcements of more upcoming community events.