Black Women’s Media & Wellness Project
The Black Women’s Media Project (BWMP) has operated in Alameda County for over 20 years, serving the needs of African American women in addressing co-occurring conditions and environmental risk factors in the proliferation of liquor stores, lack of healthy food in neighborhoods, over-policing, lack of employment, underfunded schools and violence. Initially the project focused on countering stereotypical alcohol advertising and has grown to address the stress related problems associated with high risk environments.
The Black Women’s Media and Wellness Project promotes mental health wellness and recovery. For 10 years the project has held quarterly stress-reduction and self-care retreats popularly known as Be Still. The BWMWP published two Crossing the Invisible Line publications, a “Jet” style magazine to educate and stimulate dialogue in African American communities about mental health, substance abuse recovery, and lifestyles that promote health and wellness. The Community Advisory Board meets once a month to plan and coordinate the Be Still retreats.
Be Still Project
Be Still is a community driven retreat where women have an opportunity to learn stress reduction techniques, relaxation tools and healthy lifestyle choices. The Black Women’s Media and Wellness Project knows that it is critical to increase the awareness of mental health, learn how to manage stress and reclaim mental, physical and emotional health.
From Past Retreats
The next Be Still Retreat event is currently being planned. For more information, please contact the BWMWP Program Manager.
Crossing the Invisible Line
The BWMWP Magazine
Crossing the Invisible line is a publication produced by the Black Women’s Media and Wellness Project. It presents the voices of women who have known depression. It explores the definition of depression, what contributes to it, what it looks like and various ways to overcome it. Crossing the Invisible Line encourages women to end silence on depression and open a healthy dialogue to healing.
Current Issue
This series is intended to touch on taboo topics within the Black community. The latest edition is titled Crossing the Invisible Line III: Overcoming Depression. A special thank you to Sista 2 Sista, Dr. Brenda Wade, Jenée Johnson, and Jeanette Madden for your contributions.
We hope that as the magazine spreads that more women will continue to cross the invisible line and speak about depression.
Book Club
The Black Women’s Media Book Club meets once a month. This is a safe and nurturing space for women of color to come together and discuss their favorite books!
The next Book Club event is currently being planned. For more information, please contact the BWMWP Program Manager.
Health and Wellness Resources
Coming Soon. We are currently gathering a list of health and wellness resources that will be listed here.
Allison Agbeniyi, Program Manager of Black Women’s Media and Wellness Project
Allison Agbeniyi is the Program Manager for Black Women’s Media and Wellness Project. Over the past 20 years, she has worked extensively in social services, education and the nonprofit sector where she focused on using holistic approaches to serve and educate her community. Agbeniyi has a B.A. in Social Work from San Francisco State University and a M.S. in College Student Personnel Services from Arkansas State University which she uses to fulfill her mission of being a voice for the voiceless, and to uphold her mantra “let the healing begin”.
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