Black History Month: #DareTo Learn about Epilepsy in the African American Community

Did you know that approximately 375,000 African Americans have been diagnosed with epilepsy? 

As we celebrate Black History Month and all the positive accomplishments of people of color, let us also #DareTo Learn more about epilepsy and seizures and share our stories to improve the lives of people living with epilepsy and their family members.

Spreading Awareness in African American Communities

Over the past 4 years in collaboration with our many local organizations across the country, the Epilepsy Foundation has been making strides in raising awareness in the African American community. Our education program has focused on reaching out and engaging young adults on college campuses to further promote inclusion of people living with epilepsy in the African American community.

Our local organizations have developed partnerships with students, professors, and administrators in college and university diversity departments to promote awareness and outreach through

• In-person trainings
• Encouraging student participation in activities such as Welcome Days, health fairs, and information booths
• Social media messaging on Facebook and Twitter
• Promotion of the “1 in 26” video that highlights the message from Institute of Medicine’s 2012 report: “Approximately 1 in 26 people in the U.S. will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime.” The video is available here.  

Get Involved

As we continue our outreach and awareness efforts, please join us in improving the lives of people living with epilepsy and their families. Even if fear and misunderstanding make it difficult, we encourage you to talk about epilepsy and seizures in your community. We’re asking African Americans impacted by epilepsy to #DareTo share your story so that others may learn from your experiences. For more information about epilepsy and the African American community, please visit epilepsy.com/African-American.