A movement for Black women to tend to our mind care, heart care, soul and community care.
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Sisters Mentally Mobilized (SMM), a project of the California Black Women’s Health Project, is a statewide movement that trains Black women to become mental health community advocates and launch mental health-focused Sister Circles in the communities where Black women live, work, play, and pray. Too many of our sisters are suffering in silence. Sisters Mentally Mobilized aims to reduce mental health stigma, anxiety, and isolation among Black women and create space for us to tend to our minds, hearts, souls and communities. Over 150 Black women have been trained through this model of prevention.
Sisters Mentally Mobilized is funded by a grant from the California Department of Public Health, Office of Health Equity, and is part of the California Reducing Disparities Project. |
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Gain a deeper understanding of the forces that contribute to mental health stigma, anxiety and isolation in Black women and learn coping and support strategies to advance community priorities for mental health advocacy and organizing. Our Oakland/Bay Area Cohort will prepare you to launch a mental-health focused sister circle in your community.
Our Sisters Mentally Mobilized (SMM) trains Black women to become mental health community advocates in order to launch mental health-focused Sister Circles in the communities where Black women live, work, play, and pray. Join us as we build an army of Black women across California to reduce the stigma of mental health and provide sister circles of support for mental wellness. Our Sister Circles and Mental Health Initiative SMM are providing necessary social connections for our sisters to thrive and be mentally well during COVID-19!
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June 2023 | We have launched our third Sacramento Cohort for Sisters Mentally Mobilized - Advocate Training Program (SMM-ATP) with funding support from CA Department of Public Health - CA Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP) to train 28 Black women mental health advocates and activists.
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Sisters Mentally Mobilized- Advocate Training Program (SMM-ATP)The Advocate Training Program is the introductory experience of Sisters Mentally Mobilized. Over the course of several weeks, participating sisters gain a deeper understanding of the forces that contribute to mental health stigma, anxiety and isolation in Black women; share and learn coping and support strategies; identify community priorities for mental health advocacy and organizing; and craft solutions for promoting individual and community well-being. The SMM-ATP prepares Black women to establish and lead mental-health focused sister circles in their communities.
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Sisters Mentally Mobilized- Sister CirclesSister Circles have been part of the Black female experience for over 150 years. From living rooms, community halls, college campuses, church basements and beyond, Sister Circles continue to be safe spaces for Black women to ‘talk, deal and heal’.
Following in that tradition, Sisters Mentally Mobilized- Sister Circles are support groups for mental health empowerment, healing and activism. SMM-Sister Circles serve as a platform for members to take action in response to issues affecting mental health and wellness in their lives and communities. With ongoing support and training from CABWHP, SMM-Sister Circles are developed and facilitated by women who have completed the SMM-ATP. |
For Us, By Us
Between our roles as mothers, wives, partners, sisters, students, entrepreneurs, caregivers, and employees, along with pervasive racism and sexism, most of us are working twice or three times as hard to hold it together. While the outside world marvels at our ability to seemingly make it all work, inwardly we feel the price we are paying--and sometimes the cost is our mental or physical health.
Sometimes we need space away from a world that too often tries to convince us that it is a problem to be a Black woman in America – we need a space to set it all down, talk it out, breathe, get support from our sisters, and love on ourselves. Sisters Mentally Mobilized is that space, a movement for Black women to tend to our mind care, heart care, soul care and community care.
Sometimes we need space away from a world that too often tries to convince us that it is a problem to be a Black woman in America – we need a space to set it all down, talk it out, breathe, get support from our sisters, and love on ourselves. Sisters Mentally Mobilized is that space, a movement for Black women to tend to our mind care, heart care, soul care and community care.
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Who is Sisters Mentally Mobilized for?
SMM is for any Black woman 18 or older who has stories to tell and experiences to share. At the California Black Women’s Health Project, we know that there is wisdom and beauty in every Black woman’s life journey. All sisters who are interested in creating lasting change for themselves and communities around mental health are welcome! No previous mental health work or experience is required (just time, talents and treasures!) We are reaching out to our sisters in Los Angeles County, Oakland/Bay Area, Sacramento and the Inland Empire (Riverside & San Bernardino) to join the Sisters Mentally Mobilized movement for personal and community healing. We need committed sisters like you who are ready to lead the way for better mental health and wellness for themselves and their communities. Listen to our interview on 97.5 KDEE Full Circle with host Ms. Wanda on her Saturday Show "Empowerment Through Conversation" to learn more about Sisters Mentally Mobilized Sacramento!
Sisters Mentally Mobilized - Sacramento Graduate Angel sharing the impact of SMM
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Sisters Mentally Mobilized - Los Angeles
Sister Circle 
Sisters Mentally Mobilized - Sacramento
Graduation Sisters Mentally Mobilized - Inland Empire Testimonials |
