Be Apart Of The Conversation
FAST FACTS
- Black Girl Wellness Fest kicks off today with the Fitness Party and continues Saturday at the UIC Forum.
- WTW sat down this week with Dr. Amanda Long and Shon Chase for two conversations about wellness, entrepreneurship, and healing.
- The interview was moderated by Cierra Monay and streamed live on WTW’s YouTube channel.
- Saturday’s festival features doctor-led panels, wellness experts, shopping, fitness experiences, and conversations centered around Black women.
Chicago, your wellness weekend has officially arrived.
Black Girl Wellness Fest kicks off today with its Fitness Party before returning Saturday, June 27, for a full day of education, healing, community, and empowerment at the UIC Forum.
Presented by Black Girl Vitamins, the two-day experience was created to remind Black women that wellness is about much more than working out. From mental health and financial wellness to self-care, confidence, entrepreneurship, and preventive care, the festival brings together experts and leaders for conversations designed to help women pour back into themselves.
Earlier this week, WHATS THE WORD welcomed two of this year’s featured voices — licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Amanda Long and entrepreneur Shon Chase — for exclusive interviews moderated by Cierra Monay. The conversation streamed live on YouTube, giving viewers an early look at the powerful discussions happening throughout the festival.
Watch the full WTW interview here.
DR. AMANDA LONG ON THE COST OF ALWAYS BEING “STRONG”
One of the biggest takeaways came from Dr. Amanda Long, who spoke about the pressure many Black women face to constantly be “strong.”
She explained that while strength is often celebrated, carrying everyone else’s burdens without making time to rest, process emotions, or ask for help can eventually impact both mental and physical health.
Sometimes strength looks like setting boundaries, slowing down, and choosing yourself before burnout takes over.
Dr. Long’s work focuses on helping women move beyond survival mode and create healthier, more sustainable lives. Through her work as a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of True Space Counseling and Psychological Services, she continues to create space for honest conversations around anxiety, burnout, trauma, grief, and the pressure many Black women feel to always keep going.
SHON CHASE ON CONFIDENCE, BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY
Shon Chase brought another important layer to the conversation, connecting wellness to confidence, entrepreneurship, self-expression, and community.
As the founder of Averi & Blake, a contemporary women’s boutique and private-label fashion brand, Chase spoke about building with purpose while reminding women that investing in themselves is part of the overall wellness journey.
Her message was clear: wellness is not one thing. It includes how you feel, how you show up, how you build, and who you are connected to along the way.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT BLACK GIRL WELLNESS FEST
Saturday’s festival will feature nationally recognized speakers, doctor-led wellness panels, mental health discussions, fitness experiences, beauty and self-care sessions, financial wellness education, a curated marketplace, and opportunities to connect with women from across Chicago.
Featured guests include Meagan Good, Val Warner, Dr. Contessa Metcalfe, Ta’Rhonda Jones, Dr. Bryanne Standifer-Barrett, and more.
If you missed Tuesday’s live conversation, you can still watch the full interview on the WHATS THE WORD YouTube channel before heading to the festival this weekend.
EVENT DETAILS
- Fitness Party: Friday, June 26
- Wellness Fest: Saturday, June 27
- Location: UIC Forum, Chicago
- Tickets: BlackGirlWellnessFest.com
Be apart of the conversation, and most importantly, be apart of a space created for Black women to heal, learn, connect, and pour back into themselves.
