By: Lauren Dorvil, MPH, Chief Digital Strategist, Nefertiti Network

Dear Black Women,

It is evident that our voices are under attack. The past 40 days have been an intense cycle of uncertainty, fear, and emotion. America has found itself in a new, but familiar, chapter of history, with a political, social, and economic climate that is hostile to urban America—specifically to the overall health and wellness of Black women. Our physical, mental, and emotional health are at risk: from the cost of living, senseless attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and the continued rollbacks on reproductive rights, Black women are disproportionately and detrimentally impacted.

The good part? We’ve been here before. Nothing we are experiencing is outside the realm of what Black women faced for generations. Only now, the entire world is watching with a full view of our side, our story.

Photo credit: US International Trade Administration

As we enter Women’s History Month, it is more important than ever that Black women prioritize their self-care, wellness, and healing.

This month was created to highlight and recognize the dynamic contributions of women locally, nationally, and internationally—women just like you and me. Women who have led, organized, strategized, given, created, nurtured, fought, and built spaces for other women to grow and thrive. As Black women transition from Black History Month—reflecting on the contributions of our people—and into Women’s History Month, we must also recognize how our experiences as Black women in urban America and the larger U.S. landscape have significantly shaped our ability to create, lead, and sustain.

To my Black women—educators, health professionals, leaders, creatives, artists, government workers, students, business owners, mothers, wives, sisters, and friends—please take care of yourselves. Recognize that it is completely OK to detach. It is OK to rest. It is OK to set boundaries. It is OK to use this time as an opportunity to fully embrace and care for yourself. It is OK not to be everything to everyone at all times.

Take Action for Your Well-Being

In this moment, I encourage you to pour into yourself just as much as you pour into others. Here are three powerful resources dedicated to supporting Black women in prioritizing their physical, mental, and emotional health:

1. Therapy for Black Girls (therapyforblackgirls.com) – A community and directory connecting Black women with culturally competent therapists and mental health resources. Prioritize your mental wellness with expert support tailored to your needs.
2. GirlTrek (girltrek.org) – The largest health movement for Black women in the U.S., using walking as a form of radical self-care and healing. Join thousands of Black women reclaiming their health one step at a time.
3. The Nap Ministry (@thenapministry on Instagram) – A movement that promotes rest as resistance, advocating for Black women to embrace rest as a revolutionary act of healing and self-preservation.

Even in this time of uncertainty, we will continue to come together, and we will continue to move forward. Continue to take care of yourself and one another.

Sincerely,

The Nefertiti Network

The Nefertiti Network is a creative collective of Black and Latina leaders revolutionizing political journalism, comprising: Ugoeze Achilike, Lauren Dorvil, Crystal Joseph, Jacqueline Shaulis, and Sharday Urtarte. Discover more about these world changers at www.NefertitiNetwork.com