Women’s Centered Leadership/Our Lives Matter Too
In honor of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day NMAC’s Leadership Pipeline embarks on an initiative that will establish women centered dialogues where female leaders can share, enlighten, and authenticate their strengths and contributions towards health equity and social justice. In the spirit of “high tea”, this virtual social meeting is led by women through monthly dialogues via webinars and video calls.
It is named Pandora’s Café on Women’s Leadership in honor of Pandora Singleton, for her inspiration and legacy. Pandora was a friend, sister, champion and former NMAC board member. Singleton, a native of Haiti, founded Project Azuka – a Nigerian word meaning “support is paramount” – in 1993, when her job with the county health department showed her just how many black women were being diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. “There were just too many women that were HIV-positive and really no other available gender-specific services to talk about” she said.
The first café will be held on March 24, 2015 featuring three women leaders –our sheroes in the struggle- who have agreed to share and bestow their pearls of wisdom with ways to effectively utilize our power as women. These sheroes will continue the support group philosophy that Pandora called “Sisters in Support.” According to one expectant participant, Gisele Pemberton, DrPH, MPH, CHES, “This is good, solid, innovative stuff that truly speaks to how women, and women of color in particular, communicate. I absolutely love this and know I’ll be tuning in as a lifelong learner/leader. We need this!”
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Pernessa Seele
Dr. Seele is Founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead, Inc., a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) whose mission is to prevent diseases and to improve the health status of individuals who are disproportionately affected by high rates of health disparities, especially HIV, hepatitis C, cervical cancer and sexual violence. Now in its 26th year, The Balm In Gilead is based in Richmond, VA (USA) and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Dr. Seele is known for her extraordinary vision and ability to create national and global partnerships among leaders of various cultures and religious doctrines in areas of health promotion and disease prevention. She is the recipient of numerous citations and honors including being featured on the cover of TIME magazine in 2006 as One of the Most Influential Persons In the World. Ebony Magazine selected Dr. Seele as one of their Power 150. |
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| Juanita WilliamsJuanita is a master crafter, HIV/AIDS activist, and educator living with HIV/AIDS for 25 years. A former board member of Project Azuka, Inc. and presently is a quilter with the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Juanita is the founder of The Measuring Stick Crafting Circle where she blends her experiences of living with HIV/AIDS, activism and crafting into artivism. |
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| Frances E. Ashe-Goins, RN, MPH, FAAN Frances is a health administrator, educator, nurse, received her MPH in Health Education from the University of South Carolina in 1980. Prior to her retirement in August 2014, she was the Deputy Director for the HHS-Office on Women’s Health (OWH). She was responsible for the development, initiation and implementation of OWH programs and policies in partnership with other federal agencies, national and local health organizations and leaders committed to advance women’s health with specific concentration on lupus, HIV/AIDS, violence against women, diabetes, organ/tissue donation, kidney disease, health promotion and disease prevention for women and girls. |
Let’s Have Tea
Pandora was a torch bearer for the 1996 Olympics. She was a true champion and her passion for women’s services lives on. Thanks for joining us in these important and necessary discussions. I look forward to enjoying a soothing cup of tea while learning the merits of innovative women- centered leadership. Let’s be powerful together!
Yours in the Struggle,
Jacqueline Coleman, M.Ed, MSM
Director, Leadership Pipeline
Webinar DetailsTuesday, March 24 – 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm EST