Black Women and Public Health: Strategies to Name, Locate, and Change Systems of Power

338 Pages·2022·2.93 MB·English

by  Stephanie Y Evans (editor), Sarita K Davis (editor), Leslie R Hinkson (editor), Deanna J Wathington (editor)

BLACK WOMEN AND PUBLIC HEALTH
SUNY Series in Black Women’s Wellness
—————
Stephanie Y. Evans, editor
BLACK WOMEN AND PUBLIC HEALTH
STRATEGIES TO NAME, LOCATE,
AND CHANGE SYSTEMS OF POWER
Edited by
Stephanie Y. Evans, Sarita K. Davis,
Leslie R. Hinkson, and Deanna J. Wathington
Afterword by
Jasmine Ward
Cover art entitled “Loving Comfort (Byllye Avery)”; used by permission.

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2022 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever
without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic,
magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior
permission in writing of the publisher.
For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
www.sunypress.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Evans, Stephanie Y., editor. | Davis, Sarita K., editor. | Hinkson, Leslie R.,
editor. | Wathington, Deanna J., editor.
Title: Black women and public health : strategies to name, locate, and change
systems of power / Stephanie Y. Evans, Sarita K. Davis, Leslie R. Hinkson,
and Deanna J. Wathington, editors.
Description: Albany : State University of New York Press, [2022] | Series:
SUNY series in Black Women’s Wellness | Includes bibliographical references and
index.
Identifiers: ISBN 9781438487311 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781438487335
(ebook)
Further information is available at the Library of Congress.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction: Race, Gender, and Public Health:
Social Justice and Wellness Work 1
Stephanie Y. Evans, Sarita K. Davis, Leslie R. Hinkson,
and Deanna J. Wathington
Part I. Name Inequity
Chapter 1
Reversing the Dehumanization of Black Women 33
Tiffany D. Thomas and Mandy Hill
Chapter 2
An Overview of the Past, Present, and Future of Black Women
in Health Policy 51
Rebekah Israel Cross, Brittney Butler, and Mya L. Roberson
Chapter 3
The Maternal Mortality Crisis in the Black Community 67
Jovonni R. Spinner, Sheila Carrette, and Joylene John-Sowah
Chapter 4
Promoting Self-Care and Awareness of Stress, the Strong
Black Woman Schema, and Mental Health among
African American Women 81
Dakota King-White, Kelly Yu-Hsin Liao, and Elice E. Rogers
vi | Contents
Part II. Locate Disparity
Chapter 5
The Black Women’s Health Study: Working Together to Improve
the Health of Black Women 101
Traci N. Bethea and Yvette C. Cozier
Chapter 6
The Swelling Wave of Oppression: An Intersectional Study to
Evaluate Health Challenges of Self-Identified Black Queer Women
in the American South 125
Jayme Canty
Chapter 7
Rural Black Maternal Health in the Age of Digital Deserts 139
Alisa Valentin and Christy M. Gamble
Chapter 8
Pouring from a Leaking Cup: Informal Family Caregivers in the
Black Community 163
Esther Piervil
Part III. Act for Change
Chapter 9
Black Women and Public Health in the UK 181
Jenny Douglas
Chapter 10
Enhancing Clinical Practice to Include Biomedical HIV Prevention
for Black Women 195
Mandy Hill, Ndidiamaka N. Amutah-Onukagha,
Charlene A. Flash, Kelli Joiner, Folake Olayinka, and
Bisola Ojikutu
Contents | vii
Chapter 11
Am I My Sister’s Mentor? Why Mentoring Underrepresented
Minority Medical and Public Health Faculty Can Improve the
Health of Black Women 213
Andrea Anderson, Judy Washington, and
Joedrecka S. Brown Speights
Chapter 12
Stress and Black Women’s Health: Origins, Coping Strategies,
and Implications for Policy and Practice 233
Portia A. Jackson Preston, Leslie Bronner, and Yvonne Bronner
Chapter 13
Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda’s Yogic Journey: Creativity,
Community, and Caretaking 244
Tamara Y. Jeffries, Santiba D. Campbell, and Yasmeen J. Long
Chapter 14
When Black Scholars Embrace Ourselves in Our Research,
We Reclaim Our Power 261
Sarita K. Davis
Afterword 285
Jasmine Ward
Contributors 293
Artist Statement 311
Index 313

Acknowledgments
Stephanie Y. Evans: I extend thanks to coeditors Sarita Davis, Leslie
Hinkson, and Deanna Wathington; the chapter authors; and Jasmine Ward.
Your willingness to help shape this important discussion will certainly
have an impact on many generations to come as we work to improve
the quality of life for ourselves and others. A special thanks is extended
to Camara Jones, a leader in thought and practice. As always, thanks to
Dr. Rebecca Colesworthy and the SUNY Press team for supporting this
research agenda. Of course, I remain grateful for the love and support of
my husband, Dr. Curtis Byrd.
Sarita K. Davis: I want to thank Dr. Stephanie Evans for including me
in this book project. Her visionary leadership in documenting the health
and mental health of Black women is inspirational and encourages me to
dream bigger. I also want to thank Drs. Gail E. Wyatt, Gina Wingood, Faye
Belgrave, and Cynthia Prather for embodying the spirit of warrior women
fighting to reclaim the health of Black women and girls. Together we can.
Leslie R. Hinkson: I extend my gratitude to Stephanie Y. Evans for inviting
me to be a part of this project. Equal parts Black girl magic and Black girl
wisdom and knowledge, I hope this volume will play a significant role in
a new era of Black girl healing and wellness.
Deanna J. Wathington: I would like to thank coeditors Stephanie Y. Evans,
Sarita Davis, and Leslie Hinkson as well as contributor Jasmine Ward. It
has been a pleasure to work with these powerful and brilliant women.
I would also like to thank my sister, Melissa L. Wathington, who was a
true profile in courage, an incredible author, and a role model for living
a faith-filled life.
ix