Summary
Los Angeles, CA – Black Women for Wellness (BWW) is proud to announce that its executive director and co-founder, Janette Robinson-Flint, has been honored by the Los Angeles City Council as part of its 2026 African American Heritage Month exhibition, “When Black Women Lead: Communities Thrive, Everybody Wins.” The exhibition is on view February 2–26, 2026, at Los Angeles City Hall.
Hosted by Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Councilmembers Heather Hutt, Curren Price, and Tim McKosker, the exhibition celebrates the leadership and legacy of Black women whose work has shaped public policy, health equity, economic opportunity, housing, philanthropy, arts and culture, and community advocacy across Los Angeles and California.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., in the Henry P. Rios Bridge Gallery, located on the third floor of City Hall East, followed by a Council Presentation and reception.
Janette Robinson-Flint was recognized alongside a distinguished group of leaders, including Angela Gibson Shaw (Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce), Areva Martin (Special Needs Network), Bernita Ruth Walker (Project: PeaceMakers, Inc.), Carrie Griffith Henley (The Wilfandel Club), Charisse Bremond Weaver (Brotherhood Crusade), Cynthia Mitchell-Heard (Los Angeles Urban League), Janet Kelly (Sanctuary of Hope), Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker (Ward Economic Development Corporation), Joy Atkinson in memoriam (LAAWPPI), Kaci Y. Patterson (Social Good Solutions), Kellie Todd Griffin (A Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute), Noreen McClendon (Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles), Sandra J. Evers-Manly (Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center), Saundra Bryant and Brandy Muniz (All Peoples Community Center), Sonya Young Aadam (CA Black Women’s Health Project), Alice “Sweet Alice” Harris (Parents of Watts), and Yolanda Y. Whittington (SISTAHFRIENDS).
During the City Council presentation, Councilmember Heather Hutt stated, “When we uplift the Black experience, we uplift the entire city of Los Angeles.”
Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said Black History Month is “an example of what’s possible in this country for everybody.” He pointed to ongoing efforts across the nation to erase Black history, citing the removal of Black Lives Matter murals, the dismantling of institutions that preserve African American history, and sustained attacks on DEI. Harris-Dawson emphasized that these actions are taken “not so Black people won’t know — because we’ll know — but so the world won’t know.” He added that Black communities have endured and survived “state-sponsored terror, state-sponsored oppression, and state-sponsored fascism,” yet continue to stand “ten toes down,” offering a powerful example of resilience and resistance for all communities.
Reflecting on the honor, Janette Robinson-Flint says, “For nearly three decades, I’ve had the privilege of doing this work as a Black woman, alongside Black women, and for Black women. This recognition is not about one person; it belongs to every Black woman who has organized, nurtured, advocated, and refused to give up on our people. When Black women lead, we don’t just imagine a better future… we advocate, protest, change policy, feed the babies, and do the work to build it.”
Founded nearly 30 years ago, Black Women for Wellness has been at the forefront of advancing health equity, reproductive justice, and community wellness for Black women and girls across Los Angeles and California. Under Robinson-Flint’s leadership, BWW has helped shape public policy, pass landmark legislation, provide direct services, and elevate Black women’s leadership through education, advocacy, and community organizing.
“Our BWW team was deeply honored to stand alongside our executive director as she received her flowers for decades of commitment to centering Black women’s health, wellness, and joy,” said Myeisha Essex, Communications Director for Black Women for Wellness. “This exhibit was all about honoring the generations of Black women in Los Angeles who have built care where systems have failed us.”
Immediately following the exhibition’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests attended the African American Heritage Month Council Presentation, followed by a reception on the City Hall forecourt.
The “When Black Women Lead” exhibition is free and open to the public during regular City Hall hours. Photos and videos can be found here.
About Black Women for Wellness
Founded in 1997, Black Women for Wellness is a California-based nonprofit committed to the health and well-being of Black women and girls. Through education, policy advocacy, and leadership development, BWW advances reproductive justice and builds community power.
MEDIA CONTACT: Myeisha Essex, Communications Director, [email protected]
