The faith community historically has led the way for the advancement of
African Americans, and today its role includes promoting health and
wellness for people at disproportionate risk for many diseases. The 13
faith leaders featured in the 2011 Aetna African American History
Calendar hold different beliefs Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism
and Hinduism but they share a common goal of eliminating health
disparities in the African American community.
?The African American faith community has helped create hospitals,
nursing homes and orphanages specifically for African American people,?
says Rev. Dr. Fred Lucas, senior pastor at Brooklyn (N.Y.) Community
Church and president and CEO of Faith Center for Community Development
Inc., who is featured in this year's calendar. ?This faith community has
provided financial support; political power; volunteers; facilities and
physical space; media ministries; and ?bully pulpits' to develop the
body, mind and soul. Like the wonderful people who make up that
community, this year's Aetna African American History Calendar is a
source of education, inspiration and hope.?
?Aetna praises the lives and work of these exceptional leaders of
African American faith communities,? said Mark T. Bertolini, CEO and
president of Aetna. ?Their contributions reinforce the influence faith
leaders can have in bringing about positive change. In this year's
calendar, we celebrate their examples and the healthful blessings that
have the power to inspire us all.?
Aetna (NYSE: AET) has produced the African American History Calendar
since 1982 as an annual tribute to the extraordinary and educational
endeavors of African Americans. This year's calendar is the 30th
anniversary edition.
?Aetna is proud to mark the 30th year of the African American
History Calendar,? said Floyd Green, Aetna's head of community relations
and urban marketing. ?Over the years, we've celebrated the
accomplishments of African Americans, and in recent years, we've
explored diverse health care topics. As we continue on this journey, we
offer our praise and continued support for the lives and work of so many
African American leaders across the country.?
The 2011 calendar features individuals who have dedicated their lives to
inspiring and empowering others while stressing the crucial nexus of
mind, body and spirit.
A well-known leader featured in the calendar is Bishop T.D. Jakes,
founder and senior pastor of The Potter's House, a well-known
30,000-member church based in Dallas. Through The Potter's Touch, his
weekly television outreach, Bishop Jakes delivers his teachings through
the United States, Africa, Australia, Europe and the Caribbean.
Also featured in the calendar is Rabbi Capers C. Funnye Jr., rabbi and
spiritual leader of Chicago's Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew
Congregation, the nation's oldest African American synagogue. The
synagogue's ?Sacred Aging? program for older congregants combines
healthy eating, exercise, health screenings, arts and crafts, Bible
studies and spiritual teachings.
Calendar honoree Safiyah Abdul Khaaliq promotes the importance of
self-help and empowering Muslim and non-Muslim women to take proactive
steps toward a healthful lifestyle. She is founder and CEO of Essential
Living for Muslim Women Inc., and director of administrative services of
the Essential Living for Muslim Women Breast Health/Mammography
initiative.
Other leaders profiled in the 2011 calendar are:
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Rev. Byron L. Benton, associate pastor of the Berean Baptist Church,
Brooklyn, N.Y.;
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John Butler III, an African American Hundu Vaishvavaite of the
monotheistic tradition of the Brahma Madhwa Sampradaya (lineage),
Conyers, Ga.;
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Rev. Mary Diggs-Hobson, co-founder and executive director of African
Americans Reach & Teach Health Ministry, Seattle;
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Rev. Anthony Evans, president of the National Black Church Initiative,
Washington, D.C.;
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Dr. LeRoy M. Graham Jr., associate clinical professor of pediatrics at
Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta;
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Angela F. Griffin, assistant professor of physical therapy, Downstate
University, Brooklyn, N.Y.;
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Stephanie Joy Jackson-Rowe, founder, president and CEO of the
Christian Aerobics and Fitness Association, Chicago;
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Rev. James L. Patterson, ordained elder and senior pastor of Institute
Church of the Nazarene Institute, Charleston, W.V.;
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Dr. Pernessa C. Seele, founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead Inc.,
Richmond, Va.; and
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Prof. Jan Willis, well-known writer on topics related to Buddhism,
distinguished professor of religion at Wesleyan University,
Middletown, Conn.
The 2011 African American History Calendar Healthful Blessings:
Faith-Based Health Initiatives Making a Difference for African Americans
is available for $4 by calling 860-273-0509. The online version of the
calendar is available at Aetna's diversity website: http://aetnaafricanamericancalendar.com/2011/
About Aetna
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Aetna
Walt Cherniak, 410-401-9490
[email protected]