Arianna Bullock would do anything for her daughter, especially when it comes to improving the world she’s living in.
“We didn’t choose to be Black women, but we know that when we show up, we have to advocate for ourselves a little bit more,” says Arianna Bullock, a participant and ambassador in a new study spearheaded by the American Cancer Society called “Voices of Black Women.”
Launched in May, the goal is to get 100,000 Black women to sign up. Participants will share behavioral, environmental and lived experiences through surveys taken at least twice a year, following their health journey and lifestyles over several decades.
“This is the first time we’re looking at a population and saying ‘what is going on here? Why is this happening and how can we help?’ ” said Joni Richter, the associate director of Cancer Center Partnerships.
According to the American Cancer Society, for most types of cancer, African Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial or ethnic group in the United States.
“The number one reason is racism. It’s social determinants of health in terms of economics, equity, where we live, our communities, in terms of income, pay, access, ability, racism,” says Kathleen McLean, a Voices of Black Women participant and ambassador.
Bullock hopes the biggest outcomes from this research are answers.
“I hope that there are some answers for us, for our families, for the generations to come; that they will not have to advocate as hard as we do,” Bullock said.