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Dr. Lorraine Cole: president, Black Women's Health Imperative

Ebony, Oct, 2004

10,000.

That's how many strides on her pedometer Dr. Lorraine Cole takes every day. She takes the strides because as the president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based Black Women's Health Imperative, she knows that every step toward good health--and away from the medical problems that have plagued Black women for generations--counts.

Dr. Cole's mission is extremely personal, and her motivation is strong. Leading the nation's only not-for-profit organization solely dedicated to improving the health status of Black women worldwide is a daunting challenge, but one that she is uniquely prepared for.

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When she talks about the health of Black women, she doesn't mince words, and she speaks straight from her heart. Historically, Black women have had the worst health on nearly every health index when compared to other groups of women. "We collectively don't know how poor our health is," she says. Black women's health has remained the same over the last 20 years or gotten worse, even with continuous advances in medicine."

She says that the poor health of Black women can be attributed to high rates of risk factors, such as obesity, drug dependence, tobacco use, depression, sexually transmitted diseases, low immunization rates, and abusive relationships. The lack of health insurance also contributes to health problems Black women face.

She knows the problem firsthand. Her mother died of breast cancer, which is one of the reasons she is so passionate about the national breast cancer campaign.

When, in 2000, Dr. Cole joined the organization, which was founded in 1981 by activist Byllye Avery, she took dramatic steps to increase membership. First, she eliminated dues, and pushed to increase membership, which stood at 6,000. Today, the organization has about 150,000 members, or about 1 percent of all adult women. Cole's goal is 1.4 million members, which is 10 percent of the adult Black woman population. "My goal is to broaden the scope of the organization and to expand our reach," she says. "We want to reach all Black females. Our mission here is to promote optimum health for Black women across their lifespan."

Realizing that better legislation can lead to better health among Black women, Dr. Cole and the organization are involved in a massive voter empowerment campaign. "We want to educate Black women about the health issues that disproportionately affect us," Cole says. "Our health is truly in a state of crisis, and there has never been a sense of urgency about the status of Black women. We want to bring it to the forefront, to educate Black women about issues that pertain to them, and issues that should be considered when electing officials."

Dr. Cole, who is married to Vincent Stovall (a writer and composer) and who has a teenaged daughter, has dedicated her life to improving the health of African-American women. A native of Chicago and a graduate of Northwestern University, where she received a doctorate in communication disorders, she has worked for academic health institutions, health care providers, and advocacy groups, including a stint as executive director of the National Medical Association. And she practices what she preaches. When she's not working, Cole enjoys walking her dog, aerobics, and, of course, counting her steps--one step at a time.

Dr. Lorraine Cole: president, Black Women's Health Imperative

Ebony, Oct, 2004

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