CEO, Center for Black Women’s Wellness
When Jemea Dorsey joined the Center for Black Women’s Wellness as the coordinator for their teen pregnancy program, she never imagined that one day she’d be running the show. When she became the chief executive officer for the CBWW in 1997, Dorsey assumed the post of her mentor, Cheryl Y. Boykin.
The CBWW, whose mission is to improve the overall health of black women, has implemented numerous programs that can help women lead healthier, more economically stable, lives. A New York native who came to Atlanta in hopes of finding nonprofit work, Dorsey found a Mechanicsville neighborhood in need and ready for change.
“When you take care of the black woman, you’re ultimately taking of the black family and the black community,” Dorsey says. “Black women’s health should be everybody’s issue. It should be a platform that everybody embraces.”
After years of hard work, Dorsey says the most gratifying part about her work is seeing the families find success later down the line. “To be in this community and to see some of the same families that I’ve worked with years ago, to see them flourishing and thriving and to see young people who have gone off to college [pleases me],” she says.
On Nov. 14, the CBWW will be celebrating their 20th anniversary with an awards celebration. “The awards reception is really to not only highlight our accomplishments, but to highlight the others who’ve made a difference in the area of women and minority health,” Dorsey says. “We’re happy to do this work and we’re always looking for new partnerships and opportunities.” –gavin philip godfrey
For more information, please visit www.cbww.org.
