Pictured (from left to right): Crystal Crawford, Sonya Young Aadam (current CEO), Latonya Slack, Fran Jemmott, Nike Irvin (moderator), and Holly J. Mitchell
For 30 years, the California Black Women’s Health Project has advocated for policies and practices that promote the health of Black women and girls in CA
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA, USA, February 16, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Today the California Black Women’s Health Project (CABWHP) announces the commencement of its 30th anniversary marking three decades of empowering Black women to take charge of their health and advocating for policies that positively impact their well-being!
The organization has developed programs and advocated for policies and practices that promote the holistic well-being of Black women and girls who face significant health disparities compared to other demographics. Following an annual conference held in 1992 by the National Black Women’s Health Project, the organization was formed as a local chapter in South Central Los Angeles. Started as a small self-help resource center called “The Well”, California Black Women’s Health Project (CABWHP) formally incorporated in 1994 and has now grown to provide services and programs that span many areas of health where disparities are most notable for Black women including mental health, maternal and reproductive health, sexual health, domestic and community violence, aging and more. Though the organization has made a tremendous community impact over the past 30 years, health disparities for Black women and girls in the state and nationally persist. Despite the ongoing need for practices and policies that address these disparities, community organizations like CABWHP struggle to get the funding and support needed to expand upon this imperative work.
“Over the past 30 years, we’ve worked to support Black women and girls who are too often overlooked and neglected in the healthcare system and other systems that claim to serve us.” Sonya Young Aadam, CEO of CABWHP said, “despite ongoing challenges, we will continue to unapologetically advocate for the improved health and well-being of Black women and girls across California from San Diego to Sacramento. We know that it takes collective community efforts to address gaps, and we remain committed to fighting against inequities”
The anniversary theme, Giving F.O.R.W.A.R.D. (For Our RIGHTS, WELLNESS, ADVOCACY, RESOURCES, and DESCENDENTS), highlights the inequities in philanthropy for Black-led organizations. Throughout the year, California Black Women’s Health Project will host impactful charity and community events and collaborate with partners across the state to further their mission of reducing health disparities and improving the physical, mental, and emotional health of California’s Black women and girls. All donations received through CABWHP’s Giving F.O.R.W.A.R.D Collective will strengthen operations and support existing programs focused on training, educating, and building the capacity of Black women to become health advocates and activists.
CABWHP hopes that spreading awareness of the funding inequities, as well as the ongoing community demands for their services that only increased post-Covid, will allow them to reach their funding goal to support expanding their services and bringing on more staff and resources to support their existing programs.
California Black Women’s Health Project launched its 30th-anniversary celebrations with an impactful Fireside Chat honoring the five CEOs who have led the organization since its inception. The leaders reflected on their individual and collective influences on the organization’s legacy and uplifted the positive community impact the organization has made over the past 30 years. Throughout the remainder of 2024, CABWHP will host the following series of fundraising events to commemorate its 30th anniversary and engage partners and funders in supporting the work to address health disparities:
Purple Carpet Revue
“Women Who Dared”: A Time to Care Affair
30th Anniversary Black Women’s Health Project Family Reunion
Sisters at The Well
To contribute to CABWHP’s funding goal or partner to support the 30th-anniversary community events, please reach out to 30th@cabwhp.org and/or visit the website at www.cabwhp.org/30th to get involved.
We’d like to sincerely thank our statewide partner The California Endowment and our current sponsors supporting us in our efforts: Planned Parenthood, California Healthcare Foundation, Slack Global Consulting, and others for their continued dedication to our mission!
Raneisha Stassin
California Black Women’s Health Project
raneisha@cabwhp.org
