Investing in the Health of All People
In June (2020), Mobile-based nonprofit ARC (Awakening Respect and Compassion for All Sentient Beings) announced a plant-based nutrition and cooking scholarship that would be awarded to an individual of color in Lower Alabama. This racial justice initiative seeks to address some of the health inequalities that African Americans face, such as disproportionately high rates of diseases like heart disease, diabetes 2, high blood pressure and certain cancers, plus complications from COVID-19.
“These conditions can often be prevented and even reversed through a whole-foods, plant-based diet, but too often African American communities lack access to these healthy foods, as well as facing other obstacles to proper nutrition and health care,” says ARC director Tracey Glover.
Registered nurse and fitness instructor Anitra Jarreau heard about the scholarship from a mentor who knew this was a perfect fit for her. In addition to practicing community health nursing full-time, Jarreau and her husband own and operate We Click Wellness—a full-service program that provides group fitness, juicing and natural herbal services.
“My mother is one-year vegan and I really wanted to support her on her journey,” says Jarreau, who was awarded the scholarship in the Fall. “I also want to expand my wellness program to include preventative health measures through natural herbs and plant-based nutrition. It was a perfect opportunity and I am so blessed to be chosen.”
This Mobilian mother of three has a long history tied to health and justice. During desegregation, her mom and aunt were bussed to Murphy High School. “They faced adversity and challenges every day, yet they persevered and were in the first integrated graduating class,” Jarreau says. Her mom, becoming a pharmacist, and her aunt, becoming an attorney and juvenile judge, were dedicated to the health and justice of minority groups.
Jarreau’s grandfather was a chef who believed in preparing whole food based, well-balanced meals and her older Aunt Grace, who was a nurse for more than 30 years, “embodied compassion and a heart for the less fortunate. She was an advocate for health education and health literacy.”
Following in Grace’s footsteps, Jarreau worked as a community health advocate for University of South Alabama’s Center for Healthy Communities for four years, where she helped develop programs to combat health disparities in the community such as inadequate nutritional resources and inaccessibility to health care.
The plant-based nutrition and cooking scholarship covers Jarreau’s tuition for a six-week online nutrition class offered through eCornel, as well as an internet-based cooking and nutrition class offered through the Forks Over Knives website. As she works through these certificate-based courses, her relationship to food is evolving and she is embracing new ways to make food healthy, delicious and affordable.
Upon completion of the programs, Jarreau is required to lead at least four free community classes with the full financial support of ARC. She envisions herself offering educational wellness workshops that include cooking demonstrations and group discussions to address chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and autoimmune disorders. “I would like to provide information on the benefits of plant-based nutrition and how it has been beneficial in managing these conditions. In some instances it has helped heal and eliminate the illness altogether,” she says, noting virtual workshop options might be necessary depending on current pandemic restrictions.
“We are so honored to be able to support Anitra in her personal wellness journey and community-focused vision to lift up others and make sure that all people, regardless of color or zip code, have access to healthy foods and proper nutrition,” says Glover.
Jarreau dreams of eventually opening a wellness center for workshops, fitness classes, health education, nutritious meals and hydration. She says, “I am open to whatever the universe provides.”
For more information, email TraceyGlover@gmail.com or visit ARCForAllBeings.org. Read the Diverse Conversations archives at HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com/article/category/diverse+conversations.
