On April 27-29, 2007 I attended the AFRAM Conference in Milwaukee Wisconsin. The topics that were discussed were based on healthcare issues that affect the black communities. We were given information on preventive care to keep ourselves healthy. There were pamphlets and cookbooks to help people with diabetes on what types of foods to eat how to cook it, and even how to exercise. We had nurses and physician’s not just speaking to us but also checking our blood pressures, our glucose levels, our eyes and feet. You must realize that these are silent killers in the black communities.

Some of the in-services that were made available to us were about Renal Failure, Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Care of the diabetic Feet, and Care of the Diabetic eyes. The information was very important and everyone walked away with powerful information to bring back home. Many of you may not realize that Washington D.C. has the highest number of renal failure patients per capita in the country. You may be living with or know someone that’s taking dialysis. Some of you are the workers that take care of these patients. Remember we represent the workers at BMA. Which are  the workers that provide dialysis services.

When AFRAM says “Just For Us”, they were not just talking about the black community. They were also talking about “Health Care Providers”. We represent a large number of health care providers. AFRAM is concerned about the health of these workers. Some of us are working with are illnesses and not caring for ourselves. Some of us don’t have health insurance ourselves. Some of us can’t afford health care. So if AFRAM can keep you informed, they can keep you healthy, they can keep you employed. Helping you also helps your family and your community.

AFRAM has been reaching out to SEIU members of African descent in many ways. Our health was only one of our blessings at this conference. We were also blessed by the SEIU Local 79 Gospel choir from Detroit Michigan. They brought a spiritual aspect to the conference that was totally awesome. Again, health care workers coming together with powerful voices to keep the spirit high. Yes this Sunday was magnificent. We even received refreshing and uplifting praises from some young brothers

in the form of praise dancing. These young men (Teenagers) showed us that they are not all headed to prison, using drugs, gang banging or headed toward destruction. Their minds and spirit is in the right place regardless to the stereotyping we see in the media.

Even though the time was short, this conference was so very informative. Mr. Smiley made a statement that stuck with me through the whole conference and also has made a lot of sense to me about our involvement in AFRAM. He said this conference was “JUST FOR US”. Seeing that the conference gave us information about us and our health, it was also a spiritual uplifting with our members, and we all know how spirit filled our communities are, we must realize that we got good information that was meant to enhance our lives. With this conference our lives were so enriched that I better understand where our monies go. We received out of this conference more than the dues we pay yearly. And for me, the title of this conference should have been “JUST FOR US”. In 2009 the national AFRAM conference will be here in Washington D.C. and I know it will prove to be just as powerful and uplifting as this one. So plan now to attend because it’s not often that you’ll find powerful information provided for us by us. Each one reach one. I’ll see you there.

SEIU 722 Contact Info

For contact info & office locations click here.

Information you can use:

1. Can you afford to   Retire?

Meeting your members
 

>Linda Hagens
>Marshall Jackson
>Gloria Bryant
>Carolyn Woods

Message from the President (Past Issues)
> December 2007
> October 2007
> August 2007
> June 2007
--more--



Other Links
>for more info