Black Women’s Wellness Day returns for its 17th year as it looks to highlight the continued disparities in Black women’s health on Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Monona Community and Convention Center in downtown Madison.
The annual conference brings the community together to focus on the struggles Black women often face in health. Now in its 17th year, The Foundation For Black Women’s Wellness has put on the conference since 2009 — three years before the organization actually formed. Its founder, Lisa Peyton, started the conference soon after the death of her mother, Roberta Peyton, at the age of 64. Peyton recognized the need for a space to highlight what Black women often face and struggle with when it comes to their own health and receiving care.
This year’s theme will be centered on “rest, resilience and resistance” as Black Women’s Wellness Day looks to tie current events into its effects on health.
“This year will be especially important to us because we need this event and this healing, energizing space like never before,” Peyton said. “Black Women’s Wellness is happening this year in the midst of very serious challenges and changing conditions in our community and in our nation that are, in many ways, placing the health and well-being of Black women and all members of our community at risk.”
Studies have shown that resources and treatment for Black women’s health in the United States have been a continuous issue.
Social and economic factors cause multiple maladies, from a higher rate of maternal mortality, shorter life expectancies, and chronic conditions in cardiovascular health, anemia, and many other conditions, according to a study from the Journal of Women’s Health on health equity among Black women.
“We know that Black women face daunting disparities and inequities in our health quality and health outcomes. That’s been a persistent theme in our very American experience,” Peyton said. “But really, it’s a global experience that Black women of any ethnicity or cultural context are experiencing.”
Peyton knows that it’s an uphill battle. Despite that, she seeks to center conversations among other Black women when the needs of their health aren’t being adequately addressed. Conferences like Black Women’s Wellness Day are just one of the vital steps to making change, Peyton said.
At the conference this year, workshops aim to touch on topics from healing, family, policy, nature, reconnecting with your roots, wealth and separate special sessions for teen girls and the elderly.
(Photo: The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness)
This year’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Thema Bryant — psychologist, author, professor, minister and artist. Her work has heavily covered antiracism, interpersonal trauma and violence of oppression, healing from past wounds.
New this year will include a couple of sessions on Black men’s health. The state of Black men’s health is also in a similar state of poor outcomes in care. Peyton wants to get them involved in the conversation, both as a unit and as individuals, and relay how the health of each other affects one another.
“We need them to understand that when we say Black women’s health, we’re talking about Black family and community health, which is inclusive to men, and that they play a vital role in this work to elevate the position of women in our community,” Peyton said.
Other portions of the conference will include a Wellness Fair and Market, which has resources and Black women-owned businesses. A vendor and sponsor of the conference, Peyton is particularly excited about is Black Girl Vitamins.
Black Girl Vitamins is a growing company that ships vitamins that are geared towards common nutritional deficiencies Black women face. The product, much like the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness, looks to shed light on Black health disparities.
At last year’s conference, someone affiliated with Black Girl Vitamins happened to attend. The representative passed on the work being done by Peyton and others here in Madison on Black women’s health and connected to bring Black Girl Vitamins to the conference.
Black Women’s Wellness Day will be held Saturday, Sept. 27, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, 1 John Nolen Dr. A full schedule for the conference can be found on its website.
