FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Los Angeles, CA / February 21, 2024) –  Black Women for Wellness, a pioneering nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and well-being of Black women and girls, is pleased to announce the launch of the Empower 25 campaign. This initiative is committed to registering 25,000 Black male voters by 2025, fostering a powerful wave of civic engagement and representation.

Founded in 1997, Black Women for Wellness’ mission has always been the health and well-being of Black women and girls through health education, empowerment and advocacy – particularly within the reproductive justice movement. However, Black men have feelings and thoughts around reproductive justice issues too. The Empower 25 campaign aims to address historical disparities and provide a platform for Black men to actively participate in shaping policies that impact their communities.

Too often, the voices of Black men have been unheard and overlooked in discussions around reproductive rights. Empower 25 is an opportunity to uplift and amplify Black male voices, ensuring that they have a voice in decisions that impact the well-being of the Black family as a whole. This campaign  provides a platform for Black men to become advocates, champions, supporters, and partners in the reproductive justice movement. 

“In 2023, we confronted the Black maternal health crisis head-on,” states Janette Robinson Flint, Founder and Executive Director of Black Women for Wellness. “After the tragic losses of April Valentine and Bridgette Comer, we collaborated with their Black male partners and it solidified the need for us to work together for change.”

“Black men are in the hospitals with us. They are in the trenches with us,” she adds. “Their voices in the reproductive justice movement are an important element, as many times they are the allies, supporters and parents in the room with Black women as we labor, seek an abortion, birth control or other reproductive health services.

Sadly with maternal death, they are often the ones responsible, holding the babies, a lesson we witnessed up close and personal during 2023. Currently the opposition to reproductive justice and racial equity are attempting to divide Black families, peeling off Black men as if they have no belonging in our movement, as if the issues impacting Black women and girls do not impact Black families including them. This motivates BWW to amplify our efforts in working with Black men.”

Empower 25 Campaign Goals:

• Increase Voter Registration: Register 25,000 Black male voters by 2025, significantly boosting their representation in the electoral process.
• Educate and Inform: Provide comprehensive education on voting rights, the electoral process, and key issues affecting Black communities, ensuring informed and engaged voters.
• Community Engagement and Mobilization: Increase number of Black men who are voting on reproductive justice issues, creating advocates and activists to foster a sense of collective responsibility and action.
• Advocate for Policy Change: Use the increased voter representation to advocate for policies and legislation that address reproductive justice issues directly impacting Black communities, influencing change at both local and national levels.

Historical Significance & Future Implications:

The active participation of Black men in the voting process holds immense significance in 2024 and beyond. Empower 25 aims to inform Black men about crucial issues under the reproductive justice umbrella, including abortion access, sexuality education, fertility treatment, contraception, maternal health, and more. With these topics on the ballot in many states this year, it’s essential that Black men understand the broader issues affecting Black women and girls. By raising awareness, we seek to enlist Black men as allies in addressing these vital concerns.

According to the California Department of Public Health’s 2023 Centering Black Mothers report, Black birthing people in California are three to four times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than other racial and ethnic groups. “Inequities in preterm birth, infant mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and pregnancy-associated mortality for Black people have persisted both in California and nationally,” states the report, which was released in collaboration with the UCSF Center for Health Equity, Black Women for Wellness, and a statewide group of Black women leaders and academics to advise policy and program development, community action, and health care access and quality.

Historically marginalized and often underrepresented in political decision-making, Black men’s votes are essential in addressing these systemic issues. By voting, they can influence the selection of leaders and lawmakers who are committed to addressing these concerns. 

Summary of Activities:

• Voter Engagement Initiatives:
  • Conduct voter registration drives in collaboration with local community organizations, resulting in new voter registrations among Black men.
  • Implemented targeted outreach efforts to increase voter turnout in key elections, with a 10-25% increase in Black male voter participation compared to previous cycles.
• Economic Empowerment Programs:
  • Launch entrepreneurship workshops and financial literacy seminars tailored to the needs of Black men, equipping participants with valuable skills and resources to pursue economic independence.
• Educational Empowerment Initiatives:
  • Provide mentorship and academic support to Black male students, resulting in improved academic performance and higher graduation rates.
• Community Outreach and Advocacy:
  • Organize community forums and town hall meetings to address issues impacting Black men
  • Engage in advocacy efforts to promote policies that uplift Black communities, including voting rights protections, access to affordable housing, and equitable healthcare access.

About Black Women for Wellness:

Black Women for Wellness is a California-based nonprofit organization committed to the health and well-being of Black women and girls. Through education, advocacy, and leadership development, the organization seeks to empower communities and create lasting change in reproductive health, rights, and justice.

For inquiries, please contact:

Nevon M. Watson

Campaign Manager, Empower 25

Black Women for Wellness

[email protected]