Africa, how are you sharing the healing language and information at SisterLove?
Africa McCladdie: One of the big things that I like about where we are in history is the length that we have now through technology to share so much more information. I have had the opportunity to work with SisterLove now going on four years as a faith-based coordinator. Working in this space has allowed me to explore and expand into helping our community [and] allowed me to also incorporate the healing piece of providing resources, information and then connecting our faith-based community, organizations and leaders, which has allowed us to expand our arm to reach more people.
Can you describe where the intersection of love and health should be for women and men in our community?
DD: Our tagline is “healthy loving is healthy living.” You ask yourself, “Is my love healthy? Is the love I have with my partner healthy?” — Which means do we have a mutual respect? Is there a sense of equal effort to embracing and being together in a way that continues to affirm my humanity, spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically? That’s that alignment that has to happen.
What should women, especially young women, focus on to be sexually healthy?
DD: We have abandoned this notion of risk. We don’t want to talk about risky behaviors. What we want to talk about is what is your desire? What is your plan? What is your hope for your sexual health, for your sexual well-being? And then let’s talk about the tools that are out here to help you achieve those things.
What can we do during COVID-19 to really position ourselves to come out with a reset?
DD: You need to know what your body does. You need to know what things are important for your body, the right things to eat. Movement is important. Paying attention to what goes in your mind and what you bring out of your mind. That’s a part of health and that’s a part of love.
