Village Public Health

05/05/2026

Wednesday Wisdom has a new name, and it feels more like home.

Welcome to On the Porch with Dr. Q 🏡

A space where we sit, reflect, and talk about the things that don’t always get said out loud, but live heavy in our everyday lives.

This Wednesday, I’m clocking in for a conversation that sits close to me:

The mental load of high-achieving single moms.

The planning.
The remembering.
The carrying.
The showing up, even when you’re tired.

Not just what we do, but what we hold.

If you’ve ever felt like your mind never turns off, like you’re managing everything for everyone while still trying to build something meaningful for yourself, this conversation is for you.

Pull up a chair.
Meet me on the porch.

🕰️ This Wednesday.

What is one thing you’ve been carrying that nobody else sees?

04/29/2026

04/29/2026

04/29/2026

Your health = your power
💪🏾
Free oral at-home HIV test kits on deck.
Know your status. Protect your circle.
U=U works. Prevention matters.
QUESTIONS? DM US OR CALL TODAY 501-478-3215

04/29/2026

ARKANSAS BLACK GAY MEN’S FORUM is proud to stand as a leading sponsor of Little Rock Black Pride 2026

ALL WHITE AFFAIR 🤍
Hosted by Shemar Dupree

Pull up in your best ALL WHITE Friday, June 5 at TABU 🔥
It’s giving style, energy, and community all in one space — don’t miss the vibe!

Tickets, tables & sections are on sale NOW 🎟️
Check the comments or secure yours here 👇🏽
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1983837395052?aff=oddtdtcreator

04/28/2026

Today’s Capitol visit mattered.

In the room were leaders and organizations doing real community work: Black Gay Men’s Forum, Arkansas Transitive, Strilite Foundation, Central Arkansas Pride, Q***r Men United, and the HIV Trial Network.

Their presence matters because laws do not just live on paper. They live in people’s bodies, futures, records, families, housing applications, job searches, medical appointments, and community trust.

Arkansas law currently makes “exposing another person to HIV” a Class A felony if a person knows they have tested positive for HIV and engages in s*xual pe*******on or parenteral transfer of blood without first disclosing their HIV status.

That charge can carry 6 to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. A person convicted under this law may also be required to register as a s*x offender if ordered by the sentencing court.

Let’s pause there.

S*x offender registration is not a small consequence. It can affect where someone lives, works, goes to school, and how they are viewed in the community. It can follow a person long after a sentence is complete. Arkansas guidance also lists “Exposing another person to HIV” among offenses tied to s*x offender assessment when registration is ordered by the court.

This is why public health voices must be present.

This is why Black gay men must be present.

This is why trans-led organizations must be present.

This is why Pride organizations, HIV advocates, prevention leaders, researchers, and community-rooted organizations must be present.

Because HIV is not just a medical issue. It is a public health issue, a justice issue, a stigma issue, and a community trust issue.

When laws are shaped without the people most impacted at the table, we risk creating systems that punish instead of prevent, shame instead of educate, and isolate instead of connect.

Public health asks a different question.

Not just, “How do we punish?”

But, “How do we prevent harm, increase testing, improve treatment access, reduce stigma, support disclosure conversations, and create conditions where people can make informed, healthy decisions?”

That is why today mattered.

We were not just visiting the Capitol.

We were reminding Arkansas that prevention works best when the people closest to the issue are included in the solution.

04/25/2026

As many of you guys know, I was a fat kid, like fat, fat kid. 😩😂

So when it came to the Presidential Fitness Test, it gave me real anxiety. And I mean real anxiety, because I told you I was a fat kid.

Now listen, the only thing I excelled at was the sit-and-reach.
Your girl was flexible in elementary school, okay? 🤸🏽‍♀️✨

But that shuttle run? 🥴
Them push-ups? 😭
Pull-ups? Let’s not even go there
Sit-ups?
And that one-mile run?! 🏃🏽‍♀️💨

Baby, those were a real challenge.

And not just physically.
They did something to me emotionally too.

Because it wasn’t just about running laps. It was about being watched, compared, and feeling like everybody else got something I didn’t.

Whew 😮‍💨

Fast forward

Our governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, alongside efforts connected to Donald Trump, is bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test for Arkansas students starting in the 2026–2027 school year.

Now let’s talk about it, because from a public health perspective, this actually can be a good thing 👀

We want our kids moving
We need our kids building strength, endurance, and confidence in their bodies
Research shows physical activity supports mental health, focus, and even academic performance

So yes, a fitness-based model has value ✔️

But here’s the part we cannot skip

It’s only good if we do it right

Because what I remember most isn’t the exercises
It’s the feeling

And if we’re not careful, we will create spaces where

* Kids feel embarrassed instead of encouraged 😔
* Movement feels like punishment instead of growth
* Performance gets tied to worthiness, and that part sticks

And that’s where we lose the opportunity

Public health is not just about what we implement
It’s about how it shows up for our babies

So imagine this instead

✨ A space where showing up matters more than finishing first
✨ A space where progress is measured against you, not the class athlete
✨ A space where every body is respected, not ranked

Because the goal isn’t to raise the fastest kid in the class

The goal is to raise young people who understand their bodies, trust their bodies, and take care of their bodies for life 💛

Now let me bring it back to you

Did you even know this was coming, that starting in the 2026–2027 school year your kids will have to participate in this again?

And more importantly

What do you think about it? 👀

Because if we are going to bring this back, we have a real chance to do it differently this time

And listen, I am speaking as somebody who used to be out there on that field fighting for my life during that mile run 😂🏃🏽‍♀️💨

04/23/2026

Today’s work took us to Bentonville, where I certified Community Health Workers as Youth Mental Health First Aiders. This is how we build stronger communities from the inside out.

Now is the time to strengthen your skills. Our young people are navigating real challenges, and they deserve adults and leaders who are prepared, present, and equipped to respond with care, confidence, and clarity.

When we invest in knowledge, we shift outcomes. When we show up trained, we change lives.

Who in your circle needs this training right now?

04/22/2026

We are building something powerful for our community this summer.
Village Public Health and the Black Gay Men's Forum are coming together for Wellness in the Park, and the response has been incredible.
At this time, we are accepting:
- Sponsor registrations
- Speakers
- Vendor applications
- Kickball team registrations
This event is about more than a day in the park. It is about creating space where health, connection, and joy can exist together in real time. From movement and mental wellness to community-building and prevention education, every piece is intentional.
Come ready to move, connect, and take care.
Your health matters.