community
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
March 3-9, 2010 Page D-3
Nutrition & Fitness Fair for
It’s a different world than
seniors and our history of
where you come from
healthy soulful eating
By Dr. Jason Johnson
alone. And those are the re-
ported events. Colleges and
There are a lot of reasons
universities have a bad habit
By Paul Bridgewater
who would of connection that linked all
why people end up going to
of sweeping such events under
grow up to these places and the way that
college. Unfortunately for
the rug because they’re more
It’s National Nutrition
be a great connection was displayed in
many fraternities at the Uni-
concerned about the school’s
Month and time for the 4th
chef, culi- food.
versity of California San Diego
reputation than the safety of
Annual Nutrition & Fitness
nary ambas-
their members obviously went
Black students.
Fair sponsored by the Detroit
sador and
Dr. Harris learned to cook
to college to perpetuate igno-
Area Agency on Aging, the City
“caretaker”
from her mother, Rhoda
rance, racism and their own
University systems need to
of Detroit Senior Citizens De-
of genuine
Harris, who she called “my
inflated sense of privilege.
take a long hard look at their
partment, and the Detroit Rec-
S o u t h e r n
secret weapon.” Trained as campus handbooks regarding
reation Department. The event
Last week it came to light
cooking.
a dietitian, Rhoda Harris as- events of a racial or ethnic
will be held from 10 a.m. to 2
pired to become a food dem-
that a number of UCSD fra-
nature on campus. While stu-
p.m., Wednesday, March 10,
Ms. Lewis onstrator at a time when the
ternities organized an event
dents should have the freedom
at Patton Recreation Center,
a c q u i r e d Brooklyn Union Gas Company
in “honor” of Black History
to engage in whatever obnox-
2301 Woodmere in southwest
most of was promoting cooking with
Month called “The Compton
ious or racist behavior they’d
Detroit.
her cook- gas. But that was the 1930s,
Cookout.” With an invitation
like to off campus, if they use
Paul Bridgewater
ing knowl- and the position was not open
via Facebook, party attend-
any university resources to do
“Nutrition from the Ground
edge from to Black people. Rhoda Harris
ees were encouraged to wear
Up” is the theme of this year’s
her Aunt Jenny. They used a went on to work in city admin-
FUBU, wear gold chains, sport
Dr. Jason Johnson
so, even the campus server, or
any campus leaders are known
fair, and participants will be
wood-fired stove. They didn’t istration, and she passed her
“short nappy hair” and talk
at the administration but le-
to have helped organize or fa-
introduced to a number of
have measuring spoons or culinary gifts on to her daugh-
real loud, amongst other bla-
gitimately alarmed about their
cilitate the event, a college has
nutrition education and fit-
scales, so they used coins, ter. Unfortunately, she died
tantly obnoxious and racist
safety.
a moral and safety obligation
ness activities, health screen-
piling baking powder on pen- before Jessica could record all
party suggestions. Because The problem is that while
to lower the hammer on those
ings, chair massages, exer-
nies, salt on dimes, and baking of her mother’s recipes. As a
the event was held off campus this used to just be racist
students as swiftly as possi-
cise demonstrations and a
soda on nickels. result, Jessica Harris encour-
the administration has thus parties, the level of violence
ble.
complementary lunch. Two
ages people to document their
far said they won’t be meting against minority students on
special guests will address the
She left Virginia at age 16
family histories.
out any punishment upon the campus has been on the rise
It may start with a harm-
audience: Nutrition educa-
and moved to Washington,
party organizers or attendees. in recent years. It’s been open
less party but events like this
tor and fitness coach Velonda
D.C., and eventually to New One reviewer of Dr. Harris’ can spiral into campus-wide
Thompson, PhD, and WWJ-TV
York where her first jobs in- books wrote, “She has con-
A “teach-in” organized by
season on minority students
violence against minority stu-
“First Forecast Mornings” traf-
cluded ironing in a laundry. In jured up the souls of the ances-
the school was walked out on
on college campuses and if
dents in an instant. I know
fic reporter and exercise buff,
1948, when female chefs were tors, raided their cupboards
by several hundred students
the administration at UCSD
we’d all like to think that the
Randy Bhirdo.
few and Black female chefs and set the table with their
who continue to protest the
doesn’t take a stronger stand
college experience will be like
were even fewer, Ms. Lewis most memorable recipes.” I
lack of action on the event.
on this party the next campus
“A Different World,” but if ad-
Most of us who live with
opened a restaurant with a conjure up images of our an-
Given that African-American
event might not be so benign.
ministrations don’t start get-
chronic health conditions
partner, John Nicholson, cestors who were healthier
students only make up 1.3% of The website Loop21 offers a
ting more vigilant they might
know the importance of exer-
an antiques dealer. It was and more fit than most of us
the undergraduate population quick guide to over 15 events,
start looking more like the
cise and healthy eating, even
Café Nicholson, and it served today. They survived and
at UCSD, yet were the targets including assaults graffiti and
final scene of “Higher Learn-
when we stray from making
simple, delicious Southern lived well without refined salt,
of this racist event they have violence against minority stu-
ing.”
the right choices. Sometimes
food to well-known personali- sugar and flour, processed
reason to be not just angered dents in the last three years
our bodies give us clear sig-
ties. In later years, Ms. Lewis’ foods with chemical additives,
nals that high-fat, high-sugar
teaching and cookbooks influ- canned foods high in sodium,
foods are robbing us of our
enced and inspired countless sugar-filled carbonated bever- DEBT & CREDIT PROFESSOR
health and well-being. At
young chefs. She retired as a ages and fast-food restaurants
other times, it may take a
chef in 1992 and she died at on every corner.
threat from a medical doctor
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age 89 in 2006.
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As we look at the nutrients
point, we all have to be will-
Also prominent in the cu- that come from fresh veg-
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