Black Health Matters brings Fall Health Summit back to Charlotte on Oct. 17

Black Health Matters will host its Fall Health Summit & Expo in Charlotte on Oct. 17, offering free screenings, expert panels and community health resources at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. The event is part of the group’s national tour and is aimed at improving access to preventive care and health education in Black and Brown communities.

Why it matters: - The Charlotte summit is designed to bring health education, preventive screenings and trusted resources directly into a community facing access-to-care barriers. - Free onsite screenings valued at more than $1,000 could help attendees identify health risks earlier and connect with follow-up care. - The event focuses on conditions that disproportionately affect Black communities, including kidney disease, cancer, heart health, sickle cell disease and multiple myeloma.

What happened: - Black Health Matters will host its Fall Health Summit & Expo on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 3400 Beatties Ford Rd., Charlotte, North Carolina. - The event is free and open to the public, with an option to attend in person or virtually through the registration form. - The summit includes culturally relevant health information, expert panels, community resources, breakfast, lunch and wellness giveaways. - Speakers and participants include Eva Marcille, Sean Freeman, WBTV reporter and weekend anchor Natisha Lance, Akintunde, Olympia D and fitness instructor DaShaun Johnson.

The details: - Black Health Matters, founded in 2012, describes itself as a health and wellness platform for Black and Brown communities. - Roslyn Y. Daniels, CEO and founder of Black Health Matters, said the organization believes better health starts with access, education and honest conversations. - Daniels also said Black Health Matters is working to bring screenings, education and trusted resources into Charlotte as changes in the city’s healthcare landscape affect access to care. - The summit’s health topics include nutrition, kidney disease, fitness, heart health and cancer. - Additional sessions will cover lung and prostate cancers, kidney and autoimmune diseases, dermatology, multiple myeloma, sickle cell disease, ATTR amyloidosis and clinical trials. - The free screenings listed for attendees include A1C, blood pressure, BMI, brain health, cholesterol, FeNO, food sensitivity, glucose, HIV, kidney function, liver function, MGUS for multiple myeloma, pregnancy, prostate-specific antigen and vision.

Between the lines: - Black Health Matters is using the summit format as a direct-response model for communities that may not have easy access to routine care. - Charlotte is one stop on a broader national tour that also includes Atlanta and Harlem, with Houston added for 2027. - Since the tour launched in 2018, Black Health Matters says it has reached more than 12,000 in-person attendees and 60,000 virtual participants. - October timing gives the event a natural tie to health literacy and awareness efforts around chronic disease.

What's next: - Organizers are encouraging Charlotte residents to RSVP online and attend in person or virtually. - Questions about the summit can be directed to Linette Roach at 713-823-8185 or Linette@blackhealthmatters.com. - Black Health Matters will continue its annual tour with stops in other cities and a newly added Houston date in 2027.

The bottom line: - Black Health Matters is betting that free screenings, trusted messengers and culturally relevant education can help close health gaps where access to care is uneven.