City of Rochester
News Release
My Brother’s Keeper (Rochester Chapter) to Host Upstate New York Wellness Fair in Collaboration with Community Partners
(Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021) – The Rochester, NY Chapter of My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) will host a free virtual wellness fair that aims to provide people of color with valuable health and wellness information. MBK’s Upstate New York Wellness Fair, which will take place from 1 – 3 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 18, 2021, is made possible through a collaboration between the Black Physicians Network and the Rochester Black Nurses Association. Other community partners involved in organizing the event include the City of Rochester, the Rochester City School District, UPREP Charter School and the Fatherhood Engagement Initiative.
The Wellness Fair will feature presentations from an array of professionals in the medial field who will share information and insights on a variety of mental, physical and sexual health topics such as racism, implicit bias, diet and nutrition, exercise, preventative screenings, relationships, cultural norms, and the various mental and physical effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Speakers at the Wellness Fair include Erick Stephens, Parent Engagement Specialist for Healthi Kids; Dr. Carolyn Jacobs, member of the Black Physicians Network; Dr. Linda Clark, who specializes in Occupational Medicine at Rochester Regional Health; Dr. Calvin Cole from the School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center; Dr. Marcus Burrell, Owner of BPSE Behavioral & Educational Solutions; and Dr. Natalie LeBlanc, Assistant Professor at the School of Nursing, University of Rochester.
Members of Black and Brown communities are encouraged to attend the Upstate New York Wellness Fair to take advantage of this opportunity to receive life-changing knowledge from medical professionals who share similar life experiences. Interested participants can join the event live from 1 – 3 p.m. via the Rochester City School District’s Youtube and Facebook accounts at http://www.rcsdk12.org/mbkwellnessfair2021. Questions will be taken from the chat on both platforms and answered in the order they are received, to the extent that time allows.
For more information about the My Brother’s Keeper Wellness Fair, contact MBK Coordinator Ray Mayoliz at Raymond.Mayoliz@cityofrochester.gov.
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About the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative
For decades, opportunity has lagged far behind for young boys and men of color, particularly in urban communities nationwide. Looking to address the lack of opportunities for young men of color and to improve their outcome, President Obama launched the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative in February 2014.
The MBK community challenge encourages local leaders and their respective communities to come together to develop and implement a coherent “cradle-to-college-and-career strategy” for improving the life outcomes of all young people. It promotes using existing evidence-based and data-driven strategies to develop a long-term and sustainable strategic action plan. It calls on leaders to identify and partner with all community stakeholders in order to assess the local needs and existing assets, determine collective priorities, and set common goals for improvement. For more information about the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative in Rochester, NY. Please visit https://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589960256.
Media Contact: For more information, contact Ray Mayoliz, MBK Coordinator at (585) 820-8424 or Raymond.Mayoliz@cityofrochester.gov.