[SOUTH FLORIDA] – In an annual push to promote health and wellness, Jamaican Women of Florida presented a virtual summit on Saturday, September 18, 2021, creating awareness and raising funds to tackle domestic abuse and period poverty.
Moderated by author and professor Tiffani Knowles, panelists interacted with a live audience who sought answers for how and why shame and pride keep Jamaican women and others in the diaspora from seeking help.
Panelist Dr. Marcia Barry-Smith, community housing advocate, former banking executive and a survivor of domestic violence herself, spoke passionately about the importance of “owning one’s story,” so that it may help others who need to find their voices.
“You have to put judgment aside. You have to be responsive and you have to be able to say, ‘my sister, how can I help you to find you?’ said Barry-Smith. “My philosophy is now that I must plant trees under whose shade I do not intend to sit.”
Equally awe-inspiring, panelist Shelly-Ann Weeks emphasized that her work revolves around giving women the dignity they deserve because of their body’s natural flow – even if men or other women in society disgrace them for it.
“We are here to ensure that menstrual products are available to all those who need it,” said Weeks, founder of HerFlow Foundation based in Jamaica. “For a lot of women who experience period poverty, they must choose between menstrual products or buying food…and I don’t believe that is a choice she should have to make.”
HerFlow Foundation was created to empower women and girls about reproductive health through education and mentorship. The organization has donated over 200,000 period kits to Jamaican public schools, government homes, correctional facilities and community organizations in an effort to end period poverty in Jamaica.
As of Sept. 20, JWOF raised $1,925 for HerFlow to purchase sanitary napkins and other menstrual products to donate to women on the island.
“When we decided that we would educate ourselves around period poverty and domestic violence, we did not want it to be a one-off opportunity. So, besides donating to HerFlow, we would like to continue to support our women and our children and have created a new domestic violence committee,” said Dr. Keisha Grey, JWOF president.
If you would like to join this sub-committee or become a member of Jamaican Women of Florida, please email: [email protected].
The Jamaican Women of Florida (JWOF), Inc., is a Florida not-for-profit founded in 2012 to provide an outlet for Jamaican women in Florida to empower themselves through networking, mentoring and personal development. The goal of JWOF is to engage Jamaican women in Florida and to give back to the next generation of young women by assisting in the development of leadership and personal skills to operate in a global environment.
