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Barbershop 2.0: The App That’s Putting Black Health in the Palm of Our Hands

Last week, he launched a high-tech digital tool that he hopes will save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic — and beyond. He also hopes it will turn around the troubling disparities that exist when it comes to the health of Black Americans.

Published

3 years ago

March 1, 2021

Kiki

Photo credit: Black Doctor 24/7

Dr. Bill J. Releford, a Los Angeles County-based physician and founder of the Releford Foot and Ankle Institute in Inglewood, is putting Black health care in their own hands.

The “Barbershop 2.0,” Releford’s new app, allows users to access Black physicians from anywhere in the world. Dr. Releford says he is building on another project he launched in 2009, the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program. With that initiative, he worked to screen 500,000 Black men for diabetes and high blood pressure in over 100 barbershops.

Releford says during the development process, he has had to keep some of the features of his software program under wraps before it officially launched last week. In a one-on-one conversation with California Black Media contributor Charlene Muhammad, Releford talked about the benefits of the app — not just for Black men, but for their families and communities, too.

CBM: Congratulations on your creation, Dr. Releford. It appears uniquely positioned to have an immediate effect on Black men’s health. Barbershop 2.0. Tell us what’s it all about?

BR: With my first health initiative for Black men, we were going to Black-owned barber shops across the country, screening men for diabetes and high blood pressure, with nurses and volunteers. Now, we have COVID-19. It has been bittersweet. We know the bitter part very well, but some of the things that have come out of it have been beneficial. The sweet part would be the fact that it’s forced people to leverage a lot of technology that has always been there but has never been optimized. Number two, we are launching the Black Barbershop Physician Network, where you can see a Black physician, on your phone in the comfort of your home.

Health disparities have a number of driving factors. One of the most prominent driving factors, other than the racism, of course, is that studies have shown that African Americans prefer to get care from Black doctors, and studies also have confirmed that outcomes are better when patients are treated by Black physicians, particularly Black men.

Study results that were particularly granular in their data showed that white doctors tend to make less eye contact with Black patients as compared to their white patients. White doctors also touch their Black patients less than their white ones.

One thing that I have been hearing over the decades in practice, is a Black patient will come to me and say, ‘Wow! We’re so glad to see you, because they act like they didn’t want to touch me at such-and-such office.’ I hear it all the time, not knowing that there was some scientific confirmation of the things that people were just saying to me organically.

How does the app work?

You’ll be able to see a Black physician on your phone, in the comfort of your home, using telemedicine. We also have a remote vitals component, where I can check your respiration, your heart rate, and your oxygen saturation from your phone, just by downloading the app. We can check your vitals anywhere, around the world — whoever downloads this.

Is this just for Black men?

It’s not just for Black men, but the focus, our main brand has been, of course, dealing with health disparities, focusing on African American men. It’s available to anyone who wants to use the application, but a lot of our messaging is related to African American men.

When is your launch?

The app was fully operable on December 19, however, I needed to give myself a little time to get the kinks out. It launched last week on all major digital app stores.

The urgency is now. It’s a health risk just being Black in America. We do live in the most technologically advanced country in the world. However, African

Americans usually are not beneficiaries of that technology until maybe it’s antiquated or never at all. So, we know the bittersweet part, but the sweet part of this is I’m hoping we can start having some genuine conversations about our health.

How did you come up with this idea, and what was the draw for Black physicians?

Number one, they’re passionate about our people, and this is a program where money is not the driving force. Love has to be the driving force first. People first, then money, then things. I discourage people to join our network if their first question is, “well how do I get paid?” That’s not going to be for them. Although there’s money to be made, I don’t want that to be your primary objective. Before you ask for money, tell me how you can serve, first. How can you add value, first. Or add value, then ask.

So, there is a spiritual component so to speak?

It’s got to be! It’s got to be. So, this is a program that’s not for everybody. An old man told me, “Men count numbers, but God makes numbers count.” I’m passionate about this. Not just me, but for me to serve.

Kiki

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Oakland Post: Week of May 8 – 14, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 8 – 14, 2024

Published

1 day ago

May 10, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

7 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

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Bay Area

Mayor London Breed: State Awards San Francisco Over $37M for Affordable Housing

On April 30, Mayor London N. Breed announced San Francisco has been awarded more than $37.9 million in funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) as part of the State’s Multifamily Housing Program (MHP). The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Published

7 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed (File Photo)

By Oakland Post Staff

The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

The new development at 1515 South Van Ness Ave. will provide 168 affordable homes to low-income families, formerly homeless families, and persons living with HIV earning between 25-80% of the San Francisco Area Median Income (AMI).

In addition, the project is anticipated to provide family-friendly amenities and ground floor community-serving commercial spaces that preserve the prevailing neighborhood character of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District.

“This funding unlocks our ability to move on building affordable housing units for families in San Francisco at a crucial time. We understand the level of need for more housing that is accessible, and like the state, the city continues to face a challenging budget cycle,” said Breed. “1515 South Van Ness is a good example of what can be achieved in San Francisco when you have strong community partnerships and an unwavering commitment to deliver on critical needs for our residents.”

“From the beginning of my term as Supervisor, I have fought to bring affordable housing to 1515 South Van Ness” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. “In the interim, the site has been utilized for homeless services and shelter, and I am thrilled that HCD has recognized the value of this development, and we are finally ready to break ground and bring 168 affordable homes to low income and formerly homeless families in the Mission.”

Owned and occupied by McMillan Electric Company until 2015, the City and County of San Francisco purchased 1515 South Van Ness Avenue in June 2019 with the intent of developing new affordable housing.

In November 2020, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) released a Multi-site Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking qualified developers to build affordable housing on the site, and subsequently selected Chinatown Community Development Corporation (CCDC) and Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in May 2021 to develop the site.

The project is expected to begin construction in winter 2025.

“A strong, long-term push by Mission advocates to make this site 100% affordable is now paying off, with 168 family units that include services and childcare. People of color communities know what they need, and we are excited to be in partnership with a team, consisting of MEDA, CCDC, and MOHCD, that listens,” said Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director at CCDC.

“We are excited to be in partnership with CCDC, yet again, and for the opportunity to develop intergenerational affordable housing in the City’s Mission District,” said Luis Granados, executive director at MEDA.

Increasing housing affordable to lower-income and vulnerable residents is a key priority in the City’s Housing Element which calls for additional funding for affordable housing production and preservation, as well as Mayor Breed’s Housing for All Executive Directive that sets out the steps the City will take to meet the bold goal of allowing for 82,000 new homes to be built over the next eight years.

Tuesday’s funding announcement emphasizes the importance of regional and state collaboration in order to reach our housing and climate goals.

“We are thrilled—not just to bring a project of this size to a community with great need — but to do so with community-based developers and their partners who understand the neighborhood and sensitivities around cultural preservation,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez.