In a powerful move to address the ongoing health crisis facing Black men in America, the African American Male Wellness Agency (AAMWA) will bring its signature event, Black Men’s Wellness Day, to Chicago’s Washington Park on Saturday, June 14, starting at 7 a.m. The free, family-focused event aims to save lives through onsite health screenings, mental health support, and a festival-like atmosphere that draws thousands in every city it reaches.
Founded more than two decades ago in Columbus, Ohio, the African American Male Wellness Agency has grown from a single community walk to a national movement spanning over 20 cities, including Dallas, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and now, Chicago. Its mission: to eliminate the health disparities that disproportionately affect Black men, from hypertension to HIV, and to extend life expectancy in a demographic that continues to suffer preventable loss.
“This is the most fun you’ll ever have at a doctor’s appointment,” said Kenny Hampton, president of the AAMWA, during a spirited breakfast meeting held at Josephine’s Southern Cooking on Chicago’s South Side. Hampton, a Detroit native and preacher’s kid, spoke candidly about his own journey toward prioritizing health after ignoring warning signs—both physical and emotional. “We are losing too many of our brothers to things that can be prevented. We’re saying, ‘not on our watch’.”
Revin Fellows Rallies the Faith Community
The June 5 breakfast gathering, attended by more than two dozen pastors, health advocates, and nonprofit leaders, was organized by Revin Fellows, a respected community strategist and longtime advocate for Black men’s health. Fellows convened the event with one clear purpose: to mobilize Chicago’s Black church leaders around the urgent need to support men’s wellness.
Fellows emphasized that the event on June 14 is not just about individual health, but about collective healing. “We have to change the narrative,” he said. “There’s a stereotype that Black men aren’t doing anything. That’s not true. But we need platforms to show what we are doing—and this is one of them.”
He urged pastors to announce the event during Sunday services, distribute flyers, and form Passion Teams—groups that walk together in honor or memory of loved ones, or simply to represent their church or neighborhood. “We need every pastor, every deacon, every church mother encouraging our men to come out and get screened,” Fellows said. “This is how we protect our families and our future.”
A Crisis of Health—and Hope
The urgency behind Black Men’s Wellness Day is rooted in real, sobering data. According to AAMWA, the average life expectancy for Black men in America is 67 years—a full 12 years less than their white counterparts. In just the past 24 months, the organization has screened more than 10,000 men across the country and found:
• 85% had high blood pressure,
• 56% of them were unaware of it, and
• 10% needed emergency care the same day.
Hampton said those numbers are personal. Two years ago, he was one of the men who nearly walked away from a screening, falsely confident in his health as a former athlete. “I thought I still had that strong, athletic body. But when they checked my numbers, I was on the edge of something serious. I had no idea,” he said. “That’s the danger of pride—and the danger of silence.”
Beyond physical health, the event addresses what organizers call the “silent crisis” of mental wellness among Black men. The organization’s Real Men, Real Talk sessions create safe spaces for men to remove their emotional masks, share hidden pain, and discuss depression, trauma, and identity.
Hampton, who travels nationwide advocating for men’s wellness, said his personal breakthrough came not at a clinic, but in a plane at 30,000 feet. “I was reading an email, trying to be perfect, trying to please everybody,” he said, recalling the pressure of living up to family expectations as a preacher’s son. “I broke down crying in my seat. I had 194 emails in my drafts that I never sent—because I thought they weren’t good enough. I was carrying anxiety, people-pleasing, and a false sense of identity. And I wasn’t alone. That’s when I knew I had to do something.”
That experience helped shape the Real Men, Real Talk program—now a national initiative that hosts regular group discussions where men reflect on “what’s behind the mask.” In Chicago, a special session will take place on Friday, June 13, at the DuSable Black History Museum, in partnership with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. The program invites men to identify what they hide from the world and begin the process of healing out loud.
“We don’t just bring the clinic to the community,” Hampton said. “We bring the couch. And we make it safe for brothers to sit on it.”
What to Expect on June 14
The Washington Park event will be held from 7 a.m. to noon and will include:
• Free health screenings: including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, HIV, and mental health evaluations;
• A Kids Zone with games and wellness education;
• A Senior Pavilion for older adults;
• Live entertainment, music, giveaways, and family-friendly activities;
• A 5K Walk/Run, with stretching and warm-ups led by community fitness leaders;
• Passion Teams: churches, families, and groups walking together to honor loved ones or raise awareness.
Participation in the screenings is required to receive the official event t-shirt—an incentive that has become a badge of pride in cities across the country. “It means you took that step to know your numbers,” Hampton said. “It means you chose life.”
Chicago Is Ready
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson voiced his support in a recorded message, praising the agency’s work in addressing health equity. “As mayor of Chicago, the health and wellness of our residents is a top priority. The City looks forward to hosting Black Men’s Wellness Day and joining the movement to close these deadly gaps,” Johnson said.
Former Chicago Bear Ryan Mundy will serve as honorary chair. Real Men Charities and other community-based groups will also participate, offering food, fitness, and follow-up support throughout the summer. The event is backed by partners like Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, and Yale University.
For Fellows, the breakfast meeting was just the beginning. “We’ve had our share of bad press in this city,” he said. “But this is our time to lift up Black men and show the world we’re healing. We’re walking. And we’re winning.”
For more information or to register a Passion Team, visit www.aawellness.org/chicago.