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By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER SENIOR STAFF WRITER RoLanda
Wilkins has traveled the world trying to save Black babies.
Her work brought her to the State Capitol recently, as she
was recognized as a 2008 Woman of the Year.
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RoLanda Wilkins received a Woman
of the Year award for her dedicated service to the community.
Photo (c) Observer / Staff |
Each California senator selects an extraordinary woman from
his or her district to be honored. Wilkins was selected by
Senator Darrell Steinberg of the Sixth Senate District.
Wilkins is the associate director of the Center for Community
Health & Well-Being.
She is the program manager of the Center’s Judge Alice
Lytle Academy of Dreams program, a risk reduction youth leadership
program which helps young women create dreams for the future
and develop a plan to make their dreams come true.
She is also the international and national coordinator of
Birthing Project USA, a national model for improving birth
outcomes for African American women.
She provides technical assistance and support to women,
groups and agencies in starting and maintaining projects in
more than 85 communities across the U.S., Canada, Honduras
and Cuba.
She leads health delegations to Honduras twice a year as
well as producing community baby showers in New Orleans four
times a year.
Wilkins is also the founder and director of Earth Mama Healing,
which conducts ceremonies, workshops and retreats that allow
women and girls of African descent to gather, connect, release
and heal.
The honoree says her mission is to create healthier and
connected communities by helping people take care of themselves.
The Woman of the Year festivities included a breakfast reception
for the recipients, hosted by Lt. Gov. John Garamendi; the
main ceremony on the Senate Floor; an exclusive tour of the
Capitol; and an afternoon reception, hosted by the Legislative
Women’s Caucus.
Wilkins was nominated for the Woman of the Year award by
youth advocate Greg King and entrepreneur Pepper Von, owner
of Step One Dance Studio, the Center for Community Health
& Well-Being’s “next door neighbor.”
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