Director’s Spotlight
Surrounded by community members, partners, patients, allies, and friends, the Black Womxn’s Health and Livelihood Initiative (BWHLI) recently gathered to celebrate the past five years of collaboration, connectivity, and serving our community. We gathered to recognize and honor that we have worked to provide quality health care, create innovative programs, strategize and implement necessary systems change, and care for and nurture our beautiful Black community. We celebrated the impact we’ve made addressing health and health care disparities for Black womxn and our gender expansive communities.
Under the leadership of co-directors Judy Young, MPH and Andrea Jackson, MD, MAS, and Assistant Director Katie Brown, MD, the BWHLI has developed race-concordant care with the Black Wellness Clinic and EMBRACE-Group Prenatal Care for Black Families; offered grounding, relaxation, and connection through regular wellness events; created culturally responsive education and community programing through our Black Art Gallery and in our Black Wellness Center; and developed advocacy programming and pathways through our Patient Advocate program and Black Womxn’s Patient Family Advisory Council.
Ramona Laughing Brook Webb, poet-in-residence, curator, and director of wellness emceed the celebration providing a glorious overview, a meaningful land acknowledgment, insight, laughter, and her own soul-moving poetry. Ramona collaborated with B. Stroud in offering a beautiful affirming meditation with a soothing sound healing.
Speakers included Rev. Marvin White from Glide Memorial Church who provided a prayer and blessing for our space and community; June Glenn who shared her experience receiving care in the Black Wellness Clinic; Courtney Mason who described how she found much needed connection to community in the Black Wellness Center and at wellness events both in-person and virtually, and Lark Thomas who described a renewed sense of empowerment, voice and agency in her role as a member of the Black Womxn’s Patient Family Advisory Council.
