J HALEEM WASHINGTON
By: Chandra Gore
For Men’s health month we spoke to J
We stayed away from getting knowledge,
Haleem Washington about how we can
wisdom, and understanding of health. There
change the narrative around Men and their
were a lot of theories, a lot of thoughts and
views on health. He shared with me what
practices, and a lot of underground thoughts
needs to happen for more men to be focused
and practices. Nobody actually had any real
on health and how imperative it is that we
medical data saying, this is what you should
change the mindset.
do to be okay. We are all from different religions, different neighborhoods, and
Black men should be focused on their health
different parts of the world or the country
because nobody else is. At this particular
and everyone has different ways of what
juncture, there are so many things out there
they think is acceptable, good health.
that are impacting our health from the food
Nothing is concrete, especially in the black
we eat, the stress we endure, mental health
community. Historically, Black men do not
issues walking around with PTSD, and
trust the medical community. So, it's
coming from prison growing up in drug-
important that we gain the knowledge and
infested, inner-city communities. Black men
know real information and not only theories
are deteriorating at an alarming rate. Now, if
of what good health looks like. Once we
we want to be the pillars of our community,
acquire that knowledge, go super, super hard
to be the fathers that we are supposed to be,
at being as healthy as we can possibly be, for
the husbands we are supposed to be, the
as long as we can possibly be.
protectors we are supposed to be and in order for us to be as sharp as we need to be, this starts with our health. I think that knowledge about what is actually good health is way more important than the health itself. The reason I say this is because black men have been taken advantage of by the healthcare system.
Should Therapy Be A part of Healing?
