On August 8-10, 2023, the southern region’s National Urban Extension Leaders Conference (NUEL) got off to a rousing start as Prairie View A&M University’s Cooperative Extension Program’s (CEP) Family and Community Health (FCH) team, Marvin Young (Dallas County), Te’Anna Donaldson (Harris County), and Terri Wesley (Dallas County) welcomed more than 40 Extension professionals from across the southern region.  

“A Taste of African Heritage and a Taste of Latin Heritage” are heritage-based nutrition education programs that Oldways, Boston-based non-profit, offers. Oldways helps people rediscover and embrace the healthy sustainable joys of the “old ways” of shared cultural traditions (https://oldwayspt.org/).  PVAMU’s CEP and Oldways collaborate to provide nutrition programming directly related to the limited-resource audiences who may or may not be from the African and Latin diasporas.

Young discussed CEP’s approach to food and nutrition topics, focusing on African heritage and health. In his presentation, he shared valuable insights into overcoming cultural and structural barriers to good nutrition in communities of color, utilizing existing resources and best practices for African-American and immigrant populations. Young also shared his experiences while piloting programs for adults and children throughout Dallas County. The CEP approach to African heritage and health has the potential to significantly improve the health outcomes of communities of color. 

Donaldson and Wesley presented a food demonstration from “A Taste of African Heritage” that featured spicy chickpeas. Chickpeas offer an excellent source of fiber, which helps with digestion and contains antioxidants that help to scavenge free radicals. Chickpeas also have protein that supports muscle strengthening and growth. 

Donaldson shared several tips on how to modify recipes to make them more palatable and food safety pointers one might find in the Oldways curriculum. 

Formed in 2013 to promote and enhance the strategic importance of urban Extension activities, NUEL’s mission is to remain relevant locally, be responsive statewide, and be recognized nationally. 

For more information about this article, contact Marvin Young.

Marvin R. Young, MPH
Family & Community Health Agent III (Dallas County)
mryoung@pvamu.edu
(214) 904-3050