CABWHP Highlights

Timeline of California Black Women's Health Project

1992 - National Black Women's Health Project (NBWHP) hosts an annual conference in Los Angeles. Frances Jemmott chairs the board.

1992-94 - Local women, energized from the conference, meet and plan a Southern California chapter of NBWHP. Frances Jemmott serves as Director.

1994 - "The Well" (a women's self help resource center located in South Central Los Angeles) is created on the first floor of a low-income housing complex with assistance from UCLA Self Help Center. Community partners provide services for a unique blend of health resources and wellness activities.

1995-2003 - The Well coordinates self-help sessions, free fitness and nutrition classes through "Fit 4 Life" and "Fitness Funatics", health education workshops on cancer awareness, domestic violence prevention and HIV/AIDS prevention and other topics. More than 6000 women benefit.

1996-99 - "Walking for Wellness", a health and wellness event encouraging women to walk daily, held in Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego and Los Angeles with nearly 5000 women and 50 CBOs participating.

1996 - Policy office opens in Sacramento. Holly Mitchell is Executive Director.

1996- 2004 - Staff members represent Black women's health interests on national, statewide and local boards, coalitions and committees and at international conferences and convenings.

1997 - The local chapter incorporates as a 501(c) 3 organization with a full board of directors.

1998 - The Well collaborative partnership model is published in the Journal for Social Work. Began six- year partnership with the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collaborative.

1998-99 - Conducted a series of task force meetings with key stakeholders across the state; Board decides to focus on research, policy and advocacy to influence health matters affecting Black women. Latonya Slack is Executive Director.

2000 - Statewide policy office opens in Inglewood. We ask, "What's important to Black women in California?" More than 1400 women respond to 44-question survey and 9 focus groups held in Sacramento, Bay Area, Riverside, Los Angeles and San Diego.

2000 - Produced video documentary "Unheard Voices".

2000 - Partnered with UC Berkeley for research study on large women and ovarian cancer.

2001 - Convened first annual statewide Policy Summit in Sacramento to develop a policy advocacy agenda Began Cervical Cancer Prevention Initiative in Los Angeles County.

2001 ­­- Hosted first statewide conference in Berkeley entitled, "What's Race Got to Do With It?" highlighting study results bringing nearly 300 health activists and educators together for 3 days.

2001 - Facilitated 18-month research study with 25 women on weight management in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania and NBWHP.

2002 - Published study results, "Unheard Voices: Findings from the California Black Women's Health Survey of 2000-2001". Launched Policy Advocacy Program and Black Women's Mental Health Initiative with a press conference co sponsored by Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

2002 - 05 - Convened series of 15 Town Hall Meetings, quarterly newsletters and Issue Guides covering access, quality of care, violence, universal health care and mental health. Graduated 44 women from the Advocate Training Program (ATP). Launched new and improved website. Selected as recipient of New Voices Fellowship. Crystal Crawford is Chief Executive Officer.

2006 - 6th Annual Policy Summit in February. Expansion of ATP to the Bay Area. Release of Black women's Mental Health PSA produced by Women in Film. Launch of the Young Women's Initiative. Commenced Online Advocacy Training for ATP graduates. More to come....