Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes, City of Carson
Carson, CA — More than 500 women are expected at the Carson Event Center on Friday, Oct. 16, for the City of Carson’s sold-out It’s All About Me Women’s Health Conference, according to recent comments made by Carson’s Mayor and event hostess, Lula Davis-Holmes.
The daylong event runs from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 801 E. Carson St. Its theme, “Reclaiming My Time,” centers on women taking ownership of their physical, mental and emotional well-being and making room for preventive care and education.
Organizers have asked attendees to wear all shades of pink.
The conference is presented by the city’s Community Services/Recreation/Park Maintenance Department in partnership with the Carson Citizens Cultural Arts Foundation and Torrance Memorial Medical Center.
Attendees will hear from 14 health professionals listed in event materials:
- Rachna Patel, MD
- Alexis N. Simpkins, MD
- Jeffrey Quinn, MD
- Ujjiwala Dheeriya, MD
- Tia Delaney-Stewart
- Neil H. Bhayani, MD
- Leena Tran
- Shirlene Jay, MD
- Jennifer Park, MD
- Mario Reyes, MD
- Khalid Eltawil, MD
- Cristina Moldovan, PhD
- Houman Solomon, MD
- Erycka Webb, MD
The morning session opens with a continental breakfast and chair yoga. It continues with “Empowering Your Mindset: Smart Lifestyle Choices for a Smart Future,” presented by Veronica Clanton Higgins, Ph.D., and a session titled “Movement Matters.”
Educational workshops will cover:
- Brain health and stroke prevention
- Cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
- Colon cancer and genetic risk
- Dermatology
- Diabetes and neuropathy
- Heart health and restorative sleep
- Preventive care focused on weight management, treatment plans and blood pressure
The afternoon includes lunch, live entertainment, raffle prizes and swag bag distribution. Free health screenings are included with admission, and a vendor village featuring retail and community resource vendors will be open throughout the day.
The screenings offered Friday reflect a message health professionals repeat often: many serious conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes and some cancers, can develop for years without symptoms. An annual checkup is often the first place they’re caught. That visit is also where women and their doctors confirm which screenings are due, such as mammograms, cervical cancer tests and colon cancer screening. Those screenings run on their own schedules, which depend on age, family history and personal risk. Most health plans are required to cover recommended preventive services at no out-of-pocket cost. For many women, the bigger barrier is making the appointment, not paying for it.
Getting in the door is only part of the equation. Advocating for your own care matters just as much. That means:
- Asking questions and writing down symptoms before an appointment
- Bringing a list of medications
- Knowing your family’s health history
- Seeking a second opinion when something doesn’t feel right
As coverage rules and costs continue to shift, understanding your own benefits has become part of protecting your health.
The conference also arrives at a practical moment: health insurance open enrollment season.
- Medicare: Open enrollment runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, when beneficiaries can review and change their health and drug plans for the coming year.
- Covered California: Through California’s marketplace, current enrollees can renew or switch starting October 1, and open enrollment for new sign-ups runs November 1 through January 31, 2027. For coverage for all of 2027, enrollment must be completed by Dec. 31.
- Shopping matters this year: Covered California premiums are rising 9.9% on average for 2027 as enhanced federal tax credits expire.
- Employer plans: Many employers also hold enrollment in the fall.
Health experts recommend reviewing whether your current plan still includes your doctors, covers your prescriptions and fits your budget before the deadline passes.
Event updates are posted on the City of Carson’s social media channels, including @cityofcarsonca on Instagram and TikTok.
