When Black Women Gather: Building Community for Proactive Longevity
Community is the first biohack
Black women have always carried the blueprint for resilience. But true longevity—the kind rooted in prevention, community, and self-advocacy—starts long before a diagnosis. It starts when we come together and talk about what’s happening to our bodies, our stress, and our access to care.
That’s exactly what’s happening in Milwaukee.
The National Association of Black Journalists–Milwaukee (NABJ-Milwaukee) and the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) are joining forces to host a Black Women’s Health Panel at 11 a.m. on October 11 at the new Martin Luther King Library Branch.
This isn’t just another awareness event—it’s a blueprint for how community care can become longevity in motion.
The panel will explore the most pressing health issues affecting Black women today: maternal health, mental wellness, hypertension, and breast cancer. It will also confront the hidden stressors that shape our health outcomes—navigating chronic conditions, finding culturally competent care, and leaning on community when the system falls short.
“We invite women of all ages to join the conversation, ask questions, and feel empowered.” —Tannette Johnson-Elie, president of NABJ-Milwaukee.
Moderated by Faithe Colas of the Greater Milwaukee Urban League, the event will feature Dr. Lia Knox of Knox Behavioral Health Solutions, Cherie Harris of C.Harris Communications, and Carla Harris, R.N., a breast cancer support group facilitator. Together, they’ll create a space for truth-telling and strategy—where the focus isn’t survival, but thriving.
And this gathering couldn’t come at a more urgent time. According to the CDC, Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The American Cancer Society reports that while breast cancer incidence is slightly lower among Black women, mortality is 40% higher. These numbers aren’t statistics—they’re signals. And they remind us that longevity requires proactivity, not reaction.
“By shining the spotlight on Black women’s health, we can help women take practical steps toward healthier futures.” —Adrienne Bryant, president-elect of NAHSE.
At Black Girl Biohacking, we call this proactive longevity—the practice of front-loading health decisions before crisis hits. It’s the choice to learn your labs, understand your inflammation, question your doctor, and build a circle of women who hold you accountable to your healing.
Milwaukee’s model proves what happens when media, medicine, and community intersect with intention. It’s not just awareness—it’s activation. Every city deserves this kind of space: a local panel, a roundtable, a living-room conversation that connects knowledge to power.
So here’s the challenge—
If your community hasn’t held one yet, start the conversation.
Gather your women. Bring in your local experts. Host a panel, a brunch, a health day.
Longevity grows where dialogue begins.
Read the full article to learn more about the event and its featured speakers. Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.
BLACK GIRL BIOHACKING · INTENTIONAL LIVING FOR LONGEVITY + SELF-DISCOVERY