The 12th annual African-American Community Health Fair hosted over 25 San Francisco community groups dedicated to raising health awareness via live music, complimentary massages and health screenings Monday in the Cesar Chavez student center.

Hundreds of curious students walking by received information on community resources, self-care and disease prevention from fair participants included the San Francisco Black Infant Health Improvement Project, San Francisco Women Against Rape, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

With help from donations of over $2,500 from the Associated Students Counseling Center and $500 from Dr. Kevin Bowman, director of counseling and psychology services at SF State, the fair was able to provide information along with coupons, beverages, screenings, music and guest speakers.

Speakers included Aimee Z. Barnes, Richard Oakes Multi-Cultural Center Director and Black Coalition on AIDS board member, who stressed the importance of students becoming familiar with who they are and rising above stereotypes in a speech that made heads turn in the quad.

“It’s important to provide information and awareness to those who need it and this fair provides free services and resources that can help students better their lives,” Barnes said.

Students had the opportunity to become informed on a wide range of topics including everything from detection of sexually transmitted diseases, determination of body mass index, and education about what type of massages should be performed to fit students’ individual needs.

International relations sophomore Nadia Alvarez, said that her favorite part of the fair was being able to sign up for a study where she could voice her opinions concerning health issues for Latino women.

“It’s important to get students to stand up for research and studies,” she said.

Criminal justice major Garret Davis preferred to revel in relaxation from a free 10-minute massage as provided by Dr’s Orders, a sports fitness organization based out of the World Gym in San Francisco.
Davis was one of many who could learn about the different ways that massages benefit people depending upon the physical activities that they take on.

“I’m benefitting,” he said with a smile.

Others spent less time at the fair and passed by in hopes of grabbing free condoms from organizations like the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Youth United Through Health and Education program, which provides STD testing through urine samples.

YUTHE representative and SF State psychology/social work graduate Alonzo Gallaread said that he feels it’s very important to provide such free services to students.

“We strongly believe in outreach,” he said.

The fair’s founder, student health center employee and health educator Kamal Harb said that he was pleased with this years turnout and, as always, hopes students are walking away with answers and awareness.

“The two goals I have for the fair are to provide as many screenings as possible and to promote healthy lifestyles for all students – not just African Americans – but anyone in need of health awareness,” he said.