September 26th 2023.
The Black Women's Health Imperative (BWHI) celebrated its 40th anniversary on September 22nd. Dr. Mae Jones, COO of BWHI, opened the event with a powerful message of love for Black women.
The organization began at Spelman College in 1983, where over 2,000 attendees showed up to the first BWHI conference, far exceeding expectation. Founder Byllye Avery was the driving force behind the mission to address the health disparities Black women faced. Her hard work and dedication created the "magic" that the BWHI has accomplished over the last 40 years.
To commemorate the milestone, BWHI hosted a Homecoming Celebration in five cities, featuring Sarah Jake Roberts and Sheryl Lee Ralph. The celebration came full circle at Spelman College as it kicked off with a State of Black Women Symposium, featuring Pulitzer Prize-winner Nikole Hannah-Jones and former executive editor of BLACK ENTERPRISE, Caroline Clarke.
BLACK ENTERPRISE had the opportunity to speak with Linda Goler-Blount, president and CEO of BWHI, about the importance of the organization and the work it has done for the past 40 years. When asked what it feels like to lead the organization, Linda responded with immense gratitude. She emphasized the need for an organization that fights for Black women's access to information, services, and research.
When asked what is needed rather than more research on health disparities, Linda answered that the issues are already known, and what we need is political will and policy changes that allocate resources to where they are needed.
For those interested in learning more about BWHI, Linda suggested visiting their website and signing up for their newsletter. Additionally, they are active on social media and are always available to direct people to the necessary information.
Looking ahead to the next 40 years of BWHI, Linda shared her excitement for the new fields of data science, analytics, artificial intelligence, and precision medicine. She expressed the importance of including Black women in the development, coding, and creation of these fields.
The past 40 years of the Black Women's Health Imperative have been amazing, and the following 40 years will be even more incredible.
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