Supporting Black Men’s Health with Aaron Perry and Dr. Alvin Thomas – WORT-FM 89.9

Our two guests today take a holistic view of Black men’s health, from physical to mental health.  After being diagnosed with diabetes, Aaron Peery took up the challenge of competing in an Ironman competition as a way to prioritize his own physical health. But this activity transformed his life beyond his physical health; it taught him to trust other people to help him achieve what he didn’t trust himself to achieve. 

Dr. Alvin Thomas shares his professional knowledge about mental and behavioral health. He challenges his patients to take small steps like going outside for a walk around the block. Perry and Dr. Thomas both say that it’s important for men to find other men to share their struggles with. Host Ali Muldrow, Perry, and Dr. Thomas trade tips for how to get outside even when the weather makes people retreat inside or when other factors make it unsafe for folks to be outside.

They also discuss the stereotype of Black athleticism and masculinity, the vulnerability it takes to do something new and challenging, and being open about being in therapy. The conversation happens in the context of racism and inequities in healthcare for Black people. When Perry competed in the Ironman, the average lifespan of a Black man in Dane County in 2008 was 51 years. The national average is 67, still half a decade less than white people nationally, and these numbers are driven by medical negligence, infant mortality, and more. 

Aaron Perry is the CEO and Founder of Rebalanced-Life Wellness Association. In his work as a community health advocate for Black men he draws on his own experience of building trust with the medical community. He is also an avid runner and was the first African American diabetic man to complete the Ironman competition in 16 hours, 35 minutes and 37 seconds.

Dr. Alvin Thomas is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Human Development & Family Studies at UW-Madison. He researches ethnic identity, father-son engagement and relationships, and mental health in men and boys. He shares his insight on the Black Fathers’ Pulse Podcast.

Featured image of Aaron Perry and Dr. Alvin Thomas.

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