Hundreds gathered to witness a living example that there’s no cut-off age to getting fit.
“I really want people to realize that it's never, ever too late to start exercise,” said Ernestine Shepherd, 87, who was named the World’s Oldest Performing Female Bodybuilder by Guinness World Records.
Urban Wholistics hosted the fifth National Minority Health Month Community Wellness Celebration on Saturday at the University of Toledo Recreation Center where Ms. Shepherd served as celebrity guest speaker, sharing her fitness journey that began at the age of 56.
“People say ‘gee I’m 50, 60, I can't do that, it's too late,’ but I'm repeating: It's never, ever too late,” she said.
This annual national observance works to build awareness about the health disparities that persist among racial and ethnic minority populations. It also encourages actions to end inequities by offering resources and by encouraging the understanding of how cultures, histories, and circumstances impact overall health of these communities, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.
The celebration included health education, Zumba, health screenings, raffles, vendors and a survey.
“What I would like for the minority health population to take away from this is that it's our responsibility as a community to make sure that we have education, tangibles, and any sort of resource that we can provide to push people into a better lifestyle,” said Sonia Flunder-McNair, president and founder of SONIA Organics and Urban Wholistics.
“My goal is to make sure that people are aware of the barriers that exist and to ask the community what we're not giving them, because I want to give them what they want,” she said of the survey. “It's no more ‘here, this is what you need,’ it’s what do you want?”
To promote the benefits of movement, Tatyana Pendleton and DeLayna Green made the trip from Werk Dance Fitness in Columbus to lead attendees in a few energetic rounds of Zumba.
“Zumba fitness is important for movement, and a great way to stay active,” Ms. Pendleton, 26, said. “It helps build confidence the more you do it, and you have access to a great community because you’re not doing it alone.”
Ms. Green, 33, added that the dance “helps with your cardiovascular health, and it doesn’t even feel like you’re working out.”
Dr. Chloé Powell, a vascular surgery resident at the University of Michigan, addressed disproportionate cardiovascular disease among minority communities. While studying at Harvard Medical School, her research included disparities in vascular outcomes and implementation of interventions to mitigate healthcare inequities for minority populations.
“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally but also in the U.S., and unfortunately, minorities — black and brown people, Native Americans — are the ones that sort of bear the burden,” Dr. Powell said. “We have higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke.”
Social determinants, such as lack of accessible healthy food options, quality healthcare and education, play significant roles in health outcomes in general, she said.
“And probably the biggest elephant in the room is centuries of racism and slavery, and we’ve seen it multiply and compound over generations,” she said. “This event and this month is so important to me because one of the reasons why I went into medicine was to improve minority healthcare and the health of Black people in particular.”
In her book Determined, Dedicated, Disciplined to Be Fit: The Ageless Journey of Ernestine Shepherd , the bodybuilding champion teaches readers the importance of thriving at any age. The book title also serves as her mantra that she proudly wears on her fitness gear as a reminder of the importance of fitness and self-care for longevity.
“Determined means having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it. Dedicated means devoted to a task or purpose. having single-minded loyalty or integrity, and discipline means ... a code of behavior,” Ms. Shepherd said.
Ms. Shepherd received formal recognition from the state, presented by Ohio Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson as well as a city proclamation from Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz.
“It’s never too late to get started,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. “Not everyone can be the ‘six-pack granny.’ Not everyone can be in the Guinness Book of World Records , but we all can make little steps — even if they’re baby steps — in the right direction and every little bit helps.”
No one is a better example of this than Ms. Shepherd, he said.
While challenging, in honor of her sister and workout buddy, Velvet, who passed away suddenly years ago, Ms. Shepherd worked to become a prize-winning bodybuilder at the age of 71, a feat that catapulted her into a lifestyle and opportunities that allow her to travel the world encouraging and inspiring the masses.
Urban Wholistics is a grassroots initiative created to beautify open land in neighborhoods that have been historically excluded from access to wholistic green spaces. It works to engage community through education, instruction, land development and the creation of economic opportunities, organizers said.
“This was more than a workout, it was more than just a wellness event,” said Erika White, Urban Wholistics board member. “It was ‘how do we show love and how we get people to care about themselves and take care of themselves?’”
“And with bringing Ms. Ernestine here … if you listen to her story, it was about mental health, physical health, and spiritual health,” she said. “Three things we talked about and that were all encompassing. I hope that people are encouraged.”
With around 10 marathons under her belt, Ms. Shepherd still leads training classes six days a week in her hometown of Baltimore. She simply wants to help as many people as she can to live a healthy, happy, positive, confident lifestyle by encouraging prayer, eating correctly, getting up and walking and later bodybuilding, she said.
“I tell all my people to start out walking first, as opposed to lifting weights,” Ms. Shepherd said. “Walking is the best thing for anyone to start out.
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