Health Equity Through Community Spaces a conversation with Dr. Stephen B. Thomas

Health Equity Through Community Spaces a conversation with Dr. Stephen B. Thomas

Author: Leon Rock, M. Ed. July 31, 2025 Duration: 47:57

Prepare to be inspired by Dr. Thomas's brilliant mind behind CUT2MD, a groundbreaking initiative that reveres and elevates barbershops as sacred community hubs for health promotion. Learn about The Barbershop Initiative, a powerful program that empowers our beloved barbers and Beauty Salons to rise as health advocates and educators, nurturing well-being within their communities. These initiatives are deeply rooted in the transformative principles of the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) framework, boldly confronting systemic inequities and weaving a stronger tapestry of trust within our communities to manifest true health equity.

This episode is more than a conversation; it's an affirmation of our resilience, a celebration of community-led healing, and a call to action to reclaim our health narrative. Don't miss this empowering discussion with Dr. Stephen B. Thomas, a true champion of our people's health.


Hosted by educator Leon Rock, M. Ed., African American Diabetes Podcast Show creates a vital space for conversation and practical guidance centered on the Black experience with diabetes. This isn't just a health podcast; it's a resource built on understanding the unique cultural, social, and systemic factors at play. Each episode blends straightforward advice with deeper commentary, drawing on the knowledge of Black healthcare professionals and researchers who provide not only medical insights but also crucial context on navigating the healthcare landscape. You'll hear real stories of resilience and management that resonate on a personal level. Grounded in a Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation framework, the discussions go beyond diet and exercise to address the whole journey. The tone is supportive and direct, offering actionable steps while fostering a sense of community. Whether the topic is fitness, nutrition, or the latest relevant news, Leon Rock facilitates conversations that empower informed choices and holistic well-being. Tuning in means accessing a dedicated blend of expert insight and shared experience, all tailored to meet listeners where they are.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 39

African American Diabetes Podcast Show
Podcast Episodes
Real Talk on PAD, Diabetes, and Our Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:27
Family, pull up a chair. If you or a loved one is living with Type 2 diabetes, this is the most important message you’ll hear all year.On the latest episode of the African American Diabetes Podcast, host Leon Rock is del…
Real Talk on PAD, Diabetes, and Our Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:50
Family, pull up a chair. If you or a loved one is living with Type 2 diabetes, this is the most important message you’ll hear all year.On the latest episode of the African American Diabetes Podcast, host Leon Rock is del…
Title: The Truth About the A1C Test and Our Community: [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:55
Stop trying to "cheat" your lab work, family! In this high-energy solo episode, host Leon Rock breaks down why your A1C test isn't a daily snapshot, it’s a 90-day time machine. Leon strips away the medical jargon and the…
It’s All Connected: Breaking Down Cardiometabolic Health [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:25
It’s time we stop playing "Whack-A-Mole" with our health.In this special African American Diabetes Podcast, I’m breaking down the clunky medical term Cardiometabolic Health in a way that actually makes sense for us.We’ve…
Bio-Hacking and the Tech Divide - The New Civil Rights Frontier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:18
Is medical technology the new battleground for Civil Rights?Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps are the gold standard of care, yet Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed them, rega…
Sweet Betrayal: The Business of Diabetes and Black American Health [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:34
In this electrifying episode, we stop "managing" a crisis and start investigating a crime. We are stripping away the polite clinical language to expose the Diabetes Industrial Complex, a system that profits more from our…
Is Your Doctor Working for You or the System? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:08
Are you a patient or just a statistic?In this explosive solo episode, host Leon Rock pulls back the curtain on the "Standard Care Trap" that is failing Black Americans living with diabetes. Drawing from his own harrowing…
Saving the Black Race from Extinction - Negro Health Week 1915-1951 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:35
Join host Leon Rock for a powerful, short yet deep dive into the revolutionary legacy of Booker T. Washington’s National Negro Health Week (NNHW). We explore how a seven-day "health revival" fueled by the Black Church be…
They told you the kitchen was the problem. They lied. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:13
In this week’s episode of the African American Diabetes Podcast, we’re pulling back the curtain on the Kitchen Table Conspiracy. We aren’t just talking about A1Cs and finger pricks—we’re talking about how a system of Foo…