137 black women die every day in America due to heart disease.  That’s more than gun violence or AIDS yet we don’t hear about this in the news. Can you imagine the uproar if news came out that 137 white women a day died because of…anything?  And people question the phrase…”Black Lives Matter”.

137 Black women died today in America due to heart disease.

I think of my family.  My Father’s side is from the US Virgin Islands and my Mom’s side is from South Carolina.  It’s fascinating to see that the women on my Dad’s side live into their 90’s and beyond and die of old age.  The women on my mom’s side… die in their late 50’s and early 60’s. Except my Mom.  She’s going strong.  When I look at the life paths of my Mom’s sisters, they left the south for New York City and then both ended up living in Newark, New Jersey.  My Mom went to New York City for a short time but then met my Dad and he was in the Military so they lived in Europe and Asia through the 60’s and early 70’s  then they settled in the Suburbs of Northern VA.

Our lifestyle and diet were much different than my relatives who lived in Newark.  We did not have to deal with the stress of crime, low income housing, pollution and lack of access to healthy food.  Both my Aunts on my Mother’s side died in their early 60’s.

• Only 36% of African American women  know that heart disease is their greatest health risk.
• Of African-American women ages 20 and older, 48.3% have cardiovascular disease. Yet, only 14% believe that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health problem.

We are dying of broken hearts and we don’t even realize it.

We have the power to change the statistics.  30 minutes 6 days a week will improve health, help relieve depression, strengthen the body and so much more.

When you look at the media…nobody seems to care about Black Women.  It’s like the media goes out of it’s way to show us as victims or perpetrators.  They love to show Black women being mean, sassy, fat single and miserable.  They make fun of us and call us unattractive in any way possible.  At the same time, society mines Black women for our creativity, spirit, music…while 137 of us die every day from heart disease.

Let’s change those numbers.  “GirlTrek is a movement powered by the love of Black Women” Vanessa Garrison Co founder GirlTrek.

It’s free to join and we encourage women to take control of their health and wellness by making a pledge to walk 30 minutes a day 6 days a week.  GirlTrek helps the process by attracting magnificent organizers to lead weekly group walks in cities all over the USA.

GirlTrek is about Black Women saving the lives of  Black Women by taking the time to practice radical acts of self care.  Move the body every day.

137 Black women will die today of heart disease.

Take the GirlTrek Pledge TODAY and let’s make that statistic…disappear.

CLICK HERE to take the GirlTrek Pledge

Ashe.

J9