National Minority Health Month
Health & Wellness / By Lance De Peralta / April 29, 2022
Stress awareness.
Move more.
Financial literacy.
This will be my last awareness entry of the month...and a deeply personal one for me.
National Minority Health Month (NMHM), observed every April, is a month dedicated to addressing the health needs of African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans, and other minorities.
I fit into one of those categories (Asian).
It's a fact that health disparities exist within minority communities across the nation. It's also a fact that COVID-19 shone a light on those disparities. So it should be of little surprise, then, that the focus in 2022 is around COVID vaccinations / transmission prevention: Give Your Community a Boost! is this year’s NMHM theme.
But I won't focus on COVID. Two years is more than enough.
Instead, let me talk about the first two months of 2022.
In case you're unaware, I returned home (Hawai'i) to participate in a remote work program called Movers and Shakas. While there, I had the privilege of supporting a local non-profit (The Pantry) that addresses food insecurity. I wrote about my experience touring the facility and volunteering for the day. What I didn't mention in my article is that The Pantry welcomes walk-ins AND drive-ins. The first hour of operation is devoted to walk-ins. I was struck by the number of Asian men and women I saw in line that day, with bags or carts (or both) to collect their food orders. Many spoke little to no English.
Part of me was sad to see anyone (not just Asians) struggling to put food on the table. But the other part was delighted to volunteer AND committed to continue supporting The Pantry and other causes - to be of service to others. Being of service to others is what medASTUTE stands for. "Our Experience | Your Advantage" is the company motto after all.
What steps have you taken this year (or in past years) to promote health equity?
Comment below.
