Sorority member Ida L. Jackson was a native Mississippian and supervisor of the sorority's "Summer School for Rural Teachers" training program in 1934. Credit: Watch The YardHow Black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha responded to a neglected public health crisis during the 1930s/1940sWatch The Yard shines a spotlight on a little-known chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s history and impactful work in healthcare access during the summer of 1934 in Lexington, Mississippi. (If you don’t know, Vice President Kamala Harris became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, popularly known as “AKA,” at Howard University.)
The story dives into the sorority's “Summer School for Rural Teachers” program, led by Ida L. Jackson, a native Mississippian who became one of the first Black people to graduate from the University of California at Berkeley. At the time of the teaching training program, nearly 63% of Black teachers in Mississippi didn’t have a high school diploma. Jackson also noticed that the majority of people in the rural town of 24,000 lacked access to a doctor or dentist in their immediate area. Eventually, the sorority launched an initiative called the Mississippi Health Project, which operated as a clinic for six weeks, providing healthcare services like vaccinations, health screenings and education on hygiene and nutrition to underserved families in the area.
The Mississippi Health Project was praised nationwide and resulted in nearly 2,000 immunizations for diseases like diphtheria and smallpox in its first year. AKA’s health initiative, which grew over the years, became a pioneering example of community-driven healthcare, helping 15,000 children and families in Mississippi before the program ended in 1942 due to World War II.
Credit: iStockA Fla. homeless encampment on a Superfund site is exposing people to harmful chemicalsFollowing Florida's statewide encampment ban and a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming that prohibitions on public encampments are permissible, Prism continues to explore the intersection of housing, health, and environmental justice in its latest report, focusing on a growing health and housing crisis at a Superfund site in Pensacola, Florida. A Superfund site is a location designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as polluted with hazardous waste; this particular site is fraught with health risks due to contaminated soil and groundwater.
For nearly 20 years, an estimated 150 campers have lived in hazardous conditions on the site, which was abandoned in 1991. Local health and outreach workers who spoke with the outlet report alarming health issues among the encampment's residents.
“When talking with folks out there, I don’t know if they’re putting those two together as often as I would think,” Michael Kimberl, the director of the Alfred-Washburn Center, which supports homeless people in the area, told Prism. “We’re seeing cancer clusters in the area, with the types of cancers being very aggressive. We’re also seeing a lot of open sores attributed to staph infections, though we’re not sure if these are related to the site.”
Prism also spoke with Walter Arrington, a social worker with Community Health, the local federally qualified health center (FQHC), who has been on the front lines of this struggle. In his work, Arrington has noted that his patients have reported severe gastrointestinal issues from accessing tainted water and sewage backups, alongside more serious health concerns.
Lenise Toussaint. Credit: Ulysse Toussaint via Haitian TimesThe secrets to longevity from a Haitian centenarianAt 109, Haitian-born Lenise Toussaint remains mentally sharp and physically strong. In a profile published by the Haitian Times, Toussaint shares how her upbringing in the countryside — surrounded by lush greenery, farming, raising livestock and protecting the land — helped her develop a deep love for nature.
“I learned to recognize the cycles of nature, understand when to plant and harvest, and nurture the soil to yield the best produce,” Toussaint shares.
Known as "Man Gabo," a Creole nickname short for Madame Gabriel, Toussaint credits her elders with helping her discover the healing properties of local herbs.
“We didn’t have doctors to depend on,” says the self-taught herbalist. “I had to learn from elders about the medicinal uses of various plants, often used to treat common ailments. This knowledge became vital as I started incorporating herbal remedies into my daily routine.”
Even after moving to the U.S. to live with her daughter, Toussaint remains deeply connected to her Haitian roots. Now a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Toussaint continues to inspire her family and community, reminding everyone that a love for life and nature is the secret to longevity.
Meet the Game Changers
Highlighting the innovators transforming health outcomes in our communities
As an antidote to isolation, Dr. Vasundhara Kalasapudi, known as "Dr. K," founded India Home, a senior center that caters to the needs of South Asian elders aged 60 and above. “We want to showcase this to city, state, and federal governments, and convince them that this is a model for immigrant communities,” she recently told Epicenter NYC →Credit: Dr. Vasundhara Kalasapudi