Black Women For Wellness

Black Women for Wellness defines good health as physical, spiritual, emotional, mental and financial well-being.

We believe that good health requires a blending of western medicines and holistic practices to create balanced life.

We believe in preventing illness through education, self-empowerment, access, appropriate treatments and interventions and blending solutions that work for us, no matter our lifestyles or our financial and educational status.

Tapping our own personal power, we will build and sustain healthy communities and, within them, empower other women and girls to improve their own well-being.

1) Conduct, gather and share research on the history and current challenges and issues of Black women's health,
2) Train speakers for panel discussions, academic lectures and organizational programs on all aspects of Black women's health,
3) Provide health education and information on strategies to prevent illness and to maintain and restore health,
4) Refer women to culturally sensitive health providers and conseling services,
5) Advocate for African women's health through membership on boards, commissions and taskforces, and
6) Publish information and educational materials from Black women's perspective.

Black Women for Wellness, established in 1997, is celebrating 21 years of serving our community through direct programs, health educations, policy work, organizing and advocacy.

BWW staff continues to grow as our budget steadily grows each year. We know have 11 staff members that run over 9 programs.

In 2017 -
Delivered comprehensive sexual harassment curriculum to
200 students in two school districts
• Collected 170 surveys from students about sexual harassment
• Conducted a focus group with Black teenage girls covering
sexual education and sexual harassment
• Conducted a focus group with teenage boys covering sexual
education and sexual harassment.
What were your major organizational accomplishments?
• Sponsoring policy to address sexual health barriers with Foster
youth ( written into the budget and “passed" implementation
starting July 1 SB 245)
• Sponsoring a bill to disclose ingredients in professional
cosmetic products
• Training Peer Health Educators to share information and
education on sexual health, prevention of Sexually Transmitted
Infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS and intersecting reproductive
justice topics.
• Peer Educators delivered several workshops to teens across
Los Angeles County.
• Co-Developed reproductive justice report card (postproduction)
with Access Women's Health Justice and
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice.
• Contributed to In Our Own Voice National Black Women's
Reproductive Justice Agenda report by writing the
Comprehensive Sex Education portion

Environmental Justice
Published a report on toxins and chemicals in beauty and personal products aimed at African Americans
http://www.bwwla.org/newsite2017/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/One-Hair-Story-Final-small-file-size-3142016.pdf

Kitchen Divas Program Snapshot
2013
5000+ reached through community events and health fairs
BWW served 45 unduplicated participants in a new monthly workshop at LA Care Family Resource Center – Inglewood.

2014
KD conducted 169 demonstrations/workshops and reached 500 unduplicated participants.

2015
Conducted 100+ workshops at 30 different sites and served 531 unduplicated community members. Reached 5000+ through community events and health fairs.

2016
Conducted 76workshops/demos at 21 different sites and reached 302+ unduplicated participants. BWW reached more than 15,000 community members during big-crowd community events with demos, health education materials and healthy eating recipe cards.

Diabetes Prevention Program

2012 – 2013
Started first groups with 2 lifestyle coaches. Implemented 3 groups (3 sites) and enrolled 42 participants.

2013 – 2014
Despite federal funding cuts, continued program and implemented 5 groups (4 sites) and enrolled 32 participants.

2014 – 2015
4 Lifestyle Coaches led 6 groups (5 sites) and enrolled 53 participants.

2015 – 2016
Focused on scaling and expanding DPP, 10 Lifestyle Coaches led a total of 13 groups (10 sites) and enrolled 141 participants.

2016 – 2017
9 Lifestyle Coaches led 13 groups (11 sites) and enrolled 131 participants.