Meet the Team

Black Women for Wellness Janette Robinson

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jan Robinson Flint

Jan serves as the executive director of Black Women for Wellness.

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Janette Robinson Flint holds the executive director position of Black Women for Wellness, a woman centered community-based organization working on reproductive justice issues as they impact Black women & girls.

Ms. Robinson Flint is also part of the Los Angeles Coalition for Reproductive Justice, California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom and In Our Own Voice; National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda with the intention of lifting the experiences and voices of Black women in pursuit of health and well-being.

My work in the health field began as an advocate during my pregnancy, seeking a holistic practitioner to work with my concept of a gentle birth. and It gives me great pleasure to imagine a world with powerful women, at optimum physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and financial health leading us to justice and peace.

Over the course of the years my journey has included The Birthing Project USA, Great Beginnings for Black Babies, National Health Foundation, March of Dimes, California Primary Care Association, Inglewood Healthy Mothers & Babies, South Los Angeles Health Project and Women Infant & Children (South Los Angeles advisory board) Programs as well with a member of the community faculty with Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science.

Travel is a love I combine with my work, attending the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing China inspired the creation of Black Women for Wellness. As a researcher in Cuba I witness the reality of what political will accomplishes with health for all. Great food, a good story (either book or movie), spoken word, live music, salsa dancing and a scenic walk make my day in Los Angeles. A victory that encourages health for women and girls grounds me through the challenges, traffic and the struggle for freedom.

Black Women for Wellness Nourbese Flint MA

POLICY DIRECTOR / PROGRAM MANAGER

Nourbese Flint M.A.

Nourbese serves as the Executive Director for the Black Women for Wellness Action Project (BWWAP).

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Nourbese serves as the Executive Director for the Black Women for Wellness Action Project (BWWAP). BWWAP is the policy arm for Black Women for Wellness.

Nourbese was formally a program manager with Black Women for Wellness (BWW). Here, she directed environmental and reproductive health work, organized community advocacy and worked on policy.

In addition, Nourbese serves as the head of civic engagement with Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy (CHANGE), where she strategically looks at the political landscape and helps design efforts to build power and address toxic chemicals as it relates to reproductive health through elections, legislative efforts and community politics.

Before joining BWW, Nourbese studied women’s health in both Spain and Cuba and journalism in Scotland. Nourbese communication’s background includes serving as communication director for the Center of Women’s Health and Human Rights, as well as reporting for KPFK evening news in Los Angeles.

Nourbese has a Masters of Arts in Women’s Health from Suffolk University, where she specialized in health disparities as it relates to media influence. Nourbese is a founding member of Trust Black Women; a national coalition dedicated to increasing respect and support of Black Women and is an active member of the Women’s Intercultural Network.

She is a proud alumnus of San Jose State University, where she majored in Broadcast Journalism and African American Studies.

Charity Faye Program Manager for Sisters-In-Motion

PROGRAM MANAGER SISTERS IN MOTION

Charity Faye

Charity serves as the program manager for Sisters-In-Motion at Black Women for Wellness.

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Charity Faye is a trained Wellness Chef and Healer. Currently studying Herbalism and Wise Women traditions, she serves as the Program Manager for Sisters- In- Motion at Black Women for wellness.

With over 7 years experience as a chef, she noticed several barriers African American’s face that prevent them from living healthy lives.

Through her work with Kitchen Divas and with the National Diabetes Prevention Program, she aspires to remove barriers, increase nutritional awareness, encourage flavorful cooking demonstrations, support physical activity, and provide various healing modalities along the way.

Black Women for Wellness Job Openings

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COORDINATOR

Kaela Thomas

Kaela works with Black Women for Wellness as our Environmental Justice Coordinator.

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Robert Akil Bell Black Women for Wellness Grants Manager

Grants Manager

Robert 'Akil' Bell

Akil serves as the Grants Manager for Black Women for Wellness.

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Akil, a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, California, is a wellness advocate and systemic practitioner who serves as the Grants Manager for Black Women for Wellness. For more than 25 years he has worked in South Los Angeles communities, East LA, Lynwood, Inglewood, the San Gabriel Valley and most recently, the Inland Empire (Chino and Ontario, Ca.) and as far as Ethiopia. He understands the value of using methods of education, mentorship, wellness practices and systemic leadership as tools for promoting and supporting sustainable Human, Community and Capital development.

Akil found his passion for wellness and community health while working in local education systems and community health organizations. With these organizations he became adept at promoting the implementation of wellness practices in schools and communities to address issues of access and equity to quality health services and resources for communities of color.

Akil serves as a board member for the Learning, Enrichment Academic Resource Network, The Pan African Technical Association and the ShadeTree Multicultural Foundation.

He is passionate about building social capital, travel, engaging in healing practices and creating healing spaces for people to explore modalities that may support their growth and development psychologically, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Black Women for Wellness Team Member Deborah Cooper

Finance Director & Bookkeeper

Deborah Cooper

Deborah is the Bookkeeper/Administrator at Black Women for Wellness.

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Deborah Cooper is a retired Finance Director and Bookkeeper that has been working with community-based and faith-based organizations as a part-time staff member/volunteer for over 30 years. She currently serves as the Bookkeeper/Administrator at Black Women for Wellness.

Deborah is dedicated to providing financial and administrative support to nonprofit organizations so that they are able to concentrate on providing necessary services to sustain and strengthen the communities we live in.

Astrid Williams

Environmental Justice Manager

Astrid Williams

Dr. Williams' serves as the Environmental Justice Program Manager with Black Women for Wellness.

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Dr. Astrid Williams has an extensive background in public health. Dr. Williams' background spans the fields of chronic disease, maternal and reproductive health. She is most passionate about women's issues and its connection to health.

Dr. Astrid Williams’ specific interests include advancing evidence-based practices in the development of public policy that addresses community-level health and social aspects. She has coordinated numerous programs as it relates to public health as an administrator and leader. She serves as faculty in higher learning teaching the next generation of healthcare leaders.

She is a graduate of Loma Linda University School of Public Health earning a Doctorate in Public Health and Master of Public Health in Health Promotion & Education. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychobiology from the University of California at Los Angeles, (UCLA). Additionally, Dr. Williams is certified as a Health Education Specialist (CHES). She enjoys self care, wellness and traveling abroad.

Black Women for Wellness Team Member Kimberley Robinson

Community Liaison Northern California Office

Kimberly Robinson

Kimberly serves as a Black Women for Wellness Community Liaison and oversees operations in our Northern California office.

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Kimberly Robinson is an independent consultant on reproductive justice issues, including the health of Black women. She has worked in direct services at a variety of settings, including for many years as the Director of Health Services at Women’s Health Specialists, an independent feminist health center.

While at Women’s Health Specialists, she oversaw the operations for multiple clinics and satellite services and was responsible for the training and recruitment of all clinical staff including residents and medical students and helping to train the next generation of abortion providers.

Kimberly created training protocols and has trained over 20 residents throughout Northern California. More recently, she works in the primary care setting and oversees the medical operations and behavioral health care for low income and homeless communities. As a women’s health activist, Kimberly works with colleagues, communities and allies to build constituencies that demand reproductive justice for all women.

Adrienne Spires

Sisters in Control Reproductive Justice Program Manager

Adrienne N. Spires

Adrienne serves as the Sisters in Control Reproductive Justice Program Manager with Black Women for Wellness.

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Adrienne N. Spires is a native Illinoisan and has worked in the anti-gender-based violence field
in California as a project coordinator for the last five years. She received a MS in Education
Administration from Eastern Illinois University. Adrienne has 15 years' experience in children’s
mental health.

Adrienne is dedicated to positively influence and increase education and social change through
organizing, networking and collaborating with entities and individuals. She has 20 plus years of
non-profit experience implementing racial, economic and gender equity in preventing and
addressing interpersonal violence and related crimes, domestic violence and sexual assault, and
mental health.

When Adrienne is asked to describe herself, she happily shares she is a wife, mother, and
grandmother without hesitation.

Aareka Davis

Get Smart B4 U Get Sexy

Aareka Davis

Aareka serves as the Program Coordinator for Get Smart B4 U Get Sexy with Black Women For Wellness.

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Aareka is passionate about addressing the reproductive & mental health outcomes of sexual minorities. Through various positions, Aareka has curated intentional programming to address the social impacts of health for these communities. As a health educator, Aareka has experience in health education and intervention among adolescents. Covering topics such as consent, decision making, dating, pregnancy prevention, and health advocacy. She has worked to bridge the gap of inadequate health education in underserved communities. She hopes to continue her work in health education, to equip youth with the agency to practice autonomy in their mental, reproductive, and sexual health.

In May 2020, Aareka graduated with her B.S. in Health Science: Community Health from California State University Dominguez Hills. In her time at CSU Dominguez Hills, Aareka served in various leadership positions such as student programmer for the Women’s Resource Center, Resident Assistant in University Housing, and a volunteer in the Queer Resource Center. Additionally, Aareka worked to launch and lead a collaborative health education partnership with national non- profit, Peer Health Exchange. In her time serving as a Co-coordinator with Peer Health Exchange, Aareka managed the education of over 2000 students in Los Angeles County.

Post-graduation, Aareka interned with Black Women for Wellness in their sexual health program Get Smart B4 U Get Sexy. Aareka worked to create a strategic plan to disseminate health education via social media after the 2020 Covid Pandemic was announced. Aareka now serves as the Program Coordinator for Get Smart B4 U Get Sexy with Black Women For Wellness. Aareka hopes to continue empowering youth and young adults to manifest health and wellness in their lives.

Isabella Faith Black Women for Wellness Get Smart B4 U Get Sexy

Get Smart B4 U Get Sexy Community Advocate

Isabella (Bella) Faith

Isabella serves as a Community Advocate with Black Women for Wellness' Get Smart B4 U Get Sexy sexual health education program.

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Anthony "Tony" Alexander - COVID-19 Project Manager

COVID-19 Project Manager

Anthony "Tony" Alexander

Tony currently serves as COVID-19 Project Manager at Black Women for Wellness.

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He has spent the last several years working with and representing nonprofit groups, assisting with their advocacy, community engagement, and policy analysis needs. Tony has demonstrated a clear commitment to food, labor and environmentalism as necessary, urgent complements to social justice movements and the push toward equity. He is excited to support Black Women for Wellness and to assist in the advancement, education, and empowerment of Black women and girls. He looks forward to engaging in this mission-driven work with an intersectional lens that not only accounts for a racial and gender justice framework, but that also incorporates other issues such as disability- and LGBTQ-related concerns.

Tony holds a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and a B.A. in American Studies from Ursinus College. Outside of work, Tony enjoys exploring foods of the world, hiking with his dogs, and volunteering.

Black Women for Wellness Team Member Annette Drone

Data Entry Specialist

Anthnette Drone

Anthnette serves as part of the VREAM (Voting Rules Everything Around Me) Civic Engagement Team.

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Anthnette first met Black Women for Wellness as an attendee of the Annual Reproductive Justice Conference. Impressed and in agreement with BWW’s vision and mission, she soon joined BWW as a member, volunteer, and later an employee. Anthnette has worked with BWW for over five years.

She is part of the VREAM (Voting Rules Everything Around Me) Civic EngagementTeam. She shares in the delivery of the Community Outreach, monitoring the Membership and Volunteers Program, and helping organize the Sisters@Eight Program.

In addition, she sits on the planning committee for the Susan G.Komen's Circle of Promise and is the BWW Team Co-Captain for the 2019 and 2020 Susan G. Komen's More Than Pink Walk for Breast Health Awareness.

Anthnette holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the School of Applied Arts and Sciences at California State University, Long Beach and a Paralegal Certificate from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law. She is a current member and student with the OLLI (Osher Life Long Learning Institute) at California State University, Dominguez Hills. Anthnette states that her end goal with Black Women for Wellness is to help build and sustain strong, empowered, safe from harm, financially-secured, healthy black women, girls, families and communities.

Journey Presely

Community Health Worker

Briley “Journey” Presley

Journey serves as a Community Health Worker with Black Women for Wellness / Anti-Recidivism Coalition.

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Journey is a mother of 3 and grandmother of 5. She is formerly incarcerated with lived experience in
re-entry. Journey moved to Northern California at the age of 19 and moved back home to
Compton 3 years ago. She is passionate about volunteering in her community, advocating
for system impacted individuals and the wellness of women.

Journey is a member of the Anti Recidivism Coalition and has been on the policy team for 2 years. She has been working as an Urban Farmer at Alma Backyard Farms in Compton, CA for 3 years. Part of the Urban Agriculture Job Training Program.

The training focuses on restoring the lives of formerly incarcerated women and men through hands-on technical education in urban agriculture, carpentry and landscaping.

Journey’s personal quote is “ I planted so many bad seeds in the past, it's time to plant some good seeds and experience the harvest of my labor!” and her favorite quote from her favorite author is “I did then what I knew how to do. Now I know better, I do better.” Maya Angelou

Black Women for Wellness Team Member Carmen Taylor Jones

2020 CENSUS DIRECTOR

Carmen Taylor Jones

Carmen serves as an Outreach Coordinator for the Black Women for Wellness' VREAM Civic Engagement team.

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Carmen serves as an outreach coordinator for the Black Women for Wellness' VREAM civic engagement team. She previously served as the 2020 Census Program Manager for Black Women for Wellness.

She recalls always having a passion about serving the neighborhood and would organize her first community event at the age of 8 years old. Currently, she is a seasoned Public Affairs Specialist in the Los Angeles Region.

Under the mentorship of the late US Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald, she would begin her government tenure as the Chief Director of the 37th Congressional District. Since such time, she has served the community through outreach, education, engagement and motivation.

In 2011, she founded Higher Conscious Consulting LLC, a California public relations firm. Inspired to encourage the public that their voice and the participation were necessary "for change" the group adopted its motto "fight the good fight... because this time... the cards are stacked in good's favor".

Hi Con Consulting has collaborated with nearly 100 government agencies, community-based organizations, local nonprofits, Law Enforcement, Local Education Agencies and private corporations.

Currently she maintains memberships on the several Board of Directors; The Greater Watts Development Corporation, the 17-member LA County Continuum of Care Board, National Council of Negro Women, SPA 6 Steering Committee, and she is a life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sisterhood.

Milan A.C. Eatmon

Community Health Advocate

Milan Anaj-Clara Eatmon

Milan serves as a Community Health Advocate with Black Women for Wellness' Get Smart B4 U Get Sexy sexual health education program.

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Milan is the former peer educator with the Get Smart B4 U Get Sexy comprehensive sexual health education program. She grew up in the DFW/Arlington area of Texas. She is a senior Africana Studies major, community health minor and McNair Scholar at CSU, Dominguez Hills. She plans to begin an MPH program in the fall of 2021 and hopes to make a positive impact on minoritized communities. Her research interests include Black LGBTQIA2+ sexual health outcomes, the Black Panther Party's public health initiatives, Black maternal health disparities and global indigenous health practices. Milan enjoys creative writing, music, meditation, reading, spoken word and traveling.

Black Women for Wellness Team Member Gyasi

Phone Banker

Gyasi Imhotep

Gyasi started at BWW as a volunteer and currently serves as a phone banker.

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Black Women for Wellness Team Member Carla

Phone Banker

Carla Steppes

Carla is a Phone Banker with Black Women for Wellness.

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Carla has served as a phone banker at Black Women for Wellness for 2 years. Her role includes keeping the community informed about BWW updates and events through phone calls and texts. She also helps with data entry for the organization.

She is glad to be a part of Black Women for Wellness and believes that Black Women for Wellness “is a place that empowers you to build strong healthy black women and girls, families and communities.”