In recognition of National Diabetes Month, Howard Brown Health, the Midwest’s leading health center dedicated to inclusive care, hosted its third annual Diabetes Resource and Education Fair to raise awareness and provide resources for patients and communities disproportionately impacted by diabetes. The free community event, offered in both English and Spanish, included a panel discussion on health equity and technology hosted by Dr. Geraldine Luna, MD, MPH, a live cooking demonstration by award-winning entrepreneur Itiona “Essie Marie” Scott, an education and movement session with Paulo Colby of The Wellness Collective, a resource fair and a health and vaccination station offering free glucose and blood pressure screenings, as well as Flu, COVID-19 and MPOX vaccines. According to the CDC, more than 38 million Americans—about 11.6% of the population—have diabetes, and another 97.6 million adults have prediabetes. While risk increases with age and family history, contributing factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and lack of physical activity play a significant role across populations. Certain groups, including Black, Hispanic, Native American and Asian communities, face higher risk levels due to social and economic determinants of health that limit access to preventive care and healthy food options.

Photo Credit: Howard Brown Health