T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers (courtesy photo)

For the past 11 years, the streets of Crenshaw Blvd. between Stocker Blvd. and Rodeo Road have been flooded with over 350,000 people in attendance at the highly anticipated annual Taste of Soul (TOS). Although the TOS is primarily known for its wide variety of foods and desserts, live performances, and community resource booths, it is the TOS health providers who remind community members the importance of health, wellness and family. This week in Black History, the Sentinel pays homage to the 2016 TOS health providers and volunteers who have played a part in making the largest street festival in Los Angeles a success.

T.H.E Health and Wellness

To Help Everyone (T.H.E.) Health and Wellness Centers have provided care to vulnerable populations both under insured and un-insured regardless of their ability to pay for more than four decades.

“When you come into the T.H.E. doors, all I see is a human being,” said Chief Medical Officer of Women’s Health at T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers Dr. Tracy Robinson. “If you don’t see humanity in someone, the first thing you see is the color of their skin, that is a reasonable approach, but sometimes you get lost in the quality of care you are providing. That’s the reason why our mantra is healing the body and raising the spirit.”

T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers has locations in Western, Lennox, Crenshaw, La Brea, Dorsey and Hawthorne.

The 2016 Taste of Soul wasn’t T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers first Taste of Soul. This year, T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers provided emergency care services to TOS goers.

“It was a great experience,” said Dr. Robinson. “It was fun, it was a learning experience and I think we met our goal. Our goal was to provide care and I think we were successful in that.”

Dr. Robinson believes events like Taste of Soul help celebrate Black culture.

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