Community Health Factors
Courtesy of Frederick D. Opie
The East had been a Afrocentric organization started in central Brooklyn in 1969. It had a newspaper called Black News that lasted into the 1980s. Similar to other African American papers, the work of East reporters has not yet received deserving recognition for it contribution. The East had been at the vanguard of advocating for healthier food choices among left of center organizations during its time. According to a 1982 article in Black News, a change of diet is a significant factor in improving the health and well-being of our community. For example, reducing the amount of salt used to season our food, and in our selection of snack and fast foods. Similarly reducing the consumption of pork and eating less canned meats and vegetables packed in high amounts of sodium. These changes will go a long way in reducing the chance of high blood pressure which leads to so many other illnesses facing our community. Eating more fresh produce will make a big difference.
