Everything happening around us has a lot of people carrying anger, grief, exhaustion, and frustration all at once. That reaction is valid. You’re not “doing too much.” You’re responding to very real harm, injustice, and uncertainty.
You are not required to feel okay.
You don’t have to rush to positivity.
You don’t owe anyone calm when the world feels heavy.
This is a moment to slow down, check in with yourself, and protect your mental health in whatever ways you can, rest, unplug, talk to someone you trust, set boundaries, or simply sit with your feelings without judgment.
Take the time you need. Care for yourself with intention.
Your well-being matters, especially in times like these.
We’re holding space for you. Always. 💜
#SelfCare #PrioritizeYourself #BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
thank you @cjnlegalnurse for breaking this down!
New United States Postal Service postmark rules are rolling out, and they matter more than people realize. With tax season, voting, and healthcare paperwork all in motion, how and when documents are mailed can make a real difference.
Postmarks can impact:
• Tax filings and deadlines
• Mail-in ballots
• Healthcare forms, appeals, and coverage documents
• Legal and time-sensitive paperwork
Now is the time to be extra mindful:
✔️ Mail important documents early
✔️ Get receipts or tracking when possible
✔️ Don’t wait until the last minute
✔️ Double-check deadlines and requirements
Don’t panic. Pay attention. Plan ahead.
🚨 This is a devastating reminder of why accountability in healthcare matters especially for Black women.
Chesapeake Regional Medical Center is facing intense scrutiny after more than 500 women, most of them Black, filed a massive lawsuit alleging the hospital allowed a former OB-GYN to perform unnecessary and irreversible reproductive procedures for years.
In a lawsuit seeking $10 million each, 510 women accuse the health system and senior executives of negligence. They say they were harmed by Javaid Perwaiz, who is now serving a 59-year federal prison sentence for Medicaid fraud tied to these procedures.
According to the lawsuit, women were subjected to:
Irreversible hysterectomies
Improper sterilizations
Other medically unnecessary surgeries
False diagnoses, including being told they had cancer when they did not
For more than a decade, women say they were misled, violated, and stripped of their reproductive autonomy, while the system meant to protect them failed to intervene.
This is not just about one doctor.
This is about systemic failure, medical racism, and the devaluation of Black women’s bodies.
Informed consent matters.
Oversight matters.
Listening to Black women matters.
We must continue demanding healthcare systems that protect patients, not harm them and accountability when trust is broken. Black women deserve safety, dignity, and truth in their care.
#HealthEquity #BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
Shoutout to @nicolealiciamd for clearing this up and breaking it down with facts because misinformation spreads fast, especially when it comes to women’s bodies.
And @tcross_md also dropped some much-needed knowledge addressing these myths about “getting your period scooped out” 🤦🏾♀️ whew!
Let’s be clear:
✔️ Your menstrual cycle is not something that gets “scooped out”
✔️ Not everything viral is medical truth
✔️ Trusted, licensed providers matter
Always check your sources. Always ask questions. And always talk to a qualified healthcare professional about your body and your health.
We love seeing doctors step in to protect the community with real information. 💜
According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 states are now in the CDC’s worst tier for flu activity, with a highly contagious “super” variant spreading nationwide. The CDC says flu activity continues to increase across the country, and we likely haven’t reached the peak yet.
What you can do to help prevent the flu:
➡️ Wash your hands often with soap and water
➡️ Avoid close contact with people who are sick
➡️ Wear a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces
➡️ Keep your immune system supported with rest, hydration, and nutrition
➡️ Talk to your doctor about flu vaccination if appropriate for you
If you have flu symptoms:
➡️ Stay home and rest
➡️ Drink plenty of fluids
➡️ Monitor symptoms closely
➡️ Seek medical care if symptoms worsen or if you’re high risk
➡️ Avoid spreading it to others
And as always, listen to your body and consult your physician about what’s best for your health and your specific needs.
Staying informed is part of staying protected. Take care of yourself and each other. 💜
#BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month!
Reminder: Pap smears are preventive care, not optional.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet Black women are more likely to be diagnosed later and experience worse outcomes. That’s not coincidence. That’s a gap in care.
This month, we’re talking prevention, access, and what it really means to be heard in healthcare spaces.
Knowledge + access = power
#CervicalHealthMonth #BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
We are holding space and honoring the life of Dr. Janell Green Smith, a Black midwife, maternal health expert, and fierce advocate who tragically lost her life during childbirth.
Dr. Green Smith dedicated her life to protecting Black mothers, improving maternal outcomes, and fighting for a healthcare system where Black women are heard, believed, and cared for. That someone who knew the system, worked within it, and advocated to change it could still be taken by it is a devastating reminder of the crisis Black women face in maternal health.
We honor her legacy by continuing the fight she gave her life to, for dignity, equity, and survival in Black maternal care. 💜
“Weathering” is what happens when your body pays the price for carrying stress over a lifetime, and for Black women, that toll shows up earlier, heavier, and more often.
Racism. Chronic stress. Medical dismissal. Caregiving. Survival mode.
All of it compounds, and it shows up in our hormones, our hearts, our bones, and our menopause experiences.
That’s why menopause can feel more intense, more disruptive, and less supported for Black women.
Hot flashes that are stronger.
Sleep that disappears.
Anxiety and depression are overlooked.
Symptoms that are minimized or ignored.
This isn’t about weakness.
It’s about systems that force Black women to endure more, for longer, without care, relief, or validation.
Understanding weathering matters because it shifts the conversation from
“Why is this happening to you?” to “What has your body had to survive?”
Black women deserve menopause care that is informed, compassionate, and rooted in reality, not dismissal. Our symptoms are real. Our experiences are real. And our health deserves to be centered.
This is why we do this work! Learn more about how we reshape how Black women experience and talk about perimenopause and menopause. (Link in our bio)
🎥 : @themfactorfilm , @Smalonemd
📸 : @jasminemays
#Menopause #PowerInthePause #BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
This is our year. Period.
The year we move boldly.
Speak clearly.
And take up space, fully.
We’re reclaiming our time in real ways.
Centering our health.
Protecting our energy.
Using our power to advocate, build community, and create lasting impact for Black women and girls.
No more shrinking. No more waiting.
We’re showing up informed, intentional, and unapologetic.
In 2026, we’re fighting even harder, for justice, for equity, for the health Black women and girls deserve. 💜
#BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative #HappyNewYear #2026 #fyp
Black women carried so much this year.
The weight. The work. The worry. The love.
And still, we rose.
We built.
We loved fiercely.
Today, we honor both truths:
survival and softness.
strength and rest.
As we step into 2026, we’re bringing our lessons, our boundaries, our joy, and our care for ourselves with us. We’re leaving behind what no longer serves us, and moving forward with intention.
You are still here.
And that matters. 💜
#BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
We love this mother–daughter workout routine by @fitgurlmel 🫶🏾💪🏾
This is what wellness looks like too, moving your body with the people you love, modeling healthy habits, and making joy part of the routine. It’s not about perfection. It’s about connection, consistency, and showing the next generation that caring for your body is an act of love.
Black women don’t just pass down strength, we pass down wellness.
And we’re here for all of it. 💜
Who would you work out with if fitness felt more like bonding and less like pressure?
#GenerationalHealth #GenerationalWealth #Wellness #BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
Thank you for learning with us.
For sharing the truth.
For advocating for Black women’s health.
For donating, supporting, and showing up in ways big and small.
This movement is stronger because of you.
Your voices matter. Your care matters. Your commitment makes change possible. 💜
And know this, bigger and better things are coming in 2026.
We’re building, growing, and pushing forward together. 💪🏾
#BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
Don’t wait for January 1 to start choosing yourself.
Start today.
Your health matters now.
Your goals matter now.
Your life deserves care right now.
There’s no perfect date on the calendar that makes you more worthy of rest, movement, healing, or change. One small choice today is still powerful.
Progress doesn’t begin with a new year, it begins the moment you decide you’re worth it.
Start where you are.
We’re with you. 💜
The experts are paying attention, and it shows!
“They’ve been told their symptoms are stress, aging, anxiety, or something they simply need to push through.
Emerging research continues to show that menopause is not a uniform experience—and for Black women, the burden is often heavier, more prolonged, and more dismissed. While education and access to care are often cited as solutions, they are not enough on their own.
This persistent gap points to something deeper: a disconnect in how information is shared, how care is delivered, and whose experiences are truly centered in medicine.
That uncertainty is not a failure of patients, it’s a failure of the system.
If we are serious about improving menopause outcomes, we must do more. We must ensure Black women are not only educated, but believed. Not only given access, but truly supported. This stage of life deserves more visibility, more nuance, and more accountability from the healthcare system” @jessicashepherdmd
We do this work because Black women deserve to be heard, believed, and cared for at every stage of life. 💜
Read the full report (link in our bio)
#Menopause #PowerInThePause #BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
This is the kind of healthcare training we need more of. 💜
In this video, Clinical Medical Assistant Ms. Sumter ( @orleanstech) is doing hands-on phlebotomy training with students, allowing them to practice on her, guiding them with patience, care, and real love.
A Black medical assistant teaching Black students.
Leading with skill and compassion.
Creating confidence, trust, and excellence in real time.
This is how we build better healthcare, by training providers who are seen, supported, and grounded in care for their communities.
More of this. Always.
#HealthcareTraining #BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
May this season bring you moments of peace, deep breaths, and the permission to slow down.
You deserve care today and every day.
From all of us at the Black Women’s Health Imperative,
Merry Christmas and warm wishes for the days ahead. 💜🎄
This season is about you, too. 💜
Your needs don’t disappear during the holidays.
Your body still needs rest.
Your mind still needs care.
Your boundaries still matter.
It’s okay to slow down.
It’s okay to say no.
It’s okay to choose yourself, even when everything around you feels loud and demanding.
Take care of you.
That’s not selfish. That’s necessary.
YASSSS, this is right on time! 📚
While we’re already planning resolutions and dreaming ahead to 2026, our sis @nemreads came through with a list of book releases by Black authors dropping in 2026 and we’re obsessed.
If “read more” is on your resolutions list (or you’re trying to be more intentional about what’s on your bookshelf), she’s got us covered. Period.
And this is just Part 1… Save this, share it, and start building that 2026 reading list now.
Black stories. Black voices. Black brilliance. Always. 🖤📖
#2026 #NewYearResolutions #BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved oral semaglutide (Wegovy) a once-daily pill shown to support weight loss and help reduce major adverse cardiovascular events.
Why this matters:
Pills are familiar, less intimidating, and often easier to fit into daily routines. For many people, a pill isn’t just more convenient, it can feel more psychologically accessible, too. Options matter.
As always, access, affordability, and culturally responsive care are key and decisions about medications should be made with a trusted healthcare provider who understands your full health picture.
We’ll continue to share what’s new, what it means, and what questions to ask because we deserve clear information and real choices when it comes to our health. 💜
#BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative
What the experts are saying matters, and this is powerful.
"This survey makes something very clear. Black women are carrying far too much of this experience without the information, support, or validation they deserve. Their symptoms are real. Their stories are real. This data finally reflects what they have been saying for years, and it gives all of us a responsibility to pay attention and continue fighting for change." @Tamsenfadal
This is exactly why we did this work.
✅To validate lived experiences.
✅To put data behind what Black women have been saying for years.
✅To demand better care, better information, and real support.
Because Black women deserve to be heard, believed, and cared for at every stage of life. 💜
Read the full report (link in our bio)
#Menopause #PowerInThePause #BWHI #BlackWomensHealth #TheImperative