OUR MISSION
The mission of Black Diabetic Info is to provide culturally-competent, personal, and professional information about diabetes in black communities.
Until now, there has not been a central location for information about black diabetics, their experiences, services available to them, and resources for those who love and/or provide care for black diabetics.
There are many misconceptions about why black people are disproportionately affected by diabetes and this website aims to give ACCURATE information by providing personal accounts of what it’s like living with diabetes within black cultural contexts AND give sincere diabetes professionals a platform to explain.
We are not just statistics; we are black, beautiful people living daily with diabetes.
Just as black music is given to the world for ALL to enjoy, so is the information and resources found here. This website is not exclusive to black people. The website is INCLUSIVE.
ABOUT ME
I began blogging in 2011 after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
My diagnosis was shocking because I found out after passing out in my tub for hours and slipping into a diabetic coma. Blogging was the easiest way to let my friends and family know what I was going through because I didn’t have the emotional energy to tell it over and over again. I was scared, confused, and clueless. I didn’t know that soon I would be one of the most prominent African American Type 2 bloggers in the world. What an outstanding honor and achievement.
The following year, I created this website, Black Diabetic Info, to help provide culturally competent information to black people after having more than enough run-ins with medical personnel who were not culturally sensitive to my needs.
Over the years, my joy of telling all people about my life living with Type 2 diabetes has resulted in me being featured on “DSMA Live” (a weekly diabetes online radio show), Health Monitor Diabetes Magazine, Huffington Post Live, and Diabetes Focus magazine.
I am a proud vessel to be used to help inspire others who may be living with diabetes.
DIABETES HELPERS
This pioneering children’s book about diabetes is the first book to focus on children who help their loved ones with diabetes and to combine conversations about three types of diabetes into one book.
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly way to discuss diabetes, this book is for you. Readers follow three characters, Jalanah, Grace, and Antonio, as they show the small ways they help their loved ones. There is a surprise coloring book at the end that encourages children to further engage with the book and define themselves as a diabetes helper too.
This mother-daughter duo wrote diabetes helpers to encourage others. Dr. Deroze lives with Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults, and her seven-year-old daughter, Jalanah, is her diabetes helper. Jalanah has learned how to run to the fridge in a flash and bring her mother juice to correct hypoglycemia, as she’s learned how to read and write. For all the kids who have or who are learning about diabetes as they are learning about the world, this book recognizes them.
Reading Level: Perfect to read to elementary age and can be read independently at the 2nd-grade reading level.