Intergenerational Discussions Surrounding Health, Community, & Life

On February 16th, Ms. Barbara discussed her revived approach to health as she returned from two strokes last year. Since 1956, Ms. Barbara has lived in Philadelphia and sees the value in individual responsibility in improving the community. “As for what the community needs, it needs a lot of forgiveness.” Ms. Barbara finds immense joy and peace in her faith and hopes that Philadelphians can also find inner peace.

Ms. Barbara ensures her food palette is vibrant and nutritious. She was even a vegetarian for a long time due to animal rights concerns. While she is no longer a strict vegetarian, she values the nutrition of fruits and vegetables. As she grew older, Ms.Barbara dietary needs and habits changed. She learned to eat in portions and be more cautious of what was going into her body. Ms. Barbara urges the younger kids in this generation to be aware of what is going into their foods and she wants them to know the functions of each ingredient. 

Today, Ms. Barbara enjoys going to Farmer’s Market and occasionally eating out to learn about different cuisines. Unable to distinguish a favorite food, Ms. Barbara remarked that she appreciated each food due to its unique benefits.  

Take away quote: “As for what the community needs, it needs a lot of forgiveness.”

Stay Tuned-Full interview video coming soon!

~Emilia Onuonga, University of Pennsylvania ’23