Genoa Barrow

Tony Francis (97) argues that the “powers that be” don’t pay enough attention to the health needs of Black seniors. He and his three nonagenarian siblings credit their longevity to close family ties.

Former legislator Cheryl Brown is the two-time chair of the California Commission on Aging. She took part in the advisory committee for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Master Plan for Aging and continues to serve on its Equity Advisory Committee on Aging and Disability. She discusses California's master plan on aging, and notes that “equity is about ensuring that we intentionally uplift the voices of people who are underrepresented, underserved and unheard." That includes communities of color.

Californians are living longer and the state’s aging population has forced policymakers to focus more on the growing ranks of older adults as they plan for the state’s future. Black experts in the field want to ensure that African American seniors aren’t left out of the conversation. Representation in research and recruitment in academia matters, but these remain huge unsolved challenges.

Dance can be a highly beneficial form of exercise for seniors with pre-existing health conditions. It offers a low-impact, enjoyable way to improve physical fitness and overall well-being through improved cardiovascular health, enhanced balance and coordination, increased flexibility, boosted mood and cognitive function, and weight management. For Bay Area native Joseph “Smokin’ Joe” Guillory, line dancing is a mental, physical and spiritual experience. “It all works together,” Guillory says. “It helps the body and the mind.”

As they cultivate gardens, seniors in Sacramento find a renewed sense of purpose. Sharon Chandler is one such senior who introduces the love of gardening to residents of the Delta Cove senior apartment complex in South Sacramento. The initiative fosters social interaction, encourages healthier eating habits and induces gardeners to incorporate home-grown produce into their diets.

The “food as medicine” movement is growing in popularity as more people look to plant-based solutions for ills that continue to plague the Black community at disproportionate rates.

Sacramento State college student Jaliyah Dramera doesn’t always have money to buy the foods necessary to fuel herself properly. She is not alone.
More than two-thirds of the 23,687 college students polled in California reported facing food insecurity.

Mixing systemic racism, low wages, unemployment and resulting poverty is a troubling recipe for long-term – in many cases generational – food insecurity. Armed with the knowledge that food insecurity can lead to poor outcomes and impact the community’s overall health and well-being, Black organizations have taken the lead in addressing the multi-layered issue.

The aftereffects of witnessing traumatic events can linger on for decades. The Black community is seeking interventions and resources to help young Black boys heal from violence and trauma and process stress, anxiety, racism, and other weights they carry on their shoulders.

Clinical social worker LaVontae Hill found help for his mental health struggles due to OCD and anxiety but had to fight entrenched mental health stigma along the way.