Held at the Richmond Auditorium in Richmond, CA on September 24 - 26, 2004 -- over 200 women and teens came from all around the Oakland Bay Area and greater California to participate in educational workshps, health assessments, cultural arts and crafts and live performances that could be passed from women to their entire families.

This conference spoke to these women directly, challenging them to make their own health a priority and to extend that priority to their families and community.

Highlights Included:

• 3-days of information filled workshops and panel discussions
• Over 45 health and healing presenters;
• 2-day Young Women's Forum
• Wellness Village - featuring holistic health practitioners and diagnostic screenings
• Local entertainment, Health and Craft Vendors ,
• Sister-to-Sister Networking
• and more.

Conference topics included:

• Addictions
• Anger & Stress
• Breast Cancer
• Art & Healing
• Child Development
• Diabetes
• HIV/AIDS
• Heart Disease
• Marriage & Relationships
• Meditation
• Menopause
• Natural Childbirth
• Natural Weight Loss
• Nutrition
• Raw Food Preparation
• Resolving Racism
• Sexual Abuse
• Violence
• Women in Prison
• & more!!

The 46 presenters who participated in the conference came from many agencies in the Bay Area. Represented were members from the African American Health Initiative (a component of the San Francisco Public Health Department), Berkeley Mental Health Department, Highland Hospital, A Touch of Life, Black Dot Artist Collective, People's Grocers, California's Black Women's Health Project, California Institute of Integral Studies, Leadership Excellence, San Francisco State University, Bay Area Black Nurses Association and women representing numerous churches and mosques and recovery centers.

As a result of the conference, a few groups have been started independently to support the women dealing with various challenges. A group for women dealing with addictions in the family was started in Richmond , a group for women needing more help with raising “active” children was started in Oakland and a group of women also started a holistic eating and meditation circle in West Oakland.

Thank You

Thank You to the following for support of the first Black Woman's Health and Healing Conference 2004:

Financial Support

The California Endowment, Bay Area Black United Fund, Inc., Kaiser Permanente,, Family Independence Initiative,

In-Kind Donation

Rainbow Grocery, Trader Joe's Emeryville, Stash Teas, Curves, Marcus Bookstores, Grand Lake Theatres, Signature Theatres, You-Nique Young Wombs Foundation, ASA Academy,

Vendors

Black Women's Media Project, Proactiv Health and Wealth, Bridges, Branches and Braids, Christian Science Reading Room, An Awareness Production, Zanaib Nia Green and Kimberly Mayfield, Yoland Derouen, Warm Spirit-Loreeta Dorsey, Curves, Gotta Have it Artwork, Tesito Institute,

Media Support

KPFA (Greg Bridges, Joy Moore), Street Soldiers (KMEL), SF Bayview, CityFlight, KBLX, KDYA, Post Newspaper group, Chauncey Bailey, Wanda Saabir, Appolonia Jordan, J.R. and Rashida, Worldwind newspaper, Bay Area Business Woman, KPOO, 92.7, West County Times and Dr. Ricardo Alvarez and Noelle Hanraham of Prisoners Radio.

Individuals

Sherri Hirota, Brenden Leung, Mukulu Godwin, Rachel Bryant, Karen Tinsey, Kimara, Mumia Abu Jamal and Richmond Mayor, Irma L. Anderson and Councilperson Gary Bell

We also received a proclamation from
the City of Richmond and
Mayor Irma L. Anderson for our work.

"…Just wanted to both thank you and congratulate you on coordinating the 1st Bay Area Black Women's Conference, I met so many beautiful women who I feel connected to. I never knew who Queen Afua was and discovering her, listening to her and dancing with her were beyond my imagination."
-L. Hamilton, 2004 participant