Community Conversations: Sister to Sister

Community Conversations: Sister to Sister is a women’s health initiative in Cambridge that works to remove barriers to better health outcomes in the Black community. Each month, Black women from the community meet with a rotating team of Black women health professionals in a neighborhood hair salon for informal, candid conversation. The goal is to help participants navigate the medical system and find high-quality care for themselves and their families.

The initiative expands on the barbershop and salon model long used in public health. Instead of one-way lectures, a circular forum puts participants and providers on equal footing, building a community that shares information and strategies over time. Participants include American-born, Caribbean and African women of varied backgrounds. The group also works to address the legacy of mistrust between Black communities and medicine and promotes self-care as part of women’s role in family health.

What to Know

• Its HABIT program, Healthy Aging as Black Adults: In it Together, is a collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital and The Wellness Collaborative.
• HABIT helps older Black adults manage chronic pain and memory-related challenges.
• Email reminders, newsletters and blog posts keep participants informed of upcoming sessions.