Heart disease continues to impact the African American community disproportionately — and it’s something we must talk about openly and often.

According to the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for African Americans. High blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure occur at higher rates and often at younger ages compared to other populations.

Several factors contribute to this disparity, including:
• Higher rates of hypertension (often called the “silent killer”)
• Limited access to quality healthcare
• Socioeconomic stressors
• Higher prevalence of diabetes and obesity
• Generational and environmental stress

What makes this even more concerning is that high blood pressure is often more severe and harder to control in African Americans, increasing the risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

This is why we walk. We walk to raise awareness. We walk to fund research. We walk to support efforts to save lives. We walk because our hearts — and our community — matter.