FAITH Cardiovascular Health & Wellness Program

❤️ Today is FAITH! Heart Health Day! ❤️

Every year on May 20, we celebrate the ongoing mission of the FAITH! Program to promote heart health and reduce health disparities among African Americans across Minnesota and beyond.

This past year has been filled with exciting progress, meaningful partnerships, and impactful work — and none of it would be possible without the incredible support of our community. We are deeply grateful for each and every one of you!

Today, and every day, take a moment to show your heart some love. Together, we can continue building healthier hearts and healthier communities. ❤️

Register today to join Dr. LaPrincess Brewer and the FAITH! Team at the upcoming C2DREAM conference May 29th! We'll be sharing all about the Techquity study. This event is FREE and open to th3 public - but registration closes May 18th!!

📢Registration is OPEN for the 5th Annual C2DREAM Conference!
Experience Research in Action! 🔬 Join us May 28–30 for a dynamic 3-day event hosted by C2DREAM across three different Twin Cities venues—the Bell Museum, the American Swedish Institute, and the UMN CCRB.

Co-sponsored by Project BRAID, this event brings together community members and researchers to reduce multiple chronic diseases (MCD) and advance health equity across Minnesota.

Highlights include:
🎤 Opening Reception: Featured speaker Chef Sean Sherman ()
🚶‍♂️ Interactive Data Walks: Featuring C2DREAM research projects
🗣️ Youth Panel & Table Talks
🥍 Lacrosse presentation and game!
📊 Poster Sessions: Spotlighting health equity research from community partners and ESIs.

📍 May 28–30 | St. Paul & Minneapolis
🎟️ Registration is FREE, but spots are limited!
📅 Deadline to register: May 18
🔗 Register today: https://z.umn.edu/C2DREAMConf-2026
📧 Questions? [email protected]

🏛️ C2DREAM is a research grant administered out of the Program in Health Disparities Research (PHDR) at the University of Minnesota.

📣Attention Techquity participants‼️

🎉Congratulations to New Hope Baptist Church, RCCG Chosen Generation Parish, and Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church for having the most participants with surveys and health checks done!🎊

🚨Its not too late! If you haven't completed your survey or attended a health check in appointment for the Techquity study, contact us TODAY at [email protected]! Surveys close on Wednesday, May 6th!

Today, we pause with heavy hearts to honor the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Rev. Jackson was a fearless advocate for justice, equality, and the dignity of all God’s children. His voice echoed through generations, calling us to faith in action and reminding us that hope is never lost when we stand together.

We thank God for his life, his leadership, and his unwavering commitment to civil rights. May we continue the work he so boldly carried forward.

Jesse Jackson: A Life in Pictures The civil rights leader was one of the country’s most influential Black figures.

❤️ Red Dress & Red Tie Sunday – February 15, 2026 ❤️

February is American Heart Month and Black History Month—a time to honor our history while uplifting the health of our communities. We invite you to wear red to church as a visible sign of commitment to heart health, especially in Black communities where heart disease remains a leading concern.

Watch this important message from LaPrincess Brewer of the FAITH! Program:
🎥 https://mssvideoupload.mayo.edu/media/Red+Dress+Sunday+2026/1_woa3vjsn

Let’s raise awareness, celebrate faith-based leadership, and invest in a healthier future—together.

Wear red.
Share the message.
Protect your heart.
❤️

mssvideoupload.mayo.edu

❤️ National Wear Red Day is Tomorrow – February 6! ❤️

❗️Heart disease is the #1 killer of Black Americans, and Black women in particular face a higher risk. Unfortunately, symptoms and risk factors are often overlooked or dismissed.

➡️As we step into Black History Month and American Heart Month, it’s the perfect time to lift up our history, protect our hearts, and invest in the health of future generations.

📣Tomorrow, we invite our FAITH! partners, churches, and community members to wear RED to raise awareness, support heart-healthy habits in our communities, and remind one another that early prevention saves lives!

❤️ Through faith, fellowship, and education, we can change the story of heart health in Black communities.

💙 Community. Collaboration. Heart Health. 💙

In the midst of a challenging time in Minnesota, we’re so grateful to share a story that highlights the strength, resilience, and impact of community-engaged work.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Clarence Jones and to all of our community partners, FAITH! Community Steering Committee members, participating churches, and past and present study participants. Your leadership, trust, and commitment remind us what’s possible when we come together, support one another, and center community voices. 🙏🏾

This article is a powerful reflection of the strong, meaningful work happening through the FAITH! Program — building trust, embracing innovation, and advancing heart health side by side. We are grateful to walk this journey with you! 👣

➡️https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/coe-research/newsfeed-post/building-trust-embracing-technology-collaborating-with-community-to-advance-heart-health/

Building Trust, Embracing Technology: Collaborating with Community to Advance Heart Health | Mayo Clinic Connect For Clarence Jones, executive director and community health strategist of Hue-Man Partnership and co-chair of the FAITH! community steering committee, participating in the Techquity by FAITH! study was a “no brainer.”

Inspiring words from our friend and FAITH! Community Steering Committee, Dr. Walé Elegbede.

MLK address: "Overcoming" History has taught us this painful truth: When democracy is treated as optional, marginalized communities pay the price first — and the hardest. We have seen it before. And we are seeing it again — right here in Minnesota.

We all know that moving more and eating more fruits and veggies is good for your heart… but did you know it also helps keep your immune system strong? 💪🛡️

Simple things like walking each day 👟 and filling your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables 🍎🥦 can help your body fight off colds, flu, and other illnesses that tend to spread this time of year 🤧❄️

Sticking with healthy habits, washing your hands often 🧼, and staying up to date on vaccines 💉 are some of the best ways to protect yourself and those around you 🤝 (And if you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet — it’s not too late!)

Check out the resources below — a past “Sunday Morning Health Corner” from our friends at The Balm In Gilead Inc. about cold and flu season, plus a Mayo Clinic article on supporting your immune system. You might notice the article was written by one of our FAITH! collaborators, Dr. Steve Kopecky!
https://www.balmingilead.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/September-28-2025.pdf
https://www.mayoclinic.org/~/media/80569BAD2DF84A7394895F041D2726C5.pdf

www.balmingilead.org

Join us on Monday, January 19, 6:30-8 pm, as we honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy with an evening of music, reflection and community at the 2026 MLK Day Celebration.

📆 Monday, January 19
🕠6:30 - 8 pm

📍Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center
4500 Nicollet Ave S

This year's keynote is community advocate, writer and educator Kenneth Foxworth.

We’ll also be presenting the Living the Dream Award to Cynthia Bryant, who has served as an essential presence and influential leader at Loring Park for the last 10 years.

Entertainment will be provided by Known MPLS, a youth and young-adult choir in Minneapolis dedicated to uplifting voices and strengthening community through music.