(BUFFALO – Feb. 11, 2013) SUNY Empire State College’s Niagara Frontier Center, in conjunction with the Buffalo Center for the Arts and Technology, is holding an event and book signing in recognition of Black History Month. The event, part of a statewide series the college will host, sponsor and support throughout the month, takes place from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20, Buffalo Center for the Arts and Technology, 1221 Main Street, Buffalo.

“African American Women’s Life Issues Today: Vital Health and Social Matters,” (Praeger 2013), is the latest in a series of books about African-American women’s health or social issues written or edited by Catherine Collins, a professor and faculty mentor with the college’s Niagara Frontier Center.

Written by an all-female, all-African-American team of health experts that includes nurse practitioners, registered nurses, educators and psychologists, the book focuses on the diseases and related social issues that cause the greatest harm and pose the greatest threat to African-American women today.

“Each chapter has recommended health behaviors and outcomes,” Collins says, and there is a special focus on the so-called “superwoman syndrome,” which explores, “… how we frequently have to juggle so many hats.”

The book can be used as a textbook, but is also of interest to general audiences, including those who want to use it as personal reference or those interested in African-American history and culture.

In addition to Collins, contributors Lorraine Peeler ’88, a faculty mentor with the Niagara Frontier Center, and Mattie Rhodes, a registered nurse and member of the University at Buffalo School of Nursing faculty, will discuss the contents of the book, which will be followed by a tour of the newly refurbished Buffalo Center for the Arts and Technology.

Collins’ last book, “The Imprisonment of African American Women: Causes, Experiences and Effects, 2d ed.” was released in 2010. Other books in the series include “African American Women’s Health and Social Issues” and “Sources of Stress and Relief for African American Women (Race and Ethnicity in Psychology)” also published by Praeger.

About SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire State College was established in 1971 to offer adult learners the opportunity to earn associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York.

In addition to awarding credit for prior college-level learning, the college pairs each student with a faculty mentor who supports that student throughout his or her college career. Students engage in guided independent study and course work onsite, online or through a combination of both, which provides the flexibility for students to learn at the time, place and pace they choose.

The college serves more than 20,000 students worldwide at more than 35 locations in the state of New York and online. Its 70,000 alumni are active in their communities as entrepreneurs, politicians, business professionals, artists, nonprofit agency employees, teachers, veterans and active military, union members and more. More information about the college is available here.

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Media contact: David Henahan, director of communications

518-587-2100, ext. 2918

David.Henahan@esc.edu

518-321-7038 (after hours and on weekends)