Overview

Our Stories, Our Voices is a compelling, community-rooted anthology that centers the lived health experiences of Black women in Mississippi, intentionally shifting the narrative from statistics to stories. Grounded in truth-telling and dignity, the book affirms that Black women deserve to be seen, heard, and believed-especially in spaces where their health concerns have historically been dismissed or minimized. Through intimate first-person narratives, readers meet women navigating HIV diagnoses, HIV prevention through PrEP, chronic illness, reproductive health conditions such as PCOS, severe asthma, cardiovascular risks, mental health misdiagnoses, addiction recovery, trauma, and the lasting effects of systemic bias in healthcare. These stories are not framed as tragedies, but as testimonies, of resilience, faith, self-advocacy, and transformation. From women learning to live boldly with HIV, to those reclaiming autonomy through prevention, to others fighting to be properly diagnosed and taken seriously, each chapter reveals the complexity of Black women's health beyond clinical labels. The book also bridges storytelling with education. It includes data highlighting the disproportionate burden Black women face in areas such as HIV risk, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, poverty, and burnout, as well as clear, accessible explanations of HIV prevention options-including daily oral PrEP and long-acting injectable medications. This integration ensures that readers leave not only moved, but informed and equipped. At its core, Our Stories, Our Voices is both a declaration and a call to action. It challenges harmful assumptions in healthcare, affirms lived experience as expertise, and underscores the urgent need for culturally competent, affirming care. The stories collectively demonstrate that health equity is not abstract; it is personal, relational, and deeply tied to trust. Produced through The SHE Project and aligned with the mission of the Black Women's Learning Institute, the book reflects a broader commitment to health literacy, prevention, anti-racist clinical care, and community empowerment. It honors the truth that when Black women are supported with compassion, resources, and agency, entire communities rise. Ultimately, this collection invites readers to listen closely, confront uncomfortable realities, and help build a future where Black women's wellness is protected, prioritized, and championed, not as an exception but as a standard.

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Dr. Mauda L. Monger, MPH is a nationally respected public health leader, strategist, and change agent with more than two decades of experience advancing HIV prevention, care, and health equity, particularly for Black women and marginalized communities across the Deep South. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, she known among colleagues as Dr. DIVA (Dreamer, Innovator, Visionary and Advocate), her focus remains steadfast on community, education, and health, Monger is driven by the mantra, ""To whom much is given, much is required. Dr. Tessema is a public health practitioner with over 18 years of experience, including ten years in New York City leading capacity building and technical assistance efforts, writing curricula and leading trainings on U.S. health disparities and infectious disease prevention. She's spent her public health career building strategic partnerships, conducting research, evaluating programs, and leading community engagement efforts. She focuses on conducting research and applying behavioral theory to the development of real-world public health interventions. She received her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) from The George Washington University, where she also currently serves as adjunct faculty teaching Social & Behavioral Health Lisa is a public health professional who has devoted over 20 years to working in HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, and sexual health. She has years of experience leading technical assistance training, building organizational capacity, and developing programmatic infrastructure. Her expertise in translational educational research programs resulted in the development of an HIV women's health program focusing on issues of intimate partner violence, menopause, resilience, and sexual health. She also led the dissemination of CDC's ""HIV Treatment Works"" campaign in nine markets throughout the U.S. Lisa graduated from Empire College State University of New York with a BA and a concentration in Studies in Social Policy and Research. Dr. Tonja Murphy is an author, consultant, and motivational speaker. Dr. Murphy's engagement with the community also includes serving as Community Engagement Director for the Mississippi Book Festival, Mississippi's literary lawn party. Daniel Ravelo has worked for 18 years at the Latino Commission on AIDS and has provided consulting to City College of New York, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Bedford-Stuyvesant Family Health Center and Denver Prevention Training Center. The vast majority of his work experience is in the field of health promotion. In this area, he has developed successful national awareness campaigns, worked with focus group to translate concepts into visual messages, directed photo shoots, designed all collateral materials, and use them for print, web, and social media. Mostly all his work is bilingual.

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