Igniting Hope for Health Equity

”Tobacco is for the Young, Black, Poor and Stupid”: Stan Martin Exposing Big Tobacco’s Plot Against Us

Ep. 27 Tobacco use is a major contributor to the three leading causes of death among African Americans—heart disease, cancer, and stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 40,000 Black people die annually from cigarettes annually but on Saturday June 24th the Tobacco Free Erie Niagara Coalition is holding a funeral for "Menthol" celebrating the death of cigarette use. In this episode Stan Martin gives us the story behind the motivation for this event and his mission to work with tobacco users to help them quit the product that, when used as intended, will kill you. 
For decades, Big Tobacco marketed menthol cigarettes to African Americans by giving them away in neighborhoods, at festivals and other events. While the use of tobacco products is about equal among Blacks and Whites, African Americans are more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes, inhaling the smoke deeper into their lungs and making it more difficult to quit. 
NYS smoker quit line- 1 866 NY quits, https://www.nysmokefree.com/
About the Guest
Stan Martin, MM is the Buffalo Office Director for Cicatelli Associates Inc.
He possesses over 20 years of experience in program planning, coordination and implementation of community initiatives focused on tobacco
control, chronic disease prevention, healthy eating, nutrition, optimal adolescent health, and vaccine hesitancy in historic oppressed populations.
 
Contact Stan "The Man" via email smartin@caiglobal.org
 
Throughout his decade of service with CAI, he has held several key leadership positions, which promote health and wellness, facilitation of youth-community led initiatives including HOPE Buffalo, REACH Buffalo & Advancing Tobacco Free Communities.
Mr. Martin has expertise in building the capacity of community stakeholders to address the social determinants of health, utilization of Community Based Participatory Research, Collective Impact and Population-Based Health strategies that promote systemic and policy change at every level of the socio-ecological model, which lead to the transformation of social norms.

My Brother’s Keeper: Creating a Culture of Self-support with Sherman Webb-Middlebrooks

Ep. 26 Sherman Webb-Middlebrooks is on a mission to fill a void in his community by creating a safe space for Black men to engage in conversations about mental, physical, and spiritual health. But with a system designed to benefit from their trauma and struggle, Sherman's journey is anything but easy. Will he be able to break the mold and provide a new path for black men?
"Exposure leads to expansion.
If I can expose brothers to different environments, different conversations,
get them to think thoughts and never thought before,
then I can expand their mind." -Sherman Webb-Middlebrooks
 
This conversation with Pastor George Nicholas brings to light the staggering health disparities faced by African American men, particularly around mental health and suicide prevention.
Public school systems and the criminal justice system often disproportionately affect Black men, contributing to a range of mental health challenges. Recognizing these systemic issues and acknowledging the role they play in the mental health crisis of the black community is essential in driving positive change.
Sherman has taken it upon himself to bridge the gap between black men and community programs designed to improve mental health and wellness as the Program Manager of the Black Men's Health Initiative at the Buffalo Center for Health Equity. He believes that by creating a culture and community of support, black men can find the resources and connections they need to thrive, ultimately changing the narrative and breaking the cycle of trauma that has persisted for far too long. This passion stems from his upbringing surrounded by strong female role models, who taught him the importance of emotional intelligence and communication.
In this episode, you will be able to:
Investigate the presence of stigma tied to mental health in the Black community and its effects.
Evaluate the gaps in provision of culturally appropriate mental health care for the Black community.
Analyze the systemic factors that intensify the mental health crisis affecting the Black community.
Realize the importance of community connections and protected spaces in fostering Black men's mental health.
 
RESOURCES
Black Men's Health Initiative www.buffalohealthequity.org
Buffalo Fatherhood Initiative Podcast On YouTube
 
ABOUT THE GUEST
Sherman D. Webb-Middlebrooks is a full-time black man, public intellectual, and lifelong Buffalo resident with a passion for youth development and community building. He holds a BA in Psychology and American History from D'Youville College, and has extensive experience in education and community outreach.
Sherman is an experienced facilitator, and has a proven track record of delivering high-quality educational programs and activities that address identified programming priorities around DEI, anti-racism, nutrition, health, and wellness. He has worked with several organizations and institutions including the NYS Public Health Fellows & both Cornell's 4H Healthy Community Youth Advocates program and Youth Community Action Network as a key contact in the Buffalo community.
 
OTHER EPISODES YOU'LL ENJOY
What’s Strong with Black Men? With Stan Martin
”He’s My Brother, Not an Inmate”: How to Help a Loved One Re-enter Society After Incarceration
Buffalo May 14 Massacre: Politically or Racially Motivated? with Dr. Henry Taylor
Mother of Buffalo Mass Shooting Victim Speaks Out and Fights Back |

Caring for the Caregivers Across Generations with Sade Dozan

Ep. 25 Sade Dozan joins Pastor George to talk about their personal experiences with caring for aging parents and the upcoming event addressing the need for care for the caregivers.
In this episode we explore the following questions:
Should you give up your life to care for elderly parent?
How do you deal with the stress of caring for an elderly parent?
What resources are available for caregivers in Buffalo, NY
 
The Western New York Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in partnership with the Buffalo Center for Health Equity presents “It’s A Family Affair: 3rd Annual Black/African American Caregiver Conference,”
Saturday April 1st from 1pm - 3:30pm at the Frank Merriweather Library 1324 Jefferson Avenue, Buffalo, NY
 
The conference will focus on the unique challenges faced by family caregivers in communities of color. Join us in person or log in via Zoom.
Register at bit.ly/AlzFamConf23 or call 800.272.3900.
Sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York and made possible by a grant from the NYS Dept. of Health.
 
ABOUT THE GUEST
Sadé Dozan, Chief of Operations & Development, at Caregiving Across Generations is a witness to the power collective voice has in shifting culture and policies surrounding under-resourced communities and marginalized groups.
Sade is a Black Latina millennial and sandwich generation caregiver living in New Jersey. She cares for her mother and father, who are both in their 70s and chronically ill, and her young daughter. As someone with a disability herself, she balances her own care with that of her loved ones and navigates paid leave, child care, aging and disability care—all while working full time."
 
Other episodes you'll enjoy
A Call For Safe and Equitable Maternal Health with Danise Wilson
Why Inclusion in Medical Science is Critical for Black Communities
Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease with Claire Corwin
 

Unlocking Health Equity Data in Erie County with Kelly Wofford

Ep. 24 Discover the shocking disparities in health equity revealed by the Erie County Initial Report. Kelly Wofford is the director of the Erie County Department of Health Equity, established by law in 2020. She is responsible for the Health Equity in Erie County: An Initial Disparities Report - This report is intended to serve as a resource for all Erie County residents so that they can better understand the issues and status of health equity and health disparities in Erie County.  
Through surveys, targeted outreach and focus groups, Kelly and her team gave a voice to the people who have historically been left out of conversations.In this episode, you will learn the following:1. How Erie County's Office of Health Equity is using equity to address the social determinants of health for marginalized communities in Western New York. 2. How the Office of Health Equity collected data from more than 3,000 Erie County residents.3. How the Office of Health Equity is building relationships with community members to ensure their stories are heard.
 
Resources
Office of Health Equity established in Erie County
https://www3.erie.gov/health/health-equity
 
Office of Health Equity written into Law
https://www3.erie.gov/health/sites/www3.erie.gov.health/files/2023-02/locallawheoffice.pdf
 
Buffalo Center for Health Equity
257 W. Genesee Street Suite 160Buffalo, NY 14202
admin@buffalohealthequity.org
 
Other episodes you'll enjoy
Black Mamas: A Call For Safe and Equitable Maternal Health with Danise Wilson
Buffalo Massacre: Politically or Racially Motivated? with Dr. Henry Taylor
Food Apartheid on Buffalo’s Eastside with Rita Hubbard-Robinson
 
About the Guest
With a career centered in health engagement and advocacy, Kelly Marie Wofford began her role as the inaugural director of the Erie County Department Office of Health Equity in late 2021.  The Office of Health Equity is a new initiative that focuses on evaluating health disparities and improving health outcomes in Erie County, and building partnerships for programs that help marginalized and diverse populations in Erie County achieve maximum health and wellness.  Prior to her role establishing the Erie County Office of Health Equity, Kelly ledcommunity relations at Erie County Medical Center as well as communications efforts and mental health advocacy for the Buffalo Center for Health Equity. Her leadership was also pivotal in the creation of the University at Buffalo’s Institute for Community Health Equity, a research institute – the first of its kind – that partners with the Buffalo Center for Health Equity and the Erie County Office of Health Equity to provide the research needed to achieve the vision of amore healthy, equitable, and just community.
 

Big Tobacco: Profit over People. A Raw Discussion with Stan Martin

Ep. 23 Stan Martin joins Pastor George to address the leading cause of death among Black American adults. There is a concerted plan to destroy us. We need to be diligent about supporting policy that support us. Tobacco is responsible for deaths needs to held responsible. Big tobacco places profit over people. WE must place public health over Tobacco.
Big Tobacco is the villain, and we cannot allow them to divide us. It’s time for it to stop. It is our intention to bring truth and awareness where there is division…provide healing. Expose the actors outside of our community that try to manipulate the hearts and minds of our leaders. "Stop carrying the water” that provides sickness.
 
Stan Martin, MM is the Buffalo Office Director for Cicatelli Associates Inc.
He possesses over 20 years of experience in program planning, coordination and implementation of community initiatives focused on tobacco
control, chronic disease prevention, healthy eating, nutrition, optimal adolescent health, and vaccine hesitancy in historic oppressed populations.
 
Stats and facts
In the last 12 months 40000 have be lost as a result in cigarette smoking
Menthol cigarettes, more flavorful, more addictive... marketed to the African American community.
Kills more ppl than car accidents, suicide, and AIDS combined. Cancer related deaths are preventable.
New legislation
New York Governor Hochul Proposal to Ban the Sale of All Flavored tobacco Products, Including Menthol, https://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2023/2023-02-09_flavored_tobacco_products.htm
 
Both sides of the issue
Con
Sale and distribution of menthol would criminalize smokers and increase negative encounters with ppl and community.
Black market for menthol cigarette
 
Pro
African Americans are more vulnerable to health-related diseases connected to smoking menthol and other flavored tobacco product…this legislation will set a boundaries, restricting the ability of big tobacco from targeting the next generation.
 
Resources
Referencing paraphrased quote… If you are not gonna target youth, you will be out of business…https://www.lakecountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2809/Tobaccos-Target---YOU-PDF?bidId=
NYS smoker quit line- 1 866 NY quits, https://www.nysmokefree.com/
 
About the Guest
Stan Martin Project Director / Senior Trainer Ciatelli Associates, 
smartin@caiglobal.org
 
Throughout his decade of service with CAI, he has held several key leadership positions, which promote health and wellness, facilitation of youth-community led initiatives including HOPE Buffalo, REACH Buffalo & Advancing Tobacco Free Communities.
Mr. Martin has expertise in building the capacity of community stakeholders to address the social determinants of health, utilization of Community Based Participatory Research, Collective Impact and Population-Based Health strategies that promote systemic and policy change at every level of the socio-ecological model, which lead to the transformation of social norms.

Black Mamas: A Call For Safe and Equitable Maternal Health with Danise Wilson

Ep. 22 The need for Black maternal health care has never been more pressing. According to the CDC, in New York City alone, Black women are nine times more likely to die of a pregnancy-related cause than white women, and their rate of infant mortality is more than three times higher.
In this episode Pastor George Nicholas is joined by Danise Wilson, Executive Director of the Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center to discuss how Doula services can help and how you can attend a free conference offering tons of resources for Black Mamas. 
Danise, had a heart attack days after giving birth and she continues to have health problems years later because she was not heard.More than a hot topic, this crisis impacts black moms and babies we must be intentional in our efforts in mitigate the negative outcomes.
 
 
ABOUT THE GUEST
Danise Wilson, MPH Executive Director of the Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center. Erie Niagara AHEC is dedicated to creating a diverse healthcare workforce and well-informed community. Our educational programs address community health issues such as maternal health, opioid use, and health literacy. 
Learn more at https://www.erieniagaraahec.org/ 
 
RESOURCES
J. Marion Sims, American Physician/SurgeonA fresh look at the historical record
 
 
What are the benefits of having a doula?
A doula is a professional labor assistant who provides physical and emotional support to you and your partner during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
Are you a Medicaid-eligible Black or Brown mother in Erie county? Would you like doula services to help you through your prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum journey at no charge? Please contact mackley@erieniagaraahec.org 
Erie Niagara AHEC Mother-Doula Program Enrollment Form
 
 
EVENT: Black Mama: A Call for Safe & Equitable Maternal Health  
February 22 in Buffalo, NY
This free mini conference will focus on Black maternal health with an emphasis on post-partum care. 
 
 
 

”He’s My Brother, Not an Inmate”: How to Help a Loved One Re-enter Society After Incarceration

Ep. 21 The Buffalo Center for Health Equity partners with the Future Hope Apprenticeship and Recovery Program to support people who were incarcerated and help them cope with the many difficult aspects of successful reintegration into the community.
Our mission is to provide valuable job opportunities in the construction trade, along with life-skills, education and job readiness training for a sustainable future.
Key training areas include: carpentry, painting, drywall, taping, and roofing.
Resources:
 www.futurehopeapprenticeship.org
www.buffalohealthequity.org
 
Future Hope Apprentice was established in order to provide re-entry assistance for ex-offenders on a permanent basis. The primary clients are male and female youth offenders and ex-offenders who are in the process of reintegration into their communities. Graduates from a full year of the FHAP will be fully qualified for formal apprenticeship programs in the building trade unions, leading to union membership and permanent jobs.
Reverend Emanuel Hutcherson, leads the staff and volunteers of FHAP which includes psychologists, licensed substance abuse counselors, government and service agencies in the State of Massachusetts. This is a project that is both inspired and run by the community it serves.
Reverend Emanuel L. Hutcherson is a native from upstate Buffalo New York.He is the Executive Director of Prison Prevention Ministry / Founder ofFuture Hope Apprenticeship & Recovery Program Inc. and D.Y.S. mentor program.He’s a formal Chaplain for Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department house of Correction. He completed his leadership ministerial education at Greater Love Tabernacle Church and Gordon Cornwell Theological Seminary.He strives for reconciliation between returning citizens and today’s society, by integrating values health wellness, recovery, mentoring, spirituality with economic development.

Rev. Heber Brown: How the Black Church Can Solve Food Insecurities

Episode 20 The 2022 Igniting Hope Podcast featured speaker Reverend Dr. Heber Brown, III is empowering the black community to take control of their food security.In this episode, you will learn: 1. How did African Americans gain control of the food supply chain in the past, and how can this knowledge be used to create a more equitable food system in the present?2. What is the connection between the African American church and food security?3. How can a focus on the spiritual aspects of food justice help to create a more sustainable and equitable food system?Reverend Dr. Heber Brown, III is a pastor and founder of the Black Church Food Security Network. He travels around the country advocating for food security within the African American community. He visited Buffalo, New York and was disturbed by the lack of access to healthy food for many within the city. He attributes this to a lack of control and agency within the community when it comes to food. He believes that the African American community must begin to look to the black church as a key source of empowerment when it comes to food. The black church has aIn this episode, Pastor George and Rev. Brown tackle the following issuesHow do we break the cycle/How do we care for ourselves Face the reality that we do not have control of our own food environment…we cannot feedourselves Ask where do we have control? One of those places is the Black church. We can begin to controlour food environment in the place where we already have some control agency and resource. How did we get here…we did not ask for an abundance of liquor stores, fast food in ourcommunity…we didn’t put them there…we don’t own anythingHow we can shift the current trajectory Create spaces for deep study and analysis to see how we got here Determine the ways that we are complicit to sustaining the current arrangement Explore to see examples of better and different to reimagine spacesAdapting a new mindset Understand that there is a connection to disease and what we put in our bodies Stop lamenting about what’s above our head and focus on the things that are at the top! Tap into more than just the social political aspect of food insecurity…tap into a source a streamand power greater than to break the ties of bondage Allow God to release in us what he has already to deposited in youResources: Where Have All the Prophets Gone: Reclaiming Prophetic Preaching in America byMarvin McMickleThe Practice of Prophetic Imagination: Preaching an Emancipating Word by Walter BrueggemannExodus 4:2 Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.Women with the issue of bloodMark 5:34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, healed of your disease.”

Mother of Buffalo Mass Shooting Victim Speaks Out and Fights Back

Episode 19 Zaneta Everhart's son Zaire Goodman was shot by a domestic terrorist on May 14th 2022 during the White Supremacist attack at the Tops Supermarket in Buffalo, New York. He survived, but has a bullet wound that went through his neck and out his back. Everhart has become an advocate for gun violence prevention since the shooting. She believes that the root causes of gun violence, such as poverty and lack of education, need to be addressed in order to prevent future shootings."I've always felt that I was a servant of the community and for the community, but now I know that service has been elevated, and I'm here to do the work, because what happened to Zaire is a unique situation." - Zeneta EverhartIn this heartfelt episode we discuss1. How easy it is for people to access guns in America2. Staggering statistics showing how gun violence disproportionately affects Black men3. The connection between gun violence and social economic factors4. What policy changes can impact the root causes of gun violenceZeneta Everhart is the Director of Diversity & Inclusion for New York Senator Tim Kennedy's office; where her focus is on ensuring equity through legislation, community building, and the equitable distribution of resources.She is a passionate advocate for policy change to address the root causes of gun violence and help keep communities safe.After Zaire Goodman survived the Tops Markets massacre, he and his mother, Zeneta Everhart, started a book drive to gather children's books about racism and diversity. Zeneta & Zaire's Book Club collected close to 10,000 books donated from around the country. The books will be held at Villa Maria College and distributed to schools and community centers.Resources:Zeneta & Zaire's Book Club Wish List https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2QT7QPH0XGSS6Book referenced by Pastor George -"The 2nd Amendment: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America by Caroyn AndersonMovieMichael Moore's documentary "Bowling for Columbine"
 
Other episodes you'll enjoy
Black Mamas: A Call For Safe and Equitable Maternal Health with Danise Wilson
Buffalo Massacre: Politically or Racially Motivated? with Dr. Henry Taylor
Food Apartheid on Buffalo’s Eastside with Rita Hubbard-Robinson

Why Inclusion in Medical Science is Critical for Black Communities

Episode 18 If you're interested in health equity, the Igniting Hope Conference is for you. Learn about the work of Dr. Jamal Williams and how to take effective action to improve health outcomes and increase inclusion in medical research.  In this episode you will learn: 1. How exclusion from medical research can impact treatment and resources for chronic diseases among black Americans 2. The importance of inclusivity in medical research in order to create accurate conclusions 3. How Igniting Hope Conference served as a catalyst for one young black scholar to get involved in medical research."I think we really have to get activated in science and medicine. And we can't stand on the sidelines any longer and point to historical situations where we were abused, or we were taken advantage of."Dr. Jamal Williams is a postdoctoral fellow in neurogenetics at UCLA. He earned his PhD in neuroscience from the University at Buffalo, where he became interested in science as a way to address the issues of health disparities he observed growing up in Buffalo's Eastside. Dr. Williams has spoken about the importance of inclusion in science and medicine, both in terms of research subjects and researchers themselves, in order to address the disparities in health outcomes between black and white Americans.This is Dr. Jamal Williams's story...I'm Dr. Jamal Williams, and I'm a scholar who was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. I attended public school here and then went on to earn my PhD in public health from the University of Buffalo. Today, I work at UCLA in Los Angeles, but I'll never forget the impact that the Igniting Hope Conference had on my journey. The conference was created to bring awareness to health disparities within the African American community, and it did just that. I was blown away by the passion and commitment of the speakers to tackling these issues head on. After attending the conference, I reflected on how I could use my own career to make a difference. I realized that I could use my skills in science to help dispel myths about mental health disorders and to work towards.Key Takeaways:People of African descent have the most genetically diverse genome of anybody else in the world. They are still vastly underrepresented in genetic screening and medical research. In 2022, non-European representation in genome wide association studies only makes up about 2.5%. Europeans make up only about 16% of the world's population. There are 16 billion people in Africa, 13 billion in India, and 14 billion in China.Dr Williams is concerned about the poor performance of African American children in math and science in Buffalo Public Schools. He believes that students need to work twice as hard to achieve the same level of achievement as their white counterparts.Resources:Register for the Free 2022 Igniting Hope Conference August 12th and 13th at www.BuffaloHealthEquity.orgLearn more about Dr. Jamal Williams and his podcast Reclaim the Bench podcast, highlighting unsung heroes in science and medicine at www.jamalbwilliams.com