Far too many numbers reveal a horrible reality about health outcomes for Black women. A recent event sought to change that reality, providing participants with opportunities to learn their health “numbers” in order to facilitate better health realities and longer lives.
The event, Uplift Her 2023, was organized by the African American Male Wellness Agency (AAMWA) Houston and took place at the Community of Faith Church on Saturday, Oct. 2.
“Our [AAMWA] goal is to enhance the quality of life for African-American men and their families, so this event helps us have a holistic approach,” said Jamail Johnson, pastor of The Word Church and executive director of AAMWA Houston. “In April, we had a huge walk at TSU for men’s health. Now in October during breast cancer awareness month, we’re hosting Uplift Her, a day of empowerment, education, but more so free health screenings are being provided because African American women are dying at an alarming rate from breast cancer. So, this event is helping us, one, bring awareness, but also help some women be put in front of the treatment that they need.”
The National African American Male Wellness Agency was founded in 2004 in Columbus, OH by the husband and wife team of John and Pamela Gregory. Mrs. Gregory was on hand at the Houston event to lend her support and encouragement.
“We have a lot of vendors, a wonderful marketplace, but the most important thing about the event is getting your health screenings,” said Gregory. “While breast cancer incidents are going down for non-women of color, it’s actually increasing for women of color. The same thing with cardiovascular. The same thing with maternal morbidity. When we look around and we look to see these women are dying from childbirth, we have to do something about it. This is a call to action… We want everyone to leave here today knowing your numbers.”
Uplift Her provided a plethora of activities for the roughly 300 attendees to be uplifted into better health, including affirmations and breathwork led by Recy Swan, founder of The Breathlove Collective; yoga and meditation led by Mayen of Breathe Lounge & Wellness Spa; and dance, fitness and Zumba led by Shonda C. of Taylormade Wellness. Workshops and panels during the day included the topics “Holistic Health, Wellness & Healing,” “Self-Care Isn’t Selfish” and “Health is Wealth.”
Uplift Her’s keynote speaker was local entrepreneur extraordinaire Kim Roxie, founder of Lamik Beauty. And along with offering multiple life gems, Roxie, who was also the event’s honorary chair, asked attendees to pray for Uplift Her’s MC, LaVondia Menephee, who is on her own breast cancer journey.
“If you say, ‘You don’t look like what you’ve been through,’ parts of me do,” said Menephee. “I have the burns from the radiation. I popped some Advil coming here. And there have been times when I said, ‘Lord, I just wanna stay in bed. I don’t really want to testify.’ But my God said, ‘When you need me, I work for you. So, now I need you to go and tell every single person in the room with a body, go get screened.’ And when you get your results, don’t hold it. Tell somebody. Let somebody in. We suffer in silence too much.”
Countless organizations made sure they were represented at the event, including Shades of Blue Project (a non-profit that confronts the Black maternal mortality crisis), Sisters Thrive (a support group for Black women on their breast cancer journey) and the National Coalition of 100 of Black Women Houston Metropolitan Chapter, whose immediate past-president Junelle Berry shared two reasons who she and her members attended.
“It’s important for our organization to be here at this particular event so that we get the word out,” said Berry. “We’re doing two things: for voter registration, because we have an upcoming election, and we’re also giving out information regarding myeloma and some good health practices. We know that we have a lot of things impacting us as Black women, so we wanna make sure we’re still out advocating in the community for us because who else is gonna do it for us.”
