Presenting at Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) - Atlanta, GA

Last week, I was invited to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia to give a presentation for their African American Health Seminar series. The title of my seminar was, "The State of African American Health and the Potential Impact of the Affordable Care Act."

This seminar was arranged for all the CDC federal employees to attend locally as well as those who could view the satellite envision hook-up at the Morgantown, West Virginia - CDC campus. The participants at the CDC location were enthusiastic, motivated and engaged in practically all of the issues that I lectured upon during the presentation.

The major objectives of my African American Health seminar were:

1. Describe African American health care issues, including its unique and important cultural health patterns;
2. Apply principles derived from ethnic health and health disparity planning, implementation and evaluation; and
3. Critique and evaluate the Affordable Care Act and its potential impact on African American health status.

Here's a photo taken right after my presentation:

Remembering My Years at the National Institutes of Health

One of the advantages as an applied Medical Anthropologist is that I have been fortunate to work outside of the traditional academic university environment. For 5 years from 1999 - 2004, I worked for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a Health Scientist Administrator. Specifically, I worked for two NIH Instititutes -- the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD).

At NCI, I was hired as a Program Director/Health Scientist Administrator to assist with a specific program in the Comprehensive Minority Biomedical Branch. Following the lead from our Chief, we funded primarily minority researchers across the United States in their cancer research studies. My two years with this particular branch was rewarding and challenging because I had to completely get-up-to-speed to the federal government's professional way of doing business. Once I understood this professional code-of-ethics and style, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

At NCMHD, I was hired as a Health Scientist Administrator/Policy Administrator to assist this new Center in developing the infrastructure of the organization, establishing the very first program initiatives, writing extensive government-wide policy documents, and representing the Center on numerous Department of Health & Human Services committees. My three years with the Center helped me to further professionalize myself in another government agency. It also helped me to recognize that as a trained Medical Anthropologist, I could work in a wide variety of professional fields as long as I was open to constantly retrain myself.

I therefore suggest to all Medical Anthropologists and all academic scholars - TAKE CHANCES TO RETRAIN YOURSELF AND DISCOVER NEW OPPORTUNITIES OF YOUR EXPERTISE!

Check out a few photos from my years at NIH!

Book Interview - The New Face of America

As soon as my book was published in May 2013, I conducted several interviews with various news agencies regarding the major themes of the book. In August, the first of those interviews were published. The first interview was conducted by East Carolina University News service.

To check out the entire interview, check it out at:

http://www.ecu.edu/news/bailey.cfm

Here is a photo from the interview conducted in my office at East Carolina University.

"The New Face of America" - Finally Published & Available

Well, my new book, "The New Face of America: How the Emerging Multiracial, Multiethnic Majority is Changing America," was published on May 31st and it has been available for 13 days!! I am thoroughly excited and relieved that this book project is finally available for the entire public. In fact, you can purchase my new book at all the major online bookstores such as Amazon.com; Barnes & Noble.com; BooksaMillion.com; and Overstock.com. Check out the book's promotional flyer at:

• http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?isbn=9780313385698

If that is not enough, you can go to my new YouTube video where I talk about the major chapters of the book and special insight as to why I wrote the book.  Check out the promotional video at:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iETvDoS5cvg&feature=youtu.be

After review, let me know what you think about the topics of the book and for all those who read my book, I would like to get your thoughts. Send me an email at: ejb678@gmail.com. I am very passionate and committed to this topic and all the issues related to multiracials and multiethnics in our country and all over the world. The future is now and we can no longer side-step and purposely ignore this issue!

Update - New Book - "The New Face of America"

As promised, I want everyone to receive the latest information about my upcoming new book, "The New Face of America: How the Emerging Multiracial, Multiethnic Majority is Changing the United States." During the past month of February, the new book climbed the Amazon.com's pre-order charts in Hot New Releases in Demographic Minority Studies and actually climbed to number 6 on the chart!

Now that the book is 2 months away from release, it is starting to level off to another level in the pre-order Amazon.com sales. Nonetheless, the book is on all the major online bookstore outlets.

Check out the book cover and spread the word. Thanks to my publisher (ABC-CLIO) for assisting me with the early promotions of the book. Let's do this. If you have any major questions or requests, email me at: ejb678@gmail.com

New Face of America on Amazon's Hot New Releases

Yesterday, I learned that my upcoming new book, "The New Face of America: How the Emerging Multiracial, Multiethnic Majority is Changing the United States," is on Amazon.com's Hot New Releases in Minority Demographic Studies. As of today, it is actually in the top 25 new books for 2013. Here is the link for the Amazon.com Hot New Releases:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/new-releases/books/11310#2

Of course, it's very exciting to have another book being published very soon. In fact, most online book stores have listed the date of publication - May 31st, 2013. Yet this is the time to order my book - the pre-order time period before the book is actually published allows individuals to get a fresh take on the book before anyone else.

As I have stated earlier, I believe this book will have a major impact on all of us in the United States. It is very timely book simply because the future is now and we can no longer think that multiracials and multiethnics are an issue of the distant future. Their time is now and it is time for all of us to embrace and recognize our multiracial heritage.

Finally, my new book has already shown that it has a national political impact because of the re-election of President Obama. Many political pundits suggested that one of the major reasons why President Obama was re-elected was due to the significant multiethnic diversity of the U.S. voting base. This diversity in the voting base favored President Obama as many political pundits concluded. Of course, let's not AVOID THE OBVIOUS - President Obama is actually the country's first Multiracial President along with being labeled as the first African American President.

Again, one of my major themes from this book that I love is -- Let's not AVOID THE OBVIOUS! It is time for multiracials and multiethnics to be respected at all levels, communities, families and organizations in the United States and the world!

Feel free to send me an email at ejb678@gmail.com for the latest info related to my new book.

New Book being Published in 2013: "The New Face of America"

It's finally going to happen. My next book entitled, "The New Face of America: How the Emerging Multiracial, Multiethnic Majority is Changing the United States," will be published in late April or May of this year! This will be my sixth book with my publisher and it truly has been an enjoyable, challenging and exhausting extra activity to write, research and publish these books during the past 13 years.

I love this new book because it allowed me to investigate, learn and share the stories of individuals who are identify themselves as multiracial in the United States. This unique and important book investigates what it means to be multiracial and/or multiethnic in America, examining the issues involved from personal, societal, and cultural perspective.

I particularly love this new book because it's an issue and segment of our population that has been totally neglected in the United States. To me, this is a shame and an embarrassment on our society due to the fact that our society today and in the past do not want to recognize how we really live, have relationships, and families with people of all types of racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Finally, I love this book because it is personal -- it really wasn't a research book. I discovered more about my multiracial background, heritage and family than ever before and truly appreciated the insightful, personal, and cultural information that my multiracial informants shared with me.

Once the book is published, I hope everyone takes the time to read it and seriously think about the thought-provoking issues that I discuss and feel that they need to be acted-upon in our society now. It is time for our major organizations, institutions, leadership, families and individuals to embrace our multiracial world and I truly hope that all of us can live more peacefully together!

If you want to pre-order the book, you can purchase it at any major online bookstore (amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, booksamillion.com) or directly from my publisher ABC-CLIO at the following link: http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?isbn=9780313385698

 

Keynote Address at the 2012 NC AHEC Future Leaders in Healthcare Conference

On June 1st, 2012, I gave the Keynote address at the 2012 NC AHEC Future Leaders in Healthcare Conference to an audience of outstanding high school students in North Carolina. The event took place at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Although my talk focused on health disparities, it actually was a talk to motivative students to not only find their interest in public health or medicine but also to stay committed to their choice of career speciality.

Whenever I deliver a talk like this one, I get extra motivated because I can see and feel that students really want someone to believe in them. High school students are engaging, enthusiastic and ready to conquer the world. They are my type of audience because high school students really tell it like it is. That's what I really enjoy.

After my talk, I had several excellent questions from the audience. We discussed the current health care topics of the day particularly the possibility of universal health care in the United States. Students wanted to know my opinion about this very significant issue and I didn't hold back to share my opinion.

Afterwards, the students wanted to take several pictures with me and I took as many as they wanted. They were a great audience!

Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet - New Online Presentation

Several months ago, I was invited to Mount Holyoke College (MASS) to take part in their annual lecture series. I participated with another colleague in their "Food and Culture Matters: Health Epidemics in African American Communities" symposium. In an earlier blog, I documented my activities at this outstanding event.

Recently, I received an announcement that my presentation associated with the event is now online and available for viewing. If you would like to view my presentation and the major issues that I highlighted during my 10 minute talk, here is the link:

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/wcl/bailey_video.html

After your viewing, please share your comments and send them to: ebailey8@aol.com. I appreciate your feedback and look forward to your insightful, professional comments.

NEW BOOK - "The New Face of America" - COMPLETED AND SCHEDULED TO BE PUBLISHED - MARCH 2012

I am delighted, overjoyed, and relieved that my new book entitled, "The New Face of America: How the Emerging Multiracial, Multiethnic Majority is Changing the United States," is completed. I finished writing the manuscript on June 25th and it was another great journey of learning, researching, interviewing and sharing information about individuals who identify themselves as multiracial. Those who identify themselves as "multiracial" have finally been officially recognized again by our 2010 U.S. Census and the census data findings definitely show that multiracial populations have dramatically increased during the past decade. The increased numbers are not only surprising to demographers, scholars and researchers but also the general public!

In my new book, I share with you the values, beliefs, traditions, patterns and cultural history of multiracials in America. Unfortunately, their issues and lifestyles have been overlooked in our country for years, yet now is the time to correct our misconceptions and stereotypes about multiracials and truly appreciate how they are changing America now and particularly in the near future.

My new book is scheduled to be released in March 2012! Over the next several months, I will give you updates of the book's publicity and prepromotional activities. It will be published by the international publisher -- ABC-CLIO (Praeger Publishers) and I have been fortunate to publish other books with them.

To check out my publisher's early promotional book flyer, here is the link: http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?id=2147509507

After review, feel free to send me an email (baileye@ecu.edu) and let me know your thoughts and comments. Feel free also to pre-order my new book at ABC-CLIO publishers.

Enjoy Your Summer and Change is Coming!

Presentation on "Food and Culture" in African American Communities - Mount Holyoke College

On Monday, March 7th, I was a part of a panel discussion at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts for their Food Series 2010-2011 talking about my 2006 book "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet." I joined Dr. Psyche Williams-Forson in this panel discussion. We discussed how food, diet, and culture can address health epidemics such as obesity and diabetes among African Americans. Our panel discussion occurred on Monday evening.

This event was organized in the following format. Dr. James Harold (Director & Organizer of the event) introduced the entire panel of experts: Cristina I. Huebner Torres (Moderator), Dr. Psyche Williams-Forson and myself. All of us gave 10 minute presentations of our research related to Food and Culture. Of course, during my presentation, I had to turn up the energy and present my talk the way that I normally present -- "High Energy and Direct." Then we sat down in front of the auditorium audience of students and fielded questions.

All of the questions were challenging and thought-provoking. It was fun answering their questions because it made me think and express new ways to highlight the significance of culture to our food preferences.

In addition to our panel discussion, Dr. Williams-Forson and I participated in Student Leadership Seminar entitled, "Cultural Intelligence and Resourceful Leadership in African American Communities" earlier in the day and this event was very engaging with a select number of students.

Overall, the entire two days that I spent traveling (driving), presenting and meeting all the staff, faculty and students associated with Mount Holyoke College was a very enjoyable, enlightening, relaxing and intellectually-stimulating event. This was the first time that I had the chance to visit this part of the country and I loved it! I truly appreciated the invitation and the pleasure to get to meet new students and professionals!

Presented at North Carolina State University for the Minority Interest Pre-Health Club

On Monday, February 28th, I was invited by North Carolina State University's Minority Interest Pre-Health Club to give a talk on my research on health disparities. The title of my presentation was, "How to Solve and Eliminate Health Disparities."

The actual invitation came from their president -- Mr. Johnathan Hilbert -- with assistance from Toni Thorpe, the African American Cultural Center, my talk was apart of the distinguishable 2011 Lawrence M. Clark Lecture series at NC State. In fact, the entire Minority Interest Pre-Health club organized an outstanding event which included a special ceremony at the beginning of the event, the presentation and then the dinner. In addition, I met the first president of the club -- Mr. Anthony Kulukulualani -- who established the club.

Overall, the event was outstanding and well-organized. I was quite impressed and appreciated all the extra effort from the organizers, the audience members and the faculty who attended the event during this rainy night. I commend their efforts, insight and future endeavors because I can tell that these young professionals have an outstanding career before them.

New Year 2011 -NEW RESEARCH PROJECT!!


It's a brand new year and as a Medical and Cultural Anthropologist, it's time for a new research project. One of my new research projects for the year involves learning about multiracial groups in the United States. Surprisingly with all the new data coming from our recent U.S. Census reporting, there is still very little information on the issues related to multiracial populations in the United States. This simply does not make sense! It is 2011 and our country know little about all the various multiracial groups in the U.S.. Why is this?

I am therefore beginning my own long-term research, book project to learn more about multiracial groups in America. The book project is entitled:

"The New Face of America: How the Emerging Multiracial, Multiethnic Majority is Changing the United States"

In fact, I have contacted a number of professional organizations whose members are multiracial to find out if they are willing to share information about their issues. So hopefully, if there are individuals who are willing to share their multiracial story with me, please feel free to contact me at: ebailey8@aol.com to receive a brief open-ended, qualitative questionnaire.

This is my first step into this very significant human rights issue!

Presentation at the National Medical Association Conference in Orlando, FL.

Well, I just returned back from the National Medical Association Conference in Orlando, Florida where I talked about the new program that I developed entitled, "Developing a Graduate Certificate Online Program in Ethnic and Rural Health Disparities." The audience of primarily physicians, public health researchers and health administrators asked several questions regarding the program and I enjoyed the dialogue with the audience. It was a long morning and afternoon session of experts across the country presenting their clinical and basic science studies to the audience.

Not only did I verbally presented the ERDH program to the NMA conference attendees, I also presented a poster presentation. Several of my colleagues in this session were pleased that we were able to get the extra time to set-up our posters during the same day of our oral presentation.

Overall, the National Medical Association conference is a superb national conference which allows primarily physicians/medical professionals of color to come together and discuss their clinical practices and research. I have attended the NMA conference before and it gets bigger and bigger each year. Yet it does appear that the NMA is attempting to include more professionals from other disciplines other than medicine to become a part of their conference and association. I think that it's time to do it in a major way.

During the opening ceremony, the NMA also honored a number of distinguised physicians from across the country including Dr. Virginia Caine, Dr. Wilbert Jordan, Dr. Michael LeNoir, Dr. John C. Nelson, Dr. Griffin Rodgers, and the new Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin. In addition, the First Lady Michelle Obama received a distinguished Scroll of Merit Award.

Finally, I saw a few of my former colleagues from NIH and met new medical professionals in which we had engaging conversations about the new Health Care Reform policy. All in all, Orlando, Florida was an excellent city to host the 2010 National Medical Association Convention and Scientific Assembly.

Now I know that my new Ethnic and Rural Health Disparities (ERHD)Graduate Certificate Online Program and my medical anthropologist's approach to medical care can be the nation's leader in online training the next generation of medical and public health professionals!

CDC Medical College and Universities Roundtable Meeting - Atlanta, GA

A few days ago, I was fortunate to participate in the CDC Medical College and Universities Roundtable Meeting. Asked by the Dean of the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, I represented our university during this two-day meeting to share ideals on how to increase minority students in the School of Medicine and public health. Representatives from a wide variety of universities and colleges were represented at this meeting which featured Director Thomas Frieden of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and Dr. John E. Maupin - President of Morehouse School of Medicine giving the keynote speeches during day two.

Yet this Roundtable meeting was started at the request of Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. The meeting purpose and objectives were:

• Identify opportunities related to health disparities elimination, including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and specific areas for ongoing collaboration and engagement.


• Discuss and determine how best to act on evidence indicating that increasing diversity in the workforce is associated with improvements in key measures of health disparities, identify career development and training opportunities in academic settings and at CDC; and


• Determine ways to increase the current representation of minority professionals in the field of public health and how participating institutions can train students in population health and public health.

Interestingly, once I arrived at the meeting at CDC's new complex, I met a former colleague -- Dr. Karen Bouye who I worked with when I was a PostDoctoral Fellow at CDC from 1993-1995. Then I was attending Emory University and working for CDC in the Office of Minority Health in order to complete my requirement for the Postdoctoral Fellowship in HIV/AIDs. It was a joy to catch up with her and several other colleagues.

The meeting was filled with all types of excellent commentary, suggestions and promotions of what each representative's university is already doing. For example, I mentioned that I had developed a completely unique new Graduate Online Certificate Program entitled the "Ethnic and Rural Health Disparities (ERHD)" (http://blogs.aos.ecu.edu/cer) at East Carolina University beginning in the fall 2010. We need to use our online technology to reach out to various urban and rural communities so that communities of color can have the access and opportunity to obtain additional training and expertise in public health. That's what our new ERHD program will accomplish.

For continual dialogue and discussion regarding the CDC Medical College and Universities Roundtable, you can go to their blog at: http://blogs.cdc.gov/mcuroundtable/

Finally, it felt good returning to CDC and see so many changes at this federal institution and the new buildings being constructed. It seemed like just a few years ago when I brought my family here to relocate and go through the intense training at CDC and Emory University. We truly had an enjoyable time living and working in Atlanta. We met a lot of great and phenomenal people then and we cherrish that time. Interestingly, my older brother lives in Atlanta as well. It was particularly nice to see him again. Time flies by so fast yet still some things stay the same.

Check out the photo: Dr. Thomas Frieden, Dr. John Maupin, Dr. Winston Price, Dr. Janet Collins and Dr. Walter Williams.

How To Solve and Eliminate Health Disparities

On March 31st, 2010, I had the pleasure to give a presentation to the Multicultural Student Nursing Association at East Carolina University. I was invited by the student President -- Jessica Bland and the nursing faculty.

The title of the presentation was, "How to Solve and and Eliminate Health Disparities." Throughout my talk, I highlighted the conference major themes which were:

• How health disparities affects health care delivery.



• What does health disparities mean to health care providers?



• How we as health care providers better serve health disparities populations in eastern North Carolina

Interesting, I had a number of excellent questions from nursing students and faculty who were passionate about health disparities and truly wanted to find new ways in which nursing professionals can be one of the key health care providers to help solve and eliminate health disparities. As I reinterated throughout my talk, nurses have always and continue to be the key health care providers to eliminating health disparities.

I also mentioned to the audience that one of my key mentors who provided me guidance, encouragement and direction throughout my doctoral training at Wayne State University (1983-1988) was the Founder of Transcultural Nursing -- Dr. Madeleine Leininger. I was fortunate to sit in on several of her classes while going through by doctoral program in Anthropolology at WSU. She was also one of my doctoral advisors and I owe much of my perspective about health and medical care to her.

Here is a picture of Multicultual Nursing Student President Jessica Bland and myself.

New - Ethnic & Rural Health Disparities Modules

The month of March begins the official promotion of my brand new online modules entitled, "Ethnic & Rural Health Disparities: ERHD." The ERHD online course modules are designed to help you understand health issues and improve your skills in working with ethnic and rural health disparity populations in eastern North Carolina, the United States and globally. The overall outcome of this program is to assist professionals in developing culturally competent projects, proposals and policies that are designed specifically for ethnic, rural, multicultural, multiracial, international and global communities around the world. Each module runs for 10 hours each. Overall, this program runs for a total of 160 hours, with options for someone interested in taking individual modules of the program or the entire course.

Online ERHD modules are:

1. Ethnic Health and Health Disparities: Understanding the Health Issues in America - 4 units
2. Global Public Health: Understanding the World's Health Problem - 4 units
3. African American Health: Understanding Their Health Issues - 4 units
4. Medical Anthropology: Understanding Health Issues from a Comprehensive Perspective - 4 units

Here is the link directly to the modules:

http://cpeprograms.ecu.edu/ShowSchedule.awp?~~GROUP~HEALTH~Health,+Wellness,+and+Healthcare

or you can go to the Continuing Professional Education website at:

http://www.ecu.edu/cpe/

Finally, if you want to see my YOU TUBE promotion, here it is: ERHD Modules

After review, let me know what you think about my new ERHD modules! They are for EVERYONE!!

Commentary Cited on "Health Day News" website and "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."


Recently, I was interviewed by a reporter from Health Day News (http://www.healthday.com/) about the issues of body fat and obesity among African Americans. The interview was based upon a new research study investigating fat content in white and African American adults. Interestingly, this study found high levels of "bad fat" among whites as opposed to African Americans.

I found the study quite interesting and basically agreed with the researchers findings. It made sense. Although we (researchers and the general public) ASSUME that blacks would have higher levels of "bad fat" content than whites since African Americans have HIGHER levels of overweight and obesity in America. What this does say if these results are confirmed by other researchers is that we need to RECOGNIZE THAT SOCIOCULTURAL AND BEHAVIORAL FACTORS PLAY A MORE IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY RATES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS.

In addition, I challenged the BMI (Body Mass Index) standard categories to evaluate populations as to whether they are overweight or not. I contend that the BMI is not a good measurement for all populations simply because there are SPECIFIC variations in body types for all ethnic and racial populations.

You can check out my commentary at: http://www.healthday.com/printer.asp?AID=634200

After you read it, send me your thoughts a this blog site or at baileye@ecu.edu

Presentation for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health

In September, I was asked to participate in a NHLBI Working Group for Sickle Cell Disease for the purpose of sharing my medical anthropologist expertise to their potential upcoming grant initiatives. Not only did I present but a select number of other renowned professional experts also shared their perspectives.

My presentation was entitled, "Patient and Provider Beliefs and Behaviors with the Culture of Sickle Cell Disease Management." The major theme of my talk highlighted the importance of understanding the cultural adaptations that the individual sickle cell patient and family must make to ensure some type of quality of life for the patient. In addition, the significance of developing culturally competent patient care and research projects is critical for long-term adherence.

If you would like to receive a copy of my presentation, send me an email at: baileye@ecu.edu

• Patient and Provider Beliefs and Behaviors with the Culture of Sickle Cell Disease Management

Overall, it was a true pleasure to RETURN to NIH and talk with a number of high ranking federal public health administrators who are attempting to develop some new public health grant initiatives despite the current constraints placed on most federal Department of Health and Human Services agencies.

Health Disparities Lecture at the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Grand Rounds of Pitt County Memorial Hospital







On Wednesday, July 22nd, I presented a lecture at the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Grand Rounds at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, North Carolina. I was invited by Dr. Daniel Moore -- Professor & Charman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitaton. The audience consisted of residents and health professionals who worked primarily at PCMH.

The title of my lecture, "How To Solve and Eliminate Health Disparities," accomplished four major objectives:

1. Define Health Disparities


2. Evaluate Current Health Disparities Data


3. Re-examine Health Disparities Data from a Cultural Perspective


4. Provide Solutions to Solve and Eliminate Health Disparities

Although I had spoke more about my field of Medical Anthropology, my previous medical anthropological studies, and the benefits of a medical anthropological approach in clinical settings, I casually inserted more of the health disparities issues into the lecture. By the end of my lecture, I felt that I had combined both topical themes into the lecture for the audience.

By the way, the audience asked a number of excellent, practical and clinically-relevant questions which I truly appreciated!

I want to thank again Dr. Daniel Moore for inviting me to give the lecture as well as Dr. Leonardo Villarosa for scheduling the date of the lecture. Finally, I want to thank all the professionals who took the time out of their very busy schedules to attend this lecture at 8:00am!