The constant flow of participants all day showed that people have a significant interest in working on their health and learning how to implement self-care. Carla Wilson, who came from Wilkinsburg with friend Marcia Lions, said she “had kept saying I was going to start going to the gym, but never did. We heard about this and felt we’d give it a try.”
“I’m here to support Nedra because I know how important it is for African Americans to do better in the way they eat and moving more,” said LaWanda Long.
At no cost, visitors heard from a range of speakers with information ranging from Alternative Medicine by Dr. Uhuru Hotep, associate director of the Michael P. Weber Learning Skills Center at Duquesne University, to a mental health presentation by De’netta Benjamin, LCSW, director of Quality Improvement for Familylinks.
Williams began laying the groundwork to create this day four years ago. “The first person I consulted with was state Rep. Ed Gainey. He was very encouraging, believed in my vision, and provided me with a letter of support to take with me as I sought out sponsors and continued to press forward with the plans for this day,” Williams said. “I was unsure of myself, but Ed helped me gain confidence I needed to stay the course to see this day come to pass.”
“I am here to support Nedra, but also because this event is good and purposeful for two reasons,” Gainey said. “First, since as a people we are at risk for all the chronic diseases, we have a great need for everything going on today. It is outstanding to be here and learn of techniques for developing healthier lifestyles, getting this information on how to keep our bodies and minds in shape is great. But the second thing is that this creates a market…I hear people saying they wish they had boot camp every Saturday. It is that information we should be taking to the foundations and instead of them telling us what we need, why not provide us funding that will support what we ourselves know we need,” Gainey said.
“This is a great time from a market standpoint to find out what the community wants and how to make it happen.”
Williams’ long-term goal for “Creative Balance 4 Empowering People” transcends a one day event. “I hope that folks will learn to make health and well-being a way of life, not just something they do one day in the spring because it was free. My goal is that as a community we begin to experience a paradigm shift—one that will result in healthier minds, bodies and spirits, longer lives and better quality of living.”
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