A health center in Ohio, founded by two Black women, offers Black women a comfortable place to receive high-quality healthcare services.
Dàna M. Langford and Tenisha Gaines opened the doors to The Village of Healing to cater to the medical needs of their Euclid community.
“Our commitment is to offer healthcare solutions to our community with providers and healthcare that looks like them,” The Village of Healing website stated.
A staff of all Black women provides health services at the practice, including gynecology, obstetrics, mental health services, vaccines, and telehealth.
“It feels good to work with my people, to be able to help my people and be able to relate to my people at the same time,” said nurse practitioner Renee’ Makupson, according to Spectrum News 1.
Langford and Gaines opened their practice with a mission to address racial disparities in maternal and infant health faced by Black women and children. Their Ohio center uses a patient-centric approach to enhance the well-being of Black women through specialized care that is attentive to their cultural and social needs.
The Village of Healing is committed to building strong communities for women to grow personally and professionally. Women are empowered and uplifted with mentorship and support through a variety of transformative programs. The Mother-to-Mother Mentorship Program is an initiative that welcomes Black mothers experiencing maternal mental health complications to receive one-on-one support.
“We understand the unique challenges that mothers may face during this critical time, and our compassionate mentors offer guidance, empathy, and understanding to empower these women through their journey,” the program’s page stated.
The Black Professional Women’s Group is a program where women 30 years and older with bachelor’s degrees or higher are invited to connect with other professionals and share their experiences. “The focus of BPWG is on healing, nurturing a supportive community where women can embrace their journeys and uplift one another,” the page read.
The co-founders, who have extensive experience in institutions, established The Village of Healing in 2019, collaborating with other Black-led organizations. In 2020, a study published by The Institute for Women’s Policy Research named Cleveland the fifth worst city for Black women in the United States.
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