Physical & Mental Health

Food for Thought - Fuel for the Heart

During the month of February, Richland County Alumnae Chapter’s Physical and Mental Health Committee celebrated seven days of Black love and promoted heart health awareness. In the United States, one person dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease, and the fact that Brokenhearted Syndrome is a real phenomenon, especially during COVID, the committee designed a family-oriented nutrition challenge with a twist. Each day, chapter members and social media followers were encouraged to prepare and post a meal according to the following instructions:

#RCAMeatlessMonday - prepare a full meal without meat #RCATryItTuesday - prepare a meal with the main ingredient you wouldn’t normally eat #RCAWingItWednesday - prepare a healthy meal without direction #RCAThirstyThursday - prepare a smoothie or clean juice as a meal replacement #RCAFriedlessFriday - prepare a meal without using grease or frying #RCASauteSaturday - prepare a meal using the saute cooking method #RCASubstituteSunday - replace your meat, sweeteners, starches, and/or binding ingredients for a healthier option.

A special thanks to everyone who participated in the challenge and RCA member Janay Price for spearheading the initiative. Our celebration of Black love and healthy hearts is not confined to the month of February, it continues. We invite everyone to continue to sharing heart-healthy recipes with us on social media. We all win by taking care of ourselves and others. Don’t forget, you can’t beat a healthy heart!

Courageous Conversations: Black Women & the COVID-19 Impact

Although the COVID-19 pandemic shifted our daily grammar to include words like pivot, unprecedented, social distancing, e-Learning, and colloquialisms like “the Rona, ” candid collective conversations about the effects of the pandemic and the path forward were, and in some cases, are difficult conversations. The Physical and Mental Health Committee hosted a community event facilitated by Jada Hubbard to talk about COVID-19 and the impact the pandemic has had on the health of black women and the roles they play as caregivers, mothers, and medical professionals. invited physical and mental health providers from our community.

During the first half of the discussion, Dr. Kari-Claudia Allen a board-certified family medicine physician and CEO of Envision wellness organization broke down the science of the vaccine and dispelled some of the myths and fears surrounding getting vaccinated. Licensed clinical social worker, Shayla Peterson who is also the founder of Ctrl +Shift+ Balance Wellness spoke to black women’s mental health and provided practical tools and resources to help black women navigate while working and striving during the pandemic.

The Physical and Mental Health Committee encourages everyone to continue to practice good hand washing hygiene, practice social distancing, and wear masks where appropriate. For more information about COVID-19, visit www.cdc.gov.

Midlands March for Babies Walk

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a charitable partner of March of Dimes. Richland County Alumnae supported Delta’s national initiative by participating in the local Midlands March for Babies on April 30, 2021, at Segra Park located near downtown Columbia, SC. The annual fundraising event shines a spotlight on the maternal and infant health crisis.

RCA’s team consisted of 11 members who participated in parade activities, walked a total of 30 miles during the month-long campaign and contributed over $500 to the Midlands March for Babies fundraising total.