Black Women's Movement to Reclaiming Our Health

11/25/2022

During this time of Thanksgiving and the holidays, we celebrate today’s National Family Health History Day! As Black women, understanding and collecting your family health history is essential to understanding, prioritizing, and taking care of your own health. Talk with family, research common family health traits, and use available resources to stay in tune with your wellness.

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06/11/2022

When Black women thrive, humanity thrives.” Erika Totten, spiritual life coach, facilitator of dialogue and founder of Unchained Visioning sat for an interview with BWM. This organization created a space for Black activists to receive support in finding their voice, naming the oppressive systems that impact their health and choosing techniques of emotional emancipation over a chained mindset. When asked, what health means she responded, I equate health with liberation. When you are able to be your full and most authentic self in all the different areas of life. When those areas are healthy and you feel like you are thriving…that feels like liberation. Towards the end of the interview, Erika highlighted that our bodies need rest because when we are able to restore ourselves, we have more capacity to simply be then pour more into others.

Take a look at her website!
https://erikatotten.com/

06/09/2022

“When Black women thrive, humanity thrives.” Erika Totton, spiritual life coach, facilitator of dialogue and founder of Unchained Visioning sat for an interview with BWM. This organization created a space for Black activists to receive support in finding their voice, naming the oppressive systems that impact their health and choosing techniques of emotional emancipation over a chained mindset. When asked, what health means she responded, I equate health with liberation. When you are able to be your full and most authentic self in all the different areas of life. When those areas are healthy and you feel like you are thriving…that feels like liberation. Towards the end of the interview, Erika highlighted that our bodies need rest because when we are able to restore ourselves, we have more capacity to simply be then pour more into others.

Take a look at her website!
https://erikatotten.com/

05/12/2022

Meet Chyna Johnson from GirlTrek! Volunteering with elementary nutrition-related projects at the early age of 7, Chyna has found and consistently worked towards her passion for activism. Chyna is the Director of Data and Impact of GirlTrek (insert @), focusing on and encouraging Black women to become the "Harriet Tubman" of their own communities by prioritizing their own health, in order to build change and activism. Reporting on the data and impact of GirlTrek, Chyna is able to paint a picture of what Black women's health looks like for further health empowerment. For Chyna, activism means being present, starting where you are, and contributing to Black women's lives in any positive fashion, as "Black women are multifaceted and deserve it!" Encouraging women to be the Harriet of their own communities, Chyna says says "I advocate on behalf of Black women's health because I need to prioritize my own health and want my mom to live a long and beautiful life", showing how precious our health is.

03/07/2022

03/07/2022

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03/07/2022

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02/10/2022

Community Partner Alert!! Black Women's Health imperative (BWHI) was founded in 1981 and is the first nonprofit organization created by Black women to help protect and advance their health and wellness.

BWHIs aim involves advancing health equity and social justice for Black women, across the lifespan, through policy, advocacy and education. BWHI targets the most pressing health issues that affect Black women and girls in the U.S through
investments in evidence-based strategies, advovacy outreach on policies, and synthesize, translate and disseminate information and research findings to strengthen the knowledge base of black women.

Most importantly, they amplify the voices of Black women to shift public perception and policies for social change. We are thrilled to have this community partner on the front lines with us!

02/10/2022

Introducing one of our community partners, Girltrek! GirlTrek is one of the largest public health non-profit organizations focused on improving the health of Black women and girls.

With over 1 million members, GirlTrek motivates women to use walking as a practical first step to inspire healthy living, families, and communities. In addition, this ogranization challenges policy to increase support of safe walking spaces and improve walkability of high traffic areas.

We thank them for joining us in helping Black women and girls to reclaim their health!

02/07/2022

Give a warm hello to Miesha. She is a research associate for BWM and is from New Jersey. Miesha, a fourth-year student majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Public Health, looks forward to her role in highlighting the voices of Black women in the surrounding DMV area.

Miesha has joined BWM with hopes to further her understanding of care networks and is excited to produce stories that honor Black women and advocate for their rights to healthy and happy lives.

02/07/2022

Meet our research associate!

My name is Sasum Gassama. I'm from Washington DC. I attend American University as a first year majoring in public health.

My hobbies are skateboarding and reading.

I advocate for black womens health b/c Black women experience unacceptable poor health care. So i'm driven to empower Black women about their rights and get Quality health.

02/07/2022

Meet one of our Research Associates!

Zherah Collier, a New Haven, CT native and one of the BEM's Research Associates and Community Engager. She is excited to gain experience related to women's health and looks forward to collecting oral histories of Black women in the DMV.

Zherah is a senior preparing for graduation in May 2022. She studies International Relations and minors in Public Health.

Zherah joined the BMW project to be a hands-on advocate for Black women because she believes that we can no longer wait for society to put us first which means we need to advocate and promote health education for one another.