Women Who Dared: A Time to Care Affair 2024
Celebrating Our Legacy and Our Future 

THE GUILD THEATER
SACRAMENTO, CA
​SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2024

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​California Black Women's Health Project invites you to Women Who Dared: A Time to Care Affair. During this empowering event, and in celebration of our 30th anniversary, we will uplift the mental health of Black individuals through a panel discussion and honor exceptional Black women who dare to make a difference in the lives of Black girls, women, families and communities.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available and tickets are now available for purchase. All sponsorships and ticket purchases directly support our initiatives aimed at enhancing mental wellness within our community. Visit bit.ly/SponsorWWD to become a sponsor and visit bit.ly/ATTCATickets to purchase tickets! Thank you for joining our impactful movement F.O.R.W.A.R.D. (For Our Rights, Wellness, Advocacy, Resources and Descendants)!

OUR 2024 HONOREES

This year, we are excited to honor: CEO, speaker, radio personality and host of Ms. Wanda's Full Circle Radio, Wanda Smith; Executive Director of ONTRACK Program Resources Inc., Madalynn C. Rucker; and more Black women! Stay tuned for their announcements!

​Ms. Wanda Smith
​Speaker, Coach, Host of Full Circle Radio

Wanda Smith (Ms. Wanda) is a highly sought-after speaker and coach dedicated to facilitating conversations important to Black Women. As the host of the popular radio show and podcast Full Circle, she is an expert at creating space for women to disrupt thought patterns, get clear on their worth and show up authentically. In 2019, Ms. Wanda founded SpeakHer Consulting LLC, a public speaking and coaching firm aimed at helping women become confident speakers, by crafting a message that supports their vision and authentic voice. Through the years, Wanda honed her gifts while serving in training, outreach and leadership roles with the State of California. She currently serves as the training manager for a state government agency. Wanda has a heart for seeing people thrive in every situation. Her energetic presentations are centered around encouraging others to walk in the freedom of the life they desire. A 20 year thyroid cancer survivor, Wanda certainly has had her share of life changing events. She readily shares her story of overcoming difficult circumstances on her radio talk show and on stage. In her essay, “Freedom by G.R.A.C.E.”, Wanda recounts the steps she took to heal after a painful divorce. Ms. Wanda is the recipient of many honors and recognitions, including 2019 Exceptional Woman of Color and the State of California Sustained Superior Accomplishment Award. When she is not elevating black voices, she can be found competing in 5k races, at the ocean or treating herself to a spa day. *Wanda happily accepts this award in loving memory of her niece Taylor Lynn McClure.

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Madalynn C. Rucker
Executive Director, ONTRACK Program Resources Inc.

Madalynn is the founder and executive director of ONTRACK Program Resources (ONTRACK), which was incorporated as a nonprofit in 1997. ONTRACK provides training and technical assistance for community-based nonprofit organizations, local and state public agencies with a primary focus on behavioral and public health. ONTRACK’s focus is to strengthen programs and policies to improve health and social justice outcomes for populations/communities disproportionately impacted by the interconnectedness of poverty and racism. Madalynn is a passionate advocate for racial justice, which led her to join the Black Panther Party upon graduation from high school in 1968, an experience which has guided and anchored her entire career.

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Tyan Parker Dominguez, PhD, MPH, MSW
​Teaching Professor in the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

 Dr. Parker Dominguez's research focuses on racial disparities in adverse birth outcomes and infant mortality, with an emphasis on psychosocial determinants of health, such as stress and racism. Dr. Parker Dominguez has been a member of the U.S. Secretary of Health’s Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality and has partnered with public health departments and organizations, such as March of Dimes, on initiatives related to health equity and birth outcome disparities. She also serves as an expert advisor and collaborator with the Center for Health Equity at the University of California, San Francisco, and co-chairs the Improving Pregnancy Outcomes Committee of the American Public Health Association’s Maternal and Child Health section (APHA-MCH). Dr. Parker Dominguez has been honored with the MCH Section’s Young Professional of the Year Award, the Hutto Patterson Foundation Distinguished Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching and Service, and is a co-recipient of the Council on Social Work Education’s Community Impact Award.

ABOUT THE PANEL

"The Generational Journey of Healing: Navigating Mental Health as a Black Woman from Gen Z to Boomer" panel discussion promises to be a transformative experience. From Gen Z to Boomer, our esteemed panelists will share their personal experiences, challenges and triumphs in navigating mental health within the context of their respective generations. Through candid conversations and shared narratives, we will explore the evolving landscape of mental health awareness, stigma and support within Black communities.

This panel discussion will shed light on the unique intersectionalities that shape Black women's mental health across generations, including societal pressures, cultural expectations, historical trauma and systemic inequalities. Our panelists will offer valuable insights into how these factors have influenced their mental health journeys and shaped their approaches to healing and health.

From the digital age of Gen Z to the trailblazing activism of the Boomer generation, we will examine how generational differences impact attitudes, resources and access to mental health care.

This panel aims to foster intergenerational solidarity and empowerment. By honoring the wisdom of our elders, amplifying the voices of our youth and building bridges across generations, we can forge a path towards collective healing and liberation.

Stay Tuned!
Stay tuned!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM WOMEN WHO DARED: A TIME TO CARE AFFAIR 2023

We will celebrate with dynamic performances!

Stay tuned for more information!

​WE THANK OUR EVENT SPONSORS FOR UPLIFTING THE

HEALTH & WELLNESS OF BLACK WOMEN & GIRLS IN

​CALIFORNIA!