🩺 PULSE CHECK: Why Black Health Needs Its Own Conversation

Black Health Weekly

Vision Newspaper’s new Monday column tackles the health challenges—and the healing journeys—of Black communities around the world.

Health is personal, but it’s also political. In Black communities around the globe—whether in Jamaica, Toronto, Brooklyn, London, or Lagos—the gap in health outcomes is undeniable. From higher rates of hypertension and diabetes to alarming disparities in maternal mortality and mental health access, Black people continue to face disproportionate health risks. Yet the conversations about our bodies, our wellness, and our healing are often sidelined or misunderstood.

Today, Vision Newspaper launches “Pulse Check: Black Health Weekly”—a new weekly editorial series committed to elevating Black health conversations with the urgency, nuance, and care they deserve.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

In Canada, Black women are nearly twice as likely to die during childbirth compared to their white counterparts. In the U.S., Black men have the lowest life expectancy of any racial group. In the Caribbean, non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and stroke continue to be among the leading causes of death—many of which are preventable or manageable with early intervention and education.

But these statistics only scratch the surface.

The lived experiences behind the data—long wait times, cultural misdiagnoses, lack of representation in clinical research, and medical racism—are part of a deeper issue: a health system that was never designed with Black lives in mind.

From Surviving to Thriving

“Pulse Check” will not only report on the crises—we’ll also celebrate the cures. From community health clinics in Kingston to wellness movements led by Black nutritionists and doulas in Toronto and Atlanta, we’ll spotlight the changemakers reshaping what Black wellness looks like.

Each week, this column will:

• Dive into a key health issue affecting Black communities

• Highlight a cultural perspective on wellness

• Feature voices from the front lines—patients, doctors, healers, and advocates

• Provide links to resources, screenings, or community health events

Because being healthy isn’t just about beating illness. It’s about reclaiming joy, practicing rest, restoring balance, and building systems of care that are rooted in our histories and respectful of our realities.

What’s Ahead

In the weeks ahead, Pulse Check will explore:

• Black maternal health in the Caribbean

• The mental health crisis among Black youth

• How food deserts are fueling chronic disease in Black communities

• Reclaiming African and Caribbean herbal medicine traditions

• Why representation in healthcare matters—from med school to the clinic

This series is about truth-telling, healing, and accountability. It’s about meeting at the intersection of health and justice—and staying there until change happens.

We start here. Every Monday. This is your Pulse Check.

Pulse Check: Black Health Weekly is Vision Newspaper’s weekly column on health, healing, and equity in Black communities across the Caribbean, Canada, the U.S., Africa and beyond.
Follow us @VisionNewspaper for next week’s feature on Black maternal health. #PulseCheck #BlackHealth #VisionNewspaper

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