BLACK HEALTH EMPOWERMENT PROJECT TOUR TO CAP OFF IN D.C.
Tom Joyner, Donna Richardson Joyner and Others Help Families Combine Fitness, Food and Fun

WASHINGTON -- As part of the 38th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) will present the final stop of the Black Health Empowerment Project (BHEP) tour in the nation's capital. The event will be held as a special session from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 27, in the ALC '08 Exhibition Hall at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW. The program is free and open to the public.

This BHEP program will feature a series of interactive presentations during a healthy living forum. International fitness celebrity Donna Richardson Joyner, creator of "Sweating in the Spirit" exercise videos, will headline the program along with her husband, Tom Joyner, host of the "Tom Joyner Morning Show," the nationally syndicated radio program.

BHEP is a national health initiative created and produced by CBCF to educate African Americans about the relationship between obesity and chronic diseases. The project brings civic leaders, health experts and communities together to discuss practical strategies for reversing this public health crisis affecting adults and youth. The tour's theme is "Eat, Move and Test for Health." It is co-sponsored by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and UnitedHealth Group.

Overall, more than 18,000 people focusing on issues impacting African Americans and the African diaspora attend ALC each year at the convention center. The four-day conference is headlined by the 42 members of the Congressional Black Caucus and features dozens of policy forums, general sessions, exhibits, a job fair, book signings and networking opportunities. It ends with a star-studded awards dinner and after-dinner gala. Registrants include elected officials, business and industry leaders, celebrities, media, emerging leaders and everyday Americans.

During BHEP, Donna Joyner will conduct an inspirational fitness talk and demonstration. Other celebrities set to appear include Dr. Ro, author of "Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy" and host of "Livin' Healthy with Dr. Ro" on TV One; Mocha Lee, fitness model and chief executive officer of Fitness Fanatics, a personal training consulting company; and Lindsey Williams, celebrity chef and author of "Neo Soul: Taking Soul Food to a Whole 'Nutha Level." Dr. Pierre N.D. Vigilance, director of the D.C. Department of Health, will address weight management and wellness issues at the forum.

CBCF has served thousands of people of all ages while presenting BHEP in 17 cities nationwide during the past two years, including most recently Charlotte in June and Milwaukee in July. Concluding this year's BHEP tour at ALC '08 will allow hundreds of people from around the country to join those from the D.C.-metropolitan area in focusing on their health together, said Elsie L. Scott, Ph.D., CBCF's president and chief executive officer.

"Too many African-American men, women and children are suffering from obesity-related diseases and health conditions," Dr. Scott said. "Many of the conditions are preventable if we take a more active role in watching our diets, engaging in physical activity, understanding our genetic history and getting periodic health screenings. We have a very positive impact on the health of those who participate in BHEP and look forward to doing so in a new and significant way at ALC."

BHEP involves a public-private collaboration that is crucial to fighting the obesity epidemic.

"We must all be committed to improving the health of our communities and the BHEP initiative is a perfect example of that commitment," said Rich Buckley, vice president of government affairs for AstraZeneca. "AstraZeneca is dedicated to providing individuals with the information and tools that will empower families to take charge of their health."

To register for BHEP at ALC '08 or for more information about the program, call (888) 353-2437 or visit or www.bheptour.org. To register for ALC '08 or for more information about the conference, visit www.alc2008.org or call the ALC Hotline at (202) 263-5708

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Inc. (CBCF) was established in 1976 as a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy, research and educational institute intended to broaden and elevate the influence of African Americans in the political, legislative and public policy arenas.